City folk. We know who we are and what we like. We have a “favourite artisan coffee shop” and  we have a “your favourites” list on our deliveroo app (oh hey Five Guys). We have amazon prime and call über more than we call our parents. It’s convenient, it’s fast paced and everything is at our fingertips.

But, while convenience is king, sometimes we need a break from this convenient life of polluted delivery-culture with background soundtrack of sirens and cars…. (Even me)…

While you might not be ready to don a Barbour and open an organic jam shop just yet, there is something so rejuvenating in getting away for a weekend or a week… In this instance, to The Glasshouse in Cornwall…

Now, I wont lie to you. I had never been to Cornwall before… In my mind, if travelling for 6 hours means I can be on the coast of England or the Coast of Cape Verde… It was a no brainer. What a mistake. Cornwall is STUNNING. Stunning in the way that I started noticing how fresh sea-salty air smelled and how rich local clotted cream was.

I am a big fan of hotels, but more and more, luxury house rentals are being sought out for group bookings and more private vacations.

What made it even nicer for us is that everything we could want or miss from a hotel, was waiting for us on arrival including local clotted cream, home made scones and jam and a bottle of chilled champagne.

In addition, masses of chocolates, shortbread biscuits, teas and artisan breads were all there to add an extra couple of pounds to my departure weight.

In keeping with a hotel, there is a spa facility on site in which you can book massages and treatments. There is a maid service every day to ensure that the place is pristine.

The house is decorated in a beach/wood cabin style. The interiors are in keeping with neutral tones, lots of wood and modern fixtures (stand alone bath, glass panelling and a hot tub) to give you everything you need.

For me, the downside with that was the heat. Given that it is a wooden structure with a lot of glass, it can feel a little like a greenhouse. Should you be happy to sleep with the windows open, then this is ok, but I can imagine in the Summer it being really quite a tough nights sleep.

This is in large part, due to the solid wood Finnish Honka designed cabin, which balances the indoor air humidity to a level between 30 – 50%, so while it’s good for your health and skin, it can get a little warm.

I am a BIG fan of properties that value sustainability and The Glass House was built from pine, sourced from PEFC-certified Finnish forests, and has a 100 % renewable & organic construction material. It is entirely plastic-free and breathes naturally.

Undoubtedly one of the best things about the house is the hot tub. Note to self, hot tubs CAN get too hot. At one point I felt like one of the cast of Dantes Peak.

None the less, if you are there with a group of friends, this was for us; the best part of the day and the perfect way to relax after a day of catching waves (missing waves and getting thrown into the surf)… *would you look at that segway into….

Location:

The Glasshouse by Luxury Lodges is set minutes away (via a very “Blair Witch” walk in the evenings) from Bude Beach. Not to mention the best surfing beach in Cornwall. This is by no means provable as factual and came from my Bude-born surfing instructor (who also failed to tell me I had mascara all over my face for an hour, so take it with caution).

Honestly? I had one of the best days I can remember trying to stay upright on a surfboard for hours with a group of friends (who all fared slightly better). The real beauty of this is? it’s In England!

It really is in the most picturesque setting with rolling fields that dip down to the coast and the high tides that show stretches of sand and rocks. There is also an inland natural pool that is a perfect place to take a dip sans the waves.

However, what really makes this place incredible are the sunsets and low tides, which frankly I didn’t know could be so beautiful in England (I know… guilty) and how perfect it is for a group getaway.

The walk there is even more rural and on the assumption that you are not irrationally terrified of woodland (like I am)… It is beautiful.

The other thing that is worth mentioning is that you will need a friend who is a good cook. Luckily two of mine are exceptional cooks with a penchant for fresh fish but they do not come with the house… But that’s the whole point of a holiday house, right? Getting together with a close group of friends and hunkering down with too much wine, too much food and board games that you all end up cheating at.

This place was PERFECT for a few days of real relaxation and group time without having to share it with other guests.

…Here’s the thing. hotels will always be more convenient but I will remember this trip for a long long time. See you in the surf.

Should you need more visual convincing without all the blurb… check it out here:

The Glasshouse – Luxury Lodges – Poundfield, Stratton, Bude EX23 8SF