Ship Inn, Mousehole — Restaurant in England

We booked a family room for 2 nights as accommodation for our short trip to Cornwall. We had stayed at a few St Austell Brewery pub hotels in the past and always found them very comfortable and excellent value for money. In many ways, The Ship Inn bears all the same hallmarks - a lovely local pub in the heart of the town with good food and comfortable rooms.

On arrival, we were advised that our family room was located in the adjoining cottage as opposed to within the main pub building. After a bit of a wait we were taken to the cottage and shown to the room. Access was via the separate front door, through a hallway to the rear of the building. There was another guest room located in the same area. The room (and communal area) felt damp and rather uninviting. We were struck by how small and cramped the room was and the lack of light. The room's door brushes with the bed on opening! From the main 'double' bedroom the view is to the rear of the property, looking into a small, untidy back yard. The bunk room's window, to the front, looks out onto the road. The room is very small but was sufficient. The bunk bed itself was dirty and stained, especially the underside of the top bunk which was disappointing. Again, the room felt damp. The bathroom was the most disappointing - it is absolutely tiny and by no means large enough to accommodate a family of four. Even a solo traveller has nowhere to put toiletries etc. We didn't want to spend any more time in the room than was necessary. We suspect bedrooms in the main pub building may offer a far better and brighter experience.

Aside from the room, though, the pub is a bustling melting pot of locals and visitors alike and had a convivial atmosphere with a good range of draught beers and spirits. Our evening meal was good and enjoyable.

Unusually, breakfast (which was included) was served only between 8am and 9am and we were asked to specify a reservation slot within the time period the night before. This did feel rather restrictive compared with other hotels. The breakfast was very pleasant and enjoyable with regular refills of coffee, water and juice, all served by a very welcoming and helpful member of staff.

We wouldn't return to this particular pub as a family, based on our experience, but we wouldn't hesitate to stay at another St Austell Brewery pub in due course as we generally feel that they offer very good value...

From the moment I walked through the door on Saturday afternoon (18th Jan), I was greeted with a warm welcome from Lisa. After ordering a Korev and taking a quick look at the menu – food was ordered. Cutlery was delivered to the table and confirmation that my food was on the way quickly followed. The food was amazing, and the follow-up from the staff also made sure I had everything that I needed. The table was also quickly cleared once my food was finished. I took the opportunity to grab another couple of Korev’s, and was served politely and efficiently by Scarlet, who also took my booking for a table for the following day… Sunday: greeted by Ben at the bar, my partner and I were served quickly and shown to our table by a real fire – a welcome treat on a not so warm day. Sunday roasts (and deserts) were ordered along with several drinks – what a great range of Tarquins! Ben, Lisa and Scarlet all worked well together as a team, looking after every table with a personal touch. Whether you sat down for a light bite, starter, main, or desert – the level of service was excellent. The food is prepared and served with passion and delivered with pride. We’ll be back in Cornwall in March and looking forward to visiting The Ship Inn again. This is undoubtedly a place to enjoy great food and drinks, delivered to you by people who care! Thank you all for a great experience –...

After a long 15km hike along the coast I found myself in Mousehole looking for a nice pub to enjoy some lunch.

As a vegan I was delighted to see they had lots of vegan options on the menu. The staff were friendly and the service was quick.

However, once I had finished my vegan falafel wrap, which was delicious, I started the side of crisps and salad.

To my surprise, there was a prawn buried under the crisps. I went to show this to the staff but did so in a kind manner as I didn't want to be disruptive.

They looked a bit confused and said they'd go see what happened for me with seemingly very little empathy.

Someone who I assume was a manager came out, apologised briefly and asked if she could get me a drink or something?? Firstly, I said I don't drink and she didn't offer up much after that. Then a friend of mine suggested I get a dessert and so she offered the cheapest vegan option on the menu??

I had a £9 vegan dish that had a prawn in it... And all I got was a single scoop of vegan ice cream worth £2.50...

Considering some people have severe shellfish allergies and prawns are finding their way into meals that shouldn't have them, I'd say this is careless.

Overall, very disappointed with the experience and lack of empathy from the staff. If I order a vegan dish I expect it...