The Witch Hotel: Real Movie Location or Aussie Pub?

The hotel where Roald Dahl’s The Witches (1990) was filmed is a real, bookable property: The Headland Hotel, a 5-star seaside retreat perched on the cliffs of Newquay, Cornwall. At the same time, a completely separate venue called The Witch Hotel operates as a craft-beer pub in Ipswich, Queensland — leading many searchers to confuse a historic film location with an Australian bar. This article draws on the hotel’s official history page and verified film records to untangle the two properties.

Last checked: 2026-05-24

Property Name: The Headland Hotel · Location: Cornwall, United Kingdom (cliff-top overlooking Fistral Beach) · Star Rating: 5-star luxury · Known For: Filming location for Roald Dahl’s The Witches (1990), renamed Hotel Excelsior

Is the Hotel in The Witches Real?

Yes — the hotel depicted in the 1990 film is a real, operating property. The Headland Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall, served as the primary filming location, standing in for the fictional Hotel Excelsior. The hotel’s own official history page confirms this role, stating plainly: “The Headland Hotel is the film location used for The Witches.”

The property was not a purpose-built film set. It has been a functioning seaside hotel since 1900, offering guest accommodations, a restaurant, and event spaces. Multiple sources — from travel publishers like TravelPirates to location guide videos on YouTube — reinforce that the hotel is both a real filming location and a bookable destination.

Which Hotel Was Used in The Witches?

The Headland Hotel is the specific property. The film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1983 novel (Roald Dahl Story Company) was directed by Nicolas Roeg and starred Anjelica Huston as the Grand High Witch. Principal photography ran from April to August 1988, with scenes shot in both Norway and England (Wikipedia).

Exterior shots of the hotel — its distinctive white façade and dramatic cliff-edge location — are instantly recognizable to fans. The film renamed the property “Hotel Excelsior,” but the actual building remains unchanged in its layout and coastal setting. The hotel’s own promotional materials lean into this identity, branding itself as “The Witches Hotel” across its website and social media.

What this means: If you are looking for the hotel from Roald Dahl’s film, The Headland Hotel in Cornwall is the correct answer. The Maryland connection is a search-result overlap that has no bearing on Dahl’s story.

What Makes the Headland Hotel Unique?

Architecture and Coastal Location

The hotel sits on a headland overlooking Fistral Beach, one of Cornwall’s most famous surfing spots. Its Victorian-era design, completed in 1900, features a grand façade, turrets, and large windows that take advantage of the sea views. The setting is dramatic: the hotel is perched on a grassy cliff, with waves breaking below.

Five-Star Luxury

The property is rated 5 stars and offers 65 en-suite bedrooms, a fine-dining restaurant, a spa, and direct beach access. Its official promotional language emphasizes “coastal luxury” and a “relaxed, quintessentially British atmosphere.” The hotel is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection, though this affiliation is not formally stated on its own site.

Historical Significance Since 1900

It has been operating for over 120 years, making it one of Cornwall’s longest-running seaside hotels. The building’s longevity adds to its appeal: guests can walk the same corridors that appeared in the film, and the hotel’s history page explicitly markets this connection. The Headland Hotel was a Cornish landmark long before the film crew arrived in 1988, but the movie cemented its place in pop culture.

Why this matters: The hotel’s unique combination of Victorian architecture, cliff-top position, and film-history cachet makes it more than a simple accommodation — it is a destination in its own right.

What Has Been Filmed at the Headland Hotel?

The most famous production shot at the property is undoubtedly The Witches (1990). However, the hotel’s cinematic history may extend further. While the available research notes mention “additional productions” without listing specific titles, the hotel’s own history page notes that its unique design and setting have attracted multiple film crews over the years. Precise records of every production are not publicly catalogued on the hotel’s website.

The 1990 film remains the anchor. The hotel was transformed into the Hotel Excelsior for the movie, and key scenes — including the Grand High Witch’s meeting — were filmed on-site. A YouTube location tour video corroborates the hotel as the primary setting, showing the exterior and interior spaces used in the film.

The bottom line: The Witches is the headline production. Other films may have used the location, but the Dahl adaptation defines the hotel’s on-screen legacy.

What Is the Witch Hotel in Ipswich?

Separate from the Cornish film location, there is a venue called The Witch Hotel in Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. It is not a hotel — it is a craft-beer pub and bistro operating out of a historic building at 254 Brisbane St, West Ipswich. According to its social media pages, the pub offers craft beers, a bistro menu, and Keno, and is open six days a week: Wednesday to Saturday from 11am to 11pm, and Sunday from midday to 10pm. It does not offer overnight accommodation.

The name “Witch Hotel” appears to be a branding choice rather than a reference to the Dahl film. The venue positions itself as a locals’ pub with a quirky, mysterious atmosphere. Its Facebook page and Instagram feed show live music evenings, trivia nights, and a menu centred on pub classics. It is a completely different entity from the Headland Hotel, despite the overlapping keyword.

The trade-off: If you are searching for a film location to visit, The Headland Hotel in Cornwall is your destination. If you are in Queensland and looking for a craft-beer pub with a lively atmosphere, The Witch Hotel Ipswich is a local option — but it is not a hotel and has no connection to Roald Dahl’s work.

Side-by-Side Comparison: The Two ‘Witch Hotels’

Location and Getting There

The Headland Hotel is located at Fistral Beach, Newquay, Cornwall, UK. By road, it is roughly a 4.5-hour drive from London via the M4 and A30 motorways. The nearest train station is Newquay (1.5 miles away), with direct services from London Paddington (change at Par). Newquay Airport (NQY) is 5 miles away, with seasonal and year-round flights from several UK airports.

The Witch Hotel Ipswich is at 254 Brisbane St, West Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. It is about 40 km southwest of Brisbane’s central business district. The nearest train station is Ipswich, a 10-minute walk away, with regular services from Brisbane’s Roma Street Station. By car, it is a 40-minute drive via the Warrego Highway.

Timeline: Key Dates for The Headland Hotel and The Witches

Sources Cited

• The Headland Hotel – Official Film Location History Page
• TravelPirates – You Can Stay at the Real-Life Hotel from The Witches
• Roald Dahl Story Company – The Witches
• Visit Cornwall – Official Tourism Website
• YouTube – The Witches Hotel Location Video