Whenever I have the opportunity to head to the stunning shores of Cornwall, I’ll jump at the chance. Whether I’m heading for a destination bathed in sunlight with water gently lapping the shore or to the open stretch of sea on the Atlantic coast with waves lashing against the rocks or beach, I know I’ll be in for a treat.
When you arrive in the south-west county, you know that any worries are left on the other side of the Kernow sign, for now is the time to enjoy some great food – Cornwall is awash with great restaurants, cafés and bars – in relaxing towns and villages with their boutiques, gardens and galleries, along with that ever-alluring coastline.
Hotel
With Cornwall’s array of welcoming coastal hotels to check into and make the best of those sea views, Watergate Bay Hotel has to be up there with the best. A resort, built in 1904, tucked between Newquay and Mawgan Porth – both a very pleasant coastal walk away – Watergate Bay is known for its great surfing and water sports, while the hotel promises cosy public spaces, luxurious rooms and scrumptious food.
With such a fantastic location on the beach, it only makes sense that the hotel would make the very best of its surroundings. From surfing with Wavehunters at the Extreme Academy to kite surfing, paddleboarding to more relaxing endeavours like a coastal walk, yoga or sightseeing around the locale, the location here offers up a wealth of activities to partake in, all set against a beautiful backdrop. Once all the fun outside is over with, guests are invited to return to the hotel to make use of its many facilities, from welcoming, stylish public spaces to a dreamy spa to restaurants serving delicious cuisine.
You are invited to enjoy the best of both worlds and are provided with the chance to invigorate and rejuvenate in equal measure at Watergate Bay.
Room
Replacing what was Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall, the beach lofts have given new life to the seafront building and promise excellent, uninterrupted views of Watergate Beach and the waves as they crawl in and out of the bay each day.
Designed by the award-winning interior design practice, Dynargh Design, the beach lofts are a fantastic addition to the hotel’s accommodation – the best of the best offering a super-stylish and private escape with the ultimate views. Beachy tones, natural elements, lots of texture and rich colours combine to create the perfect place to chill, especially on the oh-so comfy curved sofa facing the ocean in room 107, or the 1970’s vintage hanging chair with its double aspect views.
I love the display of oversized natural lampshades that are artfully hung from the higher part of the ceiling, they do well to create a cosy atmosphere in the open plan space. There’s a four-seater dining table in the room, a fire for the colder days, a desk/dressing area, second bedroom with three beds – perfect for a family – and a spacious bathroom with underfloor heating and a bath so big it would fit the whole family.
With a superbly comfortable bed, my guest and I overslept both mornings, but I would argue that that’s part of embracing the holiday vibes and the laid-back nature of life by the beach. Expect extras such as a picnic bag and beach towels, ideal for when you head off for the day via your private beach access, and there’s also a dedicated concierge available to check you in and out and organise bookings for you.
Being in a separate building from the main hotel means that a dash across the car park is required to enjoy facilities at the hotel’s main building, but this also means that you can enjoy the utmost in privacy, thanks to secure access, as well as victuals from the beach loft pantry and allocated parking. If you don’t fancy heading to Zacry’s for a full breakfast (you really should though) you can tuck into some continental items from the pantry, try your hand at the waffle machine and also help yourself to teas, coffee, hot chocolate, afternoon cake, nuts and alcohol throughout the day (there’s an honesty box for the latter) to be enjoyed in your loft.
Food
Zacry’s, Restaurant Emily Scott, The Beach Hut and The Living Space offer a varied selection of meals to devour, whether you fancy a treat or more casual dining. I enjoyed breakfast at Zacry’s – the cronuts and waffles were divine and the hot and cold buffet selection hefty – as well as dinner in The Beach Hut and Zacry’s.
A low-lit, sumptuous space in the evenings, Zacry’s, with its inviting tan leather banquet seating, is a place where you devour a range of delicious dishes, sip on succulent wines and chat up a storm for the evening. Though the staff weren’t leisurely, the dishes came out quite quickly, my guest and I were, which is always a good sign, indicating that we felt comfortable there. Tables are placed at angles to create privacy in the open space and wood floors and tabletops created a casual feel. Black chairs, black oversized lampshades, and open kitchen and windows galore to take in the surrounding views complete the space.
To start, we nibbled on some breads, followed by the wild mushroom arancini with king oyster mushroom and salsa verde, from the plant-based menu, and the tandoori hot smoked salmon with pickled cucumber, lime yogurt, popadom and coriander chutney.
For my main course, I couldn’t resist the pan-fried duck with confit potato, savoy cabbage, leek, pancetta, roasted shallots and beetroot salsa – the perfect autumnal dish, which was packed with plenty of finesse and flavour and washed down nicely with a helping of Australian Pinot Noir. The grilled Argentine prawns – served with garlic butter and charred lemon – were massive, plump and oh-so tasty, I was informed, and sides of cavolo nero and triple cooked chips (somewhat undercooked, ironically) weren’t really needed with the hefty seafood portion.
Desserts were shared between the table and consisted of a maple panna cotta with pistachio and olive cake, figs and a muscovado tuille as well as an espresso mousse with yogurt ice cream, chocolate soil, miso caramel and honeycomb. Both were recommended to us by our friendly waitress, and both were very much enjoyed.
For a casual dinner at Watergate Bay, it can be no other than the laid-back Beach Hut just below the lofts. Described as an alpine style lodge, but surf in and surf out instead of skiing, the beachside eatery is bathed light wood and soft lighting from wood carved lampshades above. Windows to the bay, cosy booths, and chilled background music make this space welcoming at any time of day.
The lunch and dinner menu is half plant-based and includes nibbles, salads, classics, grilled and desserts, with dishes including fish and chips, peel your own shrimp, goats cheese salad, plant-based burger, mushroom and black bean nachos, mac and cheese, and crab bucatini.
We started with focaccia with oil and balsamic, and the shrimp, followed by the crab bucatini and fish and chips. Luckily, the chips were better than last night’s, and were complemented by a delectable curry sauce and tartare sauce with two pieces of crispy fish. The crab pasta was hearty and tasty with plenty of parsley and chilli to give it a little kick, if not a little oily at the bottom for my liking. Desserts look lovely but we were both so full – service was quick – though I would have chosen either the lemon pavlova or the milk chocolate and malted cream pie, or maybe the St Clement’s cake. And now I regret not having a dessert!
Spa
Head to the swim club to recline on a lounger, swim in the spacious 25-metre indoor pool, refresh in the hot tub gazing out over the bay, or enjoy a range of treatments. This is an area to relax and rejuvenate following an invigorating coastal walk, surfing lesson or after you’ve spent the day exploring Cornwall’s highlights.
Book in for a spa treatment to work and soothe the muscles, each are 60 minutes and there are plenty to choose from, depending on what area of your body you need work on. I enjoyed a freestyle massage with Megan and after a quick chat about my problem areas – lower back and shoulders – she got to work on easing the tension and working out the knots in my shoulders, back and neck before massaging my scalp to leave me feeling totally relaxed.
A freestyle massage is a good opportunity to enjoy a back neck and shoulder massage before heading for the legs and feet or neck and scalp depending on which area you prefer. I don’t think there’s a more relaxing way to end a massage than with a scalp massage, it’s the perfect way to leave you feeling totally chilled after those knots have been bashed out, you just have to stop yourself from falling asleep!
After some helpful advice, I headed to the ocean room with a cup of peppermint tea to enjoy the chilled, stylish space with its big windows to the bay. It was blissful.
In a nutshell
The perfect place to indulge in some great food, relaxing spa treatments and endless walks on the beach, with more active pursuits such as surfing lessons thrown in for good balance, Watergate Bay is a gem on the north Cornish coast and the super stylish, luxurious and private beach lofts make the ideal spot for wave watching and cosying up in between.
Factbox
Address: Watergate Bay hotel On The Beach, Trevarrian Hill, Newquay TR8 4AA
Tel: 01637 860543
Email: life@watergatebay.co.uk
Website: watergatebay.co.uk
All imagery provided by Watergate Bay Hotel
See snippets of my travels on Instagram @tashheard_food_travel
