Stay Here: The Bedruthan Hotel and Spa, CornwallBy Francesca Brooking
There’s something wholesome about going on holiday by the sea. For a Londoner such as myself, a good dose of salty sea air and the sound of the roaring waves is a welcome retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. So, when the opportunity presented itself to spend two nights by the sea at the Bedruthan Hotel and Spa near Newquay, I could hardly resist. Offering both a spa and a chance to try out one of their new Making Break workshops, it was deliciously luxurious experience: Here’s why:
The Bedruthan Hotel Review: The Accommodation
As soon as you step inside the Bedruthan you’re immediately greeted by a wonderful aroma of incense that gently reminds you to slip into relaxation mode if you haven’t done so already. The hotel is modern and unimposing, almost blending into the landscape as it sits on the slope overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. I stayed in one of the family rooms – complete with an enormous king-sized bed heaped with downy white pillows and a vast floor to ceiling window boasting unparalleled views of the Atlantic.
The room was kitted out with an ensuite (including a bath), a huge television, tea and coffee making facilities and a tiny fridge stocked with a refillable glass bottle of water and a carton of fresh milk. It was comfortable, practical and delightfully spacious. Most of all, it was a real treat to open the window just a crack and allow the sound of the ocean lull you to sleep at night.
The Bedruthan Hotel Review: The Food
Meals at the hotel are served either at the Wild Café or The Herring using fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. The Wild Café is a cheerful child-friendly restaurant that’s open daily from breakfast until dinner. Guests can enjoy a hearty breakfast buffet, a selection of local seafood, salads, freshly baked bread and daily specials. An ideal hangout for a mid-afternoon treat, the Wild Café also offers Cornish roasted coffee, homemade cakes and patisseries and an irresistible Cornish Cream Tea.
For a more intimate fine dining experience in the evening, head through the Wild Café to The Herring. This restaurant’s pièce de résistance are its huge windows that look straight out onto the Atlantic below. After drifting in from an unhurried cocktail at the hotel bar, we sat at a table by one of the windows and watched as the sunset over the ocean and the waves come crashing onto the inky black shoreline while we ate.
Similar to the Wild Café, the menu at The Herring is a seasonal affair that changes regularly. Guests can expect fresh fish, meat from local farms and an abundance of seasonal vegetables and sauces. The Herring’s three-course menu is priced at a very reasonable £37.50 per person and changes daily. Being a vegetarian, I ordered a plate of late summer courgette with whipped goat’s cheese, wildflower honey and pesto for starters before moving onto a caramelised onion tart with thyme and Helford blue cheese. Both the starter and the main were delightful – delicate, exciting and full of flavour – but being a bit of a dessert enthusiast, my highlight of the evening was hands down a devilishly moreish chocolate tart with raspberries, Chantilly and a generous handful of almonds.
The Bedruthan Hotel Review: Making Breaks
The Bedruthan has recently launched a series of workshops that offer the chance for guests to have a well-deserved weekend break and pick up a new skill while they’re at it. Promising a therapeutic and relaxing experience, there’s guaranteed to be something for everyone. Afterwards, you’re invited to indulge in a delicious meal before heading to the spa for some well-deserved ‘me time’. Workshops include baking, calligraphy, leatherwork, floral creation, crochet, jewellery-making and screen-printing.
We opted for the baking workshop and, as to be expected, it was a day spent in carb heaven. The workshop was held in the hotel’s sea-view garden room and the very talented and friendly in-house bakers, Chris Squire and Gregory Huxford, guided us through the technicalities of various bread doughs.
We were each given a selection of seasonal recipes to choose from including some I thought were far too difficult for the likes of amateurs to attempt but no, we made crumpets from scratch, bagels, sourdough and even focaccia. As the workshop drew to a close we were well and truly stuffed on baked delights and we had successfully made enough bread to feed a small army for several weeks. Blissfully content, covered in flour and laden with a delicious smelling haul of carbs, we went back to our rooms to have a lie down before our visit to the spa.
Your Making Break stay at The Bedruthan Hotel and Spa includes:
- A Two-night stay with a complimentary upgrade to a sea view room.
- Your choice of creative workshop.
- Breakfast in the Wild Café on both mornings.
- Dinner at the Wild Café or The Herring on both evenings.
- An afternoon picnic and a glass of fizz each.
- A 1pm checkout.
- Use of indoor spa facilities.
Prices start from £594 per room for two nights, based on a non-sea view double or twin room. The cost of your chosen workshop is additional. For more information on the workshops, visit the hotel website here.
The Bedruthan Hotel Review: The Spa
The Bedruthan’s crowning glory is the spa. Tucked on the slope underneath the hotel, the spa is serene and intimate with sweeping views of the Atlantic for an added boost of tranquillity. The spa is open to locals and hotel guests alike but its peaceful atmosphere creates the illusion that you have the place to yourself. The spa facilities include an indoor swimming pool, a sea-view hydropool, sauna, steam room, caldarium and an extra special sensory spa garden.
Bundled up in flip flops and fluffy white bathrobes over our swimwear, we braved the chilly September weather and headed outside for we had booked an hour-long session in the sensory spa garden. True to its name, the treatment was in a quiet little gated garden on the hotel grounds and we were greeted by the smell of incense and two friendly staff members who were wrapped up against the chill. We were shown the individual steps that the spa garden treatment entailed and considering myself half-mad, I unpeeled my bathrobe to scrub myself down with salts before diving into a hot outdoor shower. A sauna, a slightly nerve-wracking bucket of cold water, a hot tub and a moisturising wet scrub later we were back in our bathrobes and dipping our toes into hot water as we sipped on fresh herbal tea by a cosy log fire.
The sensory spa garden was an uplifting experience that put me into an in-between state of feeling deeply relaxed and invigorated. It was a little cold at first but that’s what made the experience work so well. You can’t beat the feeling of sitting snugly in a hot tub with the trickle of cool air on your face.
The Bedruthan Hotel and Spa: Our Verdict
The Bedruthan Hotel and Spa has all the facilities and comfort you could want for a luxurious weekend break. Located on the breathtaking Cornish coastline a short drive from Newquay, the hotel has an abundance of coastal walks and beach views to make the most of but it’s the Making Breaks and sensory spa garden that make this hotel truly unique. Combining the stay with a chance to learn something new, followed by the ultimate relaxation session in the spa has all the makings for a perfect weekend mini-break by the sea.
For more information about the Bedruthan Hotel and Spa and to find out more about their Making Break Workshops, visit their website here.