High above the picturesque bay of Mawgan Porth, just outside Newquay, the Bedruthan Steps hotel makes the perfect family getaway
Of all the views in Britain, one of the best has to be the sight that greeted me when I flung open the curtains of my room in Cornwall’s Bedruthan Steps Hotel. The wide sweep of Bedruthan Bay was as blue and bright as a Mediterranean resort, the dramatic cliff tops were covered in swathes of purple and yellow flowers, and enthusiastic body-boarders below could be seen braving the crashing surf while a multitude of birds cried and wheeled overhead.
Bedruthan Steps beach is part of a stretch of north Cornwall coastline, between Padstow and Newquay, owned by the National Trust and is one of the most popular stretches of the Trust’s coastal path. Atop the hill overlooking the bay’s impressive geology, guests at the Bedruthan Steps Hotel have a short stroll down to the magnificent sands or onto the coastal path and the hotel is a wonderful base from which to explore this beautiful area.
Named Cornwall’s hotel of the year 2010/11, Bedruthan is especially well known as a family-friendly hotel and the facilities for families are extremely impressive. But the hotel is also making a name for itself thanks to its new restaurant – The Herring. Situated between Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen at Watergate Bay and Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant at Padstow, Bedruthan is at the heart of north Cornwall’s gourmet coast, and The Herring doesn’t disappoint.
Cornish chefs Mick Smith and Ryan Venning from the Porthminster Beach Café in St Ives have collaborated to bring diners an exciting new approach to cooking Cornish seafood and the result is some extremely sophisticated and inventive cuisine.
From the chef’s Taster Plate, featuring grilled scallop with hazel nut espuma, prawn wasabi cocktail, and a huge Cornish oyster in sake to coconut poached silver mullet with wild red rice, lime, crispy shallots and green mango salad, the dishes combine local seafood with an Asian twist – with interesting and successful results.
Diners who manage to drag their eyes away from each delightfully presented dish are confronted with the same sweeping view of the bay I could see from my room, and the atmosphere of the restaurant is laid-back and relaxed.
If the Bedruthan is for families, then its sister hotel, The Scarlet, is a romantic haven perfect for couples. Situated just down the hillside, The Scarlet is the ideal place to escape and enjoy the magnificent scenery. Head for lunch on the terrace overlooking the clifftop outdoor eco swimming pool that is filtered by reeds. Or, as the sun goes down, watch the spectacular colours reflecting upon the sea from one of the log-fired hot tubs that look out across the ocean.
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