12 New Street

Three-storey turn-of-the-century cottage in central Padstow, sleeps eight across four bedrooms (2 king + 2 with bunk beds). Off-road parking - genuinely rare in town. Two dogs welcome.

Ground floor: kitchen with glass roof panels over the dining table, lounge with wood-burner-effect electric fire, walk-in shower room. Four bedrooms and a shared bathroom on the first floor. Top-floor second lounge with Smart TV, toy box, DVD library, and dormer windows over the rooftops to the Camel Estuary.

Raised rear patio catches sun most of the day in summer - gas BBQ and seating for eight. Layout suits two families sharing (the bunk-bed rooms keep kids together) better than three couples sharing one bathroom on the first floor.

Padstow's harbour, Rick Stein's restaurants and Paul Ainsworth's Michelin-starred No. 6 are all within a 5-minute walk. The National Lobster Hatchery sits on the harbour. The May Day Obby Oss festival is one of Cornwall's oldest folk traditions - book this property before Christmas if you want the dates.

The Camel Trail starts at the harbour and runs 18 miles along the estuary to Bodmin (bike hire on the trail head). Daymer Bay (2.5km, sheltered estuary beach) is the calmest swim. Trevone Bay (2.8km) has the natural blowhole. Greenaway Beach (3.1km) is quieter at low tide. The Padstow-Rock passenger ferry crosses the estuary from the harbour.

Best for: two families sharing - the bunk-bed rooms suit kids; off-road parking sorts the summer-park headache. Less good for: three couples (one first-floor bathroom for four bedrooms), or anyone with mobility issues (three storeys, internal stairs).