5 Admiralty Court

Three-bedroom beachfront apartment on East Looe Beach in Looe, south-east Cornwall, sleeping 6 with direct sand access from the building. The balcony sits directly above the beach, with uninterrupted views east along the bay; the master bedroom and lounge both open onto it.

The layout is unusual - the apartment sits across two floors with around 40 internal stairs to reach the entrance, then the bedrooms are on the lower floor and the living areas above to put the views in the right place. The ground floor inside has two twin bedrooms with sea views and two bathrooms. The first floor is open-plan lounge and kitchen-diner, with a 43-inch Smart TV, a round dining table, and the glass doors out to the balcony. The master double is on this level too, with en-suite WC and its own balcony access.

There is a washing machine. Parking is on-site, which matters in central Looe where the public car parks fill quickly in summer. Dogs are not welcome.

The fish quay is around half a mile west across the bridge. Boats leave the quayside pontoon near the RNLI station for Looe Island, the offshore Cornwall Wildlife Trust reserve where grey seals haul out on the rocks; trips run weather-permitting between Easter and September. Hannafore Beach, on the West Looe side facing Looe Island, is 0.6 miles away over the bridge, and Plaidy Beach - the quieter cove east of town - is 0.7 miles along the coast path.

Best for couples or families wanting balcony-from-bed sea views and step-onto-sand access. Less good for guests with mobility issues (40 internal stairs to entry) or dog owners.