'Have had a great time, fantastic house; loved the decor and the little touches. We have spent most of the week on Crooklets Beach because the house is so well situated'

'Have had a fab holiday! Has been really good and I love the beach! Have walked down many times'

'Lovely house. Very well equipped for children. We all had a fantastic time'

In the know

House style

Town house

Grounds

There’s an enclosed garden at the rear of the house and a small paved garden at the front

Sleeps

2–20

Ideal for

Large family holidays, birthdays, stag and hen parties. Style-conscious surfers will love the location.

Rates

£1,500–£3,000 for two nights; £2,000–£3,500 for three nights; £2,750–£5,000 for one week. (£4,000 for four-night stays during high season).

Minimum hire

Two-night bookings start on Friday. During high season (July, August and holidays) three-night bookings start on Friday. Four-night bookings start on Monday. Weekly bookings are from Saturday to Saturday.

Also

Smoking and pets are not allowed.

Back to top

Interior

Bedrooms 

First floor:

Bedroom 1: This is the smallest bedroom. It’s usually a single room although it can be converted into a double. Bedroom 2: This is a spacious twin room. Bedroom 3: This is the master bedroom with a king-size bed and large bay window overlooking the golf course. There’s access to a small first-floor balcony at the front of the house. The room also has a TV and Sky. Bedroom 4: This front-facing room is smaller than the master bedroom, and has a queen-size bed. Bathroom 2: A bath and separate shower.

Second floor:

Bedroom 5: This room has a twin/queen-size bed and overlooks the rear garden. Bedroom 6: This is a large twin-bed room with TV and Sky. Bedroom 7: Spacious and bright, with large windows overlooking the golf course. This room has a TV. Bedroom 8: A smaller room with twin/queen-size bed and good front-facing views. Bathroom 3: A generously sized bathroom with bath/shower.

Kitchen The large stainless steel and oak kitchen is fully equipped and has a dishwasher, large fridge-freezer, microwave and a Rangemaster Elite with a six-burner hob and double oven. There is a washing machine and tumble dryer in the cellar.

Living room Wide-screen TV with DVD player and full Sky package. In winter, the open fireplace is prepared with a supply of firewood before guests arrive. The bay windows look out over the golf course at the front of the house. There is a WiFi modem, too.

Dining room There's no separate dining room, but the vast dining table next to the stove in the kitchen has a wonderfully relaxed and informal air.

Other There's a small lounge between the living room and the kitchen; it's a quiet room with large red sofas – an ideal place to relax.

Outdoor

Gardens The enclosed garden at the back of the house has garden furniture, a gas barbecue and children’s slides. There is also a small paved garden at the front which has a small children’s sandpit closed off from the road by the front gate.

Parking There is no private parking but there are plenty of spaces along Downs View Road.

Back to top

Planes Newquay airport is 45 minutes away and has regular flights from Gatwick and Stansted (www.newquaycornwallairport.com).

Trains Trains from London Paddington to Exeter St Davids take two hours, then it's a one hour drive to Bude.

Local taxi service Rob’s Travel (seats up to 16 people) +44 (0)7771 824 141. Voddens Taxis +44 (0)1288 354 411. Hookways Jennings Coaches will collect from train stations and airports and can seat up to 49 people (+44 (0)1288 352 359). For car hire, click on our Travel Offers page. Smithcard holders get a 10 per cent discount with Hertz.

Directions by road Take the M5 to Exeter and then the A30, bypassing Okehampton. Follow the signs to Bude along the A3079 and A3072. Once you reach Stratton, follow signs towards Bude town centre. Shortly after, you will pass a Morrison's supermarket on your right. Go down the hill to the mini roundabout and turn right into Bude town centre. Head up Belle Vue Hill, pass Lloyds chemist on your left, and keep to the left when the road forks at the top of the hill. Somerfield supermarket will be on your left as you head down towards Crooklets Beach. Take the first right around the golf course, and turn right again onto Down View Road. Beachmodern No. 28 has a palm tree in the front garden.

Review

Set in a terrace of genteel Victorian villas in Bude on the north coast of Cornwall, Beachmodern No. 28 blends in unassumingly among the family houses and bed and breakfast hotels; yet open the door and you’ll find a revolutionary approach to the Great British seaside holiday. Beachmodern No. 28 takes the style and comforts of a boutique hotel and combines them with traditional delights of coastal walks, ice cream on the beach and picnics on the clifftops. Throw in Bude’s surfer chic scene and some excellent local seafood and you’ll quickly realise those fondly-remembered childhood holidays were never this good.

The house is surprisingly spacious, and the owners Emma and Errol Flanagan have added to the airy feel with cool white interiors that let the light stream in. Stripped wood floors and sleek furnishings give the rooms a minimalist feel, but large comfortable sofas, snug beds and the open fire in the living room give Beachmodern No. 28 an inviting sense of warmth. Each of the eight bedrooms is decorated in a similar style but the ones at the front of the house also get fantastic sunset views over Bude's Links Golf Course. Make sure you snap up the first floor master bedroom with the balcony before someone else does.

If you’re here out of season, the gas wood burner keeps the fully equipped kitchen toasty even in the colder months – particularly welcome after a bracing walk on the beach or a day swimming in the surf. Designed in stainless steel and oak, the kitchen is the heart of Beachmodern No. 28 year-round; you can easily fit 15 people around the dining table, although there is additional space for more if necessary. The Rangemaster Elite cooker is ideal for preparing large family meals as well as for preparing a dinner party for friends, and if the weather’s good there’s also a barbecue in the back garden. It’s often possible to hire the excellent Dan Stockland to cook for you. Dan caters to the stars as well, so if he’s not free you can console yourself that you probably lost out to Elton or Kylie.

The house is very child-friendly; with stair gates, highchairs, children’s cutlery, and enclosed front and back gardens. There’s even a small sandpit at the front of the house although this is only an appetiser for the wonderful beaches in the area. The nearest stretch of sand is Crooklets Beach; a few minutes walk away. In fact, the beautiful coastline is an adventure playground for everyone, which makes Beachmodern No. 28 a very popular choice for a seaside holiday with friends, too.

Bude has a dedicated contingent of surfers – local lunatics who can be found happily messing around among the breakers even in February. The surf scene gives the town a young and lively atmosphere. Beachmodern No. 28 can arrange for you to get tuition from a European champion (of surfing that is, not hypothermia). Don't worry; seeking out monster waves isn’t for everyone, so for something a bit more sedate there are fantastic clifftop walks, horse riding, golf and plenty of peaceful spots for simply lying in the sun. Of course, if you’re in one of the excellent local seafood restaurants later in the evening, it may not be as easy to impress your fellow diners with tales of the ‘totally awesome’ sandcastle you built in the afternoon, but it’s worth a try.

Reviewed by Jim Whyte

Back to top