Modern glamour rules the day at the luxury UK staycation honeymoon beach resort Carbis Bay Hotel & Spa.
Location
It’s hard to imagine a more perfect location than that of the Carbis Bay Hotel and Spa. Voted Cornwall’s Hotel of The Year in 2019 and perched high on a leafy cliffside in the exclusive small and quiet village of Carbis Bay which doorsteps picture-postcard St Ives, the resort-like hotel is an idyllic beachside mansion overlooking powdery white sands and the turquoise and navy hued Atlantic Ocean.
Along with the beach (a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site), the 19th estate covers a wow-factor 125 acres of land including lush woodlands. You won’t need to bother with your car once you’ve arrived either; it’s a gentle 30-minute walk into St Ives via the scenic South West Coast Path or you can opt for the 12 minute long direct train ride on the St Ives Bay Line where you can literally breathe in the sweeping Cornish coastline.
First Impressions
Well, there’s the beach for a start. No wonder Boris Johnson decided this was the place he wanted to show off to his world leader chums including the Bidens and Trudeaus’ during the 2021 G7 summit. White sand stretches out for a mile and it’s so dazzling you’ll be reaching for your sunglasses the minute you step out of the car. You’ll find the sensationally cerulean waters just as alluring.
Built in 1894 and after an illustrious history, the hotel – as it now stands – is privately owned by Stephen and José Baker who after a major labour of love and extensive renovations have given the property a new lease of life, including upping its eco-credentials.
Log fires are fuelled by environmentally-friendly ethanol, pathways and a promenade have been made entirely from recycled ocean plastics (it’s the first hotel in the world to have done this) and the entire establishment is powered by its own green energy with a carbon saving of around 100-tonnes per year. And while the resort is top-end luxury, you’ll still love the laid-back and informal atmosphere inside the Victorian manor (designed by renowned Cornish architect Silvanus Trevail).
Gilt mirrors and glimmering chandeliers make a statement as soon as you enter reception alongside more modern touches with plenty of sleek-looking guests sauntering either from or to the beach. Highly trained and charming staff provide excellent service 24 hours a day, with the backdrop of it all being an uncrowded, soft white sandy beach that unfurls itself like a shimmering sheet of white silk cloth next to ancient cliffs and into Caribbean calm, turquoise waters.
Awarded a prestigious Blue Flag, Carbis Bay’s sheltered and mile-long crescent-shaped private cove practically begs for you to catch a romantic handheld sunrise or two and even spot a few dolphins while you’re at it. Outdoors, adventure-loving couples can hire kayaks and paddleboards courtesy of Ocean Sports Centre which is located on the beach. And once you’ve had your fill of strenuous activities, it’s time to do very little again with pool or beachside lazing, naps on shaded loungers, and bespoke treatments in the state-of-the-art C Spa.
Suite Dreams
All refurbished to a high spec in preparation for the G7 summit, the 36 individually decorated rooms in the main hotel come in neutral tones with many offering sea views. Honeymooners hankering after extra privacy should check into one of the two-bedroomed Valley Cottages and Suites which feature large open plan kitchens and living rooms with dining table.
Bang & Olufsen TVs are splashed on bedroom walls, Nespresso machines and American style fridges are in kitchens and balconies on top floors are accessed via glass doors in living rooms that open up to reveal magnificent panoramas of the bay. Bedrooms here are geared towards calming the senses; from the subtle and muted-coloured wallpapers and natural wood furniture to the thick, soft carpets.
You won’t bother with Netflix on Smart TV’s inside them either. Not when you’ve enticing king-sized beds decked out in crisp white cottons inviting you to jump in. You’ll be dreaming away all those post-wedding fatigues to the soundtrack of the ocean lapping at the shore outside in no time. Rainfall power showers in spacious Perrin and Rowe marble bathrooms are heavenly, as are large and deliciously inviting rolltop tubs you’ll relax into with bubbles courtesy of luxury British beauty brand Bamford.
Beach Lodges at Carbis Bay
Couples yearning for serious swagger can book into one of eight, tri-level new Beach Lodges (where Boris and Carrie reportedly stayed) and which are prime-positioned for more solitude on the lower level of the hotel. All offer private access to the beach and second to none views and on clear days, of Godrevy Lighthouse (said to have inspired Woolfe’s novel ‘To The Lighthouse’).
Interiors here are clean and nautical with plenty of reclaimed and painted woods, natural slates and hessian adding decorative details and all come with private, ocean-facing hot tubs too. It’s likely you’ll want to dine in-room for at least one meal (personal guest hosts assigned to beach lodges will arrange everything) and when you do, you’ll find plenty of Villeroy and Boch chinaware and crystal glassware for fizz.
Eat
As a resort, there’s more than a few places to dine on site. You’ll be bragging about the delicious and romantic dining and theatrical cocktail experience at ultra-stylish Walters on The Beach – housed in an outbuilding overlooking the ocean and reached via a sloping footpath and stairs – long after the minimoon. Deep tones, slick and low mood lighting and ocean vistas here totally swoonworthy, but then so is the menu.
Imagined by Executive Chef Andrew Houghton, seasonal dishes like Cornish sardines served with kipper ice cream and enoki mushroom dashi for starters pack some culinary might. Fresh lobsters come bursting with flavour having been caught only hours earlier. It’s worth noting that all the fish and Cornish seafood served here is sustainably sourced too and the staff do an excellent job of making you feel incredibly spoiled.
In the evening it’s hard not to be enchanted still by tantalising white fish mains served with pancetta bourguignon with parmentier potatoes or Korean chicken with kimchi and sticky rice. Desserts are heavenly with the Jamaican ginger cake and dark chocolate marquise our clear winners.
The Beach Club is a total vibe. At lunch, the small kitchen offers simple pared-back Mediterranean fare, grilled fish and succulent Cornish crab caught only hours earlier by day boats in St Ives, and moreish pizzas and is great place to drop into after a morning of paddleboarding around the various coves.
Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling
Making a culinary pilgrimage to the hotel’s glass-fronted fine dining restaurant, Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling is veritable must. With a zero-food waste policy across his restaurant group, Adam knows his way around seafood, especially at his flagship establishment, The Frog in Covent Garden, London.
Under the masterful eyes of the Michelin-starred chef and head chef Jamie Park, Ugly Butterfly presents seven-course tasting menus (including plant based and pescatarian versions) with flavoursome modern British fare and hyper-locally sourced Cornish ingredients. Oysters from Porthilly Shellfish are expertly dressed and prepared, as is fish freshly caught from Harlyn Bay. Cocktails are cinematic and make use of local botanicals, trims and cuts from ingredients used in main dishes and are complemented by an extensive wine list.
Breakfast is an Instagrammable affair; especially when you’ve snagged tables on the outdoor terrace overlooking the sea or inside the conservatory next to oversized French windows. Smartly-dressed staff are only too happy to serve from a fancy A la carte menu featuring tasty homemade granola and Greek yogurt, smashed avocado on toast, full English cooked breakfasts and omelettes. All are extremely tasty and generously portioned.
Spa
C Bay Spa sets the bar high for how spa-ing should be done. Heated to bath-water temperature, the centrepiece outdoor pool is truly divine and you’ll laze around it and bask in the sunshine sloth-like, all morning. Inside, it’s a world of relaxation with the spa recently having launched an exclusive partnership with prestigious spa brand Bamford, known for holistic and organic beauty and skincare treatments using ancient eastern and western techniques.
Once you’re done with the impressive gym, state-of-the-art outdoor sauna, steam room, and hydrotherapy pool, book in for a 90 minute ‘Bamford Awakening Organic Facial’ which boosts and hydrates skin by incorporating fruit acid elixirs. The Bamford B Silent Ritual is another must; starting with foot bathing followed by Japanese Shiatsu rocking techniques and Indian head massages designed to alleviate stress and aid sleep. There’s also a fancy nail bar and pedicure suite on site.
Getting Married
Like other artists and romantics, Virginia Woolfe visited the estate in 1914 to soak up the stunning mix of coastal countryside and so stunning and glamorous weddings – including ceremonies on the beach – are the name of the game here.
The hotel can host weddings and receptions in twelve separate and licensed areas for up to 150 guests. An established and creative in-house events team will assist with everything from catering to photography and include special touches on cocktail and wine lists, flowers and accommodation as well as pre-wedding day spa treatments.
What You’ll Love
- As an elite resort – everything you’ll need for a staycation honeymoon can be found on site or is organised for you.
- Fancy splurging? You can’t go wrong with a sunset cruise aboard the hotel’s own 50ft Sunseeker.
- The commitment to sustainability extends everywhere with rooms featuring guest tablets from which you can book tables, rooms service and even spa treatments.
- Alfresco dinners are made even dreamier since you can dine under inky blue star filled skies at Walter’s on the Beach
- For special occasions, you’ve the option to book private chefs who’ll prepare delicious honeymoon or pre wedding feasts including picnic hampers, barbeques and celebratory dinners for two
How to Book
Carbis Bay Estate, Carbis Bay, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 2NP. Nightly rates at Carbis Bay start from £240 on a B&B basis, based on double occupancy. Visit www.carbisbayhotel.co.uk and contact: +44 (0)1736 795311 or email [email protected].