FIRST VIEW – POLURRIAN BAY, CORNWALL

1 September 2011 09:08:59 GMT

Halycon Hotel & Resort's founder Nigel Chapman has been linked with a possible repurchase of the Luxury Family Hotels properties sold to Von Essen in 2006.

In the meantime, these are the first shots we have of Chapman's latest property, Polurrian Bay in Cornwall.

This 41 bedroom hotel is being re-positioned as a quintessential ‘family seaside hotel’ with a homely house party style atmosphere, offering locally sourced food and an array of children’s facilities; all at an affordable price for families.

Chapman’s team includes many ‘old hands’ from the Luxury Family Hotels days and they have now completed the first phase of the refurbishment to this century old building. Appreciating the fact that parents don’t want to compromise on quality just because they are travelling with children, they have created stylish yet comfortable interiors that are warm and welcoming with subtle touches that evoke the atmosphere of the hotel’s heyday as a classic 1950’s seaside hotel.

The spacious public rooms are being gently restored back to their Edwardian origins, with the pitch pine parquet floors now revealed – the fine features that characterised this stately hotel are now on show again.

The hotel is set in 12 acres of gardens with a series of terraced lawns. The south west coastal footpath, which is maintained by the National Trust, meanders discreetly through the gardens and it’s possible to join the path that leads down to the hotel’s own pristine sandy beach at Polurrian Cove or to follow the path to the small working harbour at Mullion Cove.

Guests can make use of the hotel’s leisure facilities with the cliff top tennis court; two swimming pools – one outdoor and another indoor heated pool and a sports field behind the hotel. For younger guests there’s a separate playground area with a wooden climbing frame, swings and a slide. Within the hotel a ‘movie theatre’ shows films for families as well as children and there are further child friendly facilities.

For adults the hotel offers a ‘Purity Spa’ where parents can escape for relaxing and reviving facials, massages and wraps using luxurious Elemis products as well as Spiezia Organics.