Penlea Retreat gives you the chance to stay in a shepherd’s hut with a hot tub on the edge of one of Cornwall’s prettiest coastal villages. Situated on the outskirts of the harbour town of Polperro, Penlea Retreat, has its own garden and a peaceful, rural feel despite being just five minutes walk from the bustling harbourside.
This cute and comfy hut is tastefully decorated and furnished and has an en-suite shower and loo. In fact, it has everything you need for a self-catering stay in miniature, plus a lot of outdoor space to enjoy. Tucked behind houses with views of National Trust farmland, it has its own garden with outdoor seating, a fire pit and that wood-fired hot tub, as well as access to a little wooded glade with a stream and a pond.
Step outside of your private hideaway and you’ll be exploring Polperro in minutes. The village houses tumble from here towards the harbour, where Polperro’s fishing fleet still heads in and out most days. Pubs, cafés and shops compete for your attention in the village's narrow streets and you’ll find all the Cornish favourites from pasties to cream teas – and, especially, fresh fish and seafood. The area's fishing and smuggling heritage is remembered in a small museum and the whole place is replicated in miniature at the model village. You can take boats from the harbour around to Looe just along the coast, or walk there on the South West Coast Path for spectacular views and a stop at Talland Bay.
Our luxury shepherds hut is set in its own large private garden in one of Cornwall's most beautiful fishing villages, Polperro. We offer a unique glamping experience for this area - total peace and rural charm but with a 5 minute walk to Polperro village and its pubs, restaurants and beach (10 minutes back). Relax in the wood fired hot tub (we give enough free logs to heat it once a day) or keep warm by the fire pit/barbeque. Inside the hut you have an induction hob and fridge, underfloor heating and electric stove effect heater plus a sumptuous double bed and ensuite shower room with proper toilet. Our 18 foot shepherds hut is set in a wooded glade offering plenty of space to unwind and relax in perfect solitude. Surrounded by National Trust farmland the hut offers a secluded luxurious and stylish rural escape and yet is only a five minutes walk to restaurants, pubs, the beach and South West Coast Path. Ideal for a romantic break for both summer and winter stays the small but perfectly formed hut has underfloor heating inside and a fire pit outside to keep you warm and cosy. Park in your dedicated parking space adjacent to the meadow, then walk up some steps, open the gate and you will find your own private slice of Cornish countryside waiting for you. Inside the hut has a shower room with walk in shower, proper flushing toilet and heated electric towel rail. There is a hand made solid wood kitchen with belfast sink, induction hob, fridge, kettle and toaster. The kitchen has everything you need to prepare a romantic supper at the tiny fold down dining table. (folding chairs are stored next to the bed). There is a sumptuous double bed with storage underneath and dressing gowns to borrow. There is a wall mounted 25 inch Smart TV (only internet tv - iplayer, itv hub, netflix etc). There is a very realistic electric 'wood burning' stove and underfloor heating. We supply lovely bedding and luxury towels and robes. Outside on the paved patio you will find a large corner sofa and dining table with a fire pit/barbeque for alfresco lunches and dinner under the stars. The hot tub is wood fired and well worth the effort of getting it going! It has LED lights for an evening soak. Logs to heat the tub once per day are included in the price- if you want to use it twice per day logs are charged at £10 per bag. The heat in the tub lasts for up to 12 hours depending on the season. At night you can lie back and hear owls in the trees around you as you star gaze. By day the air is filled by bird song. Just beyond the hut, a few steps lead up to a wooded glade- again totally private to you- with a stream at the bottom and a pond. As you have so much space to yourself, you could easily spend all your time around the hut, or you can walk to Polperro to enjoy fine dining, fish and chips or a really good pub meal. Polperro is an impossibly pretty fishing village in South East Cornwall where the working fishing harbour nestles among the quaint narrow lanes and whitewashed cottages. Penlea Retreat feels very rural, but it is only 5 minutes walk from the village. The village has a small tidal beach and a natural swimming pool for sheltered and safe swimming just a short walk away. Lansallos beach is a 5 minute drive (or 40 minute walk) where you can spend the whole day lazing on the sand! The harbour has its own fishing fleet, and most of the restaurants serve fish brought into Polperro from the boats. Polperro Fishermans Chior often perform on the harbour in the summer, and in the pubs year round as The Wreckers. Polperro boasts some truly amazing restaurants and pubs, from fine dining tasting menus to homemade pizza. Polperro is a year round destination. Outside of the summer season, the crashing waves and roaring log fires in the pubs make for an atmospheric break. All the pubs are open year round, and serve food every evening. At Christmas the whole village is lit up with twinkling fairy lights. The annual switch on on the first Saturday in December is a huge event in the village, with food and craft stalls. New Year's Eve is one huge fancy dress party. All the pubs are open and there are no tickets, so you can visit them all! On New Year's Day there is the famous swim from the harbour. There is a music festival in June every year, with stages set up throughout the village. The famous South West Coast Path is a 10 minute walk from Penlea Retreat. Originally created for the police to search for smugglers, the path will take you to Looe in one direction, and Polruan in the other via some quite extraordinary scenery. Talland Bay beach is fabulous, and there is a beach barbeque restaurant open at weekends in high season. You can walk there in 40 minutes along the stunning coastal path, or drive in 10 minutes Looe is a 10 minute drive away with its huge sandy beach with safe swimming and a wide variety of shops, restaurants and bars. There is a fantastic fishmonger and farm shop on the front. Fowey, made famous by Daphne du Maurier, is a 30 minute drive away, via the Boddinick Ferry. Readymoney Cove is a wonderful beach, and there are amazing shops and restaurants to explore. The Eden Project and Lost Gardens of Heligan are within easy reach. The North coast is much more rugged with excellent surfing. Padstow, a 45 minute drive away, boasts many fabulous restaurants, including Paul Ainsworth and Rick Stein. There is a wide variety of boutique style shops. Just along the coast from there is pretty Port Issac, made famous by the TV series Doc Martin. Nathan Outlaw has an amazing Michelin starred restaurant right on the front, with stunning views. Penlea Retreat is our secluded luxury can enjoy all of Polperro has to offer just a short downhill walk away. Please note that the walk back is steep in places so is not suitable for anyone with mobility issues. The hut genuinely offers the best of both worlds for those looking for a rural glamping escape yet with easy walking access to beaches, pubs and restaurants. You have miles of the South West Coat path just a few minutes walk away, you can swim in the natural pool nearby or sunbathe on Polperro beach- all without having to use your car to get there. Other beaches are just a 5 minute drive (or 40 minute walk) away. Other things to note The hut is accessed by 19 steps. The dining table and chairs need to be folded out to use. Electric is limited so don't use any other appliances or wash up whilst showering. The hot tub cannot be used on the morning of departure. Storage in the hut is minimal so pack light. Don't forget your swimming costume! The walk to the village is downhill. It takes longer coming back as the lane is steep in places. It is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties. Logs to heat the hut once per day are supplied. They are left in your log store for you. If you wish to heat the hot tub more than once per day logs are charged at £10 for 10 logs. Contact us and we will bring the logs up for you. The field next to the hut has a herd of cows for half of the day. We are in a rural position so expect animal and bird sounds. Cats live next door, but they are timid and wont disturb you. LUXURY COASTAL SHEPHERDS HUT WITH HOT TUB IN POLPERRO "Amazing overnight stay and well worth every penny - Tim really goes the extra mile." "The most beautiful place to stay. Probably my favourite place I’ve stayed in Cornwall! The hot tub is amazing and the hut is so cute and has everything you’ll need." "This really was the most gorgeous, secluded little hidden gem a stone's throw away from the heart of Polperro and the beach." "The wood fired hot tub really sets this venue apart from other comparable huts/cabins. It’s super easy to use and provided us many relaxing hours soaking in the moonlight, stars and owl hoots." Penlea Retreat AMENITIES Cooking basics Dishes and silverware Hair dryer Heating Hot tub Kitchen TV Wifi Body wash Conditioner Hot water Shampoo Shower gel Bed linen Extra pillows and blankets Hangers Portable fans Carbon monoxide alarm Fire extinguisher First aid kit Smoke alarm Baking sheet Barbecue utensils Refrigerator Private entrance BBQ grill Garden or backyard Patio or balcony Free parking
Hosted by Tim R.
Joined in September 2020Penlea Retreat is perfectly positioned for anyone wanting to explore Polperro as you can leave the car behind and stroll into the pedestrianised centre in five minutes (it might take a little longer on the way back as you’ll be walking uphill). Polperro Model Village is just down the road from Penlea Retreat and the shops, tearooms and pubs line the way down to the harbour. The small Polperro Heritage Museum of Smuggling and Fishing sits on the eastern side of the harbour while a small beach and tidal pool are on the western side, the other side of the harbour wall. Boats leave from Polperro for Looe, a larger harbour town, five miles east. You can also walk there along the South West Coast Path, which passes through the town and also links with the beach at Talland Bay. In the other direction you can walk to Lansallos Beach. Both are a mixture of sand and rockpools. Wild Futures Monkey Reserve is nine miles from site and The Eden Project and The Lost Garden of Heligan can be reached in less than an hour.
Cornish pasties, Cornish ice cream, Cornish fudge and Cornish cream teas are all available in Polperro a short walk away. There are also bakeries, fish stalls and small grocery shops to stock up at should you wish to cook at the hut or make a picnic to take on a walk. For food and drink out, choose from one of the local pubs: The Three Pilchards and The Blue Peter are the closest to the harbour and both have a good range of fish and seafood on their menus.
