Words by Dan Warden
When on holiday, why settle for anything less than the comfort of home?
Home has many meanings. The first and most obvious is the place we return to day after day, our sanctuary away from the world, away from work and the stresses and strains of everyday life. When it comes to properly getting away, however – to loading up the car and escaping to the coast – there is often an acceptance that your chosen accommodation is merely a base for your explorations. But why should it be? Why shouldn’t your accommodation be a home away from home?
This is an increasingly popular approach to holiday homes, one that’s seeing property owners put as much love into their holiday properties as they do their permanent residence. It’s an approach that the team at Cove Communities’ Gwel an Mor, near Portreath, have taken to heart, designing the lodges on their beautiful Heligan development to provide holiday sanctuaries to owners who want all the comforts of home when they choose to escape to the coast.
“Our luxury lodges are set in a commanding position on the Gwel an Mor resort,” says General Manager, Sacha Cauwels-Wigan, “with stunning coastal and countryside views. The Heligan lodges are situated in a secluded area, adjacent to the main resort, so the setting is peaceful whilst still providing convenience to all of the site’s facilities.”
Accessed via a private entrance, the lodges find themselves surrounded by gorgeous coastal landscaping, with walks to Portreath beach starting right on the doorstep. Tehidy Woods is also within easy reach, as are the heritage trails that meander through Cornish ‘mining country’. The lodges themselves enjoy expansive decking areas to help owners make the most of the rural surrounds, prioritising outdoor living and interior design in equal measure.
It’s no surprise really that only a handful of lodges remain available on the Heligan development. They represent everything that would-be holiday home owners are looking for in today’s market – a coastal escape to share with friends and family, combining all the advantages of owning your own slice of Cornish paradise, with all the benefits of resort-based accommodation. These include fantastic facilities like a bar and restaurant, a spa, indoor swimming pool and family activities, even a golf course. And, because they’re built to exceptional standards, these holiday homes promise to last not just one lifetime, but several, with 999 year leases, the potential for capital appreciation and the ability to purchase with a mortgage.
Of course, some will be keen to know what the potential returns are on a holiday home, and how much they can recoup on their investment. Owners at Gwel an Mor enjoy up to £36,500 a year through Premier Letting (based on the average gross income of owners at Gwel an Mor in 2022, before annual running cost deductions). Income varies depending on the date of purchase, demand and the number of bookings per season, and Cove Communities does not guarantee this number, but it’s an attractive potential for those treating the purchase as an investment. As an owner, you can also save up to 25% on the value of your property by exploring a number of tax benefits that are available to holiday home owners – a number estimated by tax and finance specialists, STax (subject to HMRC). “We help our owners to achieve these savings by putting them in touch with approved tax specialists who can provide expert advice in this area,” says Sacha. “What’s more, buyers have peace of mind that they won’t be affected by second home planning restrictions and premium council tax rates, as a holiday home purchase with Gwel an Mor provides a beautiful second home without reducing the local residential housing stock. Our luxury properties are of net benefit to the local community, attracting tourism income without placing pressure on local services.”
So, onto what makes these houses homes, and it’s clear to see that the Heligan lodges have been designed to afford every comfort to their owners, with award-winning design evident in both the exteriors and the stylish interiors. They are built to meet all the latest building control standards, and are sold with an ICW structural warranty. For those who value sustainability in everything that they do and buy, the Heligan eco-lodges also boast a number of features that lower their environmental impact, including air source heating and excellent insulation throughout. When it comes to comfort, well, what more could you ask for after a day on the sands of Portreath than underfloor heating and a roaring woodburner?
The chefs of the family are well served, too, with appliances such as Neff hide and slide ovens, induction hobs and wine fridges to boot, allowing you to pair the perfect grape with your choice of Cornish produce. And if your idea of bliss is a glass of something chilled as you soak in a bubbly tub, whirlpool baths with plasma screen TVs provide the ultimate in relaxation. Add to this in-built Sonos sound systems, mood lighting and a sunken hot tub on that expansive decking and an impromptu weekend trip to your Heligan lodge quickly becomes an indulgent escape that most can only dream of.
All of these features find themselves beautifully framed by stunning interiors. Sleek, high-gloss kitchens sit behind comfortable living areas. White-washed wood cladding is offset by coastal themed soft furnishings, whilst light natural wood finishes and the occasional accent wall provide calm and interest. An abundance of glazing invites the fabulous views and Cornish sunshine in, and during the warmer season, patio doors slide open and provide a seamless sense of inside-outside living.
Perched on the hillside above Portreath, with Tehidy Woods Country Park and the Clay Trails on its doorstep, Gwel an Mor makes a superb base for north coast explorations. It combines the awe-inspiring north coast with the region’s mining heritage in what can only be described as a microcosm of what makes Cornwall such a popular destination for UK holidays. And if you want to venture further afield, St Ives, Truro, Penzance and Newquay all lie within a 40-minute drive, with countless villages, gardens and hidden coves to explore in between. In short, if we go back to those definitions of ‘home’, Gwel an Mor’s Heligan lodges serve as proof that whether you’re at home or on holiday, there needn’t be any distinction between the comforts of where you hang your hat.