In sub-tropical gardens across from Gyllyngvase Beach, a contemporary spa hotel taking inspiration from the Cornish coast. Comfortable bedrooms are decorated in tones of blue, with nautical touches; bathrooms have robes and good quality toiletries. Mediterranean-style fine cuisine is served in the Garden Kitchen; less formal dining is in Brasserie on the Bay, which has dazzling views of the sea. The spa has a large heated indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, a steam room, treatments and a well-equipped gym.

Capture the castle. On the banks of the River Tamar, this impressive 17th-century country house topped with an embattled parapet is available for private hire. Its grand rooms, furnished with squashy sofas and antiques, and wooded grounds, designed by Humphry Repton, make a splendid setting for special celebrations, retreats and small weddings, or for renewing vows. A raised terrace has beautiful river views; in the walled garden, a solar-heated outdoor pool.

Six miles from Plymouth, an Elizabethan manor house with an award-winning spa in the grounds. Full of character, the original building retains its oak panelling, ornate ceilings, mullioned windows and stone archways. The fine-dining Gallery restaurant overlooks the beamed Great Hall, which features a coat of arms of King James I above an enormous stone fireplace. Accommodation ranges from the majestic, with four-poster beds, to more contemporary rooms situated in the courtyard and stable wings. Gaia spa has a pool, hydrotherapy pool, steam rooms and saunas, a relaxation room, gym and a salon with a wide choice of beauty treatments.