Self-Catering Holidays in Cornwall, Cottages and Apartments

Staying in a Cornish holiday cottage is simply the best way to explore Cornwall. You'll have freedom to explore the whole county from coast to coast with a comfortable home to base yourself in. From being the isolated home of Celtic Kings, Seafarers, tin miners and fishermen (many of the latter are still around), Cornwall has re-invented itself to appeal to beach lovers, surfers, artists and families in search of relaxing, sometimes active, self-catering holidays. 

Cornwall's beaches, such as Sennan Cove, Fistral Beach, and Crantock, are regularly listed among the world's best. The Cornish fishing villages of Padstow, Falmouth and Fowey make attractive harbours for yachtsmen. St Ives, now home to the Tate St. Ives, has a wonderful collection of the many artists who found their spiritual home here. 

Being surrounded by the Atlantic on both sides, taking to the water in Cornwall is very easy. Most beaches will be overlooked by desirable holiday cottages within easy reach of lovely stretches of sand, swimming and surfing opportunities. There are also plenty of opportunities to hire boats. Chunter around the coastline by small self-hire boat from many small fishing villages such as Mevagissey, Mousehole or Looe, or take the passenger ferry from the Cathedral city of Truro down to the sea past the yachting haven of Mylor to Falmouth. Take another ferry across the estuary from Falmouth to St Mawes. Still looking for a coastal holiday, but want to see what the whole of the UK offers? Head here to see our selection of UK holiday homes by the sea on My Favourite Holiday Cottages.

A grand 3-storey Georgian country house in the Cornish countryside partly surrounded by trees.
  • Sleeps 16
  • Bedrooms 8

The Vean is a large Georgian country house near St Austell, nestled among woodland, boasting refinement and luxury, abundant grounds, and an open fire. The luxury holiday cottage on Caerhays Estate is ideal for special occasions and just moments from Cornwall's coastline.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A 2-storey Cornish Barn conversion overlooks well-kept lawns and gardens.
  • Sleeps 4
  • Bedrooms 2

Tregadjack Barn is a small and private, secluded cottage with two beautiful gardens near the town of Helston, Cornwall, offering beautiful long views along the rolling tree-covered countryside to the sea at Mounts Bay; the two-bedroom, pet-friendly oasis welcomes guests with a homemade fish pie!

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Small Cottages
Stone-built Cornish barn conversion surrounded by shrub-lined, lawns.
  • Sleeps 6
  • Bedrooms 3

A fresh, home-made pie welcomes guests to Tregadjack Farmhouse, a luxurious country cottage near Helston surrounded by gorgeous gardens in Tregathenan. Inglenook fireplaces and exposed beams, antique furnishings and contemporary fittings fill this gorgeous, pet-friendly rural property in Cornwall.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
Large cottage with balcony and floor-to-ceiling French windows in Padstow.
  • Sleeps 8
  • Bedrooms 4

Spectacular views of Treyarnon Bay greet guests at Trewalder, a stunning coastal cottage on the Cornish coast. The pet-friendly cottage sits above the beautiful beach and the gorgeous gardens catch the sea breeze, while the interior boasts ample windows, contemporary elegance and a wood burner.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A Lighthouse complex on a clifftop with panoramic ocean views.
  • Sleeps 4
  • Bedrooms 2

Panoramic ocean views stretch before Verity Cottage, a sophisticated coastal cottage within Trevose Head Lighthouse. The coast of Cornwall lies on either side of the cottage, which boasts outdoor entertaining spaces, contemporary comfort, light and airy design, the chance to get away from it all with more clean, fresh, revitalising air than you could shake a windsock at.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Exterior of a single-storey Cornish stone barn conversion.
  • Sleeps 5
  • Bedrooms 2

Wheal Hart is a stunning rural cottage offering rural tranquillity and proximity to the gorgeous Cornish coastline. Situated among rolling green hills near St Newlyn East, the barn conversion retains much of its original character and has large gardens ideal for entertaining and enjoying the views.

  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
An L-shaped, single-storey barn conversion overlooks a courtyard and a raised flowerbed.
  • Sleeps 4
  • Bedrooms 2

Overlooking picturesque green pastures, this holiday cottage near Newquay provides well-presented and attractive accommodation for up to four people, with wonderful views of the surrounding countryside.

  • Accessible Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A ground-floor rural barn conversion in Cornwall overlooks a shingle-covered courtyard.
  • Sleeps 3
  • Bedrooms 1

Wheal Rose is a romantic cottage tucked away in the hills near St. Newlyn East in Cornwall. The rural cottage boasts exposed beams and a delightful garden, modern comforts and proximity to the Cornish coast. Relax, connect, unwind and sample the delights of this beautiful county.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Cottages with Car Chargers
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Whitewashed exterior of a Cornish cottage overlooking a courtyard.
  • Sleeps 4
  • Bedrooms 2

Willow Cottage sleeps four and has an open fire and private patio. This beautifully furnished Cornwall holiday cottage is located in the pretty medieval town of Lostwithiel, in the Fowey River Valley, near glorious South Cornwall sandy beaches, Lanhydrock House and Gardens, and the local farmers’ market.

  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A Cornish lighthouse complex with holiday cottages in a clifftop location.
  • Sleeps 6
  • Bedrooms 3

Bishop Rock is a former Cornish lighthouse keeper’s cottage located within the Lizard Lighthouse grounds boasting panoramic ocean views from its clifftop location. The unique much modernized comfortable property near Helston provides direct access to this wonderful stretch of the Cornish coast.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Waterside Cottages
Front exterior of a modern house with stone steps to the 1st floor overlooking a lawn
  • Sleeps 6
  • Bedrooms 3

Wootton Gray enjoys enviable ocean views from many vantage points and sits just moments from the beaches and attractions in West Cornwall. The sophisticated Mousehole holiday home offers light and airy spaces, a furnished lawned garden, contemporary design features and a wood-burning stove.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A wide tree-lined drive leads to a long, Boscastle holiday bungalow.
  • Sleeps 5
  • Bedrooms 3

Anneth Lowen, a remarkable North Cornwall holiday cottage, welcomes couples, families, and friends to experience peaceful coastal holidays in the serene hamlet of Tresparrett near Boscastle. Recently refurbished to exacting standards, this pet-friendly 3-bedroom holiday home for up to five guests provides a comfortable rural retreat within easy reach of fabulous Cornish throughout the year.

Situated within a designated National Landscape, Anneth  Lowen occupies a spacious plot, providing an ideal escape for those seeking peace and privacy. The village, though rural, is just three miles from the stunning Cornish coast, boasting a host of remarkable beaches like Crackington Haven, Trebarwith, Bossinney, Bude, Widemouth Bay, Polzeath, Strangles, and Tregardock.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a large timber lodge with a spacious deck overlooking an equally spacious, secure lawn.
  • Sleeps 10
  • Bedrooms 5

This is a fantastic, recently-built holiday home near Carbis Bay that is detached and has a reverse-level layout. It boasts five bedrooms and has been finished to an exceptional standard, with stylish and spacious accommodation. The property is situated in a slightly elevated location, offering breathtaking views of the sea and coastline from the front. On a clear day, you can see all the way up the coast to Godrevy Lighthouse and even as far as St Agnes Head.

  • Active Holidays
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Eco Cottages
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Independent Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
A large, 3-storey detached house built of stone with a 1st floor clad in slates.
  • Sleeps 8
  • Bedrooms 4

A newly renovated luxury Cornish holiday cottage full of character and charm is set amidst peaceful countryside. A short drive from Padstow, the Camel Trail, and many North Cornwall beaches, Glebe Cottage sleeps 8 in 4 ensuite bedrooms. It has a delightful garden with a private sunny patio and is dog-friendly.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a single-storey cottage surrounded by trees and flowering shrubs.
  • Sleeps 4
  • Bedrooms 2

Mineshop Holiday Cottages are located in the heart of the stunning Mineshop Valley, a short walk through the fields and woodland to the beach at Crackington Haven near Bude in North Cornwall. Set in a secluded and tranquil spot, it's the perfect getaway for families, couples and dog owners.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages

Why Stay in a Holiday Cottage in Cornwall?

  • Cornwall is blessed with some of the most beautiful coastal scenery. It has it all from family friendly sandy beaches, rocky and dramatic coastlines. There are beaches suitable for swimming, kayaking, surfing and paddleboarding or just kick back and relax on golden beaches! Photographers, water-lovers, artists and hikers will be in their element here.
  • Inland, the countryside ranges from steep wooded valleys and deep green lanes to the rugged Bodmin Moor's wide spaces.
  • Quaint fishing villages each with their own charm are worth finding. There are plenty of small villages and towns with eateries serving locally caught fish. Savouring fish and chips is a must! Make sure to find small cafes and bakeries to try locally made pasties and scones.
  • Visitors to Cornwall in search of a holiday cottage are spoiled for choice. Every resort, town and village will have a selection of cottages, barn conversions and seaside apartments in old dockside buildings.
  • Tin and copper mining was prevalent in Cornwall's history making Cornwall's landscape interesting to explore. Discover mine buildings and machinery at Geevor Tin Mine.
  • Cornwall is a hot spot for surfing due to the relentless Atlantic swells. Head to popular spots such as Sennen, Perranporth, Bude or Newquay.

 

Where Can You Explore From Your Holiday Cottage in Cornwall?

  • For history lovers, Cornwall is happily over-endowed with stately homes open to the public. Trerice near Newquay, a fine National Trust-managed Elizabethan Manor, Lanhydrock House near Bodmin, and Mount Edgcumbe (home of the National Camelia Collection) at Torpoint are just three examples of Cornwall's historic houses open to the public.
  • For families there are superb theme parks such as Flambards near Helston, Crealy Adventure Park, and the magnificent Eden Project. built in an old china clay pit near St. Austell.
  • Boscastle, The Witchcraft Museum houses the world's most extensive collection of witch-related artefacts.
  • Hikers, climbers and boulders can head Bodmin Moor.
  • For food lovers, Padstow - made famous by Rick Stein - will have many cafes, bistros and restaurants to keep hungry folk satisfied.
  • Art lovers will appreciate the many galleries and art related workshops on offer in St Ives.
  • The South coast of Cornwall has fishing villages and picturesque spots such as Kynance Cove and St. Michael's Mount.
  • Those who love theatre will enjoy Cornwall's Minack Theatre overlooking the ocean.