Relaxation and Hot-Tubbing at The Scarlet Hotel in Mawgan Porth, Cornwall

Name: The Scarlet Hotel in Mawgan Porth, Cornwall

Where: Tredragon Road, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall, TR8 4DQ, www.scarlethotel.co.uk

Cost: See ‘Travel Essentials’ section at the end of feature.

About: Mawgan Porth and the pretty village of St Mawgan are situated midway between Padstow and Newquay on the north Cornish coast.

A little town with a sandy, west-facing beach, it has some great cliff top walks, as well as being a centre for surfing buffs.

It is a good place to relax by the seaside, but also is close enough to the bright lights of Newquay and the fine restaurants of Padstow to offer something for everyone. From Gidleigh Park in Devon (reviewed here), our first stop on our way to Cornwall was in Mawgan Porth staying at the lovely The Scarlet Hotel.

The Scarlet Hotel 

Opened in 2009, perched high on a cliff top, The Scarlet Hotel commands magnificent panoramic views of the bay of Mawgan Porth and the surrounding sandy beaches and cliffs.

As an adult-only hotel, The Scarlet Hotel has an emphasis on relaxation, including a cliff-top hot tub, a natural reed-bed swimming pool and an Ayurvedic-inspired spa.

The Spa has a wide range of treatments available, a variety of yoga and other classes free to residents, as well as an indoor heated swimming pool with gorgeous views.

In addition, the hotel prides itself on its sustainability and care for the environment which is visible throughout the hotel – there is water conservation and recycling, local organic soaps in the bathrooms, a charging point for guests’ electric cars, and the use of drought-resistant plants in the gardens among many other Green initiatives.

The Scarlet Hotel has a selection of light, airy public spaces as well as private chill-out areas, and they encourage people to spend time in them away from their rooms. All the bedrooms and suites feature sea views, and either a terrace, a private garden or a roof top sitting room.

Our room had a breathtaking view of the bay and sea, a huge and comfortable king-sized bed, with a walk-in shower and ensuite bathroom.

View from our room at The Scarlet Hotel

There is no in-room refrigerator as part of the hotel’s green philosophy, but they do offer freshly made tea or cafetieres of coffee, served in-room 24 hours a day and included in the room rate.

One of the most fun aspects of the hotel is the hot tub experience overlooking the bay. The tubs are kept at a constant 40°C, so it’s a great place to spend 30 minutes regardless of the weather.  In fact it’s probably even more fun when it’s icy cold outside with gales blowing up the surf! Afterwards there is an outdoor wooden sauna to relax even more.

What We Ate & Drank: Restaurant options are limited in town, so most residents have dinner in the hotel, and we opted for the 5-course tasting menu. This is currently available as part of the Taste of Spring Gourmet Break (see travel essentials below).

We started with a glass of Cornish sparkling wine - Camel Valley Brut 2013, made from the traditional Champagne blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir, which was straightforward and refreshing.

After some lovely starters of Jerusalem artichoke soup, then pan-fried sea trout with brown shrimp toast, we had a delicious slow-cooked rump and belly of lamb with asparagus, wild mushrooms and rainbow chard. The lamb was very well cooked - pink and tender, with the belly being particularly soft and unctuous.

For dessert, a honey parfait with orange, apricot sorbet and baby basil was well made and a refreshing palate cleaner. Served with Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos, Chateau Dereszla, Hungary 2008. Packed with vibrant flavours of honey and apricot, this was delicious.

Another standout dish of the 5-course menu was the cheese platter, served with slices of fresh apple, sultanas and biscuits. I enjoyed the Cornish Blue, Wellesley Cheddar and a Sharpham Elmhirst – an unpasteurized triple cream, mould-ripened cheese that was rich and velvety, on a par with the finest Brillat-Savarins I have encountered.

Served with a fine Fonseca Guimaraens 1998 Single Quinta Vintage Port, with sixteen years in bottle, this was a memorable end to our meal at The Scarlet.

The Morning After

Breakfast is taken in the restaurant overlooking the bay. We enjoyed the Cornish Breakfast, which was well made with a good local black pudding and bacon.

The Cornish Rarebit was also delicious, served with a cafetiere of fine coffee and fresh local apple juice.

Verdict

For total relaxation, beach walks, hot-tubbing with the most magnificent panoramic views and great food, The Scarlet Hotel has it all. And with super friendly service too. Recommended.

Travel Essentials 

How to Get There

We drove from London, it was a 4:30 hours drive door to door. If you are taking the train, the nearest station is Bodmin Parkway Station, which is only a 25 minute drive from the hotel. Newquay Airport is 5 minutes away from the hotel by car.

Cost

A double bedroom with breakfast for two costs from £290 per night.  Please check The Scarlet Hotel’s website for current offers, but at the time of our visit, the 5 course meal with wine flight came as part of a two-night dinner, bed and breakfast package, with a three-course dinner on the other night. This started at £370 per person for a two-night break.