Explore Cornwall from luxury caravan

Explore Cornwall
from luxury caravan
Sunseekers on
Towan Beach,
Newquay
Heather Pickstock heads to Cornwall for a relaxing break at new leisure park,
Piran Meadows Resort and Spa, near Newquay
M
y last trip to
Newquay
was quite a
memorable
one. I was celebrating my 30th birthday. Me
and a gaggle of my girlfriends boarded our
minibus and set off for a weekend of fun in the
sun.
The weekend was spent on the beach in the
day and in the bars by night. I have happy
memories of playing pool with what looked like
the band members of ZZ Top in the famous Vic
Bars (undoubtedly the best rock music bar,
which has sadly now been demolished to make
way for a cinema).
So, more than a decade later, I was delighted
to be heading back to this Cornish utopia for
another visit. Though, perhaps not for such a
wild weekend. In fact, I was looking forward to
escaping the hustle and bustle of daily life and
just chilling out.
And this time, rather than an excited gaggle
of girlies, it was my partner (who was celebrating his 40th birthday) who was my holiday
buddy.
We booked into Piran Meadows Resort and
Spa just a few miles away from the golden
beaches of Newquay. The park, owned by
Darwin Holiday and Leisure Parks, is north
Cornwall’s newest luxury holiday home park.
Eight million pounds has been invested this
year alone, making it a five-star retreat for
couples and families.
Its location offers a luxurious base from
where to explore all that Cornwall has to offer,
from its iconic surfing beaches and fishing
villages to its rugged coastline and the Eden
Project, a short drive away in St Austell.
On arriving at our caravan, we found it
immaculately presented, thoughtfully decorated and furnished, and it came complete with
an en suite alongside the good-sized master
bedroom.
Add to that a comfy sofa, well-equipped
kitchen, flatscreen TV and DVD player and it
made for a welcoming home from home.
28 DO IT ● ● ● ● ●
The best thing for me, however, was the
outdoor deck and sunken hot tub! I spent
many an hour relaxing in the bubbles, turning
white and wrinkly.
Aside from my obsession with the hot tub,
Piran Meadows Resort and Spa also has an
indoor heated pool and spa facilities, bistrostyle restaurant and contemporary bar/cafe, a
bowling alley, games lounge and pool tables, as
well as an outdoor water play area.
There is also an impressive range of other
activities available, from fencing to laser clay
shooting, through the park’s Go Active programme.
The spa offers a range of treatments from
massages to manicures and waxing. Wanting to
make the most of my rare chill-out time, I
booked in for a facial and eyelash tint. It was
heaven.
One thing we quickly discovered at Piran
Meadows was the quality of everything on offer,
including the food, which was generous and
tasty.
In fact, the food was so good we didn’t
venture out anywhere else to eat over the entire
weekend. The chef really has to be complimented on his menu and skills in the
kitchen.
The staff were also second to none. Each and
every one of them couldn’t do enough to make
the stay special, happily providing maps and
advice on the plentiful attractions to visit in the
local area.
The park features 181 plots, with a mix of
new, state-of-the-art static caravans and lodges.
And if you want to make Cornwall a more
permanent holiday home, lodges and caravans
are also for sale.
The park already has six lodge owners and
31 caravan owners, so it’s quite a community.
After a weekend chilling in the Cornish
countryside, it was sad to leave and start the
journey home.
But one thing is for sure, we’ll be back. And
I will be in that hot tub getting white and
wrinkly all over again.
from Friday, January 2, 2015
FACTFILE
■ With stunning views of the Cornish countryside,
Piran Meadows is just a short drive from Newquay,
and within easy reach of Truro, the Eden Project, The
Lost Gardens of Heligan, and Crealy Great
Adventure Park.
■ With prices ranging from £29,995, buyers can
choose from a range of bespoke two, three and
four-bedroom lodges (with a choice of internal
finishes) from some of the UK’s finest lodge and
caravan manufacturers. Each unit is set within its own
plot, featuring private parking, stylish paved entrances
and generously landscaped gardens to give a sense of
privacy for each home.
■ Piran Meadows has been redeveloped by Darwin
Holiday and Leisure Parks, which is focused on
setting a new benchmark in standards for the UK
Holiday Park industry, with its portfolio of holiday
home retreats across the country, including Cheddar
Woods in Somerset and Beach Cove Coastal
Retreat in Ilfracombe.
■ Additional information about Piran Meadows
Resort & Spa can be found at www.piranmeadows.
co.uk
from Friday, January 2, 2015
●●●●● DO IT 29