The Carlyon Bay

The Carlyon Bay is a large, family-friendly resort with a slightly formal vibe. Everything is top of the line. Even the kids playground is atmospheric, incorporating trees, and built from wood, not tacky plastic. The doorman who greets arriving guests is dressed in full formal regalia, including a top hat. Ivy covers the building, and spacious lawns and beautifully tended gardens surround it. The resort is all about sports, followed up by elegant relaxation. Most of the common areas have a clubby, masculine vibe, with refined sofas and wingback chairs, patterned carpet, and heavy drapes and swags at the windows. Golfers, tennis players, swimmers, and spa-goers will find all their needs met, and their kids are treated to free lunch, drinks, and ice cream throughout the day. The Bay View restaurant has a formal dress code at dinnertime; the surroundings are upscale and very English of indeterminate century, but the menu is modern and features locally sourced produce, with no GMO products served on the premises. Taste brasserie is more relaxed, but still offers a fine-dining, foodie-quality menu in surroundings that are a little funkier and more 21st century. There is even a bar in the spa, serving bento boxes, wellness-boosting superfoods, smoothies, and gin. All in all, the Carlyon Bay is an athlete’s paradise, with a subtle, landed gentry feel.

The Carlyon Bay sits on a clifftop high over St. Austell Bay, with gorgeous sea views. The area is quiet, and the buildings are surrounded by 250 acres of private lawns and gardens. Downtown St. Austell is a 10-minute drive from the hotel, and there are plenty of beaches and tourist attractions nearby, if the hotel's private beach begins to feel old hat. Charlestown Harbour, Pinetum Park, and Pine Lodge Gardens, as well as the Eden Project and Porthpean Beach are all within a 10-minute drive (or a long 30-minute walk). The Lost Gardens of Heligan are 20 minutes away by car.

Guest rooms at the Carlyon Bay are roomy and spotless, with diamond-patterned carpeting and large windows. The decor is refined and elegant, in tones of light yellow and navy blue, with heavy drapes and pretty watercolors of ocean scenes on the walls. Some rooms have views of the English Channel, which are well worth the extra charge. Bathrooms are modern and bright, if a bit plain, with shower/tub combos, and white tile with blue accents. Standard amenities include flat-screen TVs with sports channels, coffee/tea facilities, pillow menus, free bottled water, Gilchrist & Soames toiletries, robes and slippers, and nightly turndown service. Connecting rooms are available upon request.

The Carlyon Bay features an 18-hole championship golf course, plus a nine-hole practice course, putting green, and pro shop, with one free round of golf per night, per room. There are two red clay tennis courts as well as a croquet lawn. The hotel has a private sandy beach at Carlyon Cove, and runs a free shuttle back and forth to the waterside. There is a large seasonal outdoor pool and sundeck, as well as an indoor pool and hot tub. Guests can visit the sauna and steam room at the spa, or book from the extensive menu of massage and beauty treatments; advance booking is highly recommended. The fitness center is bright and sunlit, and stocked with a variety of cardio and weight equipment, including a Vibratec vibrating platform for trendy fitness buffs. Supervision is available for kids during school holidays, and there's a big playground in a grove of trees, with wooden swings, slides, and platforms. The fine dining Bay View Restaurant offers a regional-focused menu in a formal setting; there is a strict dress code. Taste Brasserie is more relaxed, but still very upscale, serving dishes using Cornish ingredients. Light meals are served on the terrace at the Green Bar, and the Club House at the golf course is a true country club-style lounge. The hotel has its own helipad, and helicopter tours are available. Finally, a business center and meeting room are available, and wedding services are offered on-site.