Porthilly Brook

A five-bedroom house in Rock sleeping 12, with three bathrooms, a wood burner, an open fire, and a games room. The ground floor has a twin bedroom, a bunk room, a wet room with a shower and a cloakroom, with two king-size en-suite bedrooms and a twin upstairs. Two well-behaved pets are welcome, though the garden is not fully enclosed, so supervise them outside. Changeover is Thursday - less common than Saturday, so worth checking availability patterns if you are booking around a specific weekend.

The garden is not fully enclosed, and there is off-road parking for multiple vehicles. Bed linen and towels are not included in the rent. Inside, the games room separates it from standard large-group rentals in this price bracket. Wi-Fi and a dishwasher are included, and the open fire plus wood burner make it viable as an out-of-season booking.

Daymer Bay is 1.4 miles - a sheltered sandy bay on the Camel Estuary, good for families and swimming in calmer conditions than the Atlantic-facing beaches. Polzeath is 2.2 miles and has consistent surf. From Rock village itself, the seasonal water taxi crosses the Camel Estuary to Padstow in around five minutes - a practical route to Rick Stein's restaurants and the town's harbour.

Best for large families or two or three household groups who want a flexible base between surf at Polzeath and the estuary at Rock. Less good for those who need the beach on foot - the nearest beaches require a short drive.