Greystones Studio

Greystones Studio is a one-bedroom cottage in Trebetherick, on Daymer Lane, sleeping two with one bathroom. Daymer Bay Beach is 200 metres away - a sheltered sandy cove popular with paddleboarders and families, and one of the calmer spots on the north Cornish coast with water that stays relatively flat even when Polzeath has surf running.

The cottage is compact but has what a couple needs: open fire in the sitting room, a garden, dishwasher, parking, and WiFi. No washing machine, so pack accordingly for a longer stay. The garden is a quiet spot when the weather holds.

The location sits between Rock and Polzeath. Greenaway Beach is 700 metres to the north, and Polzeath - with its surf school, Co-op, and wider sandy beach - is 1.7km along the coast path. St Enodoc Church, where the poet John Betjeman is buried, is a 10-minute walk through the dunes. The estuary ferry from Rock to Padstow runs in season, putting Rick Stein's restaurants within easy reach.

Best for couples after a quiet beach base with good coast path access and no need for evening entertainment on the doorstep. Less good for groups of three or more, or anyone wanting a washing machine for a week-long stay.