The Best of Both Worlds

 

Eco-Chic Hotel Reviewed by Lotte Jeffs, travel editor of Diva Magazine 

It’s good for the conscience to know that the hotel where you’ve chosen to spend a gratuitously indulgent weekend is eco-friendly; that when you order another glass of champagne in the hot tub, a polar bear doesn’t loose its Arctic home. It’s even better when a hotel is modest with its environmental credentials, because when you’ve splashed out on a luxurious trip away you don’t want to feel guilty for using a towel, or be shivering under the duvet because the solar panels haven’t seen enough sun.

 

The Scarlett Hotel, perched on a Cornwall clifftop and offering awesome sea-views from every room, is the perfect example of eco-chic.  First impressions are of a stunning, stylish interior completely at one with the natural beauty of its surrounding scenery. The reception is all slate and stone and untreated wood. Floor to ceiling windows reveal the rugged coastline while bright, statement-print furniture adds colour to the calm, uncluttered space. That The Scarlett operates a strict ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ programme, is a bonus –  and far more evident in what it adds to the property than what it takes away.

 

We arrive on a sunny Spring Saturday. On entering, a sign reads ‘We know you are here, please wait a moment’ and replaces the usual hotel reception desk. It’s a novelty that complements the hotel’s gloriously laidback feel – who wants to be greeted by stressed out receptionists juggling phonecalls and rushing to check you in? 

 

Sure enough someone soon emerges to greet us warmly and give us a personal tour of the property, chatting to us about our journey and the local area rather than just cutting us a key card and pointing to our room. It was a really nice touch and meant that staff at The Scarlett could get to know us a bit, and show that they are completely welcoming of gay couples – acknowledging that two young women could be here for a romantic weekend just as much as Mr and Mrs ruby wedding anniversary are.

 

Our room was, like the reception, lounge and terrace areas of the hotel, uniquely tranquil. Simple, comfortable and effortlessly stylish – the centre-point had to be the balcony, which provided a lovely secluded view of the sea and clifftop coastal path, which we vowed to walk later in the day.

 

First stop, however, was the spa.  There’s an outdoor pool built into the cliff, which could be mistaken for a natural spring. It’s completely chemical free and filtered by reeds. A warmer option is the indoor pool, which takes advantage of the views still, with enormous sea-facing windows. Outside there are also two log-fired seaweed baths/hot tubs – on the edge of the cliff looking out to sea – which can be booked (at a charge of £35 for a couple) for 45 minutes. We alternated between the steam room, the pool and the hanging ‘pods’ in the relaxation room.

 

Feeling thoroughly relaxed we put the walk off for the next day, had an amazing hot poultice massage that left us in a state of utter bliss, then drank some champagne on the spa terrace before getting ready for dinner.

 

The Scarlett’s restaurant is another fabulously designed space with natural wood floors, well-chosen artworks and sea views (of course). The menu changes on a daily basis and uses all local produce. Being a typically fussy vegetarian the chef was more than happy to give me some specially created options for starter and main that weren’t on the menu.

 

The next day we embarked on the coastal path walk to neighbouring Watergate Bay. It’s supposed to take 45 minutes, but the views were so incredible (neon yellow gorse, turquoise sea, seen from a vertiginous height) we were stopping for photos every five minutes.

 

It was a long way for a couple of townies, but having scrambled down on to the beach at Watergate we were delighted to find a whitewashed, chic café staffed by gorgeous people who looked like they’d come straight from a WhiteStuff catalogue. Another pleasant surprise was that above The Beach Hut café stood Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant. Be more organised than us, and book well ahead if you want a table here. It looks like it would be well worth it.

 

Cornwall is beautiful, I had the most amazing, relaxing bank holiday at The Scarlett which was topped off on the drive back to London with a stop in nearby Padstow - a picture postcard harbour village and home to Rick Stein’s seafood empire. I wish we could have stayed longer as there was so much to see but I’m more than happy to have a reason to go back.

 

The Scarlett Hotel is one of the gay-friendly boutique properties expertly selected on  furtherafield.com 

www.scarlethotel.co.uk

Tredragon Road

Mawgan Porth, Newquay, Cornwall TR8

01637 861 800