Stylish, contemporary cottage for two close to the sea, beaches and village pub
The Old Ration Shop is a cottage for two. White and bright, stylish and contemporary with Farrow and Ball colours and a good mix of old and modern complemented with original art, plus all the mod cons for a comfortable year round holiday. Views are of the garden, fields and cliffs towards the sea. The South West coastal path is nearby (approximately 7 minutes walk through the village) offering beautiful walks in both directions passing fabulous beaches and overlooking the bluest of seas. The Halzephron Inn, the perfect place to watch the sunset, is a short stroll away with views over Mounts Bay and Fishing Cove.
The Old Ration Shop is arranged over two floors and is attached on one side to the owners cottage. There is a private enclosed Mediterranean style garden. In 2022 we converted the building across the courtyard into a garden studio with cosy seating, a dining area and a wood burning stove.
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Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock
About the area
Helston
Located in Helston, this cottage is in a rural area and by the sea. St. Michael's Mount and Marconi Centre are local landmarks, and travellers looking to shop may want to visit The Old Cider Barn Arts and Crafts Centre and Discovery Quay. Flambards and Bonython Estate Gardens are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with kayaking and scuba diving nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling and hiking.
Is Stylish, contemporary cottage for two close to the sea, beaches and village pub pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Stylish, contemporary cottage for two close to the sea, beaches and village pub?
As of 3 June 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Stylish, contemporary cottage for two close to the sea, beaches and village pub on 1 October 2026 start from NZ$233, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Stylish, contemporary cottage for two close to the sea, beaches and village pub?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Stylish, contemporary cottage for two close to the sea, beaches and village pub?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Stylish, contemporary cottage for two close to the sea, beaches and village pub?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Stylish, contemporary cottage for two close to the sea, beaches and village pub located?
Situated by the sea, this cottage is within 1 mile (2 km) of Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Gunwalloe Beach. Loe Bar Beach and The Loe are also within 2 miles (3 km).
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Another great stay at a fantastic property in an ideal location to explore the Lizard and West Cornwall. We couldn’t ask for more and the cream tea welcome was much appreciated.
Lovely accommodation in a beautiful part of Cornwall. Cottage was just right, clean, comfortable and bright. Really enjoyed the local walks to the beaches, and to Porthleven.
Great little cottage for two. Very comfy and good kitchen making self catering a breeze. Bonus was the seperate space with wood burner and relaxing armchairs.
Perfect place to explore the Cornish coast, superb views and access to the coast path just a few hundred meters away. Fantastic beaches! The cottage, tastefully restored, is a wonderful place for two. Its kind and helpful owners made it a perfect stay.
A lovely little space to use as a base for exploring Cornwall.
After exploring a few of the recommended beaches in the area, the best one was a short walk down the road from the house!
This is a compact, but cosy and beautifully furnished and decorated little cottage.
The fresh cut flowers were a really nice touch, and Amanda and Ian were really nice hosts.
We loved the cottage- especially the little garden and garden room provided!
Everything was fresh and bright and comfortable.
Our host greeted us with scones and clotted cream and jam and it was so nice after our drive.
There was a nice welcome book with lots of info on the area, but we also enjoyed just staying and relaxing and feeling like we had a little coastal cottage of our own!
Wonderful Cottage for a perfect holiday in Cornwall
We really felt at home in this beautiful, cosy, little cottage, which has everything you could wish for. Gunwalloe is a lovely village with a great pub, and the cottage is close to the beach. It is also a perfect base for exploring the Lizard and it is not far to drive to St. Ives, Land’s End, Penzance, and Falmouth. – Thank you Amanda and Ian for a wonderful holiday! We would love to come back and will recommend the Old Ration Shop to our family and friends.
We stayed there for a week and found the accommodation really perfect. What we liked most was that it was so well located. You could reach all the great hiking trails by car. And from the front door you were right by the sea and could go hiking. The accommodation had everything you needed. If it had had a coffee machine it would have been really great, but that's not so bad. Unfortunately, the mattress was too soft for us and we would have liked more comfort. Nevertheless, I can still recommend the accommodation.
The cottage was great. It was like advertised on Vrbo. The Old Station House is a cozy, stylish, comfortable, and welcoming place. Parking is easily accessible. The cottage is very clean with a mix of a modern and farmhouse-style interior design. Everything was working well, and the kitchen was sufficiently equipped to prepare meals. Amanda’s instructions are clear and easy to follow. Because the weather was warm and we toured throughout Cornwall, we only used the sunroom once. We did try out the oven, though, which worked very well. Since the location of the cottage is a bit remote, it is advised to having a car for getting around. Helston is a 10 to 20-minute car ride away depending on traffic. Altogether, we booked for 8 nights, and we loved staying at the Old Station House. We would always come back and highly recommend this special place.
Generally good. We were able to explore most of South Cornwall but had to make sure we were well stocked at the property as no local amenities. There may be a drainage problem as well as there was sometimes a smell in the courtyard which may need to be checked. There is no washing machine either which may be listed though we did not need one. The property itself is well equiped though. It was probably two small for us with no real privacy and quite noisy but we adapted.
Ali Z.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 30 March 2020
Thank you for your review. I’m sorry about drainage smell. We’ve recently had a new drainage system installed and it is in the process of being commissioned. I hope it didn’t ruin your stay. I would question your comment about privacy and noise. It is made very clear from our webpage that we live next door. There is a new high stone wall and garden at the front of the cottage which completely separates the two and a private garden at the rear which is overlooked by a shed (not in use) and a bathroom window on the first floor. We (3 of us mostly out during the day) are not a noisy family and the lane which goes down to the beach at Church and Dollar Coves does get quite busy but usually only during the holidays. It’s very quiet at night. We don’t have a Shop, again this is made clear on our description, but we do have a great pub a few minutes walk away and Helston with 2 big supermarkets 10 minutes drive away.
The Old Ration Shop is a lovely quirky little upside down cottage provided with everything we needed for a comfortable stay. It is quiet and private, and even though Amanda lives next door we didn’t see her until our last day. It is worth mentioning that there is no dishwasher (which was fine with us, as we mostly ate out, and only cooked a couple of times) and no room for a washing machine, but who wants to do lots of washing on holiday anyway! Any issues were dealt with either before we arrived, or during our stay. The cream tea Amanda provided on our arrival was a nice surprise and very welcome after our long journey.
Gunwalloe itself is a great base for walking and exploring the south west coast of Cornwall. It has a wonderful busy pub serving good food, and beaches also within walking distance.
I have no hesitation in recommending The Old Ration Shop to any couple who like us, just wanted to walk the coastal paths as much as possible, see the quaint little fishing ports, eat the best seafood, and visit the busier places such as St Ives etc for the day, then return to a quiet little hideaway.
Über die verschiedenen Aspekte der Unterkunft ist bereits wiederholt ausführlich geschrieben worden, daher möchten wir vor allem die herausragende Gastfreundlichkeit von Amanda und ihrer Familie hervorheben und uns dafür nochmal herzlich bedanken!
Liebevoll eingerichtetes Ferienhaus für zwei Personen
Das hübsche Ferienhäuschen hat unsere Erwartungen übertroffen. Es ist ideal für Pärchen und die ideale Unterkunft, wenn man Ruhe sucht, das Meer liebt und gerne wandert. Die Vermieter tun alles dafür, dass man sich dort wohlfühlt. Leider haben wir sie nicht persönlich kennengelernt. Das Meer ist zu Fuß etwa 10 Minuten entfernt, ebenso die Küstenwanderwege. In dem nahen Gasthaus "The Hazlephrom Inn" kann man sehr gut essen oder einfach nur auf ein Pint hingehen. Eden Project, St. Ives oder Falmouth sind mit dem Auto schnell zu erreichen. Sehenswert ist der "Point Lizard", der südlichste Punkt Englands, dieser ist nur ca 15 Minuten mit dem Auto entfernt. Im nahen Helston gibt es alle Einkaufsmöglichkeiten, empfehlenswert ist dort ein English Breakfast in "The Coinage Hall". Sehenswert ist dort auch das "Museum of Cornish Life". Wir würden jederzeit wiederkommen.
Wir hatten wunderschöne Tage in der Unterkunft, die eine super Base für Ausflüge in die Umgebung war. Das Meer und das Pub sind Fußläufig erreichbar. Die Unterkunft war super: unten ein tolles Bad und gemütliches Bett, oben ein netter wohnbereich mit gut eingerichteter Küche. Ein Highlight war das Gartenhaus mit Kamin für kuschelige Abende und der Hof für sonnige Frühstücke, so das bei jedem Wetter eine wunderschöne Zeit möglich war.
14 Tage in einem traumhaften Häusschen mit extra Gartenhaus in einer wunderschönen Landschaft verbringen zu dürfen, ist einfach nur Glück. Wir haben die Zeit sehr genossen und möchten uns nochmals bei Amanda und ihrem Mann dafür bedanken.