Taste, tides and tranquility
- Hannah Tapping
- May 1
- 5 min read
Words by Hannah Tapping
Laid-back oceanside luxury, where seasonal dishes served with a side of wellness are the order of the day.
You’ll find St Michaels Resort just steps from the crescent-shaped white sands of Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth. The salt-kissed Atlantic breeze whispers along the shoreline and through the palms. Set back from the sheltered bay, elevated just enough that views capture the sparkling, Cornish waters beyond, St Michaels Resort isn’t just a coastal retreat, it’s an invitation – to indulge, to restore and to savour every second spent here.
The grounds bloom in sub-tropical splendour, the sea glitters with promise creating the perfect backdrop for a place where dining and wellness combine in perfect harmony. Whether you’re a gourmand with a taste for the seasonal and sublime or you seek the serenity of a spa, St Michaels offers uncompromising luxury.
There’s something undeniably grounding about being by the sea. The salt in the air. The rhythm of the waves. The way the horizon reminds you to breathe a little deeper. St Michaels Resort has captured that essence and woven it into every corner of its experience, from the food on your plate to the warm stones beneath your back during a massage.
The resort’s architecture makes the most of its location. Sea views stretch endlessly beyond tall windows, and inside, a palette of coastal tones and natural textures creates a seamless blend between indoors and out. It’s not hard to see why this place is adored. However, what truly elevates St Michaels is its ability to satisfy the senses.
Already very much on Cornwall’s foodie map, St Michaels has always been at the forefront of sourcing local, with seasonal, flavour-filled ingredients supplied by the South West’s best suppliers. A culinary collaboration with acclaimed chef Stephane Delourme, has brought a fresh vibrancy to the menus. With experience spanning some of the finest kitchens, Stephane’s food is deeply rooted in classical technique, yet entirely unpretentious. His dishes aren’t about showing off, they’re about showing care. The new menus are thoughtful, seasonal and ingredient-led, with produce sourced across the South West. There’s a distinct reverence here for the local, with nearby fields, farms and fishing boats shaping each dish.
There are two dining options at St Michaels, each maintaining the same ethos of honesty and high quality while having their own distinct flavour, and both affording the kind of welcome that makes you feel like a returning guest, even if it’s your first visit. At Brasserie on the Bay, you’re treated to fine dining with the warmth of a Cornish welcome. Intimate and elegant without being fussy, the Brasserie on the Bay leans into British classics, reinvented with flair. Think seared Cornish fillet of hake, samphire, pickled courgette, roasted tomatoes, pomme purée and basil oil; whole plaice simply grilled with ginger, chilli, lemon, garlic butter, Cornish new potatoes; or Brian Etherington’s pork belly with caramelised apple purée, salsa verde and frisée. Perfect for that special dinner, the Brasserie on the Bay team are experts in local food and fine wine, always on hand to share their passion for each dish, be that their ingredient knowledge or recommendations for a delicious wine pairing. I’m told a glass of Camel Valley Brut makes the ideal accompaniment for perusing the menu.
TOP Seasonal ingredients, served with respect
If the Brasserie on the Bay is your go-to for an elegant dinner or a long, celebratory lunch, then Nourish should be your daytime sanctuary. Bathed in natural light and brimming with greenery, it’s the sort of place that feels like a deep exhale. Backed by views to the bay beyond, it’s a café by day and a relaxed bar-restaurant by night. Nourish is where spa guests wander in wrapped in robes and no one bats an eyelid.
The menu is vibrant and wholesome, offering feel-good plates that satisfy both palate and soul. There’s something wonderfully grounding about eating a wood-fired pizza with delicious toppings while looking out over grounds and the ocean beyond. Small plates encourage sharing, conversation and lingering a little longer – why wouldn’t you when butter bean hummus, spiced cauliflower taco and grilled Cornish red mullet are on the menu? From crisp seasonal salads and Cornish crab to the kind of smash burger that calls for two hands, Nourish has a quiet confidence about it. It doesn’t try too hard; it simply does things well.
The culinary offering at St Michaels is only half its story. The other half is waiting beneath the surface – quite literally – in the warm waters of the South West’s largest hydrothermal pool and its adjacent stunning spa garden. The St Michaels spa experience is like stepping into another dimension. Time stretches. Noise softens. The outside world fades away. Its foodie spa days have become something of a signature. Whether you’re booking in for a special occasion or treating yourself just because you can, these packages make it easy to enjoy the best of both worlds. Choose a two-hour hydro session followed by a two-course lunch in Nourish. Or indulge in a massage and then dine by candlelight in the Brasserie on the Bay. You can even curate your own experience – because St Michaels knows that everybody (and every appetite) is different.
Perhaps begin with the Hydrothermal Experience: a two-hour journey through a series of carefully curated thermal zones designed to soothe, refresh and restore. There’s a kind of choreography to it all – start with a slow float in the hydrotherapy pool, then move through steam rooms laced with essential oils and settle in for a detox in the Finnish herbal sauna. For those seeking contrast therapy, brave the outdoor icy plunge pool before rewarding yourself with the sea view hot tub, glass of fizz in hand. A barrel sauna and loungers offer a chance to bask in the elements, whether under blue skies or a Cornish mist. Here you’ll find your coastal sanctuary, whatever the weather.
ABOVE Relaxation and restoration on Cornish shores
Then it’s time to step inside to the treatment rooms which offer a cocoon of calm. Expert therapists tailor massages, wraps and facials to exactly what your body craves. Whether it’s a nourishing and fragrant body wrap or a grounding full-body massage, each treatment feels personal. Designed for both results and ritual, this is the kind of spa that doesn’t just pamper, it transforms.
So, whichever way you are looking to nourish body, mind or soul – whether that be for a solo reset, a romantic escape or a day of laughter and lunch with friends – St Michaels is the place to be.
