For sanctuary
In romantic cottages made for bare feet and late breakfasts, couples and solo sojourners pour cream into whiskey-spiked coffee, while dogs take up residence beneath frost-dusted windows.
Winter is for lovers. For the rib-tickling laughter that only happens when clouds burst above the hot tub and raindrops dilute homespun sloe gin cocktails that were months in the making. From bubbling backyard waters, dash indoors to the firelight where the smell of honey-glazed root veg wafts from the Aga and a handwoven basket makes an offering of woollen blankets. These hideaways are for couples in search of the Great British Snuggledown.
Once upon a time there was just one, a solo traveller who retreated to the seaside to paint in the window and dunk local shortbread into cups of cocoa. When quietude calls, going alone is sometimes the only thing that will cut the midwinter mustard. And so we make a case for luxury idleness: throw sticks for pups on beaches bare but for seagulls, set the table for a candlelit dinner for one, and sprawl out on velveteen sofas with the buttons to yourself.
Juneberry
Cubert, Holywell Bay, Cornwall, UK
Tucked away between the trees on Cornwall’s north coast near Holywell Bay, Juneberry is a luxury self-catering cabin settled in the quiet idyll of rural bliss.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £995 per week, £750 per short break
Pets: Two small well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Yoga deck with mats and blocks, heated outdoor shower, firepit
Libertine
Goonhavern, Perranporth, Cornwall, UK
A luxury woodland cottage with a hot tub, Libertine hides just outside of the village of Goonhavern in North Cornwall, close to Holywell Bay, St Agnes, and Perranporth Beach.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £995 per week, £750 per short break
Pets: One large or two medium well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub and garden deck
Little Inka
St Breward, Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, UK
Hidden on the northern edge of Bodmin Moor, Little Inka's hot tub, roll top and king-size bed beneath a window looking up to the stars make this secluded escape the perfect couples' retreat.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,350 per week, £995 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Hot tub and fire pit
The Cotton Tree
Tresean, Holywell Bay, Cornwall, UK
A luxury cottage inspired by tropical beach houses and barefoot living, this is The Cotton Tree; a hot tub hideout on the coast of Cornwall, close to Holywell Bay and Polly Joke.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests (+1)
From: £1,250 per week, £950 per short break
Pets: Two small well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Hot tub
Aphrodite
Trevalga, Boscastle, Cornwall, UK
Found between the popular villages of Boscastle and Tintagel, Aphrodite is a luxury coastal home in North Cornwall; flaunting magnificent sea views across five renovated stories.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,195 per week, £995 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Little Portion
Tresean, Holywell Bay, Cornwall, UK
Crooked and quaint, and full of reclaimed finishes and trailing plants, Little Portion is a luxury coastal cottage with a hot tub just one mile away from Cornwall's Holywell Bay,
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,250 per week, £950 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Hot tub
Aurora
Freathy, Whitsand Bay, Cornwall, UK
Facing the rise and fall of the sun as it journeys from day to night, Aurora and its al fresco hot tub clings to the tumbling cliffs above Freathy Beach at Whitsand Bay.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,250 per week, £1,195 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Hot tub
The Crafters´ Hut
Whether in the Swedish wood-fired tub or beneath the pergola watching the rain over the sea, an intoxicating vista is guaranteed at this architect-designed cabin overlooking Mousehole harbour.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests (+1)
From: £1,495 per week, £1,195 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: A Swedish wood-fired tub, summerhouse, fire pit
Orlagh
Perched high above the golden sands of Cornwall's Whitsand Bay, a fusion of designer-led interiors and Miller-esque seascapes combine at Orlagh.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,495 per week, £1,195 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Hot tub and outdoor heated shower
The Hide
Callestick, Perranporth, Cornwall, UK
An unexpected discovery at the end of a Cornish country lane, this modern luxury cottage hideaway near Perranporth beach combines rusticity with contemporary clean-line appeal.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,450 per week, £995 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Hot tub, fire pit, yoga deck with mats
Sundance
Trebudannon, Newquay, Cornwall, UK
Set off the beaten track, just ten minutes inland between Mawgan Porth and Watergate Bay in North Cornwall, Sundance is a handcrafted wagon made for rustic, inside-outside living.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £850 per week, £695 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Suki
Torpoint, Whitsand Bay, Cornwall, UK
Made from earthy materials, Suki is a luxury beach house with a hot tub on Whitsand Bay’s Tregonhawke Cliff in Cornwall; it has all the markers of a romance, but with a Japandi twist.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,750 per week, £1,395 per short break
Pets: One small, well-behaved dog is welcome
Features: Hot tub
Firefly
Trebudannon, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall, UK
Made for couples and nomadic types, Firefly is a luxury woodcutter's cottage with a hot tub near Mawgan Porth in North Cornwall, bursting with earthy, back-to-nature appeal.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,250 per week, £950 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Hot tub
Seaglass
Tregonhawke, Whitsand Bay, Cornwall, UK
A luxury romantic beach hut with a hot tub in Tregonhawke in Cornwall, Seaglass is a stylish surf home with eco credentials that boasts awe-inspiring views across Whitsand Bay.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,995 per week, £1,495 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Hot tub and heated outdoor shower
The Limit
As seen on ITV's Cornwall with Caroline Quentin and George Clarke's Amazing Spaces, The Limit is an iconic luxury beach hut with a hot tub hiding in the sand dunes of Holywell Bay.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,695 per week, £1,350 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub and fire pit
The Edge
Up on a clifftop, with a bird’s-eye view of Whitsand Bay, The Edge is lovers' dream on Cornwall's sought-after coast; a luxury beach hut with a hot tub and heated outdoor shower.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,850 per week, £1,395 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub, heated outdoor shower
Atlanta
Freathy, Whitsand Bay, Cornwall, UK
Studded into a cliff in Freathy, with a hot tub and outdoor shower, Atlanta is a luxury coastal home in Whitsand Bay that promises a unique escape in Cornwall’s forgotten corner.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,795 per week, £1,295 per short break
Pets: Two small well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Italian spa bath, heated outdoor shower, hot tub
The Meadows
Retyn, St Newlyn East, Cornwall, UK
There's a hint of the Balearics to luxury cottage The Meadows, a simple retreat occupying a secret inland spot between Crantock and Watergate Bay on North Cornwall's coast.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests (+1)
From: £1,495 per week, £1,095 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub, outside fire
The Wool Shed
Trebudannon, Watergate Bay, Cornwall, UK
Off the beaten track in the hamlet of Trebudannon, The Wool Shed is a rustic, luxury home with a hot tub in North Cornwall; a palette of wood and neutrals close to Watergate Bay.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,395 per week, £995 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Hot tub and outside stone fireplace
Kailani
It’s all whitewashed and welcoming, folded linens and old maps at Kailani; a luxury cottage with a William Holland tub and ocean views in Cornwall's delightful fishing village of Mousehole.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,850 per week, £1,395 per short break
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome
Features: William Holland spa bath
Gypsea Rocks
Trebarwith Strand, Cornwall, UK
Between the cliffs in a hidden valley in North Cornwall, Gypsea Rocks is a luxury seaside cottage full of vintage finds and rustic flourishes, just moments from Trebarwith Strand.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,395 per week, £1,095 per short break
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome
The Spyglass
An authentic maritime build in Cornwall, right on the seafront and with access to the beach, The Spyglass is a luxury beach cottage; and one of Gorran Haven’s most beloved homes.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,595 per week, £1,150 per short break
Pets: Two medium well-behaved dogs are welcome
Tangle Belle
St Martin, Helford, Cornwall, UK
In acres of private woodland near St Martin in Helford, Tangle Belle is a luxury wood-clad cottage set by a stream in Cornwall; the epitome of pretty, rural countryside charm.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,250 per week, £995 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Ukiyo
A striking build on Cornwall's south coast, Ukiyo is a nod to the modern Scandinavian summerhouse; a luxury poured concrete home that melts into the ocean in hazy-blue Coverack.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £2,495 per week, £1,895 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub
Tempest
In Cornwall's iconic Whitsand Bay, Tempest is a luxury beach house with warm interiors, a big hot tub terrace, and the sea-and-sky views that this "forgotten corner" is known for.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £2,350 per week, £1,950 per short break
Pets: One large or two small well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub
Mirana
Constantine, Helford, Cornwall, UK
Cornish stone embraces modernist glass at this converted barn on the Helford; a tranquil retreat where luxury is defined by simplicity and connection to the landscape.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,795 per week, £1,350 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Outdoor natural swimming pond, wood-fired hot tub and a sauna
The Beach Shack
Portwrinkle, Whitsand Bay, Cornwall, UK
Perched above the sands of Portwrinkle Beach in Whitsand Bay, this luxury cabin is a haven of rustic joy and nautical paraphernalia.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests (2 adults and 2 children)
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,695 per week, £1,350 per short break
Pets: Yes, two dogs are very welcome with a third on prior request
The Fable
Ventongimps, Perranporth, Cornwall, UK
At the end of a lane in Poldark country, The Fable is a luxury thatched cottage near Perranporth in Cornwall, with reams of nostalgia, rose gardens, wonky windows, and a hot tub.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,995 per week, £1,450 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Hot tub
Holanen
It’s Cornwall, but feels like the Aegean; at Holanen, a luxury writer's home in the township of Mousehole, contemporary design rises from the rocks and terraces face the ocean.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,895 per week
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Oska
Week St Mary, Widemouth Bay, Cornwall, UK
Contemporary yet soft, new but still humble, this luxury self-catering barn is a joyous, modern retreat just five miles from the North Cornwall coast.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,850 per week, £1,395 per short break
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome on prior request
Pomona
On a cliff near Coverack in Cornwall, Pomona is a luxury mid-century modern home with a pool; a celebration of art, nature, and retro style in the Terence Coventry Sculpture Park.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,795 per week, £1,495 per short break
Pets: Dogs will be considered on prior agreement
Features: Heated outdoor swimming pool (available May- September inclusive), cinema den, table tennis
Nevada
An award-winning copper-clad home in Cornwall's wild west, this waterside residence occupies an enviable location on the Drift Reservoir.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,995 per week, £1,495 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub
Valency Wood
Lesnewth, Boscastle, Cornwall, UK
This stunning family-friendly self-catering cottage is in a rural location, yet within striking distance of the Cornish coastal villages of Tintagel, Boscastle and Crackington Haven.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
From: £1,650 per week, £1,250 per short break
Pets: Three well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Jacuzzi hot tub
The Signal Station
Up on the cliffs of Cornwall’s wild Lizard Peninsula, The Signal Station is a luxury maritime home with a rooftop terrace, built in 1872 as a beacon of safety for passing vessels.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
From: £2,250 per week, £1,695 per short break
Pets: Two small well-behaved dogs are welcome
The Stack
Lying within a secluded valley, with far-reaching pastoral views, The Stack is a luxury self-catering engine house with a hot tub, rustic interiors and beautiful gardens.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests (4 adults and 2 children)
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,995 per week, £1,495 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Sunken hot tub, cinema room, al fresco kitchen with pizza oven
Raffia
Approached via a zigzagging path that tumbles towards Polperro, Raffia is a luxury Scandi-style beach house in Cornwall that takes in scrumptious sea views from enormous windows.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
From: £2,250 per week, £1,650 per short break
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome
Seafold
Perched above Seaton on the Cornish coast, Seafold is an architectural chameleon that shifts with the rhythms of sea and sky; a love letter to light and landscape.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,995 per week, £1,495 per short break
Pets: One well behaved dog
Features: Hot Tub, Cinema Room
Gwendolyn
Nestled above the sand dunes of Perranporth Beach, Gwendolyn is a luxury coastal cottage with hot tub and far-reaching sea views in North Cornwall, where troves of rustic riches hide.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
From: £2,495 per week, £1,895 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Hot tub, al fresco BBQ area
Villa Boden
Made for those who value simplicity, Villa Boden is a luxury beach house in Porthleven, Cornwall, that has been reimagined by two sisters; every inch a new take on Nordic hygge.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £2,250 per week, £1,695 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
The Viewing Gallery
A place to experience life on the ocean wave without leaving the living room, The Viewing Gallery is a luxury beach house with a hot tub and wraparound deck in Portreath, Cornwall.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
From: £2,750 per week, £1,995 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub
Alba Beach House
A luxury pink cob cottage with a balcony overhanging the sands of St Ives' Porthmeor Beach, Alba Beach House is the ultimate self-catering family seaside retreat.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
From: £2,995 per week, £2,295 per short break
Pets: Two pets are welcome