Charlotte Skidmore discovers a corner of private luxury overlooking the Cornish sea
A little piece of luxury by the sea – that’s what the new Residence eco lodges at Gwelan Mor are all about.
The Residence is a stylish development with gorgeous views of the water, private hot tubs and lots of little luxuries - like plasma TVs in the bedrooms and even the bathroom!
Gwel an Mor is Cornish for ‘view of the sea’ and that’s exactly what you get when you sit in your warm, bubbling hot tub with a glass of something sparkling in your hand. But should you wish to return into the warm, there is a gorgeous lounge and diner waiting for you, fully equipped and with mood lighting and a wood burner to boot.
As if that’s not enough, Gwelan Mor has the most delightful restaurant with the most delicious food you could wish to find in Cornwall. On my visit I was thrilled with the fish platter sharer to starter, with crab, salmon, smoked fish and prawns that were so fresh I could almost taste the sea.
Of course, the surf and turf nature of my pallet meant that I opted for the fillet steak for main, which I have to say was one of the best I have ever tasted and was delightfully topped off with a Cornish blue cheese sauce.
I was just sorry that I was so beaten I couldn’t attempt one of the delicious desserts.
Gwelan Mor is in Portreath in Cornwall and is ideally situated with a beach about 10 minutes away and other leisure activities close by.
We stopped off en route at the Eden Project, an unmissable, world-renowned attraction that is about a 45 minute drive from Gwelan Mor. Explore the biggest indoor rainforest in the world and see plants and flowers from all over the world in the biomes (edenproject.com).
The resort also has a spa with some lovely treatments on offer. I had a back and neck hot stone massage – perfect for getting those knots out and a well-being spa feet retreat, which included a foot exfoliation followed by a nourishing mask. The treatment includes a relaxing foot massage, leaving you thoroughly pampered and ready to get your toes out for summer! Make sure you follow it up with a visit to the indoor pool and sauna afterwards.
In conclusion
I can’t recommend this resort enough for families, groups of well-behaved friends or couples. It is the perfect place to get away from it all – just make sure you book a lodge with a hot tub as that is the perfect added luxury!
While you’re there
Take your pick of Cornwall’s culturally captivating events for 2016 from Cornwall 365, a two-year programme designed to build a new and ongoing network of all the cultural players and tourism businesses across the county.
Hepworth LIVE! – 40th Anniversary Celebration
Barbara Hepworth Museum and sculpture garden, St Ives.
9 April, 6-9pm. Explore the garden and studio of one of Britain’s most important 20th century artists.
Bear Hunt, Chocolate and Bad Things
The Story Republic, Cornwall College Camborne.
May-July. Step into the pages of these loved Michael Rosenburgh children’s stories with interactive, immersive storyscapes and installations.
SALT Festival of Landscape and Dance
From July to August. Neptunalia at Trebah, Shoreline on shorelines, a ball and a campervan complete with love and laughter from leading dance comedy duo New Art Club.
Tinth (a merge of ‘tin’ and ‘tenth’)
from 25 July to 6 August. A set of events to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Cornish mining landscape being added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
A Timeline of Dynamic Discovery
Porthcurno Telegraph Museum.
Until November. Discover a pre-digital world and a place where the land ends and global communication began.
Kneehigh Asylum
August. FUP is a big-hearted uproarious modern fable about family, love and nature set in a weird and wild Cornwall.
