After a long drive from London, some tiny country lanes and a trip up a very rural potholed farm track, Willow House comes as a surprise – and a very welcome one at that!
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A modern, red bricked mini-mansion, almost invisible until you actually stumble across it, this is one very low-key luxury dwelling, and once on the driveway you feel like it's a secret you have all to yourselves. The kids became sure some mega celebrity must live here, who prefers anonymity – a belief that only become firmer as we stepped inside.
The master suite really is as big as a one-bed flat!
The magnitude of this holiday home really does take your breath away; the large central staircase allowing imposing views from all three floors and giving a sense of space that makes you feel like you’ve just landed in a dream. The whole place has clearly only recently been completed – everything feels brand new and sparkling.
The pale grey carpet that envelopes your feet as you go upstairs is so soft it feels like a cloud. The master suite is, frankly, the size of a one bed apartment – the bedroom has its own dressing area, the sitting room section is the perfect escape if extended family are being noisy, and the bathroom with huge egg-shaped bath and double shower, is big enough to live in.
Many evenings can be spent enjoying BBQs in the garden
Willow House is the perfect escape for a large family or a group of friends. With five bedrooms, two ensuite bathrooms and a family bathroom (plus downstairs loo) the best thing about this home is space. Even with ten of you staying there, you would have plenty of space to feel relaxed.
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The kitchen diner is huge and minimalist with a table for ten, a sofa and TV zone and four seats up at the kitchen bar. It's very well appointed with glasses, plates and cutlery for every occasion. The fridge freezer is a little small for a huge family get together if you want to eat in a lot, so probably wise to do two separate food orders during a week's stay.
There's plenty of room for extended family
The sitting room feels a bit like heaven – even the silken carpet is white – quite how it remains stainless we could not understand, but it quickly became an adult only relaxation zone – bliss! The playroom is a fantastic addition for kids big and small, and the toys mean even the biggest of kids will be entertained (the number of bullets provided for the Nerf guns was a huge hit!).
The sitting room became a peaceful adult zone
It's such a lovely home that you'd be forgiven for wanting to stay put, enjoying long lazy bbqs into the evening, and local walks during the day. We did a lot of that – the kids enjoyed blackberrying in the nearby woods and cooked crumbles for dinner, while the adults picked out our favourite meat and fish to bbq from nearby Mylor Village.
But this part of Cornwall is so stunning that you must make sure you do a bit of sightseeing. Mylor Boat Hire allows the borrowing of kayaks and motor boats, and the exploration of the Fal River really is divine.
Pull up at the Pandora Inn (with seats on the jetty) for a sunset drink or a yummy plate of scampi and chips. And day trips to Helford (via the Helford Passage ferry) and St Mawes, via ferry in Falmouth, were also a lot of fun.
Willow House sleeps 10 and can be rented from £2800 for 7 days via Classic Cottages, but weekend stays are also available. Dates in 2022 are bookable now.