I visited Newquay once when I was in my teens, but the visit was brief and though I remember the sandy beaches and beautiful homes,  I didn’t really appreciate how gorgeous it is – stunning views, rolling coastal lines et al – until a recent visit. Situated on the north coast of Cornwall, in southwest England, the town is best known for Watergate Bay beaches and a surfing community who enjoy the strong waves which come in from the Atlantic Ocean. This time, I stayed at a gorgeous modern cottage provided by Cornish Horizons, a family-run company (going strong since the early nineties) whose team know the land inside out and overflow with friendly welcome and a genuine passion for Cornwall. They have a portfolio over nearly 500 holiday cottages, all situated in glorious Cornish rural and coastal locations including Padstow, St Ives and Fowey.

Ocean Blue, the self-catering spot with a cracking Atlantic Ocean facing view of the local golf course and Fistral beach, that I stayed in is easily found in one of Newquay’s most sought after locations and offers a perfect place to soak up the region’s magical atmosphere. The second floor apartment was kitted out for everything our group needed, and within 10 mins of the beach where we watched waves break in a place known as a surfers paradise. Sunset and sunrise from the second floor apartment is purely picturesque, the ideal spot to relax and enjoy the impressive coastal retreat.

Complete with with a delightful private balconies ( ideal for enjoying an al fresco meal or watching the waves from the comfort of the welcoming deck chairs), an open, contemporary living area and three bedrooms. As a guest at Ocean Blue, I enjoyed a location which provided swift access to Newquay’s town but also the ultimate crash-pad. As a base, the cottage provided a sociable outdoor relaxing area – a notably modern, well equipped kitchen – and welcome respite for whatever you have in mind. If you’re feeling energetic and want to explore, I strongly suggest the short walk to Fistral beach, the undisputed home of British surfing. It was extremely hard to check out after my two days break, truly, living in London you can easily forget what total peace feels like, or how uninterrupted skylines look.

Self-catering allowed total freedom and the kitchen came dressed with a few local produce including jam, cornish butter and cream and other welcome comforts after a long drive from London. Electricity and gas included in rent; bed linen and towels are provided and other equipment, like baby equipment, can be hired. In this particular cottage, there is a strict no pets and no smoking policy. For me, a particularly endeavour of Cornish Horizons is their commitment to social responsibility work, specifically supporting the heroic Cornwall Air Ambulance, whose efforts save hundreds of lives each year. Guests are asked to add a small donation of £2 to the holiday cost which is then passed on to the charity in its entirety whose work since 1987 has involved over 26,00 rescue missions since 1987.

Find out more about Cornish Horizons or Ocean Blue here.