The Cube

The Cube is a modern two-bedroom house in Portreath, 800m from the harbour beach. The first floor is one open-plan space - granite and stainless-steel kitchen, lounge, and a wrap-around balcony with sun loungers and a rattan sofa for the long summer evenings the north coast does well. Sleeps 4 across two doubles.

The ground floor takes the practical end of a beach holiday: a games room with full-size pool table for rainy afternoons, a surf shower outside the back door, parking on the cottage, BBQ on the lawn, and an enclosed garden. There are two bathrooms, both shared between the doubles. No dogs are accepted.

Portreath Beach is the closest at 800m: a sandy bay with the 18th-century tin-export harbour wall on its eastern end, lifeguarded in summer, and the village surf school based on the sand. The Beach Bar sits on the slipway. The South West Coast Path runs east 3 miles to Porthtowan and west 5 miles to Godrevy lighthouse, with Hell's Mouth halfway. Tehidy Country Park - 250 acres of woodland and lakes - lies 2 miles inland.

Best for two couples or a family of four who want a beach base with off-street parking, balcony, and somewhere for the kids to bash a pool table when the weather turns. Less good for dog owners or larger groups - the two bedrooms cap it at four.