We invited Food Magazine to experience a relaxing pre-summer stay including all things view, spa and of course food. Find out what Rosanna Rothery thought of her adult-only stay in Cornwall by the beach...

"This is a hotel with strikingly obvious charms – who can argue with ocean-edge rooms offering vistas of roaring breakers, tumbling surfers and lustrous sands?"

Stunning views and a crashing ocean soundtrack make this Newquay stalwart ideal for indulgent unwinding after a day playing at the beach. The hotel's friendly staff are used to the tousled-haired, sandy-toed, salt-encrusted wave riders who rock up in search of après-surf rest and recuperation.

VISIT for the location. If you’re craving a fix of waves then Fistral is the place to be. And even if you're looking to make your tentative first splash with a surfboard, the hotel will happily arrange lessons. Thrill-seeking exploits (or a ramble along the South West Coast Path if you’re a land lubber) are amply fuelled with steaks, seafood and specials in the hotel's Dune Restaurant. The menu mostly revolves around classics, although a lemon and coconut posset with pineapple and chilli salsa takes the palate in new directions. With its transparent white drapes (you'll want to reenact Shakira’s and Beyonce’s Beautiful Liar video), pumping dance soundtrack and retro bodyboards, this beachside eatery flirts with funky, although high ceilings and pot plants add traditional appeal.

DON'T VISIT with kids. Unsurprisingly, the adult only policy makes the hotel a magnet for young couples drawn by the events, music nights, cocktail masterclasses and fun touches like rockstar riders, hangover kits and personalised bath robes.

WE LIKED the many laid-back ways in which to indulge in the surfy good life: from watching the sun fade over the last board riders in the bay at dinner to enjoying watery remedies for sea-weary limbs in the spa. The steam room, sauna, vitality pool and Gaia massages obliterate soreness and prepare guests to do it all again the next day. For shoreside sipping, head to the Bay Bar. In winter it’s the perfect place to cosy up and watch stormy seas while imbibing a hit of the hotel’s bespoke Fistral gin. On sunnier days, a Gin and Jam cocktail on the terrace is a must.