The Sands Resort Cornwall Review | A Family Hotel with Kids Club near Newquay

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The Sands Resort in Newquay, Cornwall is a popular accommodation choice for families with little kids. There's an abundance of activities and facilities on offer here and it feels like The Sands has everything covered from easy pushchair hire to baby listening facilities and it's own soft play areas. You can read more about staying at The Sands Resort with younger children over on my friend Emma's blog here. I could not find many reviews featuring families with older children though and I was keen to put the hotel through their paces and discover what was on offer during our stay with tweens. We stayed for 2 nights over February Half Term 2019.

Family Rooms at The Sands Resort Cornwall

There are lots of different room types at The Sands from single rooms right up to three bedroom suites. I love that they offer so many options. Travelling as a family of 5 can mean that so many hotels are automatically discounted as they can't accommodate us all in one room and I am pleased that larger families are not a problem here. We stayed in a 2 bed contemporary room and loved how much space it offered us.

There is a living area with seating, TV, fridge, games console and tea and coffee making facilities at the very front of the room. This area was perfect for us to watch a movie at night (you can borrow DVDs from the hotel reception) and allowed us all enough space to spread out. Our double (or was it King?? it certainly seemed huge) bed and a desk area with hairdryer/sockets and a mirror were also in this area.

Between the two rooms is a small corridor with plenty of storage and wardrobe space on one side (plus a safe) and a family bathroom with bath, shower and toiletries on the other. We didn't try the bath during our stay but the shower was hot and powerful. The corridor led through to the children's room which featured a bunk, a single and a cot and the kids had their own TV in here too which was very handy. You can close a door between the two rooms if you wish to have a little privacy/want to watch TV when the kids are sleeping or you can keep it open too. I've stayed in a fair few family rooms in my time and this one stands out as offering loads of space for us all. I really liked the fact that we had a seaview too. There are different offers available throughout the year but a room like this was on offer for around £180 per night for the 5 of us including activities, childcare and breakfast which is an absolute steal - I'd struggle to find a hotel which offers better value.

Family Facilities at The Sands Resort Cornwall

We were blown away by the facilites on offer at The Sands Resort and I'm delighted to say that there was plenty for older kids as well as little ones. The outdoor space features a pirate ship play area (for younger ones) as well as a larger adventure playground with its own zip wire and maze plus bouncy castles, a giant chequers board, mini golf, footgolf, basketball courts, tennis courts and more. It was BLISSFUL as a parent to let the kids play out here as we enjoyed a drink in our room or the bar. I feel like the kids were never really in our bedroom as they were constantly playing out here - right until the sun set. In fact I had to drag them inside on our first night as it started to get dark.

There's also a surf shack where kids can borrow buckets and spades, wet suits and body boards free of charge to take down to the beach - all at no additional cost. It was too chilly (for us anyway - it didn't seem to deter others) to surf in February but it's nice to have the option.

During selected weekends and school holidays, The Sands Entertainment Programme really ups their game and there was lots to choose from. It kind of reminded me of staying at a holiday park rather than a hotel in terms of entertainment (with added luxuries). If your children are aged 8+ (which mine are), childcare is included free of charge (although there is sometimes a small charge for activities). This is a huge plus for us and I remember once spending £145 on childcare at Center Parcs so we could go to the spa! More on childcare and kids clubs later though.

There are two swimming pools at The Sands Resort - one is indoors and the one we chose to use and the other is outside and open throughout the summer. We visited the indoor pool and I was really impressed with the individual family changing rooms here. The pool doesn't have a lifeguard so children will need to be supervised. There's also a steam room on the poolside if you fancy a little pamper.

The hotel has a couple of play areas for younger kids including soft play areas which my three were a little old for but they did enjoy this mini games room after dinner each night.

There are some beautiful bars and lounges dotted throughout The Sands which are the perfect place to relax as we did post-swim. It was so relaxing looking out to sea with our hot chocolates and milkshakes and relaxing together here felt like proper family time .

Kids Club at The Sands Resort Cornwall

I am lucky in that my children always love going to Kids Club on holiday. I try not to be too offended that they enjoy having fun without Steve and I there. We made use of the Kids Club at The Sands twice during our stay. There are two rooms where Kids Club is held - a baby and toddler room and a room for children aged 4+. There was a bit of confusion when I dropped H, H and J off as I thought we had the wrong room. It looked pretty childish and I spent the first 5 minutes worrying that the kids were hating it and hating us. I honestly couldn't relax! So Steve checked on them for us and to my relief, they were having a whale of a time. The staff are fab here and picked activities which were age appropriate. For example they practised speaking French with Harry and did Easter crafts with Heidi. The following day they took the kids out to the adventure playground and played bingo.

Our first childcare session was in the evening. This was from 7pm - 9:15pm and coincided with our date night in the restaurant. Our second was in the morning from 9am - 11:45am and coincided with our trip to the spa. All guests are entitled to one free childcare session per stay and if your children are over 8, there's no additional charge (except special activities). 

H, H and J all thoroughly enjoyed themselves - even Harry who at age 12 I was sceptical about and Steve and I really were grateful for the chance to properly relax - after a full on week exploring with the kids, it was very much needed. Having such fantastic childcare available on-site really was a facility we very much appreciated and something I wish more hotels would offer as it really does make a difference. 

Breakfast at The Sands Resort Cornwall

Breakfast at The Sands is everything you'd expect from a good family hotel. The setting in a bright and airy room is lovely and it doesn't feel chaotic at all. Everything is self-serve and there's plenty of choice from pastries, cereal, yoghurts and cooked items. I'm a little bit ashamed to say this but on my first morning I may have been a *little* hungover after our date night and this personal cafetiere of strong coffee was much needed.

Kids Supper at The Sands Resort Cornwall

I absolutely love the dining concept at The Sands. There are three meal times you can choose from - an early supper for kids using kids club or the baby listening service, a family dinner and then an adult's only dinner later in the evening. They are all in different dining rooms and have their own menus and ambience.

We opted for the kids' supper which worked so well for us. My kids can often eat for England and other times aren't that fussed so I was pleased to see that meals were served buffet style for them and they could help themselves to whatever they wanted. Yoghurts, fruit and nachos were followed by pasta and fish and chips and finished off with a selection of cakes. I thought it would feel weird just sitting with the kids and not actually dining ourselves but it was fine and they loved it. After their dinner, they watched TV in their bedroom as Steve and I started getting ready for our dinner. We dropped them at evening Kids Club at 7pm and it was ready for our turn.....

Date Night at The Sands Resort Cornwall

The fact that you can have date nights at The Sands is something I received the most messages about during our entire trip to Cornwall. Holidays with kids can be full on and although I don't think I'd want to do this every night of our holiday, it was SO nice to get dressed up and go out for a proper dinner with Steve without the kids.

Dinner in the adults-only restaurant is ordered from an a la carte menu and we were super impressed with the quality on offer. My calamari, goats cheese gnocchi and chocolate fondant were divine and it really did feel like a treat. The staff mentioned on ordering that they can keep your wine for you for the following evening if you don't get to finish it all which was a nice gesture (who are these people who don't finish a bottle of wine with dinner though?). We had such a wonderful night chatting about our Cornish adventures and ended our meal with a couple of cocktails in the bar - why not?

The ambience in the restaurant was just right. If it wasn't so dark in early February we'd have looking out to a wonderful sea view and I bet there are some very pretty sunsets on display over dinner as the evenings get lighter. The decor is modern which stops the whole thing from being overly cheesy.

Just after 9pm we picked the kids up from kids club and headed back to our room for hot drinks, a family catch up and bed. The kids were worn out and were snuggled up watching a movie in Kids Club when we picked them up. Such a lovely evening all round.

The Moroccan Spa at The Sands Resort Cornwall

I love a spa day but they are few and far between these days. We either take the kids with us (at hotels where they're allowed to do this) or we book individual treatments. At The Sands, couples can book a 90 session in the Moroccan Spa to coincide with kids club. The Moroccan Spa costs £20 per hotel guest and includes robe hire, use of facilities, a glass of Prosecco, Moroccan mint tea and cakes. We took advantage of this deal on our second morning and it was blissful.

You will usually have to share the Moroccan spa with other guests but the numbers are capped at 12 so it never feels too busy. There was just one other couple using the facilities at the same time as us and it worked well.

You begin the spa experience in the wet area which includes a super deep ceder hot tub and a heated wooden barrel. After a week of walking around Cornwall (and climbing numerous hills), this was wonderful and so relaxing. You are then asked to retreat and unwind in the indoor Moroccan lounge which was very authentic. Sipping on mint tea, nibbling on apricot cake and indulging in a glass of bubbly transported me right back to the riads of Marrakech and I felt super relaxed. I didn't want it to end. I think adding a treatment onto this experience would be the ultimate indulgence and something I'd definitely recommend if you're in need of a treat. If you're a couple who enjoy spa breaks but never seem to find the time, I'd definitely recommend booking a session at the Moroccan Spa here.

Location, Location, Location

The Sands Resort overlooks Porth Beach which is an absolutely stunning stretch of coastline and perfect for clifftop walks. There's no direct beach access but if you walk along the coast for a mile or so you can access the beach. We headed out on a blustery afternoon and the walk along the clifftops was stunning and certainly blew away the cobwebs. You're situated very close to some of Cornwall's best beaches including Watergate Bay, Perranporth and Newquay.

Newquay 

The town of Newquay is just a short drive away. In fact, you could probably walk it on a nice day. We popped by on our second evening to see what was on offer here. I knew that Newquay was known for it's surfing but I couldn't believe how many were braving the February waves. The waves here are huge and much bigger than what we normally see in the North East. It was fun to watch. Surf culture seems to be ingrained in Newquay and there are lots of surf shops and bars. I didn't fall in love with Newquay as much as the other (smaller) towns and harbours in Cornwall but if you're visiting with kids, they'll like it here. As well as the beaches there's Newquay Zoo and Aquarium too.

Plus a couple of amuseument arcades which are actually pretty tricky to find in Conrwall. This pleased H, H and J who spent ages in here trying to win various prizes and tickets.

During my pre-trip research, I stumbled upon recommendations for a restaurant called Little Italy and booked us a table. We absolutely loved it here. Expect authentic pizzas and proper Italian hospitality. If you're ever in the area, I recommend looking them up.

Padstow 

Padstow is around a 20 minute drive from The Sands and somewhere you must visit. It was one of our favourite spots from the week and such a lovely place to potter around. Fish and chips from Rick Stein and a trip to the National Lobster Hatchery are a must.

Perranporth

Again, Perranporth is just a short 20-30 minute drive from the hotel. This beach is stunning and goes on for miles and miles. There are family bars and restaurants right on the beach and Steve and I took advantage of the rare February heat wave to indulge in a beer as the kids played on the sand. Perranporth town is cute with some lovely little cafes and ice cream parlours.

The Sands Resort Cornwall - Would I Recommend?

100% yes. I could easily spend a full week at The Sands. Before our visit I worried that it may be more suited to families with younger kids but I can now confidently say that it's suitable for all ages. If you're looking for a hotel with outstanding facilities for families, entertainment, childcare options, flexible dining, spacious family rooms, good food and treats for the grown-ups and a chance for mum and dad to relax and unwind a little too, The Sands Resort ticks all of those boxes and more. I bet it's even more wonderful in the summer when the outdoor pool is open. The Sands is a place which offers lots of fun and activities for children yet doesn't compromise on quality or facilities for grown-ups either.

Find out more about The Sands Resort over on their website here. 

Would you like to stay here? 

Looking for more posts from Cornwall? Check out these posts:

• 10 reasons to visit the Eden Project
• Top 10 foodie treats in Cornwall 

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