A luxury Cornish hotel that offers stunning coastal views, a host of facilities and more than just a helping hand throughout your stay – welcome to The Nare. Feeling completely in your own world at the 4 star hotel on the Roseland Peninsula, you are invited to forget the time, slow down to a comfortable pace and be properly looked after. The ‘country house hotel by the sea’ draws upon a charm of a time gone by and brings it back to life with plenty of modern luxuries thrown in too.
THE HOTEL
Aside from the fact that The Nare sits at the edge of the low cliff on Carne and Pendower Beach- an expansive area with coastal walks either side and sands to fool you into thinking you are in the Med, the hotel has a lot to offer within its grounds too.
During our stay, my guest and I took a trip to the Carne Bay spa for a dip in the indoor pool and hot tub before sweating it out in the sauna and steam room. We also spotted a small gym and there was an outdoor pool and hot tub with cracking views over Gerrans bay. While there you can treat yourself to a range of treatments including a 45 minute exfoliating body scrub at £60, a luxury one hour manicure with warm wax from £50 and a lava shells massage at £85 for 75 minutes. The beautifully tended gardens hold a tennis court and outdoor terrace and inside there’s a wet room for your muddy boots, a bar, lounge, drawing room and library with books for all ages with butterfly or book wallpaper gracing the walls.
SUITE
The spacious and well laid out Kiberick suite benefited from a huge balcony, holding wooden loungers and deckchairs, which led out from the bedroom and gave us the most gorgeous panoramic views of the beaches and bay. A large, supremely soft and comfortably cushy bed gave me such a good night’s sleep that I nearly missed breakfast one day, and waking up to the incredible views and the sound of the sea was wonderful.
The lounge held a small two seater sofa and armchair, surrounding a glass-topped coffee table, which covered a vintage style map. I enjoyed sitting there and looking out through the sliding doors, which framed the coastal view perfectly. Reds, beige, gold, patterned fabrics and wallpaper and dark wood furniture created a classic style and an elegant space. There was a second bedroom and a modern bathroom with a large walk in shower, separate bath and two sinks. The TVs in the lounge and bedroom were hidden behind a painting and a cabinet, respectively, both to be discovered with a remote control. Lots of lamps created a relaxing atmosphere and a fresh bowl of fruit and flowers were a lovely touch.
FOOD
Dining at The Nare offers two different dining experiences. Firstly you have the 2AA rosette The Quarterdeck, with a hefty maritime influence in the décor and a menu heavily weighted towards seafood with creative cooking methods. Secondly there is the main restaurant with silver service and simple, traditional, homely food, where men are urged to wear a jacket and tie.
Our first night was spent dining in the main restaurant and we were told we could head to the lounge, bar or drawing room to enjoy a drink and make our choices and be seated for dinner at any time between 7.15 and 9.30pm. Everything, I quickly realised, is geared towards the guest having the most relaxing stay without strict time constraints and I enjoyed the freeing feeling. I sipped on a glass of complimentary champagne – one of the benefits of residing in a suite with another being a spa treatment.
The menu and dining experience is traditional with dishes such as grilled mackerel, leek and potato soup and sirloin of beef with vegetables. Between us we enjoyed a range of dishes including poached pigeon breast with apple, celery, walnut and walnut mayonnaise (a starter) and pork tenderloin wrapped in pancetta and served with honey roasted parsnips, green beans, dauphinoise potatoes and a port and apple jus (my main course). A meat and two veg dinner, I liked the flavour of the gravy and couldn’t fault the quality and preparations of the ingredients on the plate. We both had a fish course of John dory with wilted red chard and black garlic veloute – a small, tasty and well balanced dish, we thought.
The room was spacious with windows encapsulating the views from the sides, and was decorated with pale pink tablecloths, dark wood armchairs upon a carpeted floor with long, heavy pale green and floral curtains all round.
Desserts came out on a bulging trolley with the most delightfully warm and funny lady in charge of it, we greatly enjoyed laughing with her and we couldn’t say no to a panna cotta and some cheeses to end our meal. A neighbouring table chose the flambé strawberries royale from the menu and it looked rather special indeed.
The restaurant was busy on a November Friday evening so the style of service certainly appeals to many.
On our second evening we mixed it up with dinner in The Quarterdeck, which has a more modern approach and riskier ingredient pairings. Decked out in plenty of mid wood with pictures of sail boats gracing the walls, dark blue tablecloths and sails above the windows, which frame the seaside view, the room is comfortable, smart and relaxing.
I chose the scallops with avocado, chorizo jam, parmesan and coriander (£10.50) and the root vegetable wellington with beetroot rosti, baby beets, balsamic and red chard (£17). For dessert I went for the dark chocolate fondant with pistachio espuma, candied pistachio and black cherry ice cream (£9.50).
Nick opted for the saddle of rabbit with a braised leg bon bon gingerbread purée and piccolo parsnip (£8.50) followed by the monkfish tail with a smoked almond crumb, curried fish sauce, saffron arancini and tenderstem broccoli (£22). He claimed he was too full for dessert but one look at the menu and he decided he couldn’t pass up on the Burnt English coffee cream with cinnamon madeline and baileys ice cream (£8.00).
A great selection of flavoursome foods came out with a good mix of textures, great presentation and wholesome portions. The more casual feel of The Quarterdeck and the more modern menu appealed to me more and I’m glad I tried both eateries.
Alongside The Quarterdeck there’s a coffee bar with tall white walls covered in colourful artwork and I like the fact that if you miss the breakfast times in the main dining room you can come here for a continental selection. Afternoon tea is also served daily in the reception rooms between 4pm and 5pm and you can choose from home-made cakes and biscuits and fresh teas.
SUMMARY
The Nare makes it its mission to cater for your every whim and welcomes you like a long lost family member, inducing a homely feel from the beginning of your stay to the end. If you’re looking for a sense of autonomy then I’m sure you can find it but I get the feeling that’s not what returning guests are visiting for.
I arrived feeling like it was maybe a bit too much but I left feeling taken care of – The Nare doesn’t promise to be fashionable or sleek, it offers something altogether more human and comforting. The modern touches are certainly there to elevate your stay but The Nare focuses on its traditional charm, thoughtful touches and extensive facilities (and did I mention the location?!) to ensure its guests truly enjoy their escape.
Address: Carne Beach, Veryan-in-Roseland, Truro TR2 5PF
Phone: 01872 501111
