With its striking scenery, complete with jagged cliffs and the beautifully captivating turquoise sea, Cornwall is a British gem that consistently attracts various tourists. Savour the authentic Cornish way of life by embracing an incredible experience of nestling in a charming holiday cottage.
We've handpicked an elite list of 17 holiday dwellings in Cornwall — from cosy, romantic nooks with commanding sea vistas, to grand manors that accommodate an entire crowd with ease. If you're inclined to explore more options that lend a domestic touch to your vacation, do take a look at our exceptional gathering of leading Airbnbs in Cornwall.
Optimal Destinations in Cornwall for a Vacation
Your ideal location in Cornwall depends greatly on the type of vacation experience you have in mind. For fine arts enthusiasts, St Ives may offer all you desire, housing both the renowned Tate and the enchanting Barbara Hepworth garden sculptures, masterfully intertwining the allure of the coast with a rich vein of cultural experience.
A gastronomic adventure awaits in Padstow, revered for some of Cornwall's top-notch seafood. Indulge in fine dining at Rick Stein's Seafood Restaurant whilst absorbing the tranquil views of the River Camel.
1. Seafarer's Abode, Mousehole
Nestled within one of the most picturesque fishing locales of Cornwall, Mousehole, you'll find the serene Seafarer's Abode. This delicately hued cottage offers you tranquillity from the bustling harbour, situated at the culmination of a peaceful cobblestone road. Cosiness at its best, the residence comes equipped with a wood burner and independent bathtub, perfect for those wintry nights and, occasionally the nippy summer days. Fairy lights twinkle in the garden area, an idyllic setting for soaking up some sun. Echoing the maritime spirit of Mousehole, the decor within the cottage is sea-inspired, from whitewashed walls and sleek slate floors to quaint aquatic trinkets and depictions of fisherman's boats throughout.
An encounter with the multi-hued boats lined by the waterfront is inevitable as you head for a lively swim in the ocean. Reward your daring feat with a steaming beverage, enjoyed with panoramic sea views at the Rock Pool Café. If a visual maritime journey aligns with your interest, venture along the coast to the active harbour of Newlyn. The Tolcarne Inn, renowned for its fresh seafood, is an excellent place to plan your supper. For a cultural spin on your getaway, journey beyond the beachside to vibrant Penzance where a swimming sojourn in the Art Deco lido awaits you. Penned by Cordelia Aspinall
Address: Seafarer's Abode, Mousehole, Cornwall
Price: Beginning at £125 per night (three-night minimum stay, accommodates two)
Please note that Cornwall is known to provide some of the highest quality seafood in the United Kingdom. It's also interesting to mention that Penzance is recognized as the cultural and commercial hub for Penwith and Mount's Bay.
2. Chyanna, Cornwall
Polzeath in August can be one hell of a scrum. But here’s a clever way to be first to the waves. With its feet right in the sand, this shiny new house, one in a huddle of three crisp, modern structures, is as close as you can get. Huge windows and an upside-down layout mean that breakfasts and lunches are taken with panoramic views of the white rollers in the bay; at supper, the sun drops into the Atlantic in front of the west-facing terrace. The four-bedroom space is hotel-level curated but with practical consideration: a stone-slab boot room for wellies, storage for boogie boards and buggies, as well as stair gates (optional) and a cocktail bar (recommended).
Step outside and you’re on the beach – buzzy in summer with ice-cream vans that arrive like buses and popular with families bearing windbreakers. Out of season it feels wilder, with rocky coves and sweeping coastal walks, but surfers come all year round; there are schools here for lessons – the best is George’s. When it comes to food, there’s Surfside, a Bondi-Brit joint serving up buckets of fresh oysters and local craft beers, as well as The Cracking Crab, a more traditional fish restaurant. While most holiday homes are designed for getting out and exploring (Rock and Padstow are just around the bay), this one is built for staying put. Charlotte Davey
Address: Chyanna, Dunders Hill, Polzeath, Wadebridge, Cornwall
Telephone: +44 1208 869090
Price: From £216 per night (sleeps eight) at http://www.britishcolumbiahotels.net/en/vancouver-hotels-30519/
3. Smugglers Lane, Penzance
Set in the backroads of West Cornwall, this 200-year-old stone cottage with a traditional slate roof is just big enough for two. It’s part of a trio of properties perched on Middle Colenso Farm overseen by journalist-turned-yoga-teacher Christen Pears. Wonderfully overgrown tropical plants hide the private courtyard with its own fire-pit and barbecue from the other cottages, creating a sense of proper seclusion. Inside, things are more stripped-back Scandi than seaside schmaltz: there’s mid-century furniture, exposed stone walls and lots of natural light in the living room, as well as a clever kitchen for whipping up breakfast in bed. The Wi-Fi doesn’t stretch to the cosy bedroom at the other end of the one-storey building, enforcing a late-night digital detox that leaves you feeling seriously well-rested.
Smugglers Lane is set high up in the hills, and mornings are often misty. Drive under the clouds to nearby sunny beaches – Prussia Cove is a real pirate’s bay with rocky steps leading down to a sheltered shore where locals brave the brisk waves, while Praa Sands is a long golden expanse perfect for beach games and body-boarding. Quirky Penzance is also less than 20 minutes away – book dinner at the superb Tolcarne Inn in Newlyn, then take a brisk walk along the seafront to the cool Artist Residence in town for cocktails.
Address: Middle Colenso Farm, Middle Colenso, Penzance TR20 9JB
Price: From £74 a night, (sleeps two)
4. The Limit, Located in Holywell Bay
Located just a short distance from Newquay, you'll discover the tranquil village of Holywell. Vastly distinct from Newquay's vibrant energy, Holywell charms its visitors with its centuries-old thatched tavern, the Treguth Inn, and the eye-catching sandy dunes of Holywell Bay beach. Nestled at the edge of the peaceful rural expanse, you'll find The Limit, a dwelling saved from overgrown thicket and beautifully refurbished by locals Rebecca and Steve Peck.
The living accommodation is uniquely divided between two 1930s-era beach huts. These clapboard structures, adorned in appealing pastel hues, offer comfortable accommodation for two, intentionally devoid of modern tech distractions. The structures feature an enchanting deck that joins them, complete with a hot tub and a fire pit, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding dunes.
Genuine nature enthusiasts will appreciate the area's designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its rich diversity of wildlife. For birdwatchers, binoculars are provided. The setup necessitates stepping outdoors to move between the huts, which may deter bed tea during harsh weather conditions. Yet, it is these endearing quirks and the secluded location that significantly contribute to The Limit’s irresistible charm.
Address: The Limit, Holywell Bay
Price: Starting from £1,395 per week, and £1,095 for short stays (accommodates two)Not only will you be experiencing the unspoiled beauty and historical charm of Holywell, but you will also be indulging in the distinctive character of The Limit. This unique holiday cottage is an ideal getaway for couples seeking seclusion amidst nature.
5. Experience Harmonious Style at Treverra Farm Cottage, Rock
Immerse yourself in the timeless elegance of the 18th-century Treverra Farm Cottage, nestled on 14 acres of picturesque land on the outskirts of Rock, a beloved locale by younger royalty. Liz Berman, co-owner with her husband Charlie, utilized their cultivated hospitality expertise—with prior experience overseeing six captivating chalets in Verbier—to ensure an unforgettable stay. Artfully blending Swedish antiques with vintage decor, they've fashioned a unique aesthetic, enveloped by innovative tech amenities like a Crestron music system, televisions, Sky boxes, a Wii console, and iPod docks tucked away discreetly.
Undeniable charm permeates throughout, from sisal rugs and antique toys to striped drapery, each detail crafting a visually stunning narrative fit for a high-end design publication. Despite the glamorous setting, expect an atmosphere brimming with warmth and casual sophistication.
Partake in culinary delights prepared by the on-site chef who can craft dishes for your arrival or create a bespoke menu for a grander dinner experience. Immerse yourself in the area's natural beauty, invited to explore the local vegetable spread or, perhaps, savor the leisurely vibe lounging by the unique round infinity pool. Challenge companions to a match at the on-site tennis court or amble to Porthilly Cove's serene beach, only a ten-minute stroll away.
In the vicinity, you'll find two exceptional dining experiences—the esteemed two-Michelin-starred Nathan Outlaw restaurant ideal for those seeking a gourmet dining adventure, and the laidback Sharp's brewery perfect for a casual, yet memorable meal.
Address: Treverra Farm Cottage, Wadebridge, PL27 6JY
Price: Rates begin at £2,000 per week (Accommodates eight guests across three charmingly appointed bedrooms, alongside a children's room)
6. Camel Quarry House, Padstow
The farm track that leads to Camel Quarry House is an unlikely introduction to this stylishly minimalist retreat – a crisp cube with a wood-and-glass box on top, in the beautifully stark surroundings of a former quarry. The house was built by artist Emma Cooper-Key on the site of a beloved 17th-century property that was destroyed by fire. She had no intention of recreating what stood there before, although the old slate was incorporated into the new building. The simple white walls and concrete floors have a soothing feel; the place is unadorned, says Cooper-Key, so as not to detract from the amazing views of the Camel Estuary (for clarification: not home to any actual camels).
Outside, there are landscaped gardens (with a hot tub) from which a path leads to the Camel Trail. This 18-mile route, great for walks and bike rides, meanders along a disused railway line between Bodmin and the coast. The beach in front of the house is shingly and a bit muddy, which makes for excellent low-tide shrimping; for a proper sandy beach, it's a 10-minute cycle up the trail to Padstow, where Rick Stein's empire of fish restaurants is as big a draw as the lovely Hawker's Cove on the far side of town.
Address: Camel Quarry House, North Cornwall, PL27 7HZ
Price: From £3,000 per week (sleeps 16 in six bedrooms)
7. The Shipwreck, Whitsand Bay
Set on the cliffside near the 17th-century fishing village of Portwrinkle, this cabin is more resurrection than ruin, entirely fashioned from wood recovered from Kodima, an actual shipwreck that sailed her last into nearby Whitsands Bay. Now the home is a masterclass in maximising space. A puzzle of pocket doors and loft cupboards; an old-fashioned trunk serving as a coffee table; a TV that swings between rooms; and a squeezed-in window seat for gazing out to sea.
What pulls everything together, like the buttons on a sailor’s trousers, is the nautical theme. Spot illustrations of sails throughout the centuries on walls and the odd shell or message in a bottle on shelves. There’s just no escaping the sea here – its repetitive chorus fills your eyes, ears, lungs, bones.
Read the full review in our guide to the best holiday homes in the UK
Address: The Shipwreck, Portwrinkle, Whitsand Bay
Price: From £1,195 for a three-night long weekend (sleeps two adults and two children)
8. The Village, Watergate Bay
Watergate Bay is justly renowned for its beachside hotel, both of which are packed for much of the year. Until recently, there's been a lack of decent self-catering accommodation in the immediate vicinity, but a couple of smart new developments are putting that right. They are mainly aimed at those who want to avail themselves of the multiple activities at the Extreme Academy, which offers water sports in the bay, without having to forgo creature comforts.
The best, most exclusive place to stay is The Village, a collection of eight apartments on the hill above the hotel. It is run by the Cornish company Beach Retreats, and the basics are all the same – balconies, high-spec finishes and eco-friendly features such as sedum roofs and air-source heat pumps –but individual owners have added personal touches. Privacy is less of an issue than you might think given the proximity of your neighbours; each apartment feels a bit like a spacious modern hotel suite, but without the hotel.
Address: The Village, Watergate Bay, Newquay, TR8
Price: From £680 per week (sleeps four or five in each two-bedroom apartment)
9. Compass House, St Ives
Not many places combine coast and culture with the aplomb of St Ives. The best thing about staying here is that, after ticking off sights such as the Tate, you have time to enjoy the town's other charms – eating freshly caught crab, exploring artists' studios among the cobbled streets – when the day-trippers have gone. The beaches are among the UK's best, and on a sunny day the turquoise water can look like the Caribbean.
Compass House is the only property actually on Porthminster beach. The Edwardian weatherboard villa is pristine and light-filled, with a veranda encased in glass so you can play lord of the manor whatever the weather. All the usual amenities are here, but the views are the star attraction. Being situated directly above the famous Porthminster Beach Café means you can people-watch from your garden and run down for sustenance as soon as you spot a free table on its terrace. You can't park outside the house (parking is up the road in the station car park), but that's a small price to pay for being able to step from the front gate straight onto the sand.
Address: Compass House, Primrose Valley, St Ives, TR26 2ED
Price: From £1,035 per week (sleeps six in three bedrooms)
10. Restormel Manor, Fowey Valley
This perfectly proportioned manor is where the Prince of Wales sets up camp when he comes to the Duchy and the setting is suitably majestic. The ruins of Restormel castle are a short scramble away and the River Fowey rushes past the back door. Subtle regal reminders are everywhere – including the old black-and-white pictures of the royal family at work and play.
The house sleeps 18 but is cleverly divided into three wings that can be opened up as required. There’s wafty organic linen curtains, pretty floral sofas and antiques mixed with a spot of Oka. The Prince's organic ethos is firmly in place, too, with compost bins and a wood-chip burner that also heats the indoor pool. Plus, some of Cornwall’s best beaches are nearby.
Read the full review in our guide to the best holiday cottages in the UK
Address: Restormel Manor, Lostwithiel, PL22 0HN
Price: From £600 per week (sleeps five)
11. Ukiyo, Coverack
Drive on for about half an hour and you’ll head straight into the sea at Lizard Point – the most southerly spot on mainland Britain. The long journey to sweet little cliffside village Coverack is worth it, not only to experience its time-capsule shops and restaurants, kooky nearby Terence Coventry Sculpture Park and salty air, but for Ukiyo, one of the finest modern houses in the UK.
Originally a blocky Sixties family home, the building has been entirely revamped, with all but the upstairs floorboards torn apart, replaced and reworked. Now it’s an arresting, open-plan and eco-friendly ode to the view before it, designed to enable guests to stare out thoughtfully from almost every corner – including the bath and walk-in shower. Filled with locally crafted furniture and quirky artifacts (a coffee table shaped like an alligator, Bulgarian milking stools), it has personality in spades while remaining pared back and airy. Plus it feels like home – albeit in your wildest dreams.
Step through a sliding door to the palm-tree-lined side garden, framed by romantic pampas grass swaying in the sea breeze, to dip into the cedar hot tub or curl up on a chair in front of the firepit, keeping watch for dolphins, seals and swooping birds on the horizon. Becky Lucas
Address: Ukiyo, Sunny Corner, Coverack, Cornwall
Telephone: +44 1637 881183
Price: From £1,450 per three nights (sleeps four)
12. Trevone Farm, Padstow
Designed by Jill Stein (business partner and ex-wife of the King of Padstow, Rick), this cluster of four stone-and-glass cottages overlooks the sweeping cliffs of Trevone Bay. Jill has nailed what you need at a Cornish holiday house: toasty warm flagstone floors for little feet chilled by paddling in the Atlantic and enough wine glasses to have the whole village round for drinks.
The coastal-themed interiors have nautical stripes, sackcloth cushions and fishy artwork. And fish is what it's all about here: two miles down the road is the Padstow Seafood School where budding cooks can try their hand at getting live lobster from the tank to the plate. Or leave it to the professionals and book in for supper at The Seafood Restaurant.
Read the full review in our guide to the best holiday cottages in the UK
Address: Trevone Farm, Trevone Road, Padstow, PL28 8QN
Price: From £540 for a three-night weekend (sleeps eight)
13. Little Polgarron, Trevose
This is so close to North Cornwall's foamy Atlantic coast that only sleeping on the sand will get you nearer. Set above the gloriously named Booby's Bay, this place is all about the sea. The house is a vast affair: swathed in glass and with huge timbered gables, it's cleverly angled so every room can watch the water. Inside, all is unfussy, elemental and on a giant scale. Upstairs, raftered bedrooms are furnished with deckchair colours, bleached wood and funky tree-trunk stools.
Spend your time sampling the beaches, rock-pooling at Trevone, hiking and browsing the in-house library. Eat in nearby Padstow and Rock (best book ahead) or summon a private chef to the shiny Gaggenau kitchen.
Read the full review in our guide to the best holiday cottages in the UK
Address: Little Polgarron, Booby's Bay, Padstow, PL28 8SH
Price: From £4,300 for a three-night weekend (sleeps 10)
14. Barford House, Poundstock
This quirky beach house is a few steps from the shell-strewn beach of Wanson Mouth, on the north Cornwall coast. It’s all nooks and crannies: step from one room to another through a Narnia-esque wardrobe with an open back, climb a stepladder to a mezzanine bed and watch the waves roll to shore through a mini brass porthole, or head to the lawned garden where the bottom of an abandoned fishing boat – a former art installation – has been turned into a children's playhouse.
With its own bar, pool table, vintage arcade games and a thumping sound-and-light system, it's a kickstarter for off-the-cuff parties. Recover the morning after with a sweat in the sauna, a bracing dunk with the cold-water bucket shower, or a decent massage with one of the local therapists.The design feels urban, masculine, moody. Repurposed 1960s Parisian streetlamps hang in the atrium, while the kitchen and living room have elegant copper-clad walls and deep-smoked oak flooring. Or head to the wood-fired hot tub outside to watch the stars come out.
Read the full review in our guide to the best big houses to rent in the UK
Address: Barford House, Poundstock, EX23 0DF
Price: From £2,014 for three nights (sleeps 16)
15. Hillside Stone Cottage, Portloe
Sitting above the waves of Portloe, about 20 minutes from pretty St Mawes, this cream beach house has great views of the water and rolling hills. Inside, all is soothing, nautical whites and blues, with flagstone floors and a wood burner for out-of-season stays. There’s a big dining table for group suppers and a cute breakfast room overlooking the slate roofs of neighbouring houses.
Address: Hillside Stone Cottage, Portloe
Price: From £90 a night (sleeps six)
16. Siren, Coverack Cove
This traditional thatch cottage is packed with vintage finds that make the interiors more bohemian than beachy. Velvet sofas are the colour of sea foam, Sixties artworks are displayed on the dappled walls and a cosy window seat looks out across the sea. Plus there are miles of coastal paths to explore nearby.
Address: Siren, Coverack Cove
Price: From £950 a week (sleeps two)17. The Old School House, Falmouth
Once a Victorian school built right on the beach, this 19th-century stone cottage is set within walled gardens that sit just above the sand and are overseen by the National Trust. There are traditional wooden beams and panelling giving the house plenty of character, and the bedrooms and kitchens are done out in soothing clotted-cream hues.
Address: The Old School House, Durgan, Falmouth, TR11 5JU
Price: From £384 a night (sleeps four)