Coastal festive breaks
Live out your festive fantasies at one of these coastal breaks in the South West. The chaotic reality of Christmases at home will be but a distant memory when you’re relishing dreamy seascapes, peaceful environs and exquisite food – without having to even lift a finger
Harbour Beach Club Hotel & Spa, Salcombe
Couples with good taste will want to celebrate Christmas in style, and where better than upscale Salcombe and its effortlessly chic hotel, bar and restaurant on South Sands beach? Unwind after a hectic year at Harbour Beach Club and enjoy punctuating beach stomps and blasts of sea air with spa luxuriating and refined dining with a festive twist.
The break kicks off on Christmas Eve with a Devon cream tea and Christmas cake, and indulgences don’t stop there: guests will receive £45 of credit to put towards a laidback feast in the Beach Club Bar + Restaurant come evening. Dishes such as ham hock, apple cider and sage terrine; braised featherblade beef with pickled walnut and gremolata; and cinnamon and caramel cheesecake with winter berry compote aren’t to be missed.
On the big day, toast the occasion with a glass of Buck’s Fizz, served with a sumptuous breakfast and sea views. Appetite roused, the main event will feature a superb three-course Christmas Day lunch, later followed by a light festive buffet in the evening. Any weary heads the next morning can be quickly nipped in the bud with a refreshing sea dip and warming soak in the valley-view pool of Beach Club Spa.
The Greenbank Hotel, Falmouth
With no hosting hassle to worry about, visitors to Falmouth’s luxury harbour hotel can relish the nostalgic magic of Christmas with kid-like joy.
Whether it’s the four-, five- or six-night Christmas break, guests can embrace yuletide rituals that only get better with each passing day. On the day of arrival this includes steaming mugs of mulled wine and mince pies, smart contemporary dining in the award-winning restaurant, plus a live performance from traditional brass band St Keverne. Let the festivities continue on Christmas Eve with a hearty breakfast, a mooch around Falmouth’s high street filled with indie gems and evening sing-songs in the hotel’s pub, The Working Boat, teamed with Christmas cocktails.
All the stops are pulled out for Christmas Day and include: a Buck’s Fizz breakfast, a Santa-hat-donning swim (for the brave) off the hotel’s private pontoon, a full-works lunch of Christmas favourites, and a snuggly evening of games, tipples and festive nibbles. Boxing Day highlights include a trip to the theatre or a chilled day in the cosy confines of the hotel.
The Nici, Bournemouth
Book a stay at this plush Miami-esque resort near Bournemouth Beach and spend the festive period feeding body and soul with R&R goodness. Swim laps in the heated indoor or outdoor pool, bliss out in the sauna and steam rooms, hit fitness classes and feast on smart-casual dishes in The Nici’s South Beach restaurant.
If there are still some yuletide pleasures topping the wish list – granted, it’s hard to deny the allure of a themed afternoon tea and seasonally spiced cocktails – there’s still a lovely line-up of festivities to get stuck into, including a no-expenses-spared Christmas Day feast.
A games room, cinema, and eight treatment rooms (offering a bespoke menu of holistic therapies and relaxing treatments) provide yet more reasons to while away hours in the five-star hotel.
Chewton Glen, Hampshire
Although Chewton Glen is nestled in the beauty of the New Forest, its wintry gardens blanketed in the warming glow of fairy-lit pine trees, the luxe hotel is just a short walk from the Highcliffe-on-Sea coastline.
While it’s wonderful to have the best of coast and countryside at your fingertips, Chewton’s three-night Christmas House Party is likely to keep guests happily wrapped up (and extremely well-fed) inside. Starting on December 24 with a Champagne welcome, the treats continue with an afternoon tea pimped with mince pies and mulled wine, carol singing, a five-course dinner and live ents.
As Christmas Day dawns, a leisurely breakfast, pre-lunch canapés and Champagne set the day in motion, chased by a four-course Christmas lunch and tea and cake in the lounge. Later, guests can don their festive finery for a fizz reception and buffet dinner with more live performances.
On Boxing Day, guests can start as they mean to go on with a light continental brekkie then Champagne brunch. Afternoons are then best spent exploring the glorious grounds or nearby coastline. Rounding off the evening is a black-tie five-course dinner and dancing before a final night’s slumber and breakfast before departure.
The Headland, Newquay
Like a scene from a fairytale, The Headland in Newquay becomes even more enchanting come Christmastime.
Take in the sweeping vista from the comfort of one of the ocean-view suites, curled up with a cafetiere of coffee and festive afternoon tea spread in the Ballroom of the grand hotel, or in the state-of-the-art AquaClub swimming pool and wellbeing complex.
The hotel’s majestic setting makes the perfect backdrop to festive goings-on. On Christmas Eve this comprises a Champagne reception and six-course tasting menu, on Christmas Day it includes a Champagne breakfast and the traditional roast lunch with all the trimmings. More festive revelry over the four-night Christmas break includes live music, casino, boardgames in the grand ballroom on Boxing Day and a carol performance by the Newquay Choral Society.
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