Review of Fistral Spa at the Bay Hotel, Newquay

Fistral Spa, Newquay - 3 bubbles

Shy Spy was making an August trip to Cornwall so was invited to Newquay's Fistral Spa at The Bay hotel. She found good-value accommodation and food in the hotel and indulgent ESPA treatments in the spa. She was a bit disappointed not to get her shoulders pummelled under the swan pipes, though.

First impressions?

How did they welcome you?

What happens next?

Which treatments did you have?

What were the treatments like?

How did you feel afterwards?

What happens afterwards?

Was it worth it?

What else could you have?

Who do you think would like it?

Why did you give the spa this rating?

Would you go again?

First impressions?

The Bay Hotel is almost at the far end of the Pentire Esplanade in Newquay, opposite Fistral Beach, a top UK surfing spot. The hotel is an unimposing three-storey modern building, with the car park in the front. Visitors to the town are a mixture of surfers, teenagers wanting to party, young families, and silver surfers on their summer holidays. The Bay offers visitors an alternative to the ever-popular Cornish B&B, offering reasonably priced accommodation. Plus, you get the added luxury of the restaurant and spa facilities!

How did they welcome you?

We parked just behind the hotel. We carried our bags up the front steps and through to the main reception desk. A friendly receptionist checked us in and pointed us in the direction of the lift, through the bar. The hotel isn't plush, but it makes a good attempt at "contemporary glamour on a budget"

We were pleased to find that our room was ready and waiting for us. Our "Best" room had a sea view from both the bedroom and bathroom, and a small balcony with a table and chairs from which to appreciate the view. (The car park was directly beneath, only slightly spoiling the magic of the ocean.) Both rooms were simply and tastefully decorated in muted tones. The bedroom came complete with a comfy double bed and the bathroom had a bath large enough for two (or for one to properly stretch out in) and a separate shower.

What happens next?

I made my way to the spa for my treatment. The purpose-built spa and gym are through a door behind the main reception; this leads to a separate staircase: the pool is on the ground floor, the gym on the first floor, spa treatment rooms on the second, and spa reception on the third. There is a lift as well as stairs for those with mobility challenges.

When I reached spa reception, a member of staff greeted me. I had not changed into one of the robes provided in my room, so the receptionist showed me into the spa dressing room. There are separate changing rooms on the pool level, but there is an additional room to change in by the spa reception. The compact room had a mirror, chair and a robe and slippers ready for me. The receptionist asked if I had a pound coin for the lockers. As I did not, I had the choice between not locking my locker, or leaving my clothes behind reception. As I hadn't brought any valuables with me (including my purse, hence no pound coin), I wasn't too bothered about leaving my garments unguarded.

The receptionist showed me into the relaxation room. In this dimly lit, deep purple room there are several wicker loungers in a fixed reclined position. Perfect for a nap, a little difficult for sitting up to read one of the many glossy magazines on offer. I filled in my health consultation form; an ESPA one, so not too onerous in the amount of questions you have to answer. I helped myself to some water and a handful of cashews from the well-stocked counter of healthy nibbles and drinks. My therapist shortly came to collect me for my treatment.

Which treatments did you have?

I had the Total Holistic Body Care with Hot Stones (110 minutes, £75).

What were the treatments like?

My therapist took me down one floor, to one of the nine treatment rooms. She asked how I wanted to feel after the treatment, and asked me to do the ESPA "sensory test". She gave me a choice of face and body oils to smell and choose. I opted for a Regenerating facial oil with jasmine and a zingy Detoxifying body oil.

My therapist began the treatment with body brushing before applying a salt scrub down my limbs. She then asked me to shower off using the shower mitt and ESPA body wash. She warned me that she would return to the room to remake the bed once I was in the shower, so that I didn't get too unnerved.

Once I had showered, I got under the fresh towels on the comfy heated massage bed. My therapist returned for the massage part of my treatment. I was already very warm and relaxed before she introduced citrus massage oil and hot stones, so I spent the best part of an hour trying to stay awake! I could easily have fallen asleep but the combination of a gorgeous aroma and knot-melting massage just felt too good to miss.

My therapist worked the hot stones into the knots in my back and shoulders, and smoothed the stones along my arms and legs, massaging with her hands as she went along. By the time she asked me to turn over, she had turned me into a rag doll with her thorough work on my back and my limbs. She then moved up to massage my face and neck, placing the hot stones in my palms when massaging with both hands. The relaxing smell of jasmine wafted around while I melted into the massage bed. A scalp massage was the finishing touch.

How did you feel afterwards?

Relaxed. Very.

What happens afterwards?

That evening, we had dinner in the hotel's Bay View Restaurant. The restaurant has a great view of the windswept bay. The menu wasn't expansive, but there was a variety of dishes on offer. Our three courses were of a good standard and the staff were perfectly attentive and polite.

There's a buffet breakfast in the morning but we decided to have our breakfast in our room. We had a coffee and croissant before heading down to the pool.

On the way, we had a look at the gym. The gym is a reasonably sized room, light and bright, with a good array of machinery: two cross-trainers, a few bikes, three running machines, some free weights and quite a few of those machines that work on specific muscle groups. Each of the cardiovascular machines has its own TV screen and control, so your exercise can incorporate your favourite programme. There is a chilled water dispenser, and plenty of clean towels for you to use.

The changing rooms are on the pool level. They aren't huge but are nicely laid out with two teeny private cubicles for the more modest, two loos and two showers. Each has a door of frosted glass.

The pool and heat facilities: Through the changing rooms, you reach the pool. This is just about, at 11 metres, a decent size for swimming in and has a striking mosaic tile effect on the floor. The water is cool, and there are two swan pipes on one side where you can press a button and have your shoulders pummelled into submission. If the swan pipes work, that is. After a few attempts to make them work, my fellow guests and I gave up and concluded they were broken. There was no one available to ask and I certainly wasn't planning on running through the corridor in my bikini.

There is a decent-size steam room and a wooden-benched sauna, both satisfyingly hot. At the other end of the pool is a Jacuzzi. So, you can have a soothing time passing from hot to cold, active to relaxing. Only one of the two poolside showers was working, the front casing of the other shower control had been removed to make that obvious.

The edges around the pool are quite narrow -- definitely not enough room for any loungers, so there are none. Forget any ideas of lounging poolside with your fave book.

Was it worth it?

The prices of both the spa treatments and the hotel rooms are very good value.

What else could you have?

As well as the whole range of ESPA facials, massages and wraps, there are treatments specifically for men, mums-to-be and, of course, surfers. You can choose from a range of complementary therapies including reflexology and chiropractic, as well as finishing-touch beauty treatments such as eyebrow shaping, tinting, and waxing.

If you're having a day package, you can have lunch in the Bay Bar downstairs in your robe. We saw a party doing just that.

Who do you think would like it?

Surfers. Silver surfers. Hotel guests. Newquay ladies who lunch.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

We gave The Fistral Spa 3 bubbles because it is a good spa in this location and for this price. My treatment was delightful, although the staff were a little friendlier in the restaurant than in the spa. The pool and heat area is a nice idea but it was a bit disappointing that some of the wet facilities weren't working. Also, the pool changing rooms are more health club than spa, lacking in that certain spa luxury.

See more on how we rate the spas.