St Moritz, Cornwall: The classic English hotel with a classy new spa

The reputation of this seaside hotel, as a bastion of high quality hospitality in England’s South West, spans generations. Having been built into existence in the 1930s and used to house boarding school evacuees in the ‘40s, it was after the war that the Underwood family turned home into hotel and, inspired by the famously luxurious hospitality of a certain Swiss town, the St Moritz was born.

Several decades on and this hotel still holds a certain old-England grandeur to it, despite the Art Deco-inspired renovation in 2008. The recollections of nostalgic grandmothers last longer than bricks and mortar, as do tales of famous faces coming and going throughout the 20th century. Even its location, as king-of-the-hill overlooking Stepper Point and the spectacular Cornish coastline – Polzeath on one side, Rock, Daymer Bay and Padstow on the other – is so enviably within the desirable heartlands of North Cornwall that you can practically picture frolicing aristocrats prancing about the gardens in decades gone by.

And yet there is nothing dusty about this place. In fact the St Moritz is as fresh as the salty sea breeze that whistles up the hillside towards its striking white-walled facade. From elegantly designed suites, apartments and villas to cutting-edge culinary creations at the Shorecrest Restaurant, and now a shiny new multi-million pound spa facility, it seems that sophistication can evolve and reputation need not be sacrificed in search of modern comforts.

Speaking of comfort, let’s begin with the spa, sparkling in its newness and boasting the impressive status of being the only Cowshed facility outside of the notoriously exclusive Soho House club. The quality of the products used for treatments, then, is not in question. Those luxurious massage oils and exfoliating masks would be useless without the right pair of hands applying them. Fortunately, the masseur team here is of the highest standard. Their welcoming smiles are as disarmingly comforting as their fingers, wrists and elbows are deceptively powerful.

There are a wide range of services on offer, from maternity body care to sports massages, reflexology and indulgent facials. Having received two bespoke 90-minute treatments myself, it’s safe to say that I left the St Moritz a more relaxed being than the gooey, knotty ball of stress that arrived at reception one drizzly Monday morning.

All guests – and paying members of the public – are offered full access to the communal wellness facilities. There’s an indoor pool with a swim-out section, surrounded by heated daybeds and accompanied by a crystal steam room, plus two Nordic saunas. You can even balance hot and cold therapy with the elemental ice fountain and reinvigorating drench bucket.

As you flip-flop your way back from the spa and arrive at your lodgings – which could be a hotel room, a suite, a self-catered apartment or even a private villa – you’ll be struck by the lightness and brightness of your living quarters. All of the rooms are designed with a thoughtful touch, airy and spacious and embodying a classy seaside chic aesthetic. Not tacky enough to go full nautical, the decor here is more about gently echoing its coastal surrounds. The pastel blues and greens lightly accentuate the calming cream-white tones of the walls, while handcrafted works of pottery, glasswork and paintings are the kind you’re likely to find in art shops all along the Cornish coast.

Our ground floor suite consisted of a large bedroom (featuring very large bed) ensuite, a fully-equipped kitchen and a lounge area big enough to fit a dining table and sofa without feeling the slightest bit cramped. Attached to the wall was even a pull-out bunk bed, for those bringing pint-sized companions on holiday. All of that plus multiple extra seating areas either side of the sliding glass doors that opened up onto our spacious garden terrace.

Extra touches include a heap of board games, reading materials for little and large members of the family, as well two Sky TVs. This is a place to live, not just stay, whether you’re here for a weekend, a week or even longer (lucky you!).

Our private terrace led straight towards the gardens and, beyond well-pruned hedges, the hotel’s outdoor pool, given prime ocean-view position at the front of the property. If seawater is more your thing, then only a 5-10 minute downhill stroll stands between you and the ocean. Otherwise you could sprawl out on the daybeds or even on the pool’s accompanying lawn, which itself is bordered by a row of charming, multicoloured British beach huts. There’s also the Seaside Cafe, a casual eatery serving lunch, dinner and drinks beside the pool. The stone-baked pizzas here are delicious, but don’t overlook the salads. Trust me, you don’t know what you’re missing with Isle of White Tomatoes.

However, it’s at the hotel’s primary restaurant, Shorecrest, that dining is taken up a notch. Cornwall has become a foodie hotspot in recent decades, but this place should entice diners from well beyond the walls of the St Moritz. That must be in no small part thanks to the leadership of Chef Jake Grove, who began his culinary journey as a teenager in Cornwall, including a stint at the St Moritz itself, before venturing to multiple Michelin starred establishments across Cornwall and as far as Australia.

Back home at last, Chef Grove has cultivated a crowd pleasing menu of dishes that celebrate the quality of local and seasonal ingredients. Start with cider braised pork belly or fresh mackerel paté, before moving on to line caught sea bass served with warm tartare sauce, or peppered hake in seaweed butter – you’re in Cornwall, so expect seafood to star. That said, veggies and steak-eaters remain extremely well catered for.

Every plate clearly displays a love and care for its core ingredients. The chicken breast is bathed in a luxurious, caper-infused olive oil, soaked up by herby potatoes, while the black garlic butter – sat meltingly atop your steak – displays an act of mouthwatering worship as it slowly seeps into the divine cut of ribeye below.

This ingredient-based reverie was best embodied when my catch of the day mackerel was delivered to me by Chef Grove himself, who could not hide his joy at the beautiful simplicity of the dish. Nor could he resist the tale behind the catch, as he went on to paint a vivid picture of the larger-than-life surfer dude-turned-fisherman who hand delivers the restaurant’s freshly caught delights.

The food here is likely to leave its mark, and it’s fair to say that several dishes will be stuck in my mind, heart and stomach for the foreseeable future. Noteworthy mentions are due for the citrus-infused black bream I devoured at lunch, as well as the utterly spectacular ‘English Strawberry’ dessert. A gasp-inducingly flavourful vanilla panna cotta, served with the freshest of British strawberries, a bed of biscuity crumbs and a quite frankly ridiculous lemon sorbet, which left my partner and I dumbfounded for the rest of our stay.

As the end of our time at the St Moritz began its approach through the hazy afterglow of our ice-cold citrus enlightenment, it became clear to me that the joy of our stay came from the hotel’s classic approach to hospitality. Yes there’s the grandeur of the place and the magic of its location, but it was also about the loveliness of the staff and the sense of care tangible in every element of our stay, from the homely design of the room to the charming delivery of (excellent) wine by the sommelier. It’s about the masterful hands of masseurs and the wonderful creations coming out of the kitchen.

And that is a feeling of particular potency in Cornwall. While the majesty of the South West’s coastal landscape never fails to intoxicate, it’s also hard to shake the underlying strangeness caused by truths harder than the most jagged of granite cliff faces. The 21st-century domestic travel boom has washed over Cornwall like the turbulent waves of the Celtic Sea, leaving countless communities disintegrating in the interests of barely-occupied second homes and holiday let villages that become ghost towns come winter.

The hotel stay may seem old-fashioned to some in the advent of Airbnb and the like, but it also plays a far less disruptive role in the economy of tourism. Institutions like the St Moritz serve the desires of outsiders keen to enjoy the best of Cornwall, but it also employs dozens of people who actually live here. It provides the opportunity for skilled work, it keeps local fishermen and farmers in business, and most importantly it does not occupy a house that a Cornish family could. Nor does it drive the regional housing market so cataclysmically through the roof that said Cornish family has no way of affording the house anyway.

These aren’t thoughts that most holidayers have at the forefront of their minds, and understandably so. Neither will they be the thoughts at the forefront of your mind as you reflect on a delightful stay at the St Moritz, which upon check-out will have backed up its claim to be the South West’s premier wellness retreat.

What this hotel does do is reaffirm the value of classic hotel hospitality. Those small touches, the little worries removed without your noticing, and replaced instead by little luxuries. The joy of a warm welcome as opposed to a self-check-in lock box. The ease of being within flip-flop walking distance of world class dining and spa facilities.

This prestigious old place has had its spot overlooking the North Cornwall coast for almost a century now, but it’s looking and feeling as fresh as ever, and ready to welcome its next set of weary travellers with open arms. Sometimes classic is best, and the St Moritz is proof that a dose of sea air is as revitalising as ever.

Rooms with breakfast at the St Moritz start at £150 per night in winter, and £195 in summer, based on two people sharing. Book your stay today!