Spa gazing

From coastal calmness to rural relaxation, Cornwall’s spas offer the perfect locations in which to relax and rejuvenate the mind, body and soul.

Our fast-paced lives often mean that we have little or no ‘me-time’ – no opportunity to just sit and ‘do nothing’, no chance to unplug from technology, unwind from work or take a break from looking after the family and home.  Amanda Winwood, founder of Cornwall’s organic skincare company Spiezia, calls it ‘catching the breath’ – literally taking time out for yourself, finding a moment of calm in which to relax.

Spiezia’s Made For Life™ products are 100% organic certified and only contain food grade products so you know they are good for you. These nourishing and beautifully scented products are used at one of my favourite spas at the Budock Vean – a hotel, quite literally on the river. Situated on the banks of the Helford, a spa treatment or spa day spent here can’t fail to calm. I find swimming a relaxation in itself, it helps with breath control and has meditative qualities in the very repetitive nature of the strokes. The swimming pool at Budock Vean is in a stunning conservatory with a vaulted wooden ceiling and large open fire at one end. I love to swim here before heading up to one of the cosy spa rooms for a ‘Back to Life’ treatment, where I can lose myself in the aromas of the organic oils and the melting muscle massage.

I’ve also recently been introduced to The Retreat Spa at Una St Ives. Open to both residents and non-residents, this is a great place to unwind. There is a delightful infinity pool, as well as a separate children’s pool and Jacuzzi in which to lie back and enjoy the bubbles. It also benefits from an onsite physiotherapist and a treatment room dedicated to health and wellbeing with practitioners offering healing, meditation and yoga. Not all of us are comfortable with the more gentle side of relaxation and some find their solace in exercise – if that’s you then Una St Ives also offers fitness classes throughout the week.

On the south coast, you’ll find The Cornwall Hotel And Clearing Spa. Set amongst natural parkland the infinity pool has a panoramic landscape that changes from a palette of lush greens during the spring and summer months through to the gentle russets of autumn and winter. A fully equipped gym coupled with a dry sauna and a steam room, enriched with essential oils, means you can’t fail to leave here feeling relaxed. The Cornwall also offers a range of spa breaks so you can totally unwind, putting off returning to reality for that little bit longer.

Cliff top spas abound in Cornwall, taking full benefit of the healing properties of the sea. For an exotic feel, the Moroccan Spa Experience at Sands Resort, Porth will transport you to warmer climes with a soak in the cedar hot tub before relaxing in the barrel heat room. Treatments take place in the Ocean Breeze Spa and you can enjoy a whole day of pampering here with a selection of spa days to choose from.
In the heart of Newquay you’ll find the Fistral Beach Hotel and Spa; so close to the ocean that you can hear the Atlantic breakers like whispers on the wind. Treatments are designed to put the ‘glow back in your cheeks and the spring back in your step’ and with the options of swim, gym or cliff-top yoga sessions for the more energetic, there’s no excuse not to find that all-important ‘me-time’.

Overlooking the Camel Estuary, wellbeing here comes in the form of the Spa at St Enodoc where you can experience a ‘Relaxation Package’. Indulge in some nourishment of both mind and body and combine a delicious two-course lunch with an hour’s treatment. Don’t forget that relaxation comes in many forms and enjoying good food in good company can be just as beneficial as the treatment itself!

Further up Cornwall’s north coast you’ll find the sister hotels, The Scarlet and Bedruthan. If you’re looking for an adult-only spa experience then the ultra chic Scarlet has to be the destination of choice. You can soak away your cares in the outdoor hot tubs looking out over the waves. In this setting, you can’t help but unwind and forget about the rest of the world. The way the site interacts with the landscape it occupies is a masterstroke. Smooth curves and straight lines, seamlessly blend inside and out, while an internal uncovered courtyard echoes a Roman villa from the future. The pool is chemical free, cleaned by the reeds. The whole place has been perfectly realised with luxury and comfort in mind, down to the very last detail. The spa focuses on holistic wellbeing and every person’s experience is unique, drawing on the wisdom of Ayurveda with a distinct Cornish twist. Post-treatment relaxation sees you cocooned in your own hanging pod, where you can snuggle up in the dark, enveloped in a soft blanket, letting the benefits of your treatment absorb into your body.

Bedruthan is the Scarlet’s family-friendly sister hotel. With childcare available onsite (free for two hours if you’re staying at the hotel) you can enjoy guilt-free time to yourself while your little ones are happily playing. It’s often hard with a young family to find time for yourself but it’s important to maintain the balance between mum or dad, and being you. A journey through the Sensory Spa Garden is a great couple’s treat, taking you on a ‘thermal adventure from hot to cold and back again to stimulate the senses’.
Or why not lose yourself in the spa’s new seasonal, autumnal treatment. It’s said that seaweed has magical benefits and when hand-harvested in Cornwall it doesn’t come fresher. The treatment begins with a skin soothing Laminaria body mud followed by an invigorating scrub. Then you drift away feeling totally relaxed during a deep cleansing face ritual and scalp massage. Using a seaweed loofah and warm seaweed oil, your body is then massaged leaving you renewed, uplifted and tranquil.

In this modern world, where life can be a constant juggle of day-to-day demands, it’s so important to step away and re-group from time to time. Whether it’s a weekend away, a spa day or a just an hour’s treatment, there’s no better place to unwind than Cornwall.

Get in touch!

Bedruthan
www.bedruthan.com

Budock Vean
www.budockvean.co.uk

Cornwall Hotel Spa and Estate
www.thecornwall.com

Fistral Beach Hotel and Spa
www.fistralbeachhotel.co.uk

Sands Resort Hotel and Spa
www.sandsresort.co.uk

Spiezia
www.madeforlifeorganics.com

St Enodoc Hotel and Spa
www.enodoc-hotel.co.uk

The Scarlet
www.scarlethotel.co.uk

Una St Ives
www.unastives.co.uk