Going Solo at Hotel Penzance
26 November 2019Gone are the days where solo travel was just for school-leavers and backpackers. A new wave is here: highly educated tourists, with established lives and credit scores, and a hankering for the freedom and relaxation of going solo.
In recent times, the proportion of single-person households in the UK has climbed to an unprecedented 31%. But solo travel is not just for singles. It should come as little surprise that solo trips have boomed alongside the global wellness trend, which has made us all more aware of the importance of our emotional needs. In 2018, a YouGov poll found that 61% of solo leisure tourists gave relaxation and time to unwind as their number one motivation for a trip. Whether your solo trip is a restorative retreat or an adrenaline-fuelled adventure, it is travel without compromise, every step of the way. Here are five reasons to try it…
Alone Time Is Good For Us
When did you last spend quality time on your own? Most of life revolves around other people and, between work and relationships, we rarely find time to simply ‘be’, alone. But a dose of introspection is a very good thing.
Think about it. Can you satisfy the people in your life without maintaining a healthy relationship with yourself? Slow down and listen to your body’s signals. Travelling to a new place and paying undivided attention to yourself is a bit like a personal MOT. Whatever you need… a good night’s sleep, respite from the rat-race, good food, fresh sea air— go get it.
Go Your Own Way, At Your Own Pace
We love our friends and family. Doesn’t mean we always agree. Take us at Hotel Penzance, for example. Our interiors are so gorgeous you’d be forgiven for not wishing to leave your bed or your sea-view reading nook for love nor money. But, then again, the Lizard is an outstanding natural beauty spot. You may be itching to get out onto the towering cliffs or in the rolling surf, or to explore the town’s array of arty and independent shops.
There is so much in life, no two people would want to do the same thing all the time. Maybe you want all these things, but your nearest and dearest prefer city breaks or winter sun. Too much of our life falls outside of our jurisdiction. But not this. However you want to spend your holiday, remember it’s yours to spend.
Experience the Magic of the Moment
Imagine a moment. You are walking the coast path. The salt tang of sea-air clears your head with every breath. The wind is picking up; soon it will be time to batten the hatches and watch the storm roll in from the fireside. But for now the open sky and churning water are backlit with winter sun. Gulls caw overhead, the sea froths, a light spray trails off the white caps.
Would you notice the world, in every shade and detail, if your attention was always centred on a conversation or a companion?
The Joy Of Your Own Room
Sometimes, there’s nothing lovelier than shutting the door on the world. ‘Do Not Disturb’. The gentle stillness, worries floating away. A special place with no responsibilities and no one to look after, just our dedicated staff to take care of you. Dive into a freshly laundered bed, starfish, steal the covers— oh the luxury.
Your room is the very definition of comfort. A view out to sea, plush furnishings, delicious food in the restaurant or a phone call away. Sink into buttery-soft pillows, put on your favourite film, read a good book, write a journal entry about your day. Help yourself to our selection of teas, or ring for a gin or single malt. When you are ready – neither before nor after – drift into a dreamy sleep and wake when you do.
A Trip Outside Your Comfort Zone
Whatever our age and experience, holidaying alone can seem daunting. Replace the briefcase and laptop of a confident commuter with a novel and sunhat, and they’ve been known to squirm: ‘but, I have nothing to do and no one to talk to’.
Enter necessity, the mother of invention and maker of enlightening travel. Holidays can be purely comfortable affairs, and that’s great. But having a fantastic time outside of our comfort zone is uniquely rewarding. There’s a subtle distinction here. Whilst we need holidays to give us a break from routine, we need travel because we get complacent. Conscious travel broadens the mind and builds character. We disprove perceived limitations in our own ability, become more adaptable, and disarm the tendency to generalise and fear the unknown.
Do we ever stop learning? Of course not. So why do we restrict trips to develop our independence to our coming-of-age years? Your first trip away from your family was likely highly formative. Whether a school residential, a backpacking stint, or moving out: we’ve all flown the nest at one time or another. Nine times out of ten, it is thrilling, mildly terrifying, and wholly worth it. Wouldn’t it be a great thing to re-capture that elation? Do it. We dare you.