What sets The Scarlet Hotel's spa experience apart?

Since it was founded in 2009, The Scarlet Hotel has made a name for itself as an adult-only spa destination known for combining Ayurvedic wellness with sustainability and luxury. Unlike anywhere else in the UK, the holistic destination is perched on the dramatic clifftops at Cornwall's Mawgan Porth, taking in Atlantic views and offering contemporary architectural excellence in harmony with nature.

It's not just this impressive framework that makes The Scarlet Hotel different, however; it's the whole experience. This is where Steph and the team have been instrumental not merely in choosing individual components of your stay, but a connected journey that's all about the individual. It's an approach they have remained true to, to this day, and it's what makes the spa hotel attractive to all guests seeking something special, whether you’re looking for a luxury romantic retreat brimming with wellness, or a complete health spa retreat.

How does The Scarlet use Ayurvedic inspiration?

Rooted in ancient Ayurvedic wisdom, every element of your visit is designed to help you listen to your body’s needs, quiet the mind, and rediscover your natural balance.

Steph says: "It's the same as it has been since we opened in 2009; I was part of the creation team, and we haven't changed in what we do. Our focus is holistic focus through the lens of Ayurveda, which is helpful as it allows us to determine what is going on for each guest individually, and design their journey from there. At our heart we're holistic therapists, with an almost practitioner level of knowledge, so we don't talk about treating, but prescribing, to our clients, but without being clinical. Through Ayurveda we get to know what's out of balance with an individual guest, which is really helpful, and then we can make the experience all about that person."

What can you expect on the spa journey?

Rather than booking a specific treatment before arriving, they encourage guests to follow their journey, surrendering three or four hours from a 30-minute consultation through to different experiences. They start the guest experience with a very simple tip sheet through which therapists can start to see areas that are out of alignment, and then curate their experience to help bring them back into balance.

A personal consultation

There's a personal consultation, which is a one-to-one conversation with a holistic therapist. They will explore your Ayurvedic Dosha type and guide you towards the treatment that best supports your current state of mind and body. They are aware that not everyone engages in the same way, so they also use this time to listen properly to guests and communicate in a way that suits them, which may lean more or less into the Ayurvedic language.

Bathing rituals

The therapist will then design or prescribe the spa journey in response to the consultation. This will include a version of a bathing ritual, depending on what's right for them. This offers you sensory immersion to soften the skin, open the pores, and prepare you for deeper relaxation. That might be a soak out on the cliffside hot tub, a warming and relaxing bath in a copper tub, a body-tingling exfoliation in the hammam, or a playful, detoxifying mud-rich rhassoul experience.

Quiet time

Then there's time for quiet reflection. Enjoying the space is an intrinsic part of the wellness experience - settling mind and body. At this time, guests are also given a fresh juice as well to hydrate before their treatment. This state of mind is then enhanced by guided meditation to bring mind and body back into alignment so you can get the full benefit of the Ayurvedic therapy.

Your Ayurvedic treatment

The treatments at The Scarlet Hotel are as personal as the wider journey. They are bespoke rather than from a menu, based on your consultation. A personalised massage is tailored to your Dosha and your emotional or physical imbalances, carried out in silent tented rooms to deliver a moment of pure, intuitive care.

Alongside their treatments and experiences they do also have a number of standalone, Ayurvedic-inspired therapeutic treatments. However, they always recommend guests start with a journey to understand more about what they need, and recommend additional treatments for follow up sessions.

Deep relaxation

After your treatment, you're taken to the relaxation space where you're encouraged to take time to unwind. Spend time cocooned in a gently swinging pod, wrapped in warmth and stillness. This final pause gives your body and mind time to absorb the deeper effects of your Journey.

Steph says: "Our therapists are really knowledgeable and wise, creating a really healing environment. It's one of the reasons we're always encouraging people to book longer stays - we want people to have two hours to really honour the practice of touch therapy. It's only after an hour or so that we really start to feel what's going on. The body needs time to trust the therapist - touch needs to be coupled with time to be its most therapeutic. Our therapists have a lovely reverence for what they're doing. They are an essential part of what makes The Scarlet so special."