The Mermaid A04

The Mermaid A04 is a 3-bedroom cottage on Par Sands Holiday Park, sleeping 6 with 1 bathroom. The park sits on the south coast between St Austell and Fowey - a practical position with the Eden Project 4 miles inland and Fowey's waterfront around 4 miles east. The property has an enclosed garden and access to the park's swimming pool, which makes it a workable base for a mixed group or a family with young children.

Inside, the cottage sleeps 6 across 3 bedrooms with parking included and Wi-Fi throughout. There's no dishwasher or washing machine, which is worth noting for a week-long stay with 6 people. Dogs are welcome. The Saturday changeover gives the full weekend to travel.

Par is a small town with its own mainline rail station - one of the easier Cornish locations to reach without a car. Carlyon Bay is around 4 miles by road, a long sandy beach with gentle shelving into the water. Readymoney Cove near Fowey is roughly the same distance. Charlestown's Georgian harbour - built in the 1790s for the china clay trade and now used as a film location - is around 5 miles west. The Lost Gardens of Heligan are within easy reach for a day out.

Best for: families or groups of 6 who want pool access and dog-friendly accommodation near the south coast, with good road and rail links for exploring mid-Cornwall. Less good for: those prioritising beach proximity - the nearest sand is a drive away, not walking distance from the park.