I’ll never forget the drive down to Cornwall – we’d packed the car to the brim with wellies, board games, and enough snacks to feed a small army, only for the sat-nav to chuck us into a cheeky detour through some narrow lanes that felt more like tractor tracks. Just as we were starting to bicker over whose idea it was to leave London at rush hour, we spotted the first glimpse of the coast near St Austell, and all was forgiven. Pentewan Sands twinkled in the distance, and my heart did that little flip of holiday anticipation – you know, the one where you imagine lazy days ahead without a care.

Pulling up to this splendid Grade II listed Georgian cottage, we were gobsmacked. Moments from the beach, it oozed indulgence and style, like it had been plucked from a posh magazine. The terraced gardens rolled down invitingly, perfect for sunset dinners or bubbling away in the eco hot tub with a GandT in hand. First impressions? Spot on. We dumped the bags and cracked open a bottle of fizz in the spacious dining room next to the smart kitchen – everything so effortlessly laid out, it made us feel like proper grown-ups for once.

Us being us – a chilled-out couple in our mid-40s with two teenage lads in tow – the first evening descended into cottage life chaos in the best way. The sitting room’s uber-stylish velvet sofas swallowed us whole as we lounged about, and before long, we’d migrated to the cosy movie room. Netflix on, PlayStation controllers flying, and a bowl of popcorn that somehow ended up mostly on the floor. Hilarious watching my husband try (and fail) to beat the kids at FIFA while I snuck extra handfuls – simple pleasures like that make you forget the world outside.

Next morning, we wandered down to Pentewan Sands, just a hop away. The beach was glorious – soft sand, gentle waves, and barely a soul about. We hired a couple of bodyboards and spent hours messing around in the sea, emerging sandy and shivering for pasties from the beach café. Back at the cottage, lunch was a faff of chopping local veg in the kitchen, but it tasted like heaven with the wood-burning stove crackling away. Afternoons blurred into hot tub soaks, reading dog-eared paperbacks on the loungers, or firing up the BBQ in the gardens as the sun dipped low over the bay. One evening, we even spotted seals bobbing about offshore – magic.

There was this gentle moment of self-reflection on our last night, sprawled in those velvet sofas with the stove glowing. Amid the lads’ laughter and the faint crash of waves, I realised how these unhurried days recharge us. No schedules, just us pottering about, rediscovering that easy family rhythm we’d lost in the daily grind. The two luxurious bedrooms with their dedicated bathrooms meant everyone had space to breathe, too – no early-morning queues!

Cornwall does that to you – strips life back to the joys of sandcastles, sunset gins, and a bit of healthy chaos. If you’re after a relaxed couple’s break with the family in tow, this spot near Pentewan is pure bliss. We’re already plotting our return.