If you’re looking for a winter break in Cornwall, there are some incredible options available for those able to travel outside of school holidays. There’s also a really great hack for couples and small groups that most people don’t know about.
Since Cornwall’s busiest tourist season is in the summer, there are swathes of holiday homes, hotels and Airbnbs that offer reduced rates during the off-season. What most people don’t consider is booking properties that are larger than their requirements in order to find savings. This time of year can allow you to book an entire house for the price of a hotel room.
Whilst you might cram yourself into a one bed holiday apartment in the Summer months, in the winter, it is possible to find large holiday rentals for the same price or less. In other words, you could hire an entire holiday home for the same price you would pay for a room in the Summer.
Cot Valley Hideaway
Take Cot Valley Hideaway, near St Just, on the wild west coast of Cornwall. The newly refurbished former YHA now offers exclusive use of the entire brand new holiday lodge, no matter the size of your party. So, if book first, you can hire a beautifully finished holiday let that sleeps up to fifteen people, for as little as £225 per night for a couple. You only pay for the number of people in your party – so you’ll have the entire place to yourself to enjoy the breathtaking views.
The former Land’s End youth hostel now houses a lodge with three en-suite family bedrooms, an upstairs kitchen-diner overlooking Cot Valley and a separate snug. You can reserve one, two or all three bedrooms, with the lodge and its living spaces reserved for your party. At full capacity it sleeps up to 15, which gives two or three families room to get together and cook under one roof. If there are just two of you, enter your party size on the booking page to see the price for your dates o an exclusive hire basis.
Where could be better to watch the winter storms roll in with a cup of tea, whilst contemplating that blustery walk along a wild beach. Or just sit and ponder which local pub will have the best open fire.
For adventurous singles, or couples looking for something even cheaper, the booking calendar showed one of its sea-view pods at £70 a night for a couple, or £40 per night for a single person in November. The two camping pods sit in a garden overlooking the South West Coast Path. Each sleeps up to two adults and has pull-out beds for children. There’s a toilet and shower block nearby, plus a shared food preparation area with a fridge and somewhere to wash up. The beach is a five minute walk away, and St Just is around 15 minutes away on foot, so you can head into town for a pub supper or pick up breakfast supplies for the morning. Check prices and availability for your dates.
National Trust Properties
The National Trust is worth a look if you’re comparing off-season cottage stays in Cornwall. Its holiday lets include former fishermen’s cottages and farmhouses, and dogs stay free at its dog-friendly properties. If your dates are flexible, compare the total for a midweek stay with the same number of nights over a weekend.
In Cot Valley itself, The Canyack is a stone miner’s cottage set high on the hillside, with glimpses of the sea through the pines. It sleeps two, welcomes one dog and has a small parlour with a stove for evenings in. The National Trust lists the whole cottage for two nights in November at just under £250 per night (based on available dates at the time of writing). The price for your stay depends on the dates you choose.
The Canyack is oozing with charm and is perfectly placed for a few days exploring the South West Coast path around Cot Valley. For couples who’d like more room to spread out, it’s worth comparing the same dates at Cot Valley Hideaway. Its two-person rate gives you exclusive use of the entire lodge, including the upstairs kitchen-diner and separate snug.
Caravan stays near St Just
For a self-catering caravan break near St Just, Kelynack Holiday Park is a small, family-run site beside a stream in Cot Valley, about a mile from the coast. Its static caravans have their own kitchens and showers, and several come with central heating and double glazing. Selected caravans welcome dogs for an extra charge.
Kelynack advertises low-season caravan hire from just £420 a week and offers short breaks of three nights or more. The park is listed as open year-round, so ask which caravans are available for your dates and what the full stay would cost.
What to do on a winter break near St Just
St Just is the UK’s most Westerly town, and is a surprisingly thriving From St Just you can be at Porth Nanven or Cape Cornwall in about ten minutes. The small beaches, connected by the coast path, are known for their wild and remote beauty. They are an easy outing when there’s only an hour of daylight left. With more time and fair weather, head for Sennen or explore the old mine engine houses at Botallack. After dark, a clear evening is a chance to look for stars in the West Penwith International Dark Sky Park.
St Just hosts some highly rated cafes for breakfast, brunch and lunch, and the town, despite its small size, is home to four pubs – each with their own unique Cornish vibe. There are also art galleries and grocery shops. Check out the Jackson Foundation gallery in a tucked away corner of St Just too.
How to find the best price for your dates
Normally, if you can travel midweek, our advice is to compare a couple of weekday nights with the same length of stay over a weekend. Try January or February dates outside half-term too. Use the same guest numbers each time and compare the total for the stay, especially if you’re weighing up a pod against the lodge or bringing a dog.
Uniquely, Cot Valley Hideaway doesn’t charge more for weekend bookings – the owners striving to provide high-quality but affordable accommodation for individuals, couples, families and groups looking for a base from where to explore the stunning natural surroundings.
