Hell Bay

Rooms

The 25 rooms, in a collection of clapboard cottages and boathouses, are set behind the main hotel. All have a similar New England flavour: light and bright with tongue and groove pannelling and fresh shades of blue and cream. Expect Lloyd Loom wicker chairs, crisp Malabar fabrics and contemporary Cornish paintings. Cosy, comfortable and high spec, with big beds, new down duvets and total peace, you'll be unlucky not to enjoy a wonderfully comfortable sleep here. Bathrooms may not be cutting-edge design but they are spotless with powerful showers.

The majestic Emperor Suite, with two bedrooms and a large deck with loungers, is perfect for a small group or family. On the upper floor of the ‘Boathouse’, Juno has an open-plan sitting room and balcony. Empress is a fully detached single-storey building with a private decked area, built to resemble a traditional boatshed. Popular with couples are the ground- and first-floor Studio Suites, all with stunning sea views from their balconies or patios. Further back in the garden, more suites are either ground floor (with patio) or first floor (variable sea views), and have sitting areas (with two comfy chair beds) that can be closed off with sliding doors. There slightly cheaper suites with a garden view, which are set around a courtyard and lack the sea view, but some have a second twin bedroom designed for families with older children.

Features include:

• WiFi

Eating

People come from every island to eat at Hell Bay. It's a special treat and staying in situ gives you a head start with either a hearty cooked breakfast from the menu or a continental buffet. For lunch, you can eat bouillabaisse, fish and chips or Hell Bay burgers in the bright and airy bar or, when weather permits, out on the terraces. But the main event is dinner, which is included in the room rate.

Guests can choose where to sample these delights during the summer holidays: the daily changing bar and restaurant menus in the airy, bright Men-a-Vaur room (there's also a sheltered terrace); or head to the Czar room and lap up sunset views across Gweal Hill in an intimate setting.

Fresh ingredients are the name of the game whether it be Bryher crab, Tresco beef or foraged herbs. Chef Richard Kearsley's short modern menu changes daily but each dish is beautifully presented and prepared with love and skill. Everything we ate was delicious, from the amuse-bouches to petit fours, but we particularly enjoyed the West Country venison with turnip gratin, red cabbage and chocolate jus followed by the Armagnac soufflé with Earl Grey ice cream and walnut and cranberry biscotti.

On summer evenings, the team also runs a Portuguese-inspired Crab Shack where, in a nearby barn, they cook up just three dishes: scallops, mussels or crab, accompanied by wine, coffee, bread, fries, a cheese board and crème brûlée.

If you want to eat out, simply catch a boat across to Tresco (10 mins) where you can choose from the Ruin Beach Café with its wood-fired oven pizzas, the Flying Boat Club, or the more traditional New Inn for fine ales, pub grub and a tempting selection of ice creams.

Features include:

• Restaurant

Activities

• Go for a windswept walk up Badplace Hill for amazing views across Hell Bay and Shipman Head, or look for shells on the white-sand beaches
  
• Visit the Fraggle Rock Bar, the island's only deli-shop and the gallery owned by local artist Richard Pearce; honesty stalls dotted around Bryher sell everything from island-grown veg to homemade fudge
  
• Splash around in the heated outdoor pool; indoors, there is a small gym, a Jacuzzi, a sauna and a spa treatment room. Look out for occasional yoga weeks
  
• Water sports can be organised with Hut 62 on Bryher, whether it be kayaking, snorkelling, sailing or paddleboarding; they can also arrange private boat hire so you can explore neighbouring islands
  
• This island is great for fishing, and there are regular boat trips to see seals or cheer on local gig races
  
• The Scillies are a haven for birdwatchers, particularly in October when migratory birds visit the islands, or from April to July when you might see puffins on the Eastern Isles
  
• Pop across to the neighbouring island of Tresco (10-minute boat ride): here you can visit the famous Tresco Abbey Garden with its collection of sub-tropical plants from around the world and idyllic sandy beaches
  
• Play tennis on the nearby court or golf at The Isles of Scilly Golf Club on St Mary's, which has fabulous views. There's also a small 7-hole pitch and putt course by the hotel. Clubs, rackets and balls can be provided.

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Horse riding
• Kayaking
• Sailing
• Scuba diving
• Snorkelling
• Yoga

Kids

There are several family rooms, a kids' menu for lunch, and a host of activities in the area; Bryher is a great place to roam around and explore.

Family friendly accommodation:

There are 4 specially designed 2-bedroom family suites: the cheaper Garden View Suites (Shah and Lily), which have a courtyard patio, the slightly more expensive ground floor Galatea Studio Suite with sea-facing patio, and the top-end Emperor Suite, which has the best sea views. Some of the sea-facing Studio Suites can also be interconnected.

Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 20-minute boat ride away on St Mary's
• Hospital: 20-minute boat ride away on St Mary's

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The Isles of Scilly are located 28 miles south west off the tip of Cornwall. Getting here is part of the fun! The most popular route is by air (from Exeter, Newquay or Land's End) or ferry from Penzance. Please note that there are no flights or ferry crossings to the islands on Sundays, and luggage is strictly limited.

By Air - Fixed Wing or Helicopter
There are regular Skybus flights from Newquay (30 mins), Exeter (1hr) and Land's End (15 mins). All flights land on the island of St Mary's - see Isles of Scilly Travel for flight times and online booking. A 15-minute helicopter service also operates between Penzance and St Mary's or to Tresco. See Penzance Helicopters for all flight times and online booking. From St Mary's airport there's a 5-minute taxi-bus shuttle service down to the quay, where Hell Bay will arrange a boat transfer to the island, which takes 15-20 minutes. Once on Bryher a Land Rover will take you to your cottage.

Note flights can be delayed or cancelled due to fog or high winds. If all flights are cancelled on one day you can either spend an extra night on the islands and fly the next day (subject to availability) or they can transfer your ticket to the ferry for the same day. We recommend that you keep your travel times flexible (ie. don't arrange an important meeting on the day of your return).

By Ferry
Sailings on the Scillionian III depart Penzance mostly in the mornings to the main island of St Mary's - it usually takes 2 hrs 40 minutes. See Isles of Scilly Travel for sail times and online booking.

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