The Alverton Truro Review

Seeking luxury in Cornwall’s only city, TLE headed to The Alverton. An imposing hilltop property, the 1830s building used to serve as the city’s convent. Today, it’s a chic 4-star hotel with stunning historic features, gorgeous grounds and even an award-winning breakfast. 

Ambience & Location

Upon arrival I thought the 18th-century, grade II listed property had a whiff of Hogwarts about it; suffice to say I was immediately enamoured by its heritage good looks. Despite being a stone’s throw from the city centre of Truro, it had a countryside retreat vibe to it, thanks to the manicured grounds and mature landscaping. 

Speaking of the city, it’s the only one in Cornwall! As such, Truro makes a fantastic base for exploring the rest of the county not just because of its amenities, but it’s also conveniently plonked right in the middle of the map. Because of this, both the north and south coast are easily accessible, as are some of the county’s top tourist attractions including St Michael’s Mount, The Eden Project, The Tate Gallery and many more. 

Plus, Truro itself is sure to capture your heart. The city might be small, but it packs a serious punch when it comes to its independent shops and eclectic mix of galleries, restaurants and attractions. A trip to the city’s cathedral is not to be missed – you can’t miss the Gothic-Revival beauty, it’s eye-catching three spires are visible from most of the city’s haunts.  

Check-in & Welcome

Check-in was set for 3pm and we arrived and parked up in the hotel’s generously proportioned and well-sign posted carpark. Despite being forewarned there was a wedding taking place, there were plenty of spaces to choose from. 

We then walked down through the grounds to the hotel where we checked in with ease. Once we were given our room key, we were accompanied to our room with a member of staff. This was a particularly nice touch as we were staying in The Courtyard, which although not far it was still nice not to have to cart our bags ourselves. 

The Room

We stayed in the Chapel Suite, which was tantalisingly labelled as ‘the crown jewel of The Courtyard’. Upon entering, it was immediately clear why: a huge freestanding roll-top copper bath sits pride of place beneath a gorgeous stained-glass window. 

But there was plenty to impress those unimpressed by bathing facilities too. The room successfully blended historic features with modern conveniences and the end result felt airy and fresh. Throughout The Courtyard it’s clear the past is respected, with the interiors playing up the best features like arched doorways and windows, exposed brickwork and original flagstone flooring, meanwhile contemporary conveniences like DAB radios and excellent quality mattresses aren’t overlooked.

Back in our suite, there was a very powerful jungle-style shower for those that prefer a more practical approach to bathing. Meanwhile The White Company toiletries promised to make every washing experience a memorable – and beautifully scented – one. 

Our bed was utterly sprawling and decked out with fresh white linens and topped with robes and slippers perfect for post-bath relaxing. And while there are coffee and tea making facilities in the room, we didn’t use them as there was no clear place to make hot drinks. There was a shelf set-up in the wardrobe, but it didn’t feel particularly intuitive to use. 

Elsewhere in The Courtyard and main hotel there are 51 rooms, including nine suites. You’ll find comfort and style at the forefront of all of them and can expect delights such as luxury linens and antique furnishings throughout.

Dining

The dining option here is at the two AA Rosette classic-contemporary bar and restaurant, which overlooks the garden and terrace by day and is transformed into a more intimate dining experience come evening thanks to the soft lighting. The menu here has a focus on British flavours, expertly cooked. Think pan fried guinea fowl with roasted roots and local lobster. When it comes to drinks, we stuck to the soft variety on this occasion, but it’s worth noting the restaurant boasts an extensive wine and Champagne wall. Likewise, I’m told the bar does a mean cocktail.

For starters I had the Westcountry blue, blush tomato and walnut cheesecake which came with spiced pear and a micro salad in a honey and mustard dressing, which was full of hearty flavour. My dining companion tucked into the soup of the day, which was caramelised onion. The soup was lovely (particularly if you have a penchant for garlic).  

For the main course I opted for the pickled girolle and potato risotto which came with aged parmesan, crispy kale and a soft poached duck egg and finished with a pistou. My dining partner had the roasted cauliflower steak served with curried vegetable rice, orange ginger coulis and finished with chilli oil. It packed a serious flavour punch, but it didn’t feel particularly substantial for a main meal. 

We didn’t need convincing to order a dessert and I went for the crumble of the day – cherry, apple and ginger. It was incredibly tasty and I am now convinced of ginger’s place in a crumble! My dining partner had the sea salt chocolate delice with chocolate crumb, espresso ice cream and nougatine brittle. It was totally decadent and went down a treat. Definitely one to order if you’re a fellow chocaholic. 

We were back down in the restaurant again for breakfast and despite the previous night’s feast, we decided two full vegetarian breakfasts were the order of the day. We enjoyed these with a cafetière of excellent ground coffee. There were also pastries, cereal and fresh fruit juice all available at the buffet – but we were truly full after our decadent start to the day. 

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a history buff or simply appreciate good design, The Alverton would make for a stunning base to explore the county of Cornwall. Add to that fast and attentive service and stylish rooms with bags of character and we’d pick The Alverton every time we were in Truro.