coast TRAVEL
ANDY COOPER enjoys a Cornish mini staycation in two different locations
There is a quote, appropriately enough, in E.M. Forster’s seminal novel A Room With a View, which states “There is only one perfect view — the view of the sky straight over our heads, and that all these views on earth are but bungled copies of it.” I am inclined to agree: if I am not craning my neck skywards on my travels, then something is going horribly wrong
So everything was perfect on my recent mini break to Cornwall – big skies followed us everywhere and, what’s more, the ability to marvel at them didn’t stop when we moved inside.
That much became apparent when we arrived at our first stop: the utterly charming Balcony Studio in St Ives (thebalconystudio.co.uk). This amazing conversion of an historic waterfront cottage at the heart of the town puts the views at the forefront of its thinking. The bedroom is the living, beating heart of the place, with an amazing picture window across the width of the room offering the most fantastic perspective on St Ives harbour and the beach.
We could have sat in the armchairs in the window watching the world go by for the entire two days we spent there. As the world comes and goes, and the tide ebbs and flows against the harbour wall immediately below the balcony, it is like having one’s own widescreen TV view of the world.
The furniture and thoughtful interior design wonderfully complement the surroundings and if you are planning to leave ‘that’ view then descending into the basement spa bathroom doesn’t disappoint. It’s not often a bathroom takes the breath away, but the magnificent William Holland Alvius Spa bathtub - large enough for four and made from tin to reflect Cornwall’s rich heritage – does just that. It’s a very special place to relax as the spa jets do their
