Watergate Road, Newquay, United Kingdom | (888) 551-4925
Self-contained, family-friendly holiday resort
Set opposite dramatic cliff top and golden beaches
Extensive range of leisure and sports facilities, including zip-line
Indoor and outdoor swimming pools with unique design touches
Most rooms include separate sleeping area for kids
Spa with steam bath and treatment rooms
Mediterranean restaurant with adults-only option and casual wood terrace for outdoor dining
Free Wi-Fi in some areas
Modern fitness center with personal training
Free on-site parking
Some rooms in need of a refresh
Location is a little remote
Holiday camp vibe not for everyone
Surcharge for one night stays
The Sands Resort Hotel & Spa is a large, mid-range, family-focused holiday resort located two-and-a-half miles from Newquay with views over the sea. Beyond the beaches (Porth Beach and Watergate Bay are within walking distance) there's not a great deal in the area, though a huge range of kid- and adult-friendly leisure facilities on-site means most people won't set foot outside the mid-range property anyway. Rooms, too, are particularly family-friendly -- most have two separate sleeping areas -- while the restaurant provides parents with some child-free time. Rates are reasonable for the facilities, if not necessarily the rooms, but this probably isn't the place for those vacationing kid-free.
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Scene
Family-run resort complex with playful holiday camp ambience
Run by a local family with three generations of Cornwall hotel experience, the Sands Resort Hotel & Spa is housed in a sprawling modern complex comprised of five three-story buildings and extensive seaside grounds. Guests arrive at a nondescript parking area while a footpath leads past manicured lawns and sub-tropical palms to reach the hotel's discrete entrance. Stepping into the lobby, visitors are met with colorful abstract art and jaunty maritime-themed decor with mini masts and sails. The reception area sets a playful and relaxed tone that continues throughout the resort, which attracts mostly families with both younger and older kids keen for a holiday-camp vibe with a slightly more upscale atmosphere.
Location
Set opposite steep cliffs and sandy beaches two miles from Newquay
The hotel is situated on the seafront road, which overlooks the majestic cliffs and golden sand beaches between the towns of Padstow and Newquay in north Cornwall. There's little in the way of bars or restaurants in the immediate surrounds, however a half-mile stroll ends at Porth Beach Tourist Park and some gorgeous beaches and seaside walks. Whipsiderry Beach, at the foot of the cliffs is down steep steps, but is worth exploring at low tide. The town of Newquay is also just two-and-a-half miles away, with some of Europe's best surfing beaches.
Rooms
Most rooms include separate sleeping area for kids with a TV and DVD player
The resort has 70 rooms in total, which cover four different types of rooms -- Standard, Comfort Suite, Contemporary Suite, and Apartment. Most rooms include a separate sleeping area, so families are particularly catered to, and even some Standard rooms can accommodate an extra child. Decor is simple, fresh, and modern, with warm wood furnishings and shades of brown and gray set off by colorful patterns and wall art. Many rooms open on to small balconies with sea views. There are TVs in all sleeping areas, while the kids' area includes a DVD player, and higher-end rooms include PlayStation consoles and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms have wood floors, beige tile, and shower/tub combos.
Features
Impressive range of leisure facilities and thoughtful dining options
There is an astonishing range of leisure facilities on offer including a nine-hole golf course, a football (soccer) field, croquet field, basketball courts, tennis courts, a life-size maze, zip line, bouncy castle, climbing wall, adventure playground, play boat … and the list goes on. There's an outdoor pool with a small slide, and an indoor pool with a decorative stone archway. The spa offers a steam room, along with body and beauty treatments, including a Brow Bar. The gym has a good assortment of cardio machines, and personal training is available. The hotel's smart, contemporary 5° Restaurant & Ocean Bar has three different dining areas, so parents can choose to dine on locally sourced Mediterranean fare with or without the little ones.
