Luxury coastal hotels do not come more coastal or luxurious than St Michael’s Resort. This super spot a literal stone’s throw from the beach on the edge of Falmouth offers something for everyone seeking some Vitamin Sea in wonderful surroundings.
Whether you are staying for two hours for a meal or for a week’s r’n’r in one of the many types of room available to guests, you will be enveloped in a wonderful, warm welcome.
St Michaels Resort is one of Cornwall’s leading independent hotels, offering an unparalleled wellness retreat right next to the South West Coast Path. The resort is home to a luxury spa featuring the largest hydrothermal pool in the south west, a state-of-the-art health club and a calendar of wellness breaks.
The hotel offers the perfect blend of location and facilities. Set in beautiful gardens featuring an array of exotic plants, carefully tended to make the most of the mild climate in these parts, St Michaels is just a few steps from the gorgeous Gyllyngvase Beach, a lovey stretch of family-friendly sand.
A short walk along the coast is the fabulous coastal resort at Swanpool, of for the adventurer, you can travel further afield to the beautiful beach at Maenporth, or take the ferry across Carrick Roads to special St Mawes. Falmouth itself is a bustling maritime town where life is centred on the water, offering plenty of leisure and entertainment options.
WHAT ARE THE ROOMS LIKE? The quality and range of rooms at St Michaels is superb. For our stay we were billeted in one of the four new luxury spa lodges which opened in July 2023, set alongside brand-new subtropical spa gardens.
This was luxury hotel living at its finest – a quiet, calm space of relaxation with beautiful interiors and yet just yards from the vast array of facilities open to guests. The spa is simply superb – attentive staff take care of your every need and the range of treatments and experiences on offer will leave you spoilt for choice. We went for the two-hour Hydrothermal Experience, a very special chance to take in all that the spa has to offer, concluding with time in the outdoor barrel sauna with views out across Falmouth Bay.
Elsewhere, St Michaels offers 92 bedrooms and suites as well as the Liner Beach Residences, a seafront development of one-, two- three- and four-bedroom apartments, which are independently owned but managed by St Michaels.
All rooms – as well as the public spaces at St Michaels – are tastefully decorated and appointed with interiors which match the coastal location and yet do not fall into the trap of being kitsch.
BEST SEA VIEW? Many rooms features panoramic windows which look out over the bay but, frankly, the views from the restaurant and bar areas are available to all…and are completely spectacular. There is a lovely ‘outside in’ elevated terrace area to sit and relax awhile and be as close to the sea as possible whilst still imbibing!
A nice touch from our waitress at dinner was to set our table so we both looked out on the view – another subtle yet attentive touch from a team who know their hospitality.
HOW ABOUT THE FOOD? Led by executive chef Darren Millgate, the AA rosette-winning Brasserie on the Bay serves up the best of Cornwall’s farms, fields and waters, while more laid-back dining with sparkling sea views can be found at the hotel’s second eatery, the Garden Kitchen. This means you have the choice of a formal dining occasion or something which is more casual.
As we were staying for two nights we tried both. Our first night dinner at the Brasserie on the Bay was elegant and polished, demonstrating the elan of the kitchen team as they made the very best of the fresh ingredients available on their doorstep.
Dishes such as grilled mackerel fillet with smoke almon romesco, capers and olives or confit pork belly with beetroot ketchup, roasted fennel and new potatoes more than prove my point.
There really was no drop in standards on our second evening at the Garden Kitchen either – tasty, stone-baked pizzas and a wide range of beers make for the perfect sign-off to our very special stay.
WHAT WILL IT COST? One night in autumn starts from £159pp.
HOW DO I BOOK? Visit stmichaelsresort.com, or call 01326 312707.
