Last weekend we escaped to the beautiful BellPit House in St Mabyn, Cornwall, for a Christmas get together with friends.
I think going away to a self catered place like this with a group of friends on the lead up to Christmas might need to become a yearly thing, because we had SO much fun! It really felt like our own version of Christmas day, with festive tunes, Christmas movies, presents, and – of course – plenty of food.
BellPit House was the most incredible space for this as well, as the property boasts 4 double bedrooms (the 4th is located in the ‘Gate House’ annexe above the driveway) and a large open plan kitchen, dining and living area upstairs which is perfect for entertaining.
The Location: St Mabyn, North Cornwall (nr. Wadebridge/Bodmin/Port Isaac)
BellPit House is located in the middle of the little village of St Mabyn, right next to the village shop and within a 2 minute walk to St Mabyn Inn (a great spot for lunch as I mention later on!), while the village itself is just outside of Wadebridge, between Bodmin and Port Isaac. This places it within an easy 30 minutes of plenty of stunning Cornish beaches, coast walks, and popular attractions, while still being tucked away and peaceful, with beautiful views of the countryside.
In terms of getting to the coast (let’s face it, this is the real reason people love to visit Cornwall!), it’s just an 18 minutes drive to the quintessentially Cornish village of Port Isaac, which is famous for being the home of band, Fisherman’s Friends, and the popular TV show, Doc Martin
Of course the coast path walks around here are absolutely stunning, but if you’re more interesting in getting IN the water, Polzeath is a 20 minute drive away, and has plenty of opportunity for swimming, bodyboarding or surfing.
I’ve detailed more ideas for things to do and places to go during your stay at the end of this post!
The House: Luxury 4 Bedroom Holiday Property in Cornwall
When Alex and I arrived on Friday evening, we immediately loved the layout and how quirky the entryway to property is. The Gate House annexe is directly above the gates in a 150 year old building, so you literally drive underneath it into the driveway as the gates open.
The house itself feels pretty new, and the whole property (Gate House included) has been recently refurbished to a very high standard. Walking in, I fell in love with the decor – with the cool, rich blues and natural wood tones, it all feels modern and luxurious, with a hint of coastal chic and a simple Scandi style.
The layout of the house is ‘topsy-turvy’, so the bedrooms are on the ground floor (along with a spacious utility room and family bathroom), with the main living space upstairs. There are 3 double bedrooms (with 1 being a master ensuite) in the house, and a 4th in the annexe, with the open plan kitchen / living / diner upstairs with a further small toilet too.
After swooning over the bedrooms, Alex and I brought our things inside and ventured upstairs to view the living area, and were instantly blown away by the space! The pitched roof makes the room feel huge, while the modern kitchen and dining space felt so warm and inviting. As we were visiting at Christmas time, they had decorated the house too, with a massive tree and plenty of twinkling lights and accessories around the house.
Making ourselves at home in the kitchen, it quickly became clear just how well equipped this house is. The kitchen had literally every utensil or piece of equipment you could ever need for cooking or baking (probably better equipped than most peoples’ homes!), and no expense has been spared on the quality of the beautiful crockery, and appliances throughout. It was certainly more than what we needed for our Christmas party food meal we put together on the Saturday evening!
You can definitely see the attention to detail everywhere you look – from an aesthetic white fire extinguisher, to a basket full of blankets to keep warm, and a fancy sound system too. I’m not lying when I say I wanted to move in…
And I haven’t even mentioned the outside space! Obviously visiting in winter, we didn’t spend a whole lot of time out here, but I think it would be an amazing place in summer. Upstairs, there’s a large balcony with BBQ looking over the garden and surrounding countryside, while the garden itself downstairs features a grass area, decking, outdoor dining furniture, lounge bed, AND a huge 6 person hot tub with sound system too! A definite must on summer AND winter evenings.
We also loved the perfectly curated and generous ‘arrival pack’, which included bread, butter, local cider (literally from a Cider farm 2 minutes up the road!), prosecco, scones, bacon, and a tonne of eggs too! It made us feel very welcome when we came in.
Our friends arrived on the Saturday for our ‘Christmas Day’, and after unpacking we headed off to the St Mabyn Inn for a delicious lunch before coming back to pop on the Christmas music and open our presents to each other. It was so cute sitting under the huge Christmas tree unwrapping gifts and sipping mulled wine!
Next we got the board games out, and played into the evening whilst making cocktails and cooking up a feast of Christmas party food (think pigs in blankets, cheese & crackers, and all those other random party foods you put in the oven and nibble on throughout the night!).
It was the perfect getaway and BellPit House made it an experience we’ll never forget for sure.
Things To Do Nearby
If you’re thinking of booking your stay, here are some ideas & inspiration for things to so in St Mabyn, Bodmin, Port Isaac and surrounding areas:
- Have lunch at the St Mabyn Inn or St Kew Farmshop & Cafe
Our lunch at St Mabyn Inn was delicious! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal, and I’d definitely recommend it. I’ve also heard great things about St Kew Farmshop and the Cafe there, which is just a few minutes drive away.
- Walk along the River Camel at Dunmere or Cardinham Woods
I’ve never done the River Camel walk myself, but it’s less than 10 minutes away so worth a visit! Cardinham Woods is the other side of Bodmin (about 25 minutes drive) but makes for a beautiful woodland walk and picnic spot.
- Explore the infamous Bodmin Jail
Another thing that’s on my Cornwall Bucket List that I’m yet to do myself, but I hear it’s a must-do if you’re in the area. - Head to the National Trust’s Lanhydrock House
Lanhydrock opens again in March 2022, and as well as the Victorian country house you can also explore around the gardens and woodland trails there too. - Visit the beautiful Cornish harbour town of Port Isaac (home of Fisherman’s Friends and Doc Martin) to explore the cobbled streets
If you’re a fan of either of those things, a visit here is a MUST! - Go for a swim or surf at Polzeath beach (or a walk around Pentire Point)
Polzeath is well known for its good surf conditions and beautiful coast.
- Book a delicious tasting menu at one of Nathan Outlaw’s Michelin Star restaurants in Port Isaac
We did this on the Friday night of our stay and went to Nathan Outlaw’s New Road restaurant as it’s just 18 minute away, and had a great time. If you visit in summer or at lunch, you can spend your meal looking out to see, as it’s placed right on the coast.
View more information on BellPit House’s website, and check out their availability and bookings on Select Cornwall.
*Bell Pit House kindly invited us to stay in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own. This place truly has the wow-factor!
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