HOTELS & SPAS

Ideal for families who don't want to leave their penchant for luxe behind is Hawke's Point, a collection of 10 apartments overlooking the scenic Carbis Bay in Southwest Cornwall. The owners, Charles and Louise Ziar, came up with the concept of blending boutique-hotel style with the ease of independent living. Offering the comfort of a top-end hotel with the freedom of self catering, each apartment is crammed with top-end designer details: Bose CD players, Wii Sports, Villeroy & Boch crockery and cutlery.

Each home-from-home has been decorated individually — blending French boutique style (think Louis XIV chairs, linens and ornate mirrors) with nautical, Hamptons touches (navy and red marine striped pillows and bed linens). We especially loved the little details that make this work so well — such as the brass telescope to stargaze at night, the welcome pack of cream tea and Cornish sparkling wine, the fluffy bathrobes and the traditional games (on the wild offchance that it might rain!). There's even a concierge service to make the most of the lovely surrounding area — it can organise surfing lessons or hard-to-get tickets for the open air Minack Theatre at Porthcurno. It's also the perfect location, overlooking the wide expanse of Carbis Bay — voted one of the best beaches in the UK. A must is to check out the nearby harbour town of St Ives — either by a scenic train journey or by a cliff path walk — making sure you stop off for refreshments at the cafe on Portminster Beach. Self-catering has never been so stylish.

From £240 for a long weekend, hawkespoint.com