Abelia

Abelia is a four-bedroom cottage in Lelant, a village on the southern shore of the Hayle Estuary, sleeping eight across two bathrooms. From £940 per week, it sits at the quieter end of the St Ives Bay area, within reach of the coast without being inside St Ives itself.

The cottage has a garden and off-road parking, with WiFi and a dishwasher included. Four bedrooms across two floors works well for larger families or two couples sharing costs, though no washing machine means longer stays may require a launderette run in Hayle or St Ives.

Lelant Saltings station is the practical draw for this location: the St Ives Bay branch line takes 8 minutes to reach St Ives, and the station doubles as a park-and-ride in summer when St Ives parking fills early. Carbis Bay beach is about a mile on foot to the west. The Hayle Estuary RSPB reserve surrounds the village - a reliable spot for curlew, greenshank, and little egret. The West Cornwall Golf Club, founded in 1889, occupies the links land beside the estuary.

Best for families or groups wanting a St Ives base without paying St Ives prices, especially useful in July and August when town-centre parking is unreliable. Less good for couples who don't need four bedrooms or guests expecting a sea view.