ANDY COOPER heads to the Cornish seaside with a youngster in tow for a luxurious hotel holiday the whole family can enjoy
If you are taking a toddler on a hotel holiday – even if it’s with a grandchild some 25 years since you last took your own nippers away – then the tick list remains pretty much standard if everyone is going to have a good time.
Plenty of activities? Tick. Good food options? Tick. Caring, child-friendly staff? Tick. Space to roam around when you retire to your room? Tick. And if you are grandma and grandad, then you would probably add luxurious surroundings to make sure the trip was complete.
So, as we drove away from our short break at the Headland Hotel in Newquay, I am pleased to say I was mentally ticking off everything on my list...and then some. What a fabulous hotel this is for all the family.
Having sampled this iconic hotel previously on our own, we were pleased to be invited to take our aforementioned grandson, Jude, aged two, along with us for our next visit. And, once more, the Headland gets a five-star review from all the family.
Even on the journey down the long drive to this magnificent hotel perched on the headland overlooking Fistral Beach there is a sense of anticipation that this is a special spot and that is only confirmed on arrival. The cheery high-five greeting offered to Jude from the all-seeing concierge as we arrived was an early sign that our young guest was going to be treated just the same as we were for the duration of our stay.
It’s clear the Headland is steeped in service with a twist of style and that makes it a very special place to stay. Yes, it is in an amazing location and the historic building is completely beautiful but that would only take you so far if it wasn’t backed by quality...and that is the watchword for the hotel.
It started when we were shown to our fabulous corner suite with an amazing aspect looking in one direction over Fistral and the other over the sea. As hotel room views go it takes some beating. You could sit and stare out of the windows for hours and watch the world go by. The suite was luxurious and spacious – with a separate annexe for Jude to sleep in – which meant there was no sense of being cooped-up. After a busy day of holiday fun, it was just the spot for everyone to retire.
A new addition since our last visit was The Terrace, which does exactly what it says on the tin by offering outdoor dining just outside the existing Samphire restaurant. Take your pick – on a warm day what better than to be sat outside eating and drinking to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach below. Or inside the bright and airy conservatory has an ‘inside but out’ feel to it. The menu options were fantastic too with plenty of choice for older and younger palettes.
If you’re that close to the beach with a youngster though, it isn’t long before someone mentions “sandcastles” and you find yourself taking the five-minute walk down to the sand. Yet another plus for the Headland is its proximity to Fistral...and that no-one minds sandy toes when you return from your adventures later. Indeed, it feels like it is almost expected that families have a good time down on the beach and then return to relax in style.
And talking of relaxation, the pinnacle of any stay at the Headland has to be a visit to The Aqua Club. Three years and £10m in the making, this amazing complex was recently ranked number ten in the world’s best swimming pools and it’s not hard to see why. It’s beautifully designed and offers indoor and outdoor pools – with the outdoor space allowing you to splash around in the water with views over the bay whilst a friendly member of the waiting team brings you a drink poolside. Cheers!
And if you are in need of a first-class beauty treatment during your stay, then step into the chilled, relaxing atmosphere of the subterranean Headland Spa and there is a treatments menu featuring just about every option you could wish for...once more with the space opening out onto a superb view.
And as views go, the one we had when we took afternoon tea in the main dining room was another absolute winner. Add in the fact it is accompanied with an impeccably served afternoon tea full of variety and you have just about the perfect spot to partake of that traditional English classic.
The hotel team are constantly thinking of ways to entertain and enrich the experience of guests, not least with programmes such as the surf and stay package or the Indian summer stays which have recently been unveiled for September 2022.
Our two days being treated to pure luxury were over all too quickly but not without one last trip to the beach. And as I carried a sleepy young Jude back up the hill to the hotel and asked him if he was tired, I think he summed up all our feelings when he responded: “Not tired...happy”!
We’re all going to the zoo for fun...
Wonderful though the Headland was, it seemed a shame not to break out and see a little more of the surroundings and where better for some properly enjoyable family time than at Newquay Zoo?
This must be the perfect zoo for little ones...not too vast and eminently ‘doable’ in one day, yet featuring enough entertainment and education to keep everyone satisfied.
We had a grand old time taking in the various animal enclosures, all the while knowing that our visit was also helping the zoo’s charitable arm to help with animal preservation and protection.
Delightful all-day dining
If you find yourself in the centre of Newquay and need a bite to eat at any time of the day, then I can thoroughly recommend a visit to 12 Beach Road.
This funky, fab diner has a great vibe about it with friendly, welcoming staff and a superb varied menu which goes right around the clock, from breakfast to dinner.
Close to Towan Beach and with great views over the sea from the terrace outside, this was a lovely spot for us to take some time out, do some people watching and tuck into some fabulous food.
