We were recently treated to a weekend away by Classic Cottages. Classic Cottages are a short break site that specialise in luxury cottages, apartments and holiday properties throughout the South and West. Every property listed must meet their exacting standards, and offer customers the ultimate holiday experience - whether that’s picturesque walks, bustling villages or seaside vistas. It’s a pretty big claim, so just how did they measure up?

We find holiday cottages that people fall in love with - it is as simple as that. Every time you walk into one of our holiday homes, whether it is a manor house or waterside apartment, we want you to say ‘Wow’, put your feet up and relax into your holiday Classic Cottages

The Classic Cottage experience

We had our hearts set on Cornwall & were in luck as Classic Cottages had over 500 beautiful cottages to choose from. Browsing and selecting properties was simple with plenty of high res photographs and clearly visible availability and pricing. You can filter by the things that matter; no of people in your party, dates, location, facilities and specific requirements such as whether pets are allowed or access to WiFi. Clicking through to a property, you’ll find a wealth of useful information including notes from the property manager, testimonials and information on nearby points of interest such as pubs, walks, beaches and towns.

After selecting our booking, the communication was swift and payment was simple. As well as email, you’ll receive a physical booking confirmation through the post - perfect for gifting to a loved one. There’s no spam email or faffing about, rather it’s straightforward from start to finish. You’ll even receive 5% off repeat bookings through the site.

You can tell that due care and attention has been put into the cottage descriptions as we quickly discovered that our chosen property lived up the site’s claims, even surpassing our expectations.

Welltown Barn, Warleggan, Cornwall - THE BARN

Wow. What a magical setting, and stunning place. The barn was beautifully presented (I was taking note of bits and pieces to buy when I got home as I fell so hard for the decor). The cottage totally surpassed expectation; it looked even better than the pictures on the website and the setting can only be appreciated in person. The accommodation was warm, cosy, yet spacious with a fully stocked kitchen and all the mod-cons you’d expect at home. From hot tub, to dishwasher, to plenty of white fluffy towels, you felt totally at ease from the second you put down your bags. Honestly didn’t want to leave. Us; Myself & Craig

I cannot speak highly enough of Welltown Barn. We arrived pretty late on the Friday (poor Dexter suffered some terrible travel sickness) yet were still warmly greeted early evening by the owners Stuart and Sharon. They led us to the front door and informed us there were homemade cream teas waiting for us in the kitchen. They weren’t fibbing! This, alongside a batch of freshly laid eggs really set the scene for what was to be a wonderfully relaxing short break full of thoughtful little touches.

The barn was beautiful. Think Laura Ashley simplicity with lots of reclaimed touches. The kitchen was traditional, lots of oak and gingham skirting, yet with all the mod-cons needed for self-catering. I was chuffed to find a SMEG fridge freezer, Belling oven, WiFi, flat screen T.V, microwave, coffee machine and oversized Belfast sink, as well drawers & baskets stuffed full of cleaning supplies, utensils, tea towels and even superfluous things like clingfilm and foil. Having everything we needed for our stay was much appreciated and saved us the 5 minutes journey to the nearest convenience to stock up for our stay.

The barn is spaced out over two floors, cut neatly into the hilly terrain. This meant you can access both floors through outside doors, making it easier for those with slightly impaired mobility (although I’d be reticent to call it disabled-friendly on account of steep access to the first floor). With a shower room, kitchen and lounge on the ground floor, and two roomy bedrooms on the first with a bathroom rammed full of period features. The owner’s have retained many of the barns original low sash windows, and beams making for truly cosy, yet surprisingly spacious accommodation that has you mentally totting up things to buy for your own home.

The beds were extremely comfortable, with no expense spared on luxurious bedding to sink into after a long day exploring Warleggan and the surrounding coast and towns. The children are notoriously hard to settle away from home, but both slept incredibly well at Welltown Barn, even asking to go to bed early with their tablets (I know, shocker). If there’s ever an indication that you’ll get a comfortable night’s stay somewhere, this is it - I really should rent my children out to guest houses to test their rooms.

Outside you were treated to panoramic views of the little seen eastside edge of Bodmin Moor. As well as plenty of seating areas, there’s decking to relax upon, with artfully weathered sun loungers and a chimnea for warming hands of an evening. In your private little country garden is a babbling pond, and a strategically placed hot tub enjoying uninterrupted views down a picturesque valley. This magical setting seems a world away from anyone when in reality just beyond your little gate is a quiet working farm with goats, chickens and horses.

Welltown Barn, Warleggan, Cornwall - THE AREA

The hamlet of Warleggan is twinned with Narnia and it’s easy to see why, with its smattering of homes, pretty St Bartholomew’s church and windy roads lined with woodland. The hamlet has its own spooky history too, and is said to be visited by the ghostly apparition of the churches former Reverend F. W Densham. A man much revered for his eccentricity, Densham arrived to take up incumbency of the church in 1931 and quickly alienated his parishioners with his autocratic preaching style. When the locals boycotted his services he would place cardboard cut outs on the pews on which he wrote the names of past vicars. His death in 1953 was as lonely as his life had been, having fallen down the stairs in the vicarage and lain dead for 2 days. His hand was said to be outstretched as though reaching for a bell rope to summon the assistance of his alienated parishioners.

As quiet and tranquil as Warleggan is, head back to the A30 through Bodmin Moor “proper” and you’re treated to all the colours and beauty of Bodmin Moor with roaming Highland Cows who make no effort to move for your vehicle! Far from being isolated you have Newquay, Padstow, Bodmin and St Neot all within easy reach. The London Inn (at St Neot) offering food, drink and roaring open fire is also a great little destination spot for walkers and cyclists, located around 2 miles from Welltown Barn. More on Warleggan and the surrounding area in a follow-up post.

So, as far as accommodation goes, you’d be hard pressed to find a more magical and picturesque setting, and a more beautiful barn to set up camp in. Ideal for families, and pet-friendly, I’ve already recommended Welltown Barn to plenty of friends looking to explore the area. The children simply did not want to leave, and we’ll be back in the Summer to explore more of what Cornwall has to offer.

If I’ve managed to persuade you to check out Welltown Barn, head on over to Classic Cottages and book yourself a stay, or elsewhere see what other luxury properties Classic Cottages has in Cornwall.

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