Some houses have love poured into them, others have top-dollar equipment. These have both in spades. On the back of careers in corporate hospitality, Amanda and Peter bought 3 properties around St Mawes and painstakingly restored them into comfy, contemporary holiday homes. They've not stinted on fittings: Hypnos mattresses, Villeroy & Boch bathrooms, huge flatscreens, even a temperature-controlled wine fridge. There's a generosity of space too - most have separate sitting areas for parents and kids, a spare bathroom for post-beach showers, and lovely private gardens for al fresco dining.
Best of all are lofty views over the jade-green waters and bobbing boats of St Mawes. One of south Cornwall's prettiest villages, it's compact enough to walk to 3 beaches, yet big enough for 2 pubs, a lovely deli, some stylish shops and an intriguing 16th-century castle. You can jump on a ferry to Falmouth's entertaining Maritime Museum or the rugged headland of St Anthony, charter a yacht or power boat, or stay in and sample some of Amanda's fantastic concierge services - sublime massages, art lessons, gourmet dinners - at the hands of wonderful locals. And that, above all, is what guarantees that most magical third ingredient: unforgettable memories.
Highs
- Expect the best here: goosedown duvets, drench showers, high tech sound- and ents systems, superb coffee machines
- And for children too: handpicked toys, dressing up boxes, dedicated TV/film rooms, charming babysitters, even a snooker table in one house
- We loved the calm, chic interiors, with cheerful flashes of colour on a pristine white base
- Amanda recommends top chefs, beauticians and watersports: she's road-tested them all and generously books them at cost price
- Ask about special rates for small groups and short breaks out of season
Lows
- The 2-bedroom cottage is more modest, with compact bedrooms and no garden (but this is reflected in the price)
- Drivers take note: the smaller 5-bedroom house is reached by a steep narrow lane, and only has space for 1 car
- As you might expect, they require weekly stays in summer (and at least 3 nights at other times)
Best rooms for families
All houses are extremely family friendly, but the larger 5-bedroom houses have the bonus of wonderful gardens with shrubbery dens, and two family rooms for 4-5 (handy for parents who want to share with their little ones). Cots and high-quality blow-up beds are available in all houses for free.
Parents should know...
The gardens in the larger 5-bedroom house are sloping. The beaches facing the Channel can have a swell, but the waters around St. Mawes are quite sheltered.
Baby & toddler equipment
Baby-sitting
Kids meals
Activities on site
Activities nearby
Location
The houses are in the town of St Mawes on Cornwall's south coast, a short ferry ride across from Falmouth. The 2-bedroom is right in the centre, the smaller 5-bedroom is a few minutes' walk above the centre, the larger 5-bedroom is on the edge of town near the castle.
> Google map of all houses
By Air:
Newquay (47km away) and Exeter (162km away) are the nearest airports. Exeter has better links from other cities within the UK and Europe, but if you're coming from further afield you'll probably arrive at Bristol (260km) or London Heathrow (440km away). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.
From the Airport
We'd recommend driving here. Otherwise, taxis are available from the local airports.
By Car:
St Mawes Hideaways is 2.5 hours south of Bristol and around 4.5 hours from London. The simplest routes from London are M4, then M5 to Exeter or M3 then A303 to Exeter. From Exeter take the A30 across Dartmoor and down to St Mawes. For car hire see our car rental recommendations.
By Train:
The nearest rail station is Falmouth Docks from where you can get a ferry ride across the bay. You can also get a train to St Austell which has regular, direct services from Bristol, Exeter, London Paddington - see Seat 61 for more details.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to the UK and getting around
Airports:
- Newquay 47.0 km NQY
- Exeter 162.0 km EXT
Other:
- Beach 1.0 km
- Shops 1.0 km
- Restaurant 1.0 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 2 independent reviews from i-escape guests
We were three families (6 adults and 5 children) and we spent a wonderful week at Dreamcatchers. The house has fantastic views and is nicely set up (the beds in particular are very comfortable). The booking process was straight-forward, and Amanda was always very responsive to any questions or requests. St Mawes is a lovely town and there is plenty to do. We particularly enjoyed a mackerel fishing trip with James Brown, taking the small ferry to Place for a walk to St Anthony Head, and taking the ferry to Falmouth for the day. Highly recommend.
The 2-bedroom house is a lovely cottage right in the centre of St Mawes. The centrepiece of the house is the view from the living room which is absolutely serene, and makes the house worth every penny. In addition, there are many high end touches which add to the experience of a stay in the house. We were delighted with our stay and highly recommend it to anyone wanting a luxurious, relaxing break from city life!
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape