5 Reasons Waterside Cornwall Has The Best Luxury Holiday Cottages in Cornwall

I know my children have strong English roots because they absolutely adore Devon and Cornwall which seems to hold a fond place in the heart of many British people. We’ve had family holidays in the area because it’s always their first choice for where to go in England. We have usually stayed at family-friendly luxury hotels in the area such as Fowey Hall or Saunton Sands Hotel. We were invited this time to stay at Waterside Cornwall, luxury holiday cottages in Cornwall.  We loved that these North Cornwall holiday cottages gave us the privacy of our own little house but also had the amenities of a hotel nearby – making them the perfect choice in our opinion for family holidays in Cornwall.

Waterside Cottages Cornwall

Waterside Cornwall is a set of conveniently located holiday cottages near Bodmin in Cornwall. They have been newly renovated and are set around a clubhouse and a lake.

The Exterior of the Luxury Cottages Cornwall

The Waterside Cottages Cornwall are a series of charming A-frame homes, . My kids thought they looked like tee-pees for glamping not realising that A-Frame homes were popularised in the mid-20th Century in the USA as the architect’s option for vacation homes.

These self catering Cornwall cottages are set with a good amount of space between them. They have outdoor seating in front as well as large sliding doors from the living space so that younger kids can play while you keep an eye on them.

The Interior of the Luxury Cottages Cornwall

Inside the holiday cottages in North Cornwall, the decor is modern and tasteful. We had a two bedroom cottage. Downstairs was the open plan kitchen, dining and living room. The double bedroom with ensuite bathroom was downstairs and the upstairs was the master bedroom, another bathroom and a little sun trap of a terrace.

Although there were only four of us, the cottage can accommodate up to 6 people with the pull out couch. The dining table is also set up for 6 people.

Both bedrooms had a television so we did not have to battle with the children on what to watch. And, as an additional bonus, the television had Netflix so that the kids had a wide choice of programming. We found the WiFi excellent as well.

And, what’s the best thing for family holidays in Cornwall? A Washing Machine! All that outdoor activity means kids get mucky. You don’t actually need to bring that much if you can just wash their clothes out.

Why These Luxury Holiday Cottages in Cornwall?

Here are our 5 main reasons we loved these luxury holiday cottages in Cornwall and why we would recommend them for family holidays in Cornwall.

Cottages in Cornwall With a Hot Tub

Some of the larger Waterside Cornwall homes are great for parties because they are cottages in Cornwall with a hot tub. My kids love a hot tub because it reminds them of thermal pools we have visited. We did not choose any of the Waterside cottages in Cornwall with a hot tub though because we didn’t want to deal with the hassle of supervising them.

Cornwall Cottages With A Pool

Speaking of supervising children in water, many people look for Cornwall cottages with a pool. We loved that Waterside Cornwall had its own pool in the clubhouse which was just a short walk away. The clubhouse pool was warm and safe! It had its own lifeguard so that as an adult you weren’t constantly on edge. Moreover, the lifeguard is always useful for keeping other people’s kids in line!

Since we have a pool at our summer house, we know with children you always need to keep an eye on them when they are playing in the pool. You can’t really zone out yourself if you are keeping an eye on their antics.

You’d think in Cornwall cottages with a pool would be a great idea – but with children we have found that its better in theory than practice! The best of all worlds is to have a pool handy but not right outside in the back yard!

Optional Self Catering Cornwall

Our self catering North Cornwall cottage came with a full kitchen (including a full size refrigerator) which was really handy for snacks and the occasional cuppa.

On the other hand, the clubhouse restaurant was excellent. My husband pronounced his full English breakfast for £5 excellent. We had all three meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner – at some point during our stay at the restaurant. There’s a children’s menu as well.

All our meals were excellent and it was just really nice not to cook when we didn’t feel like it. Yet, we did not have to get in the car to go anywhere to have a nice meal in a restaurant.

If you decided to go full self catering North Cornwall has several big supermarkets nearby thanks to the town of Bodmin being so close to these holiday cottages.

Other Waterside Cornwall Amenities

With these luxury cottages Cornwall has gotten itself a low-key resort complex.  The center at Waterside Cornwall is a hub for the whole complex and has a convivial feeling. You can either walk to the center or park right outside (if you are with people who are mobility impaired).

The lobby is where registration takes place. There’s a seating area where you can hang out as an alternative to your self catering Cornwall cottage. Sometimes with family gatherings, you might need that extra space!

The restaurant and bar is a large area with plenty of seating. The restaurant extends into a conservatory area which is lovely for afternoon tea or having a drink in the sunshine. The conservatory doors open onto outdoor seating with a lakeside view as well as the children’s playground.

The center also provides access to the pool and a well-equipped gym. There are regular fitness classes if you are feeling inspired.

Waterside Cornwall does put on occasional entertainment. For example, my kids chose to join bingo night. They discovered when they went for the kids’ disco that the other children were much younger. At that awkward tween age, my kids also refused to participate in the arts & crafts and egg/spoon races that the staff organised. Upstairs there’s a games room if your older kids want to play pool or table football.

There is a small store onsite as well that sells necessities and souvenirs.

Waterside Cornwall Location

We’ve been to Bodmin before on our North Cornwall holidays. In fact, when my kids heard we were in holiday cottages near Bodmin, they wanted to know if we’d revisit Bodmin Jail. I did take an evening history and paranormal tour at Bodmin Jail but the kids decided to stay at Waterside Cornwall because it was bingo night. Bingo or Ghosts? I didn’t even think that was a choice.

In addition to being close to Bodmin, these holiday cottages in North Cornwall are near to the little village of Lanivet. The Lanivet Inn is a great local pub serving good food and one of the best options for restaurants in the area. The night we went for dinner the locals were fund-raising for a defibrillator for the village – it’s that local.

Nearby Bodmin is the start of the Camel Trail which is an old disused railroad track converted to a cycle route. It goes all the way to Padstow. You can rent bikes at either Bodmin or Wadebridge and head out for some fresh air and easy cycling. We ourselves rode from Wadebridge to Padstow for a leisurely afternoon browsing in Padstow. And, a Cornish Cream Tea of course.

And, of course there is the isolated beauty of Bodmin Moor which is great for long country walks. And, Jamaica Inn – the pub from the famous Daphne Du Maurier book about smugglers in Cornwall. There is a small museum next to the Jamaica Inn on smuggling in Cornwall as well as Du Maurier’s life.

Visiting Waterside Cornwall

If I were to be honest the whole experience reminded me of a small-scale Centerparcs resort (which my kids also love). Why? You can get little cottages near each other for a friends and family vacation, there are plenty of activities for multi-generational fun and a center with restaurant and leisure activities.

Unlike a Centerparcs experience, other than Segway Lakeview you have to find your own activities (not hard to do on family holidays in Cornwall!).  On the other hand, these luxury cottages in North Cornwall are a much better value option. Moreover, the homes are nicer, cleaner and more modern than the average Centerparcs option. And, you get to park your car in front of your little home so its easy to get in and out of the house.

Waterside Cornwall is located at Old Coach Road, Lanivet, Bodmin, Cornwall. You can book these self-catering North Cornwall cottages directly through Waterside Cornwall website.

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