Talland View

Talland View is a first-floor apartment at Belyars Croft, a small residential development on the southern edge of St Ives. Two bedrooms sleep four with 2 bathrooms - a good ratio for a property this size. The balcony is one of the main draws: it faces south across the town, giving light through most of the day. Wi-Fi, parking, dishwasher, and a garden at ground level are all included, along with a washer/dryer. Saturday changeovers.

The position puts three different beaches within a short walk. Porthminster Beach is 400m - a wide, south-facing sand bay that is calmer than the Atlantic-facing beaches and has the Porthminster Beach Cafe at its edge, consistently rated as one of the best beachside restaurants in Cornwall. St Ives Harbour Beach is 600m along the seafront, a tidal beach used mainly by the local fishing fleet. Porthmeor Beach is 900m over the headland, the surf beach facing the open Atlantic.

The old town - the warren of galleries, restaurants, and fishermen's cottages around Fore Street and Bunkers Hill - is a 10-minute walk. Tate St Ives is on the headland. St Ives station, the western end of the Penzance line, is close and gives car-free access to the rest of the county.

Suits couples or small families who want a central St Ives base with allocated parking, which is the main practical difficulty of staying in the town. Less good for those who need a dog-friendly option.