The Best Cottages in Cornwall for your holiday!
With staggeringly beautiful sandy beaches, clifftop hikes with surreal views, rugged moorland and distinctive local culture, Cornwall is like nowhere else in the UK.
If you’re planning a trip to this incredible region, you’re probably wondering where exactly to stay. There are hundreds of accommodation options in Cornwall, including countless Cornish holiday cottages.
Why stay in a cottage in Cornwall?
Staying in one of Cornwall’s luxury holiday cottages is the best way to experience the heart of Cornish towns and villages, engage in local life and feel at home while you’re on holiday.
All of the selected cottages below have their own kitchen and lounge areas, so you can spend your holiday exactly as you please – eating what and when you like, and having a chill day if that’s what you want!
They’re also in incredible locations – some are coastal cottages on glorious beaches, others have river views, and some are tucked away in tiny Cornish villages.
If you are going on holiday to Cornwall with your family or a larger group, a cosy cottage with your own space is undoubtedly the best accommodation option. You can browse all cottage options on the Classic Cottages website or read on for our pick of the best luxury cottages in Cornwall.
The best cottages in Cornwall
From Boscastle in North Cornwall to Coverack on the Lizard peninsula, here are some of the best cottages in Cornwall. Click through to read more about any of these cottages and to make a reservation.
Marnylunn, Helford
Located in South Cornwall between Falmouth and the Lizard Peninsula’s best attractions, Helford is a stunning place in its own right, but also a wonderful jumping point for other Cornish hotspots. However, when you see Marnylunn holiday home, you might never want to leave!
With a private heated swimming pool, barbecue, two poolside bedrooms, another ground floor bedroom, spacious communal areas, three bathrooms and an annexe with a bedroom, shower room, kitchen and lounge, there is quite literally all you need in this property.
In the day, you can sunbathe by the private pool, admiring the beautiful views of the Lizard peninsula. Spend the evenings sitting around the firepit with a Cornish beer or cider – Lizard Ales is a fantastic local brewery!
If you manage to tear yourself away from your holiday home, there are some wonderful places to visit in the vicinity. Try the sub-tropical Trebah gardens, the stunning Helford estuary, the town of Falmouth with Pendennis Castle and the National Maritime Museum.
Or you could venture further into the Lizard, seeing villages like Cagdwtih or Coverack, Lizard Point, which is the furthest south point in the UK, or Kynance Cove, one of the most popular beaches in Cornwall and, dare I say it, the whole of Europe.
Click here to read more about Marnylunn
Chy an Mor, Coverack
While it is increasing in popularity amongst tourists, the village of Coverack remains something of a local gem. With a charming historic harbour, a stretch of beach and plenty of old fishing cottages, the town echoes a forgotten Cornwall that mass tourism doesn’t seem to have quite reached.
This makes it a glorious place to stay, especially if you like to go to lesser-explored destinations. Enjoy panoramic sea views from many of the rooms, including the double bedrooms (which can also be made up as twin bedrooms). There are also two bathrooms and another WC, a fully equipped kitchen, a lounge with a wood burner, and a TV snug.
Chy an Mor means ‘house by the sea’ in Cornish, and you’ll understand where it got that name from after you’ve checked in! This cottage can either be a romantic hideaway, a place to stay with friends or accommodation for your family holiday.
Coverack is relatively isolated in Cornwall, but it’s the ideal spot to spend some time soaking in local culture. Nearby attractions include Gweek Seal Sanctuary, Lizard Point, Kynance Cove and other Lizard beaches, the Lizard coastal path (it would take 2-3 days to walk the whole thing, but you can do chunks of it!), Roskilly’s ice cream farm and St Keverne, which is where one of the Cornish rebellions began.
If you want to go a little further, Helston is a 20 minute drive and has the Museum of Cornish Life amongst some other attractions. Falmouth is about 40 minutes away and is home to Pendennis Castle, the National Maritime Museum Cornwall and, in my opinion, the best food scene in the Duchy.
Click here to read more about Chy an Mor
Pender Cottage, Mousehole
We can’t have a list of the best cottages in Cornwall without mentioning Mousehole. This adorable Cornish coastal village is renowned for its charming cobbled streets, beautiful historic buildings and picture-perfect harbour.
There is, however, so much more to Mousehole than meets this eye. The west Cornwall village is full of history – the Spanish invaded it in 1595, burning all but one building to the ground. The rest of its past is no less turbulent, due to its reliance on the sea and isolation from most of the country. You can learn about the village in my Mousehole travel guide.
Pender Cottage is a stone’s throw away from the harbour wall and is an idyllic place to spend your holiday. With spectacular sea views, it has three bedrooms, sleeps six and has room for an extra cot. It also features a kitchen with full cooking facilities, a well-decorated modern lounge and a bathroom with a bath.
With boat trips, stand up paddleboarding opportunities and Mousehole Beach just a short walk away, it is the ideal place to spend your summer holiday.
However, Mousehole isn’t just a summer destination. In fact, it’s one of the best Christmas breaks in Cornwall.
At Christmas, the Mousehole Christmas Lights are legendary and amongst the best in the UK. If you’re visiting during the colder months, Pender Cottage has a wood burner and is incredibly cosy.
If you want to explore further afield, Mousehole is in a good location for Land’s End, Porthcurno (home of the Minack Theatre), Sennen Cove, Penzance, glorious beaches like Praa Sands and Pedn Vounder and St Micheal’s Mount.
There is even an excellent bus link between Mousehole and Penzance (the M6, which leaves every 20 minutes). Penzance station is connected to other places in Cornwall, Plymouth, Exeter and London, so you could even get to this holiday cottage without driving!
Click here to read more about Pender Cottage
Smugglers, St Agnes
In the heart of Cornish mining country, St Agnes is home to dramatic cliffs punctuated by the odd mine wheal and inviting turquoise waters. Despite its epic coastal location, the village itself cosy and calm, and it is in prime position to see other parts of Cornwall like Newquay, Perranporth and St Ives.
Smugglers is a semi-detached cottage that sleeps five people, with room for a cot. It has three bedrooms, two with double beds and one with a single bed and extra children’s bed. The space makes it the ideal place for a family getaway! It also features a lounge with a TV, DVD player, wood burner, kitchen and shower room. There is also a utility room with a washing machine.
As well as the rocky coast of St Agnes, you can hike along the coastal path to Perranporth or Portreath, which are both lovely seaside towns and popular surfing hotspots. Or venture further to the famous tourist town Newquay, which has plenty of beaches, the Newquay aquarium, lots of restaurants and bars and nearby sites of interest like Bedruthan Steps and National Trust-owned Trerice.
Drive the other way, and you’ll find St Ives, which has incredible tropical-feeling beaches like Carbis Bay Beach and Porthkidney Beach. In St Ives itself, you can also enjoy the staggeringly beautiful harbour, the TATE St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Sculpture garden.
Or, if you just want to stay in St Agnes and soak in the local vibe, do – it’s the perfect setting for relaxing on the beach, hiking on the cliffs or just enjoying your holiday home!
Click here to learn more about Smugglers
Cheswardine, Port Isaac
Famous for being both the fictional home of Doc Martin and the real home of the Fisherman’s Friends, Port Isaac is one of the most beautiful villages in Cornwall. There are a few things to do in Port Isaac, including a Doc Martin tour, hiking on the coastal path and boat trips – but it’s also a fantastic place to take it easy and enjoy the atmosphere.
Cheswardine is in the hamlet of Treligga, which is about halfway between Port Isaac and Tintagel, home of the legendary Tintagel Castle. It sleeps eight people and has room for two cots. This is Cornwall at its most authentic – you’ll need to drive down some country lanes to reach Treligga, but it’s well worth the wait, with idyllic sea views from Cheswardine itself.
It’s only a stone’s throw from the South West Coast Path, and you could walk either way toward Tintagel or Port Isaac (be ready for some steep hills!). Alternatively, Cheswardine is an ideal base to explore the North Cornish coast, with attractions like Tintagel Castle, Tintagel medieval post office, beautiful Boscastle harbour, watersports opportunities at Port Gaverne or Port Quin, the fantastic food scene of Padstow and Bodmin Moor all a short drive away.
Inside the house, there are four bedrooms, a kitchen with full cooking facilities and one bathroom. If you are graced with beautiful weather, take in the coastal views as you cook up a barbecue outside. But don’t fear if it’s wet – Cheswardine has a wood burner and TV snug so you can stay nice and cosy!
Click here to learn more about Cheswardine
St Chistopher’s Cottage, Boscastle
Situated in the charming harbour town of Boscastle, St Christopher’s Cottage is the ultimate Cornish retreat. With a trendy modern interior featuring comfortable sofas and beds, exposed beams and brickwork and state of the art appliances, this is a true home from home.
The cottage sleeps four people, with one double bedroom and one twin room. It’s ideal for a family holiday or for going away with friends. It also has two WCs, a bathroom with a bath and walk-in shower, an open plan living room, kitchen and dining area, wood burner and a smart TV.
Boscastle is a charming place to stay, especially if you want to see what Cornwall has to offer but don’t want to drive too far from elsewhere in the country. Famous for its natural harbour, Boscastle is run by the National Trust and looks as if it is straight off a postcard. You can enjoy the village by walking around or climbing the cliffs to check out a panoramic view.
Once you’ve seen Boscastle, check out the golden sands of nearby beaches, especially those near Tintagel. Tintagel is home to the famous castle, which is allegedly where King Arthur was born. In addition, there are a few other attractions in town, including the medieval post office and Tintagel Toy Museum.
You can also check out Bude which is a surfing hotspot, the charming village of Port Isaac, Bodmin Moor and even venture over the border into Devon to see the picturesque Clovelly.
Click here to learn more about St Christopher’s Cottage
How to book these Cornish cottages
Whether you want to stay in Coverack or Boscastle, it’s a great idea to book these cottages far in advance before they get snapped up! For more information about any of these cottages, you can click through on the links above.
