Get that sky-high feeling without ever taking off

0 Comments | Western Morning News, The, May 29, 2010 | by COLLEEN JORDAN

Jetting off for a weekend break is just not what it was… arbitrary ash clouds pop up to scupper even the best-laid plans. You might get to your idyllic destination – but getting back can be a bit of a lottery. Throw in the odd crew strike and inhibiting baggage restrictions and that longed-for breakaway few days can turn into more of a stress exercise than the working environment you’re trying to escape!

Cue bringing it back to what’s on offer, right on our doorstep… and it doesn’t get much better, much more luxurious or much more bespoke than the Westcountry’s latest relaxation hotspot, The Cornwall Hotel, Spa & Estate. Opened earlier this year by the Countess of Wessex, this woodland retreat is set in 43 acres of beautiful Victorian parkland at Tregorrick near St Austell, less than two miles from sandy Porthpean Beach and ideally located for the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project.

But chances are, you might just want to kick around this fabulous secluded sanctuary incorporating the restored 19th-century Manor House as well as purpose-built Woodland Rooms, all with private balconies and panoramic views over the stunning walled gardens, ancient woodland, parkland and lakes.

Throw in the indulgent Clearing Spa in the converted stable block, which houses five treatment rooms – offering every kind of massage as well as facials, skincare and manicures – a state-of-the- art gym, juice bar and infinity pool, and you might well begin to think that foreign travel is rather over-rated. That’s certainly my view in this current climate – and a weekend visit with my husband to check out The Cornwall did nothing to convince me I’d got it all wrong.

There’s a real feeling of newness about the place as you sweep up the drive, a fresh and welcoming vitality just waiting to be discovered. Everything is clean, shiny, warm and friendly – from reception to the cosy seating areas scattered in every nook and cranny of the architecturally bold creation. Glass is everywhere, but it says classy not soulless.

A whistlestop tour with manager Will Oakley revealed the Manor House’s traditional bedrooms and suites as well as the more contemporary Woodland Rooms where we were staying – some were of a bold open-plan design with the bath incorporated within the bedroom. Outside, the landscaping promises much as 1,400 newly planted saplings settle in and join the abundance of mature specimens. It’s just a matter of letting Mother Nature do her bit now – and while it can’t be hurried, it can be pictured.

But the Cornwall is more than a luxury spa in a glorious setting. The final part of the vision is the collection of woodland homes, available to purchase or rent, beautifully equipped down to the last teaspoon and made entirely from wood by a company in Redruth. The first 22 of these fabulous holiday homes are nearing completion and are on the market from Pounds 299,950.

First stop for me was the Clearing Spa for an hour’s Real Aromatherapy Experience at the hands of therapist Alex
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