Anchor Cottage

A few miles south of Helston on the west coast of Cornwall's Lizard Peninsula, Porthleven has the distinction of being Britain's most southerly port, formerly a hub for the tin ore mined inland, now mainly a fishing harbour and resort. It's a gritty rather than straightforwardly picturesque sort of place, and all the better for it, with a lots of pubs, cafés, indy shops and a walled harbour crammed with fishing boats, and tiers of houses circling above.  It's a terrific place to stay as a family, and couldn't be more Cornish, close to enough to the sea for the waves to wake you – and also an ideal, dog-friendly base for visiting the coast and the Lizard nearby.

One of Porthleven's most typical sea-facing properties, Anchor Cottage sits bang in the middle of town, a simple detached stone cottage that has been beautifully restored and kitted out for the 21st century, while retaining all of its innate charm and character. Comfortably sleeping 6 people in 3 bedrooms, it has a marine flavour throughout, most notably in its downstairs living area, with wooden floors, comfy sofas with warm throws, a rustic granite fireplace with wood-burner and a dinky window seat from which to enjoy the sea views.  There's a Smart TV and telephone, a lobster-crate coffee table and a chunky dining table with space for six. The kitchen is crisp and functional, with an electric cooker and hob, dishwasher, microwave and washing machine, while upstairs three cool, contemporary bedrooms (1 King, 1 Double and 1 Twin) boast comfy beds with high quality linen and feather duvets, and more window seats for sea-and star-gazing. The bathroom, with a spacious walk-in shower and underfloor heating, echoes the rustic yet modern style of the rest of the cottage, and comes with toiletries for guests' use. Outside, in front of the cottage, there is bench seating, a barbecue and a fire pit along with a table and chairs for outside dining, and the courtyard at the rear has space for wetsuits and bikes as well as an outdoor shower.