By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor
Before I begin I have a confession to make, I love this part of the world – North Cornwall. I am also half Cornish, not that you would tell by my rough Geordie accent. My mother was born in Port Isaac (the village the TV show Doc Martin is filmed in) So I was sold on this excursion, before I even got there. I even used to come to this hotel when I was a child, and use the pool when the weather was awful, which it can be in Cornwall, there is no getting around that.
The St Mortiz hotel is a luxurious venue that is just up the hill form North Cornwall’s most famous surfing beach Polzeath. It is David Cameron’s favourite holidaying spot (he even gave his daughter’s middle name after a near-by church; Endellion) and it’s where Prince Wills had his stag do.
Even if these are not your favourite people, don’t let that put you off; they have got good taste when it comes to their choice of holidays.
The St Moritz Hotel has indoor and outdoor pools (it was November so we didn’t try the outdoor pool) an award winning restaurant, gym and cowshed spa. It really is a luxury destination, by the most spectacular coastline in the UK, if not beyond.
I had Mrs TLE in tow (as ever) and we got a suite room, with a huge kitchen/dining area, and luxurious bedroom with Sky TV in each room. It was the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in and it was huge, so I didn’t suffer any space infringement from the missus…for once.
We dined in the restaurant on the first evening and the menu choice was all local fish and meat cooked to perfection, by the chef and a fantastic choice of wine. The next day we also sampled the lunch menu where we tucked into a great meal. The staff were friendly, polite and knowledgeable, which is exactly what you want.
Mrs TLE also myself also indulged ourselves with massage in the Cowshed Spa which was a fantastic and relaxing experience, in the morning before we set off to explore (well ok I knew where I was going, but it was still an adventure) the local area.
Within a short drive you have Padstow (famous for Rick Stein) Rock where you cold bump into a royal, the Wadebridge to Padstow bike ride beside the estuary, Post Isaac as mentioned above, which now has not one but TWO Nathan Outlaw’s restaurants. I could go on forever, as this is the place I love the most in the world.
There is so much to explore in this idyllic part of the world and I couldn’t recommend staying at the St Mortiz enough. It isn’t cheap, but you get a lot more than what you pay for. Trust me you wont be disappointed.
