Cottages in Cornwall

What's on offer

BritStays lists 1,514 cottages in Cornwall, so you have a lot of choice. Listings cluster around a handful of towns. Bude has the most at 104, followed by Newquay with 101. Falmouth has 64, Hartland 60, Looe 58, Liskeard 57, Fowey 56 and St Mawes 55. If you want the widest choice of dates and sizes, start your search in one of these areas.

The example stays show a good spread of sizes. Turn a Penny, on the Truro and the Roseland Peninsula listing, sleeps two. Polgew Studio in Marazion sleeps three. Turnpike Cottage in Portscatho, Sunsets@Spinnakers in Newquay and Pencarrow in Fowey each sleep six. Most cottages sleep between two and six, so larger groups should start looking early.

Choosing an area for your trip

Your choice will mostly come down to whether you want to be by the water or tucked away inland.

• Harbour and seaside towns: Falmouth, Fowey, Looe, St Mawes and Newquay all have plenty of cottages. Coble Cottage in Falmouth and The Studio in St Mawes each sleep four, which suits couples or a small family.
• Quieter, inland bases: Launceston and Liskeard suit you if you'd rather have peace and space. Well Farm Holiday Cottages near Launceston offers both Cider Cottage and the Rivendell Glamping Pod, and each sleeps four.
• The far north: Bude and Hartland have a lot of listings between them. Jasmine Lodge in Hartland sleeps six and Lamastar sleeps four.

Couples may like the smaller places, such as Turn a Penny or Polgew Studio. Families will want something sleeping five or six, such as K2 Cosy Lodge in Padstow or Pencarrow in Fowey.

A note on facilities

Facility tags across these listings are patchy, so treat them as a starting point rather than the full picture. The most common tags describe transport near the cottage:

• 692 cottages are tagged as having EV charging nearby.
• 578 are tagged as near a bus stop.
• 215 are tagged as near a train station. Tremodrett House Barn in St Austell has both the train station and EV charging tags.

Very few listings mention on-site features. Only 16 are tagged for parking, 10 for WiFi, 6 for sea views and 3 for a playground. This almost certainly means owners haven't filled in the details, not that the cottages lack them. If parking, WiFi or a view matters to you, check the full listing and ask the owner before you book.

Bringing your dog

Only 10 of the 1,514 cottages are currently tagged as pet friendly. Many more owners may welcome dogs without saying so in the tags. Even so, you can't assume a cottage takes dogs. Message the owner first and ask about the number of dogs allowed, any extra fee, and whether the garden is enclosed.

What to do once you're there

Cornwall has plenty to fill your days, whichever kind of trip you're planning.

• History and castles: visit St Michael's Mount, Tintagel Castle or Trematon Castle.
• Coast and landmarks: stand at Land's End, or catch a performance at the Minack Theatre.
• With children: try Kernow Adventure Park near Falmouth, the Screech Owl Sanctuary, The Tamar Valley Donkey Park or Spingfields Fun Park and Pony Centre.
• For a rainy day: head to Tate St Ives, the Mevagissey Museum or the Shipwreck Treasure Museum. In Falmouth, the Predannick Anti-Aircraft Battery has military history.

When to book

School summer holidays are the busiest time. Cottages sleeping six are a smaller share of what's available, so they tend to go first, and if you need one, book as early as you can. Couples and smaller groups have more room to wait, especially outside the school holidays. You'll often find better choice in spring and autumn, when demand eases.

Before paying a deposit, do three things:

• Confirm the exact sleeping arrangements.
• Check parking, especially in busy harbour towns.
• Get any pet or WiFi details in writing from the owner, so you know what you're booking.