Please note our writer visited Cornwall prior to the coronavirus pandemic
Cornwall can make a claim to being the most relaxing and restorative part of the country. A few days of breathing fresh, clean air, eating fish straight from the sea and sleeping deeply in a clifftop eyrie is the perfect antidote to the stress of city living. No surprise then that some of Britain’s finest spa hotels have sprouted up on these shores, making the most of their bracing seaside settings and utilising locally sourced natural products in treatments. From wood-fired hot tubs overlooking the sea to Cornish salt steam rooms, here’s our pick of the best hotels in Cornwall for a pampering spa break.
The Scarlet
Mawgan Porth, England
The womb-like spa at this stylish, tranquil hotel on a bluff above a sandy surfing beach specialises in Ayurvedic journeys, with tented treatment rooms and pods suspended in the dark for ‘deep relaxation’ and an all-glass sea-facing roof for ‘light relaxation’. The reed-fringed, rock-strewn outdoor pool extends from the indoor one, punctuated by two bright scarlet wood-fired hot tubs perched between boulders overlooking the sea. In the rooms, beds have sateen sheets on deep mattresses, oval baths – often in the bedroom itself – and powerful rain-showers.
From
£
230
per night
Rates provided by
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Bedruthan Hotel & Spa
Newquay, Cornwall, England
This colourful hotel, couched in a cliff with views over Mawgan Porth beach, boasts a top-notch spa. Facilities include a dramatic sea-view hydropool, lavender caldarium, indoor pool, steam room and cedar-wood sauna. There’s also a Sensory Spa Garden outside, which is inspired by fire, earth, air, water and space. The signature treatment is the hour-long Spa Garden: exfoliation with salt scrubs followed by sauna, a cold drench, a session in the outdoor hot tub and then a herbal drink in front of the fire pit, feet warming in copper foot baths.
From
£
145
per night
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Fowey Hall
Fowey, Cornwall, England
Wind in the Willows author Kenneth Grahame used to stay at this Victorian seaside mansion when it was a private home and would approve of its reincarnation as a luxury family hotel. The spa has a 12-metre swimming pool, and a hot tub with wonderful sea views. The facials and mani-pedi treatments are popular here, as are the full body massages and ginger salt scrubs. Packages are competitively priced and include a light lunch. Afterwards, retreat to your sleeping quarters styled with antique pieces and Edwardian-style bathrooms.
From
£
139
per night
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The Nare
Cornwall, England
Top points for the hot tub overlooking the beach. The spa at this sunny south-facing hotel on the Roseland peninsula also boasts sauna, steam room, pool and gym. The reflexology treatments are popular; other interesting offerings include massages with warm lava shells, and hot and cold stone therapy. Spacious doubles and suites as large as London apartments are designed for post-spa-treatment unwinding: super-king beds, armchairs big enough to curl up in and private terraces with sunloungers. Hot water bottles are slipped into beds in winter. Many bathrooms have walk-in showers and separate baths.
From
£
299
per night
Fistral Beach Hotel and Spa
Newquay, Cornwall, England
This is a sophisticated yet relaxed spa hotel – jutting out into the Atlantic on the coast of north Cornwall’s Pentire Head, offering glorious views of Fistral Beach. The wellness centre has a magnificent indoor vitality pool and hot tub. There’s also a gym and salon. ESPA-trained therapists offer a range of treatments, including Priadara Thai-Style massage, a rare treatment using heated herbal compresses, as well as body wraps and various Ayurvedic treatments. The hotel’s child-free policy will also generally be attractive to couples seeking peace and quiet.
From
£
50
per night
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The Headland
Newquay, Cornwall, England
A grand, hulking Victorian pile on a headland in Newquay – famed for its starring role in the film of Roald Dahl’s The Witches – offering good food, cosy cottages and spectacular views of Fistral Beach. The spa has helped to give the hotel a much more contemporary feel.
Start in the relaxation lounge, which has sweeping sea views. The pool has swan pipes and bubble loungers, and there’s also a hot tub, sauna and Cornish salt steam room decorated with pebbles. It’s ideal for romantic weekends: the six treatment rooms include a luxurious couple’s suite, and private hot tub sessions with champagne are available. The Rhassoul Mud Room treatment is also an experience.
Start in the relaxation lounge, which has sweeping sea views. The pool has swan pipes and bubble loungers, and there’s also a hot tub, sauna and Cornish salt steam room decorated with pebbles. It’s ideal for romantic weekends: the six treatment rooms include a luxurious couple’s suite, and private hot tub sessions with champagne are available. The Rhassoul Mud Room treatment is also an experience.
From
£
155
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
St Moritz Hotel
Cornwall, England
This slightly Art Deco hotel stands above the Trebetherick headland with views across the Camel Estuary and Atlantic Ocean. No expense has been spared in the contemporary bedrooms either; suites have wide sea-facing balconies. The large spa pool is a treat. The Cowshed salon here is popular with couples, as side-by-side massages are available in the treatment room for two. Standout treatments include the evening primrose wrap, back cleanse masks, manicures that include deep hand and arm massage, and anti-ageing facials complete with muscular face yoga and a replenishing mask.
From
£
175
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Polurrian Bay Hotel
Cornwall, England
It’s the perfect setting for a spa break: perched on the edge of a high cliff outside the village of Mullion, with wonderful sunsets over the Land’s End peninsula. The family-friendly spa has a big indoor pool with sea views (come after 7pm for the adults-only swim sessions if you’d prefer peace and quiet). The spa packages are reasonably priced and often include light lunch or a cream tea. A range of Elemis spa therapies are available; the signature treatment is Coastal Calm, a 20-minute back, neck and shoulder massage followed by a 20-minute facial. PS: Don’t miss zabaione semifreddo for dessert in the restaurant, which focuses on local produce.
From
£
99
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Contributions by Natalie Millar-Partridge, Sherelle Jacobs & Jade Conroy
This article was originally published by Telegraph.co.uk. Read the original article here.