Escape to the Suffolk coast in a stylish holiday cottage

Suffolk isn’t somewhere you’d expect to find a revolution, but there is a quiet one taking place in some of the holiday cottages along this county’s pretty coast.

At the forefront of this revolution are Alex and Naomi Tarry who live near Framlingham. They think that self-catering in the UK has built up a bit of a bad reputation, conjuring up images of chintzy rooms and faded décor - they’re here to change that, putting the chic back into holidaying in the UK with their upmarket holiday cottage agency Best of Suffolk.

The couple have just renovated a stylish new cottage on the Suffolk coast in the idyllic seaside resort of Thorpeness, near Aldeburgh - 1 South Cottages -www.bestofsuffolk.co.uk/south.asp. With its beautiful interiors and stunning setting - just 100 yards from the beach and with wide-ranging views over The Meare – it looks set to be a popular destination in 2008.

This is the fourth holiday cottage that the couple have renovated up to ‘boutique hotel’ standards and it really is quite special – there are hand made kitchens and designer bathrooms, big fluffy towels and crisp white cotton sheets rather than the dreaded and all to familiar chintz and outdated furnishings.

Attention to detail is visible everywhere - the couple have lime-washed many of the interior and exterior walls and removed modern windows and replaced them with beautiful sash windows, identical to the windows found in an old photograph of the cottage from the 19th century. In fact the couple have done everything they can think of to create a perfect spot for getting away from it all.

Naomi says: “We have stayed in a lot of holiday cottages around the UK and have always come away thinking that this could be done better. I think the expectations of guests are so much higher now than they were a few years ago and we felt it was time that the holiday cottage market reflected this.”

1 South Cottages in Thorpeness is ideal for couples and has two double bedrooms, each with it’s own bathroom. The bedroom in the main cottage has a king size hand-made oak bed and stunning views of The Meare (the boating lake) plus a glimpse of the sea. Tucked away behind the cottage is a contemporary annex with a gorgeous bedroom and a wet-room complete with Philippe Starck bathroom fittings.

The cottage has everything you need for a fun packed week away or a weekend spent relaxing by the sea. The living room has a flat-screen TV, Sky TV and Ipod player and in the kitchen you’ll find a Smeg duel-fuel range and handmade kitchen units made by local craftsmen. Outside guests can enjoy a pre-dinner drink on one of the two patios and enjoy those views across the boating lake.

The cottage is ideally located between the beach and The Meare and if you don’t fancy cooking, the new Thorpeness Brasserie has opened just across the road, serving excellent breakfasts, lunches and dinner in a modern setting.

Thorpeness is a mile and a half along the beach from Aldeburgh and is a charming holiday destination - largely designed as a fantasy village by the Scottish playwright and barrister Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie at the beginning of the 20th century. It has changed little since that time and is popular with families and couples alike. Ogilvie was a close friend of Peter Pan author J M Barrie and many of the islands and landings around Thorpeness boating Meare are inspired by characters in the book, with intriguing names like Wendy’s House and Otter Isle. For grown-ups there is a renowned golf course within walking distance located in tranquil heathland.

Alex and Naomi own and manage the ‘Best of Suffolk’ holiday cottage letting agency and in just a year the business has grown from six to 20 properties, many of which are owned by other discerning cottage owners - and the company has a loyal following of guests who enthusiastically recommend them to friends and family.

Naomi adds: “We have a lot of word of mouth recommendations and that’s really rewarding. We really enjoy running Best of Suffolk – making people’s holiday dreams become a reality is incredibly satisfying!”

Alex and Naomi have previously renovated a barn in the Suffolk countryside: Bestofsuffolk.co.uk/limetree.asp and two fisherman’s cottages in Aldeburgh: Bestofsuffolk.co.uk/townsteps.asp and Bestofsuffolk.co.uk/aldeburghcott.asp.

Hot on the heels of finishing 1 South Cottages, the couple have their eyes set on the pretty village of Orford further down the Suffolk Coast. Renovation of a 2 bedroom Victorian cottage in the heart of the village is due to start soon and it will be ready for it’s first guests in summer 2008.

For more details visit Bestofsuffolk.co.uk.