Brook Cottage

St Ives, Cornwall

From £175/night

Overview Location Details FAQs

A hilltop cottage above Carbis Bay, with the moor at its back and the beach & St Ives a walk away (sleeps 5)

Child friendly

Close to a beach

Parking

Private garden

Walk to a pub

Walk to a shop

WiFi

From the balcony of this cottage, you’d never guess that Carbis Bay beach and the galleries of St Ives are both within walking distance. It sits at the top of a hill, with moorland behind it, looking out over the owners’ rambling, mature garden. Throw open the doors and the soundtrack is a stream rushing through giant-leaved plants; perhaps an occasional horse clopping past. But it’s only 15 minutes down to the golden sand of Carbis Bay for a swim, or a short hop to Porthmeor and Gwithian when the surf’s up.

Suzy studied fashion before turning her eye to interiors, and she stripped this place back to the walls before starting again. Downstairs it’s all white tongue-and-groove and painted beams, with café curtains and a sage-green staircase. A long scrubbed-pine table (passed down from her grandmother), lined with sheepskin-covered benches, leads to a pergola strung with festoon lights. Upstairs, each bedroom has its own mood. The main bedroom is soft and sunlit, with sheer curtains that lift in the breeze at the balcony doors. The second bedroom is moodier: green-grey walls, a block-printed headboard and a small print of mimosa. Back downstairs, the little single room has an iron bedstead, a mustard throw and a green school locker. Expect a dispute over which child gets it, best settled in the black-shed games room: table football first, then ping pong and darts for the rematch.

Getting here: drive, or train to Carbis Bay then walk (15 mins)

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““I grew up in Cornwall, spending most of my time sailing or in a muddy field, a long way from the fashion degree I went on to do at Kingston. I met Ollie at art college and we spent our twenties in east London, which was great fun. But once our 3 children came along, we knew we wanted them to grow up by the sea, as I had. St Ives won us over with its creative spirit and thriving community, so we bought our home here, with 2 holiday cottages in tow, ready to make them a whole new adventure for our family.” Owners, Suzy & Ollie

She loves
“Morning coffee looking out over the peaceful garden, before heading down to the beach.”

We love
The pressed flowers framed above the beds.

You may not love
The owners live next door, though you have your own private space. The track in is a bit bumpy, and the walk back up from Carbis Bay is steep in places. Sorry, no pets.

"Thank you so much for welcoming us to your lovely home! The place was perfect with so many lovely little touches. I feel inspired to re-decorate when i get home! The games room was a huge hit with the kids and we will all miss the table football. Our first visit to Cornwall as a family has been one to remember!"
Alastair, Emma, Erin and Elkie, July
"Wow! What a special and magical place - we feel very lucky to have stayed here for our honeymoon. The property is beyond stunning (suzy - you are amazing!) and felt like an Oasis. We loved Carbis beach and walking in to St Ives. We wish we could stay forever!!! What you have here is so special and we have loved experiencing it! Thank you for everything, we’ll be back!"
Celia & James, August
"Dear Suzy and Ollie, We have had a wonderful time at Brook Cottage. So peaceful and relaxing. You have a beautiful spot here. The walk up to the Monument is lovely right from the front door. We have hardly used our car as there is so much walking to do in each direction straight from the cottage. Thank you for a lovely stay.”
Caren, Andrew and Imogen, December

Surrounds.

Carbis Bay
St Ives
Gwithian
Gwithian

Head straight out of the front door and up to Knill’s Monument, the granite steeple on the hill above Carbis Bay, for views across the whole of St Ives Bay.
Wander down through woodland to Carbis Bay beach, hire a paddleboard and go out at dusk, when the bay is at its stillest. NB, it’s a steep walk in places.
Head to The Cornish Arms for a pint, or save yourself for The Sloop, St Ives’ oldest pub – a 40-minute walk but worth every step.
Walk over the cliffs to St Ives, or hop on the little branch line from Carbis Bay station. It runs high above the beaches, and the ride is over in minutes.
Learn to surf at Porthmeor with St Ives Surf School, then thaw out in the Kiln, a wood-fired sauna right on the sand.
Spend a morning at Tate St Ives, then cross town to Barbara Hepworth’s sculpture garden, where her bronzes stand among palm trees. For lunch, find St Eia, a small wine bar in the back streets. Or try Little Palais, a neighbourhood bar and bottle shop known for natural wine, unusual cocktails and brown-bread ice cream!
Don’t miss the Leach Pottery, where Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada fired their first kiln in 1920. It’s still a working pottery… and the shop is hard to leave empty-handed.
Walk along 3 miles of sand from Gwithian to Godrevy lighthouse, keeping an eye out for seals. Then drive back to Gwithian for lunch at Lula, a Cornish crab shack serving seafood and Southern-style cocktails.
Back in Carbis Bay, buy supplies at Trevaskis Farm to cook dinner using all those wonderful copper and enamel pans. Or eat out: Romano’s is a proper Italian within walking distance, meaning nobody has to drive home.
Day-trip west to Penzance, Newlyn, Mousehole and Sennen, and ask Suzy for her favourite small, unmarked coves.

Details.

Detached 3-bedroom cottage
Upstairs: double bedroom with balcony, and king / twin bedroom (zip and link beds). Bathroom with shower over the tub
Downstairs, single bedroom with its own loo, plus the living areas
Kitchen with electric oven, fridge/freezer, microwave, toaster and Nespresso
Basic supplies
Lounge with Smart TV (Netflix), books, board games, and kids’ toys/books
Games shed with table tennis, table football & darts
Washing machine and separate tumble dryer
Small private garden with dining table and gas BBQ
Sorry, no pets
Electric heaters throughout
Beach bag with towels, beach games, buckets & spades, beach mats and body boards
Baby paddling pool
Baby cot and highchair to borrow
Homemade blackout blinds for each room
Parking for 2 cars
The owners live next door
Walk to a pub and Tesco (10 mins), plus Carbis Bay beach (15 mins)
Booking conditions: a 3-night minimum stay, rising to 7 nights in school holidays, with flexible check-in days. Occasional 2-night weekends in low season
Remember to pack: wellies and a rucksack for walking

Booking & cancellation policy

Sliding

30% deposit, with the balance due 8 weeks prior to stay.

Cancellations
8+ weeks prior to stay: deposit refunded, minus a £40 processing fee.
6-8 weeks prior to stay: deposit retained, 70% balance refunded, minus a £40 processing fee.
4-6 weeks prior to stay: 50% of the total booking fee retained, 50% refunded, minus a £40 processing fee.

No refunds if booking cancelled within 4 weeks of stay. These terms also apply to any booking amendments or date changes.
See our full booking Ts & Cs

FAQs.

What time is check in/out?

In 4pm / out 10am

How much is the cleaning fee?

£85/stay, added to all bookings.

Can I stay a single night?

Unfortunately not. It’s a 3-night minimum, or 7 nights in high season, with check-in on any day. In low season there are occasionally 2-night weekend stays.

Can I bring a dog?

Sorry, no, it’s strictly no pets.

Can I walk to the beach?

Yes. It’s a 15-minute walk down to Carbis Bay (steep in places) and more like 20–25 minutes back up.

Is there a supermarket nearby?

Yes, Tesco is a 4-minute drive (or a 10-min walk).

Is the stream fenced off?

It’s separated from the garden by a low stone wall rather than a fence. It isn’t somewhere for paddling or play though, so parents will need to keep an eye on little ones.

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