"Sexy, unique, sumptuous and sleek."

Saturday, 28 July 2010

"Lipstick-red hot tubs."

"Soaring views of the sea."

"Sexy, unique, sumptuous and sleek."

A blushing Pimpernel begs to be forgiven for quoting Running In Heels, the beauty-and-brains blog, which has been waxing lyrical about The Scarlet:  

Let’s start with the lipstick-red hot tubs. Set at the edge of the reed-filtered outdoor pool with soaring views over Mawgan Porth beach, a steep 100-foot-long stroll below, they are the perfect metaphor for this hotel: sexy, unique, sumptuous and sleek.

There are two of them blushing playfully against the horizon, heated by a log-fired burner and filled with green-tinged water, bobbing with bundles of seaweed, algae and other mineral-rich stuff – slightly unnerving, but very good for your skin, according to the affable young lad whose job title I imagine is ‘Head of Hot Tub Operations’. Like all the staff here, he is relaxed and infectiously enthusiastic. After a spectacular drive along Cornwall’s north coast, interjected with a coastal walk at Boscastle and fish fried in beef drippings at Rick Stein’s posh Padstowe chippy, this is one hell of a fun start to our stay. All things considered – the sunset, the crashing waves, the champagne, the boyfriend – this is definitely the most spoiled I’ve felt in a long time.

From the moment you enter the Scarlet Hotel through electric doors, the hotel lobby immediately floors you. Panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows frame a gob-smacking scene: acres of sky, cresting surf, rolling green cliffs towering over an achingly cute scoop of sand… you simply couldn’t dream of a prettier setting. But the Scarlet doesn’t take a back seat to the views, bowing down with meek seaside pastels and creams – no, it is wickedly slick and gutsy, decorated with flashes of colour and humour borrowing from London’s Soho Hotel school of cool. As we stand gawping at the view, at the kitsch Missoni-print sofas and the funky local art, a laidback Aussie girl sits us down for a chat. We are free to wander round the hotel in the Scarlet’s dressing gowns and curl up in any nook we like the look of, she tells us, as she shows us round an interconnecting nest of terraces, bars, lounges, restaurant, library and chill-out-room-cum-yoga-studio, all spread over three tiered levels.

But it’s not just the easygoing atmosphere and casual chic of The Scarlet that places it light years ahead of other coastal properties – its innovative design heralds a new era of high-end eco luxury in the UK. Yes it looks gorgeous, and yes, there’s lots of weathered wood, but the ‘eco’ element here isn’t greenwashing; there are no less than 101 sustainable initiatives (so says the welcome booklet in our room), including a biomass boiler system, rain-water harvesting, solar panelling, locally sourced food and a 10% discount for guests arriving by foot, bike or public transport.

Running in Heels describes itself as a pan-European site for women with brains as well as style, offering intelligent news and commentary on culture, politics, society, fashion and everything in between.

Pimpernel could not agree more.

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