Take time out of your parent-to-be prep with the Calm Before the Storm couple package
Posted: 29 March 2012
by MadeForMums
- Where: St Moritz Cowshed spa, Trebetherick, Cornwall
- Who went: Kym & Adam Eastman
- Treatment: “Calm before the storm” package
- In a nutshell: The ultimate way to de-stress and spend quality time together as a two, before you become three
- Best for: Parents-to-be who are eagerly (and a little nervously!) awaiting the arrival of their first baby
- Watch out for: Lunch isn’t included in the package so if pregnancy makes you hungry more often, make sure you have some snacks on hand
Review
“Cornwall is the perfect place for a babymoon. It’s beautiful, beachy, relaxed and full of great things to do, see and eat. Plus it has the added benefit of being in the UK should you accidentally go into labour earlier than expected (a la Samantha Cameron).
“Bearing that in mind we arrived at St. Mortiz hotel and Cowshed spa for its popular Calm Before the Storm expectant parents package. The hotel feels Mediterranean, with white-painted walls, lines of villas and crisp, clean grounds. The solar panels atop the villa roofs are a great sign! It’s right on the beach and if you’re lucky the backdrop will be of beautiful blue Cornish sky as well as cerulean sea.
“Staff are cheerful and friendly, everyone stopping to chat and check we know where we’re going and have everything we want.
“In the corner of the reception area is the Cowshed spa, complete with gorgeous products I can’t wait to try. I’m very excited to find Cowshed handwash, moisturiser and shower essentials are in the bathroom of our suite too.”
Beach
“The weather is unseasonably warm (that’s Cornwall for you) so we head straight to the beach, which is deserted and beautiful. I’m convinced plenty of sea air is good for the baby. There are gorgeous coastal walks and in high summer I can imagine catching some Cornish rays in front of the turquoise sea. The white backdrop of St Moritz makes me feel as if I’m in the Med – though perhaps not quite as warm all year round.”
Treatments
“The next day we head to the spa for our parent-to-be massages. Mine begins with a warm footbath – beautiful on swollen ankles - before I moved to sit on a stool by the massage bed. Leaning on a comfy mound of soft towels meant I could keep my bump safe while my therapist rubbed the knots out of my back and shoulders. For the rest of the massage I lay on my back with cushions to prop me up for comfort.
“Afterwards I discover my back has finally stopped aching and several weeks on I'm still dreaming of the moves she pulled on my hands and feet. Can I have one of these every week?
“All the Cowshed pregnancy range smell heavenly, and aren’t overpowering. Plus they all contain stretch-mark fighting Buckthorn oil so I’m banking on not getting any at all as my whole belly was rubbed in the stuff!
“The same therapist takes me through to a luxury leather seat where we sit and chat while she gets to work on my tired feet. She uses a fab electric pumice to get rid of the rough skin and leaves my feet looking fit for open toed shoes for the first time in months.
“Meanwhile, Adam emerges sleepy-eyed from his dad-to-be massage, revealing he fell asleep behind his lavender eye mask – the ultimate in relaxation.”
Food
“After the pampering, the food has to be my favourite part of the St Moritz experience. With an open kitchen that makes every mealtime feel like you’re watching Great British Menu live, the dishes that arrive at our table look terrific and taste even better. We have fun trying as many of the local fish as possible and there are delicious steak options for hungry dads-to-be!
"Head chef James O’Connor is clearly a perfectionist and there’s a daily lunch menu we dip into at the Seaside restaurant by the outdoor pool. We also treat ourselves to breakfast in bed one morning (included in the package). I plump for the continental option while Adam goes for the Full English, which look far more attractive than any Full Monty I’ve ever seen and includes local ingredients and the yellowest egg I’ve ever seen.
"After the long weekend we left (reluctantly) feeling totally relaxed and ready for the storm ahead, and it was a wonderful environment to reconnect with each other."
Details
- Price: £540 for two nights including breakfast and dinner (and afternoon tea), mum and dad massages and a pedicure
- Other specific packages to highlight: Beautiful pedicure and yummy Cowshed products. Plus, the Cowshed name is reassuring, knowing you’re in good hands
- Website: stmoritzhotel.co.uk
- Contact: 01208862242, stays@stmoritzhotel.co.uk
- Transport: First Great Western trains travel regularly to Bodmin from London Paddington from £14.50 each way. See firstgreatwestern.co.uk or call 08457 000 125.
