Flight Time / September 2016

40 / 132

40 SEPTEMBER
Sun, sea, sand and seagulls in St Ives – all within
touching distance with a stay at Cornwall Cottage
Boutique’s picture-perfect Praeds
Cornish charm
HOLIDAY TIME
“If art’s your bag, the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden is just around the
corner, and there are studios dotted around the town to browse…”
CONCIERGE
It had been a number of years since I’d been
to St Ives on holiday; my last visit being with
my family, when we would go every summer
to camp just out of town, visiting for fish and
chips, ice creams and crêpes, or to escape
drizzly summer weather by dipping in and
out of the shops, amusements and cinema. I
was excited to return this year for a friend’s
wedding in nearby St Just, to be reunited with
old friends, and – a luxury my parents never
afforded me – to be staying in a bricks-and-
mortar house rather than a paper-thin tent.
Praeds, just one of the properties on
Cornwall Cottage Boutique’s books, suited
the week-long trip almost perfectly. Situated
in the heart of town, the holiday rental is set
over three and a half floors, offering three
bedrooms (two kings and a twin) plus a snug
with sofa bed to increase the capacity to eight.
On the ground floor, after entering through
the door between two shops, is the freezer, bin
store and laundry room – all very functional
and you’ll largely be passing through here
during your stay. Up the stairs is a fully-fitted
bathroom with bath/shower combo, toilet
and basin, then it’s through a fire door to the
main accommodation. The kitchen/dining room
and lounge are separate rooms, but double
doors allow the spaces to flow through to
each other. The kitchen is well equipped, with
everything you’re likely to need and more,
while the lounge is light and full of seaside
charm, with light sofas, graphic cushions,
wooden floorboards and a smart TV. Double
doors along one side lead through to the snug,
where you can curl up with a book or use
the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360. The top floor
comprises the three bedrooms – with good
storage space for clothes, crisp, white bedding
and local artwork on the walls – and a shower
room with toilet and basin.
The real perk of Praeds is undoubtedly
its location, just a stroll from shops, bars,
restaurants and beaches. The sheltered harbour
and Porthminster beach are closest, but the
surfing beach of Porthmeor is less than 10
minutes away by foot, along with the world-
famous Tate (reopening in March 2017 after
extensive refurbishment).
If art’s your bag, the Barbara Hepworth
Museum and Sculpture Garden is just around
the corner, and there are studios dotted
around the town to browse. If there’s a
downside to a stay at Praeds, it’s the parking.
There’s no private parking space that comes
with the property; instead, purchase a rover
ticket and hunt for a space at one of the long-
stay car parks dotted around town. I found
success for most of my stay at Trenwith Car
Park, about a 10-minute walk from Praeds, but
outside of peak season, I imagine parking is
a much easier feat – and there’s plenty to do
within St Ives to not need your car too often.
Relax – you’re on holiday, after all!
Praeds
Market Place
St Ives
Cornwall
TR26 1RZ
WORDS TIM HEAP