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Spa Review: The Headland Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall

By Natasha Heard   |  

The Headland Hotel is a place to visit to enjoy a thoroughly relaxing coastal break on the cliff’s edge. During my visit there I visited the resident spa and must admit it was the part that I was most looking forward to, especially after I found out that it is Cornwall’s only ‘Five Bubbles’ rated spa and had in recent years enjoyed a thorough make over.

I was greeted at the spa reception with a friendly smile and filled out my form with all my health worries and troublesome areas – yes, all! Jodie was my spa therapist for the hour and she talked me through everything she was going to do and use for my body scrub, hot stone massage and
facial.

I’ve never had a hot stone massage before so I was rather intrigued. I naively thought the stones lay on you and always wondered what benefits that had, but it was a massage with the stones in hand and was very effective. I was lathered with Frangipani Monoi body oil after my body scrub and the hot stones were applied to the soles of my feet and backs of my legs and were wonderfully soothing – the stones were hot as expected but were moving so not unpleasant – in fact, the opposite.

the headland hotel spa
The Headland is Cornwall’s first Five Bubble rated luxury spa hotel

A repetitive niggle in my shoulder was well worked through and, despite my initial reservations, a lower back injury pleasantly soothed and certainly not aggravated as I had worried.

I also enjoyed the cleanse and polish body scrub, which involved being brushed, which although wasn’t a soothing feeling, I was sure was detoxing and re-mineralising my skin as advertised.

I turned over fully relaxed and got tucked in with some big fluffy towels feeling like I was definitely going to start snoozing soon as Jodie started my facial using Elemis products.

The facial was wonderful; lovely scents were wafting around my face as creams, solutions and peels were applied. Products used included a soothing chamomile cleanser, exotic cream moisturising mask, pro-collagen advanced eye treatment and gentle rose exfoliator.

I then enjoyed an extremely soothing head massage, which sent me off into a wonderfully hypnotic day dream and was bought back to reality from my soothing hypnosis with a tinkle of bells. I was bought up to sitting position and handed a glass of water, I redressed into my robe and met Jodie outside where I was led to the relaxation room.

headland hotel swimming pool
The hotel offers a luxurious swimming pool

A darkened room greeted me and I was told I could help myself to drinks (hot herbal teas and cold water) and snacks (dried fruits and nuts) and I took a seat on a fluffy throw-covered lounger. Music tinkled gently and candles flickered as I rested against a large soft cushion for 20 minutes before forcing myself to get up and go and not fall asleep! I returned to my room more relaxed than I had been in months, lay on my bed and slipped into a restful hour long nap.

The spa has an array of other luxuriously relaxing treatments including Thalgo marine treatments, bespoke treatments and packages and reflexology and also boasts an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, Cornish salt steam room, Swedish sauna and aromatherapy showers and a restaurant serving healthy light bites with an outdoor deck overlooking the sea.

I enjoyed just a handful of the above but every aspect was deeply enjoyable and soothing, I feel relaxed just thinking about my hour of pampering and I cannot wait to go back.

Address: Fistral Beach, Newquay, Cornwall TR7 1EW

headlandhotel.co.uk