Bessie Ellen's Cottage

One-bedroom dog-friendly cottage in central Fowey (pronounced "Foy"), 100 yards from the harbour. Sleeps two. 4.8 out of 5 from 1,417 guests - one of the highest review tallies among Luxury Coastal's Cornwall portfolio. From £355/night.

Inside it is single-level: a double bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen-lounge. WiFi and a washing machine are included. There is no parking at the cottage - Fowey has very limited car access in town, and most guests leave cars at the Caffa Mill car park on the way in. The medieval lanes around the property are steep in places, so the cottage suits mobile guests better than those with limited mobility.

Fowey is a working china clay port - clay ships still load alongside the yachts at the deep-water quay. Daphne du Maurier lived at Menabilly, 3km up the valley above the town; she used it as the model for Manderley in Rebecca (published 1938). The Du Maurier Festival runs each May across the town. Two ferries cross the estuary: the Bodinnick car ferry east, and the Polruan passenger ferry west from the Town Quay.

The Hall Walk is the classic local half-day route: take the Bodinnick ferry over, follow 3 miles around Pont Pill creek, and return from Polruan by the passenger ferry. Readymoney Cove is a 15-minute walk south - small, sheltered, and sandy at low tide, with Saint Catherine's Castle (a Henry VIII coastal fort, free entry) on the headland above it. Restaurants within a few minutes' walk include Sam's on the Beach, Appleton's, and Pinky Murphy's for pasties.

Best for couples, dog owners, walkers, and Du Maurier readers wanting a town-centre base. Less good for families (sleeps two only), guests with limited mobility, or anyone wanting a private garden.