The Headland Hotel & Spa – Newquay

This is a popular resort during school breaks, drawing families who come to enjoy Fistral Beach. The hotel's expansive grounds include beautiful lawns dotted with beach chairs and benches for taking in the view, and alcoves built into the hillside for quiet contemplation. The main building was constructed in 1900, and its original owners intended to turn it into South England's most magnificent hotel. Today, the facade of red brick and stone, as well as many preserved features -- including a springy ballroom floor -- are a testament to the Victorian era. The traditional style extends throughout the hotel: rounded archways, wood paneled walls, corniced ceilings, heavy ornate carpeting, and lantern-style lights are seen from the lobby, to the lounges, to the rooms. Guests gather at The Terrace, a casual restaurant with outdoor deck seating and an indoor lounge area with a fireplace and colorful couches. The Restaurant is a more formal space, with white tablecloths, patterned gray carpeting, and heavy wooden chairs. A glass-fronted veranda with wicker seating is a lovely place to take in the views.

The hotel is situated on a cliff overlooking Fistral Beach. There are other hotels in the general vicinity, but for shops or restaurants guests must go to the Newquay town center. The location is fabulous for those wanting to escape to some peace and quiet. However, it's not easily reached from public transport -- guests would need a car or cab, or may walk about one-and-a-half miles from Newquay rail station.The Headland Hotel is two miles from Blue Reef Aquarium, and a half-mile from Newquay Harbour. The Eden Project (a complex with artificial biomes housing various types of plants) in St. Blazey is about 45 minutes away.

Guest rooms in the main building and the surrounding cottages are all individually decorated. Hotel rooms generally have wide white moldings, paneled white doors, carved wood furniture, and crisp white-tiled bathrooms; guests can request traditional or modern decor. The Courtyard View rooms offer the lowest rates, but the views are of a service area. As the views get better (some overlook the sea), prices and furniture quality increase. All rooms have nicely dressed beds, and some have curtained canopies, and carved wood or upholstered headboards. All have flat-screen TVs, bathrobes, hairdryers, and coffee/tea makers. The most desired accommodations are the self-catering cottages, with one to three bedrooms, a modern aesthetic, and space to spread out. Cottages also have dining areas and fully-equipped kitchens; local farm produce from the Trevilley Farm Shop can be delivered.

There are no special children's play areas or facilities, but families keep busy with outdoor pursuits or inside at the gym, which has state-of-the-art Life Fitness equipment. The outdoor pool offers spectacular views of the cliffs and sea. There are three tennis courts, a nine-hole golf course, and the adjacent 18-hole Newquay Links. The elegant spa offers a myriad of treatments, and has an indoor pool, sauna, Cornish salt steam room, hydrotherapy suite, whirlpool, and aromatherapy showers. Full English breakfast is free daily, or guests can enjoy cooked-to-order entrees at one of the hotel's two restaurants. The Terrace offers casual sandwiches and burgers, while The Restaurant serves continental dishes and Cornish specialties. Dogs are welcomed in many hotel public areas (and Fistral Beach), and a small fee includes dog-friendly extras. A west-facing beach with good waves, Fistral Beach hosts surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, and kite-surfing lessons offered by the hotel.