Self-catering can be a bit marmite; many people who love their all-inclusive packages think it sounds just a bit too much like hard work but a self-catering holiday cottage in Cornwall is anything but.
Here are some of the best reasons to go self-catering when you next visit Cornwall or why not consider trying it if this is your very first visit?
- Flexibility – this is one of the biggest attractions of self-catering, come and go when you please, eat when you like, perfect if you have small children or are in a large group as you can set your own agenda. Self-catering perfectly accommodates different plans within the group without the restrictions of hotel schedules and mealtimes. Get up when you want, go to bed when you want
- Space- enjoy all the advantages of a traditionally laid out property so that children can go to bed any time of the day if they need to and if you want to spend time at home watching television when the others are out then you have all those choices. Large properties can accommodate more than one family – Cornwall has some super spacious farmhouses – so you can holiday with other family members or friends and all stay together in the same place. The properties are proportional so if the house sleeps eight then there will be a correspondingly large dining area which can seat eight people and a living area too. If you just like lots of room but are not a big party then why not hire a bigger house than you need and take advantage of some extra living accommodation
- Meals – don’t think you need to slave away in the kitchen, you can eat out at a modest rate if you are clever – a pasty on the beach won’t break the bank – and most cottages have a barbeque to make light work of evening meals after a long day on the beach. For those who really want to take advantage of the lovely local produce and seafood Cornwall has to offer, self-catering cottages come with fully equipped kitchens if you enjoy cooking and want to spend time perfecting your cuisine and self-catering cottages make it easy to manage special dietary requirements for members of your party. There is a usually a welcome hamper to get you started with some tea, coffee and milk, otherwise, place an online shopping order from a local supermarket to coincide with your day of arrival
- Housekeeping – a cleaner once a week with a linen change is all you need think about if you are away for a fortnight
- Privacy – for romantic holidays or families with young children having peace and privacy to organise your day can make life much less stressful. Choose a hidden hideaway in a quiet leafy lane or tucked away behind a pretty fishing harbour. Many Cornish cottages have spacious gardens so you can enjoy sunny evenings with friends and family cooking on the barbeque or eating al fresco
- Peace and quiet – hotel accommodation can be unpredictable and noisy but if you opt for the right Cornish cottage, you can enjoy the sound of silence – no other guests, no traffic noise, no streetlights, just the sound of the sea
- Economy – it can represent really good value for money to share a large property across a group of friends or family members particularly if you are doing your own catering. Source local produce and take it in turns to cook. Treat yourself one evening to a private chef who can come in and prepare a special meal for your party, all the advantages of restaurant cuisine in the comfort and privacy of your own Cornish cottage
- Pets – virtually every Cornish holiday cottage company has a pet filter on their website so you can select from a list of properties designed to cater for pets. Self-catering makes it so much easier for your pets, such as your dog to go on holiday to Cornwall with you
- Babies and infants – Cornish holiday homes are well equipped and your housekeeper can leave high chairs, travel cots and stairgates for families with little people. Self-catering offers the ultimate in flexibility for small children and infants
- Home comforts – take those little bits and pieces that you wouldn’t be without at home although you will find that most Cornish cottages are amazingly well equipped. Driving to Cornwall allows you to pack all those special extras to make your holiday both memorable and comfortable
- Location – some of the best located holiday homes are in areas where there are no hotels, caravan parks or campsites and you simply wouldn’t be able to stay in anything other than a house or cottage
- Variety of accommodation – Cornwall has everything from pretty harbourside fishermen’s’ cottages to uber-chic contemporary apartments, large granite farmhouses and barn conversions plus more unusual properties like converted net lofts, mill houses and chapels
Self-catering in Cornwall is a home from home, with immaculately appointed cottages, houses and apartments, with every convenience right down to the last detail. Self-catering allows you to experience staying in properties which may be very different from your own home – perhaps, a beamed and pretty cottage or a modern apartment, the very opposite to what you are used to. With clever planning on the food front, you can eat well and flexibly at a much lower cost and eat the food that you want rather than pay for an all-inclusive hotel package where you are served food you may not want to eat and in large quantities. All-inclusive packages are priced to reflect all the food and drink and are typically priced higher because of this.
Most people find self-catering much more relaxing than the conveyer belt holiday of apartments and hotels. You are completely free to make the holiday whatever you want it to be and so self-catering can be much more personal and individual than a fully inclusive package holiday. Best of all, there are no airport queues, foreign currency, travel delays and all the hassle associated with travelling abroad – just get in the car and go.
