ESCAPE | RELAX | RECHARGE
From the North to the South Cornish coast - I visit two of the most innovatively-designed eco spas
Escape to the Cornish coast and experience two of the most innovatively designed eco spas – north and south - immersed in nature, boasting enviable cliff top locations, surrounded by captivating sea views.
The North Coast
Take me back
As we snake around the headland from Watergate, the iconic structure of the Scarlet is instantly recognisable – built into the landscape, boasting an enviable cliff-top location, with dreamy vistas, overlooking the golden sands of Mawgan Porth – one of my favourite views of Cornwall - it has one of the most beautiful outlooks, offering a truly romantic setting for an adult-only getaway; I can’t get enough of exploring the beautiful cliff paths situated right on the doorstep, Bedruthen Steps is a 30-minute walk, whilst Watergate Bay is well worth the hour trek for the stunning expanse of sand that awaits.
I have been invited to the Scarlet for the ultimate restorative coastal escape; it’s the one place I lose sense of time, and truly zone out – the ideal space to restore a little balance, soak up the salt-fresh air and rejuvenate.
Cossetted surrounds with eco credentials
The Scarlet is a design-led, eco-friendly retreat, offering a cocoon of warmth, allowing time to slow down within its cossetted surrounds. Lashings of style and comfort are met with breathtaking coastal vistas, making for an utterly relaxing stay - ideal for those after a rejuvenating break, guaranteed to leave you walking on air.
I adore the Scarlet’s original style, with an eclectic collection of art - coupled with its eco-credentials – makes this dreamy retreat a winner. Inline with the overall ethos, service is not to be rushed, the relaxed approach ever-present.
A pared-back, modern design aesthetic has been curated to bring the outside-in, optimising the view outside; built into the rock so as not to distract from it’s environment- style and comfort are cleverly merged, creating an extraordinary space, incorporating tall glass walls that bring elements of nature into indulgent surrounds.
It’s the ideal retreat for those looking to escape the humdrum – spa-goers, lovers of unique design, and all-things-eco.
The glass-fronted entrance way provides a striking space, along with the wide-terraces, with perfectly positioned loungers to soak up breathtaking views.
An innovate eco spa, built into the landscape
The Scarlet invites you to indulge in all kinds of relaxing diversions - Restorative spaces include a eucalyptus steam-room, indoor-pool, meditation-room and “Light Relax’ lounge, a natural reed-filtered pool, cedar-barrel sauna, the two iconic wood-fired hot tubs, perched on the cliff-top and an Ayurvedic-inspired spa.
Ultimately, it’s a luxury eco retreat that is intuitively designed, so that almost wherever you are, you can enjoy far-reaching coastal views.
The Spa truly won me over, with its luxury tented-treatment-rooms lit by lanterns, and breathtaking views out towards the wild Atlantic beyond; it is essentially a quiet, contemplative, almost spiritual place to be cossetted and cocooned in a warmth that you will be hard pushed to find elsewhere. Here you can indulge in a range of treatments on offer, inspired by Ayurvedic principles with the Scarlet’s own distinctive Cornish twist.
Outside of the spa, kick back in one of the many lounges, bar area, restaurant or terraces and soak up the fabulous views.
I am endlessly grateful for my day escape Air package - the perfect restorative treat for a gloomy winter’s day.
Principles of Ayurveda
My package included use of the spa facilities, a cliff top hot tub, a Short Journey Ayurvedic massage and a Tri Dosha Facial, all of which were absolutely divine.
The principles of Ayurveda are designed to give you a clearer understanding of how to make subtle lifestyle changes, and to restore balance to your everyday, placing emphasis on prevention and encouraging the maintenance of health through the close attention to the patterns associated with thinking, diet and lifestyle.
I was assessed as being mainly Vata, the subtle energy associated with movement elements, as well as a little Pitta, which expresses as the system’s metabolic system. The main principles of Ayurveda ignite healing, and encourage lifestyle changes to create a more harmonious state of being.
The Air package also contains a healthy spa lunch, with a menu designed around Ayurveda principles – the restorative day allows you to ‘Float away in the clouds and spend some real relaxation time to treat your body and mind’. I can confess, to practically floating out of the door, to my light-filled bedroom, offering its own unique view, with floor-to-ceiling glass, opening onto a terraced area. Cosy in my fluffy-robe, I indulged in under-floor heating and low lighting, before experiencing one of the soundest sleeps known, on a deep mattress, made up with sateen-sheets.
Thank you Scarlet, for allowing me to forget time, once again.
An unrivalled position
Perched on the cliff tops of Mullion cove’s historic harbour,you can’t miss Mullion Cove Hotel; a striking whitewashed landmark, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on the Lizard Peninsula. A remarkable spot for a coastal escape, Mullion Cove Hotel offers a traditional Victorian-era seaside retreat, with seasonal cuisine and a new eco spa, designed to mirror the surrounding landscape
Inline with Organic-September, I headed to the south coast’s Mullion Cove for a Secret Seaweed Day Escape in the brand new eco spa, with an unrivalled position. Set within the dramatic cliff tops, it has been masterfully designed to provide the ultimate coastal escape, with captivating sea views from every angle. The dreamy palette fuses colours that reflect the area’s rich mining history; think coppers, bronzes, brass, tins, silvers and granite, featured alongside shades of blue and turquoise, mirroring the ocean - the focus of every angle of the innovative spa that boasts three treatment rooms, an outdoor wood-fired hot tub and seasonal heated swimming pool, sun terrace and lounge area, an indoor hydrotherapy infinity pool, steam room and sauna, and a post-treatment relaxation room. There is also a brand new, fully equipped fitness suite if you fancy bringing a little heat to your day.
Organic + Sustainable
Spa products are sourced from two organic, sustainable companies – Cornish-based Made for Life Organics, using utterly divine herbs, flowers and oils from the region and the ultimate in luxury organic skincare, VOYA, made from hand-harvested wild Irish seaweeds, both with full Soil Association approval.
The Secret Seaweed package is designed to let the healing powers of the ocean soothe the body, mind and soul – delivering the perfect combination of treatments to ease fatigue and restore vitality. As a chronic migraine sufferer -inline with my cycle - leaving me absolutely drained for days, I could not ask for a more restorative treatment.
My tailored day included full use of the spa facilities incorporating a two-course spa lunch served at the Glenbervie Bistro, post treatment
Immersed in nature
From the moment I set foot into the beautifully designed spa, I felt somehow lighter, taking in the utterly breathtaking coastal scenery beyond the glass-fronted doors. The ocean views out across Mullion Cove really are something else; sat gazing out of the hydra pool, I was transfixed by the colours and the patterns of the landscape. Light filtering through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, bouncing off the serpentine rock, bringing the colours to life – an all encompassing feeling of being immersed in nature, the outside brought in with the clever design aesthetic, playing with perceptions of landscape versus interior – fusing the two surrounds, so that they become one simplistic structure, combining textures and colours of south Cornwall, beyond.
Design notes play homage to the sublime outlook with hand-carved Serpentine rock, from the Lizard Peninsula, lighting inspired by nature, by Cornish-based light designer, Tom Raffield, a striking bespoke bronze sculpture by Ben Barrell, set against a tonal backdrop of Zoffany and Vescom Chambord wallpapers, Villa Nova hanging fabric wall finish and Porcelanosa tiling and wood-paneling.
Contours of the Cornish Landscape
Intuitively designed by talented individuals at Hart Miller - a multidisciplinary design studio, mastering projects between London and Cornwall - the leading interiors Co have used a carefully chosen palette of timbers and natural tones to complement the hues and contours of the Cornish landscape and help create spaces and textures that welcome and embrace.
The vision being to allow spa-goers to wrap themselves in the materiality of the building and the sea views beyond, with floor-to-ceiling windows in every space (other than the treatment rooms) providing a perfect setting to unwind, whatever the season.
Secret Seaweed Escape
Spa Manager, Hannah Martin, really knows her stuff – a master of her field, she is passionate about both the treatments given and the products used at Mullion. Hannah’s friendly and warm approach instantly puts me at ease, as she explains that the focus of the Seaweed Escape is to recharge your energy, something that most of us could benefit from, with the stress and strain of modern living taking its toll, even when we try our upmost to prioritise self-care, its just not that easy.
Knowing that a full six hours set-aside solely for me felt heavenly from the outset.
I was treated to a 60-minute Tangle Me Up Body Wrap,to hydrate and relax tired and lethargic muscles, relieving stress and fatigue, as well as protecting the skin from environmental cell damage with its powerful antioxidant rich seaweed. The treatment included a body scrub, and a post-wrap massage. It was utterly blissful, providing the prefect restorative, post-migraine remedy.
Following my body treatment, my face was also given a nutrient shot, with a heavenly Organic Boost Facial, lasting 30-minutes. By which time, I felt as though I was floating-on-air. Post-treatment, my skin felt ultra nourished and glowing, as I ensconced myself in one of the loungers - wrapped in a fluffy robe - to relax in the secluded rejuvenation room to a backdrop of serene coastal colours and flickering flames from the warming fire.
Just don’t ask me to leave.. yet.
Read my full review of the Scarlet Hotel for Telegraph Travel here
Read my full review of Mullion Cove Hotel for Telegraph Travel here
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