St Michael's Mount
From monks to a Cornish giant, the history and mythology that layer up on this rocky tidal island near Penzance is richly diverse.
YHA Penzance
Penzance, Cornwall, TR20 8TFOverview
Set within beautiful gardens in a peaceful part of town, YHA Penzance is a Georgian mansion which provides perfect accommodation for seaside holidays close to the Cornish coast.
Penzance is an excellent base for exploring the local area and is the departure point for sailings to the Isles of Scilly. The hostel is perfectly positioned for accessing some sensationally scenic walking routes nearby with excellent local and national public transport links.
Why guests love YHA Penzance
Accommodation at YHA Penzance
Food and drink at YHA Penzance
Things to do around YHA Penzance
Walking and Rambling in Penzance
Penzance has the best transport links in West Cornwall, giving great flexibility in choosing your route.
Sennen Cove Surfing School
A long sweeping beach, ideal for surfing. The school has an excellent reputation offering lesson for all abilities. Visit the website
Watersports in Penzance
Marazion and Gwithian have regular events for both Kite and Wind Surfing.
Land's End
The most south-westerly point in mainland Britain, with spectacular views, iconic signpost and a range of visitor attractions.
Leach Pottery
The most famous and certainly the most influential studio pottery in the world!
St Ives
Home of the Tate Gallery and Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden, this wonderful seaside town has great views and sandy beaches.
Cycling in Penzance
Explore the quieter back roads of Penwith, with their wealth of ancient sites and superb views or take an easy ride along Cycle Route 3 to St Michael's Mount.
Climbing in Penzance
The area is famous for its granite routes, including Chair Ladder and Commando Ridge, but there are other options including the vertical wall at Gurnard's Head.
Running in Penzance
Admittedly Cornwall is more famous for its leisurely pace of life and calorific cream teas than its enthusiasm for running!
Geevor Mine and Levant Beam Engine
7.1 miles The largest mining museum in Britain with underground tours and “gold” panning. Levant Beam Engine is a short walk away. Visit the website
Porthcurno Telegraph Museum
The history of cable telecommunications, only a short walk from the Minack Theatre and beach at Porthcurno. The museum explains the dawn of wireless science in the former global hub of cable comm
Penlee House Gallery & Museum
The only Cornish gallery specialising in the Newlyn School artists, the museum also covers West Cornwall's social history. Visit the Gallery's website
St Just-in-Penwith
This ancient Cornish mining town, Britain's most westerly town, has a wealth of artistic talent and Plain-an-Gwarry - an open air mediaeval theatre, situated near the WWII War Memorial. Nearby ther
Mên-an-Tol
This iconic and highly photogenic site is one of the best known megalithic structures in Britain. see the Historic Cornwall or the Wikipedia website
The Isles of Scilly
Each island has its own unique character, charms, and adventures. Don't miss the sub-tropical Tresco Abbey Gardens. Visit the Porth Hellick Down Burial Chamber dating back to the Bronze Ag
Poldark Mine - Cornish Mining World Heritage
This world heritage site offers a fascinating look into the underground world of mining. The beautiful rural setting belies its industrial past. Visit the Heritage Centre website
Hostel facilities
- 24-hour access
- Ambulant accessible
- BBQ area
- Breakfast
- Coach parking on premises
- Contactless payments
- Corridor zoning
- Cycle store
- Dining room
- Evening meals
- Extra-large garden/grounds
- Free parking on premises
- Full mobile coverage
- Games
- Garden/grounds
- Group meals
- Highchair
- Licensed bar
- Luggage store
- Minibus parking on premises
- Near bus stop
- Near ferry port
- Near train station
- Outdoor seating
- Packed lunch
- Restaurant
- Self-catering kitchen
- Shared drying room
- Shared laundry room
- Shared lounge
- Shared TV
- Sole use
- Wheelchair accessible
- WiFi
Hostel need to know
Reception opening hours: From 07:30 - 10:00 and 17:00 - 22:00.
Food and drink: Breakfast is served to guests daily from 07:30 – 09:00. Meals are also available from 17:00 – 20:00.
Self-catering: Guests have access to a self-catering kitchen.
Parking: There is parking at the hostel.
WiFi: Free WiFi is available in shared social spaces.
Dogs: Dogs can stay on our campsite and in our bell tents. There is a £5 charge per dog per night for our bell tent accommodation which is payable upon arrival. You can bring your dog for free if you are camping in your own tent. Pets are not permitted in the hostel accommodation at YHA Penzance. Assistance dogs are welcome throughout.
YHA Penzance - Access Statement
(PDF download - 167.14 KB)
YHA School Trips
YHA Penzance is a great destination for school parties seeking an educational or activity break. The area boasts some great historic attractions as well as rock climbing and water sports. With up to 101 beds and meals available, YHA Penzance is able to cater to a range of school parties.
Visit the YHA School Trips website for more information.
Volunteering
Volunteering with YHA is a fantastic way to have fun, learn new skills, boost your CV and travel to different places. We have a variety of different opportunities to choose from and volunteering roles to suit everyone.
The tasks are varied and in return you will meet some great people, who both work and stay in our hostels, as well as enjoying your time off discovering the local area and attractions.
You can find out more and apply to volunteer at this hostel on the volunteering website.
History
YHA Penzance started life as Castle Horneck, a Georgian manor house. The building is now Grade II listed and sits in it's original gardens with great views over Mounts Bay.
YHA opened this hostel in 1949 and refurbished in 1987 with major improvements to the inside and out. Further improvements have been made over the years with a modern look and feel whilst still keeping the originality of the building and its surroundings
Meet the team
Manager Paul says: Leave the car behind and take the scenic train journey to St Ives, voted one of the best seaside towns in Britain. With five beautiful sandy beaches, amazing views and historic cobbled streets with a wide range of galleries and shops, this is hard to beat for a cheap seaside getaway! For school trips, the local area is full of historic attractions, or if you're looking for an activity break, hit the beaches for a great sailing or surfing holiday.
