Welcome to another in my travel series, helping you find stylish yet practical UK holiday accommodation. Having travelled all over the UK in the last 15 years for fabulous family holidays, I think I’ve developed a knack for hunting out the best looking properties from their listings. It’s been a ‘journey’ fraught with mistakes, but follow some of my tips and you don’t have to make them!
I’ll admit, the cottages I’m selecting now are family friendly, but may not suit all families, particularly if you have very young children. My own girls are 12 and 15 now, so their needs are a little different (generally WiFi and a comfy bed will do it) but the emphasis is on cottage homes with great designs and decor, a good location with all the practicalities thrown in. This week’s featured property is The Old Bakery Flat in St. Ives, Cornwall from St Ives Holidays.
Location:
St Ives is a beautiful location in Cornwall famous for many things, including surfing. I’ve visited several times and loved the atmosphere – it has a laid back charm and is an ideal summer holiday location. The Old Bakery is situated not far from the sea front and ocean in the middle of the town. It’s perfect for those who want to be in the middle of the action, with access to all amenities. Cornwall is a big area though and takes time to get to, so I’d always recommend having a car, and hiring a car is a good idea. Warrington Car Hire at PSD has some good deals.
Accommodation:
Now I appreciate that a flat isn’t for every family but I loved the design, layout and location of this property so much I wanted to share how they can work really well for families with slightly older children. Set out on the first floor and second floors of the building, this is a reverse level property packed full of character and personality. I adore ‘reverse level’ homes – there’s something so quirky and fun about them. Why is it we find it appealing to have our living rooms on the top floor?
The views of course! This property certainly makes the most of the design and allows you to take in the fabulous views. The first set of stairs takes you to the 3 bedrooms – 2 doubles and 1 set of singles – and 3 bathrooms – en-suites from the doubles and a separate family bathroom. Another set of stairs takes you to the top floor open plan living area with spectacular views.
Bedrooms
Firstly let’s take a look at the bedrooms. The two doubles are comfortable and cosy. The bright decor is inviting, whilst the wooden floors and doors give it a rustic, authentic feel. I can imagine staying here and being very comfortable. It’s a clever use of white bedding – it always looks new and fresh which I love in a holiday cottage – plus the older furniture adds character and charm. I love that I’m able to experience different decor styles when I visit holiday cottages. All the bathrooms are kitted out in the same style, and looks modern and fresh – another great feature in a holiday cottage. 
Living Space:
Upstairs on the top floor, we have the wow factor to this property. The open plan living/dining/kitchen area is large, bright and spacious. The huge windows surrounding the room gives you the best access to the wonderful views across St. Ives and beyond. The sitting area with corner sofa and comfy blue chair sits in the glass extension filled with light. It looks modern and contemporary and mixes well with characterful flooring and walls. 
It opens up onto the dining area and kitchen but is zoned cleverly to feel separate and distinct.
Kitchen
The kitchen is modest in size but has every mod con you could need and, with the property being so perfectly located in the town, you’ll be out each evening for dinner anyway. From the images it looks clean and contemporary and well stocked, so I’d be more than happy with this. One of my biggest holiday pleasures is serving up a leisurely breakfast at the dining table and the setup here allows for this with eases. I can imagine the family sitting around, enjoying the views and eating together every morning (when the teens get out of bed of course!) The eclectic, bright and colourful decor, coupled with all the light and views would have me coming back to this property time and time again.
Outdoors
As you can see, one aspect from the living area looks right out to the beach, whilst the other end sees bifold doors opening up to a different view. The hallway from the street entrance mirrors the stylish decor of the property above. 
So, how do you feel about a property like this, located so centrally and with great views? If you’d like to find out more about The Old Bakery, take a look at the St. Ives Holidays website for more information and their full range of holiday cottages.
You can also find more of my UK Cottage Holiday series HERE
And I’d love to hear from anyone else who adores St Ives Cornwall holidays!
Jen x All images courtesy of St. Ives Holidays Collaborative Post
Jen is an interiors writer and blogger and has an insatiable love of home style and decor
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