A little piece of Cornish luxury

Fentafriddle’s two luxurious holiday cottages have joined only a handful of properties in Cornwall to be included in the exclusive self-catering accommodation guide ‘Smith & Friends’. The new collection, compiled by the top-end hotel guides Mr & Mrs Smith, features luxury self-catering properties with boutique hotel style.

A panel of independent reviewers evaluate all accommodation featured in their books and website, ensuring only properties with real character and charm - as well as stylish design and quality furnishings - are included.

And reflecting North Cornwall’s increasing appeal to the most discerning clients, owners James and Lucy Scott have installed a helipad for the use of guests staying at the 50 acre property near Trebarwith Strand.

“A Smith & Friends property has to provide that elusive combination of comfort, style and character, and Fentafriddle has all three in spades,” said Rufus Purdy, Editor at Mr & Mrs Smith.

“Owners James and Lucy Scott have turned what was a tumbledown working farm into a collection of impeccably restored upmarket holiday lets that have lost none of their original character. Fentafriddle offers the kind of panoramic views of North Cornwall’s dramatic coastline that jaded urbanites go to sleep dreaming about.”

According to The Observer all of the self-catering properties included on Smith & Friends “come with a guaranteed wow factor”, and this is certainly true of Fentafriddle.

Recently renovated at a cost of £500,000, the two cottages blend country house comfort and spectacular coastal views with modern technology and reclaimed materials. The larger cottage, ‘Fentafriddle’, sleeps eight people, while ‘Little Fentafriddle’ accommodates four.

‘Fentafriddle’ boasts solid oak floors topped with kilims and Persian rugs, heaps of squishy sofas and elegant cushions. The heart of the spectacular “roundhouse” drawing room is the circular wood-burning stove, bathed in light from the French windows which frame the sea views. In the smart kitchen, a Cotswold-stone floor, granite-topped island unit and antique Welsh dresser merge contemporary luxury with period character.

The Scotts are sticklers for detail, so bathrooms have organic soaps and heated towel rails, there’s a wet room downstairs lined with limestone and a gorgeous red roll-top bath in the master bedroom. Guests booking through Smith & Friends will also find a chilled bottle of champagne waiting for them in the fridge, and use of bathrobes.

“Our guests can enjoy total privacy here,” said James Scott. “Fentafriddle Farm is completely ring-fenced by our land, and the cottages each have their own self-contained garden which have been designed so neither of the cottages are overlooked.

“Larger groups have found that booking both Fentafriddle and Little Fentafriddle has been an ideal way for groups of friends to get together without distractions or disturbance, or for extended families to enjoy a holiday together while still preserving a degree of personal space.”

Guests arriving at the property using the new helipad will be treated to a stunning approach. As the cliffs above Trebarwith Strand (just over a mile distant) give way to rolling fields of lush grazing, Fentafriddle’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean is striking.

The house is set in the lee of a hill so the wildest winds go over the top, while still affording spectacular views west over the sea from Padstow in the south to Lundy island in the north. The situation which provides protection from the elements, also affords seclusion from the world outside.

“We’re always looking for way to enhance the experience of staying at Fentafriddle for our guests, and have been asked if it would be possible to land a helicopter at the property,” said James Scott.

“I can’t think of a more exciting way to arrive in Cornwall than a flight along the spectacular cliffs and beaches of the coastline. And as Fentafriddle’s helipad is just a short walk from the cottages, there really couldn’t be a simpler or more relaxing way to begin a holiday.”

And guests looking for great food are also well catered for. The Scotts’ daughter Emily is a chef, and owns The Harbour Restaurant in nearby Port Isaac. Guests staying at Fentafriddle have a daily option on reserved tables at The Harbour Restaurant, where the menu includes freshly-caught fish landed by the village boats.

Weekly rental for ‘Fentafriddle’ ranges from £2,000 to £4,500, with ‘Little Fentafriddle’ costing between £1,500 and £2,500. Availability and bookings can be made directly through the website, at Fentafriddle.com.