Taking advantage of the fact that I had plenty of energy and being surrounded by water, I decided to go surfing. I’m new to surfing (a kook is slang for beginner), having only practised the sport a handful of times, so I was delighted that Lucy Campbell, seven-time National Women’s Surfing Champion, was on hand to give me a few tips. After getting out at King Surf Surfing School, checking the tides, we were ready to ride the waves.
One of the key skills to learn is the ‘pop-up’ position. This is where the surfer goes from lying on the board on the belly to a standing position. Lucy instructed me on how to get into a good position, get speed and look ahead at the beach. While my head understood this, it took my body several attempts to catch up. I managed to stand up, albeit for a few seconds.
Back at Scarlet’s Hotel, some two hours later, I was more than ready for some R&R. The hotel boasts a holistic spa with the sound of the calming crashing waves down below. I thoroughly enjoyed the hot tub on the clifftops and the reed-filtered natural pool. Bliss doesn’t get better than this.
The adult-only hotel is passionate about all things natural and doesn’t shy away from growing natural, flavourful food, allowing slow-aged steaks to be hung for weeks and catching seafood sustainably.
Guests can get involved by learning about foraging while being taken on a tour around the gardens surrounding the hotel. Head chef Jack shared his knowledge on all the sea herbs found in this space and how they are utilised in the kitchen. Suffice to say, dinner was every mouthful as flavourful and tasty as can be when using natural ingredients. Paired with wine selected by sommelier Nick (he also leads wine-tasting classes), the private room dining experience was every inch delightful on the senses.
The hotel’s bedrooms all have sliding doors so guests can listen to the soothing sound of the sea. Waking up to the sound of waves, gentle wind and gulls after a good night’s rest in my room felt like I was on holiday.
While I was sad to leave the comfort and charm of Scarlet Hotel, I didn’t baulk at the thought of driving the long distance home after my restful stay. The Polestar is a joy to drive. Sure, you need to plan when it comes to finding charging points and charging them, but as the EV world progresses, this will only get easier.
