When planning a holiday with extended family, there are certain considerations to be factored in. Will there be enough space? Will it be comfortable enough? Will there be something for everyone?
Luxury Lodges' five-star resort in South West Cornwall ticks all these boxes.
The Clowance Estate, tucked away on the edge of the village of Praze-an-Beeble, offers contemporary accommodation in a variety of shapes and sizes with hot tubs and generous, open-plan living – all well spaced apart within 97 acres of beautiful parkland.
On my multi-generational four-night review getaway, I was accompanied by my partner, our two teenagers, my octogenarian parents and two dogs.
We stayed in an accessible Lowarth Lodge, the accommodation of which was perfect for our three generations. The grandparents had the spacious ground-floor double suite, with king-sized bed and en-suite wet room.
Upstairs, our master bedroom with en-suite featured a large balcony overlooking the stunning grounds. The boys' double bedroom also had its own en-suite shower room.
Even the dogs had their own quarters in a downstairs lobby.
Well-equipped with high-end appliances, the spacious kitchen/dining/living space opened up on to a vast, outdoor decked area with comfortable garden furniture and a private hot tub.
With stylish furnishings, the timber-clad lodge was well-designed and thoughtfully-decorated with its location in mind - hints of green and foliage, subtly bringing the outdoors in, reminding you of your wonderful surroundings.
Surrounded by mature trees and extensive lawns leading down to a picturesque lake, the centrepiece of the spectacular estate is the magnificent 19th century Clowance House – formerly home to the St Aubyn family (who now reside at nearby St Michael’s Mount).
After settling into our lavish accommodation, we made our way across the lawns to the on-site Lake View Restaurant for supper.
Situated behind the manor house, next to a pretty courtyard with water feature, the restaurant and bar terrace sits above the main reception and swimming pool.
We ordered local dishes, including Cornish mussels, fish and chips, herb crusted Cornish lamb, Cornish rump steak and oven baked salmon ratatouille with Cornish new potatoes. The Lake View team were very attentive, the food was excellent, the atmosphere was very relaxed and the views outstanding.
We returned to our lodge where we spent the remainder of the evening relaxing on the terrace and stargazing from the hot tub – so tranquil were the surroundings, this was something we repeated the following three nights.
Feeling well-rested, we spent the next morning relaxing within the confines of the peaceful estate.
After an uplifting dog walk around the lake and woodland trail, I decided to take advantage of the on-site spa facility and booked myself in for a quick treatment. Beauty therapist Mary effectively eased my tired and aching muscles with a half-hour reviving deep tissue massage using delightfully-scented Templespa products and hot stones. It was pure bliss.
Clowance has a relaxed and informal vibe. There are plenty of free activities for all ages on site, including a swimming pool and spa bath, gym, tennis and badminton courts, mini golf, disc golf and giant chess.
One of our favourite things to do was taking the rowing boat out on the lake. After obtaining a key from reception, we let ourselves into the boathouse and – taking it in turn to paddle – set off across the lake, where we encountered bands of ducks, coots and Canada geese – all with their young – as well as dragonflies, butterflies and the odd fish jumping in the water.
The estate sits perfectly between the north and south coasts of Cornwall.
We divided our time between relaxing on site and taking a few trips to some of the landmark attractions close by – including a 20-minute car journey to mystical Marazion, where we walked along the causeway to the tidal island of St Michael’s Mount; a drive along the south coast through Penzance and Newlyn to the quaint fishing port of Mousehole; a trip to Lands End (40 mins drive); a surf at the fantastic three-mile, sandy beach at Gwithian (20 mins drive); and a train trip to St Ives (from St Erth - 15 mins drive from Clowance) - the bustling 'jewel in Cornwall’s crown’ is known for its beautiful beaches, thriving art scene...and menacing seagulls (be aware if having an ice cream).
The evenings are particularly peaceful at Clowance so, at the end of each day, we reconvened around the terrace and hot tub – cooking a couple of times in the outdoor Ninja woodfire barbecue and ordering takeaway pizzas from the Lake View restaurant on our final night.
The Clowance Estate is somewhere truly out of the ordinary and the luxury lodges really are something special. Having successfully recharged my batteries and spent quality time with my family, I can thoroughly recommend this perfect all year round tranquil retreat for couples, families or friends to relax and reset.
- A four-night, mid-week break in the Lowarth Lodge at Clowance starts from £589. Luxury Lodges also have four other resorts in superb locations, including Bude Coastal Resort, North Cornwall; Dylan Coastal Resort, Carmarthenshire; Hexham Lodges, Northumberland; and Whitbarrow, Lake District. For more information telephone 01994 426 006 or visit luxurylodges.com
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