Holiday Let Legal Requirements
As an owner, it is essential that you are familiar with the most up-to-date and relevant holiday let regulations....
by Justine King / Owner
When deciding where to buy a holiday let in Cornwall, we always recommend somewhere you’d like to holiday yourself. But with so many locations out there, it can be a daunting prospect choosing the best place to buy.
We’ve picked our top 7 places to buy a holiday let, based on the locations of our top performing properties, google search volume and insight from Sharon Partridge, our Regional Owner Experience Manager, with 23 years’ experience working alongside holiday let owners in Cornwall.
Read on for our in-depth guide on the top places to buy a holiday let in Cornwall, or if you’d like more tips on choosing a Cornish holiday home, read our guide to buying a holiday home in Cornwall.
Use the quick links below to jump to a specific topic or read on for our guide on buying a holiday let in Cornwall:
As the saying goes, it’s all about the location. According to the Sykes Staycation Index 2026, Cornwall was the second most popular staycation destination in the UK. So, it’s hardly surprising that this rising popularity has impacted the attractiveness of holiday letting as an investment opportunity.
We’ve examined several factors to find out the best places to buy a holiday let in Cornwall, including:
These are our top 7 places to buy a holiday let in Cornwall.
Sennen Cove, near Penzance
Penzance and the surrounding areas of St Just, Newlyn, Sennen, and St Buryan are all excellent places to buy a holiday let.
This area is home to a large proportion of our most-booked properties, with an average of over 590 google searches a month for holiday cottages here. There is certainly demand for staycations in this area, and when you consider the relatively low average property price of £295,997*, buying a holiday let in the Penzance area makes a lot of sense.
This location offers a charming blend of coastal beauty, historic landmarks including St Michael’s Mount, and vibrant communities. These are all things that make this part of Cornwall a popular destination for visitors and residents alike.
Penzance itself offers visitors the chance to explore its rich maritime heritage through attractions like the Art Deco Jubilee Pool and the Penlee House Gallery and Museum. The town’s bustling centre is filled with shops, pubs, restaurants, and cafes, making it an ideal location for a holiday let.
Nearby St Just boasts a rugged landscape and mining history, with Cape Cornwall offering dramatic cliff walks and views of the Atlantic Ocean. Newlyn, Cornwall’s largest fishing port, is renowned for its fresh seafood and thriving art scene. With plenty of fish markets and galleries to explore, it offers a great base for anyone visiting the area.
Sennen and St Buryan offer glimpses into rural and seaside Cornwall. These areas are less built up and offer a retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Sennen, in particular, is a popular destination for hikers and surfers due to its beaches and proximity to the South West Coast Path. A crab sandwich enjoyed on the beach at Sennen Cove is hard to beat!
Falmouth Harbour
The trendy town of Falmouth is a popular year-round destination, with holiday lets that receive some of our highest booking figures. Holidaymakers clearly love this area, with an average of 1,900 searches a month for ‘Falmouth holiday homes’. The average house price is £366,501* at the time of writing, reflecting just how attractive a location this is for buyers.
Falmouth is one of the most well-known resort towns in Cornwall, and with a wide variety of shops, pubs and restaurants, it’s a popular base for a holiday home. The many seasonal festivals including the Oyster Festival, Falmouth Week and a whole host of international sailing events have really put Falmouth on the map.
With fantastic local attractions including Pendennis Castle, the National Maritime Museum, boat trips along the Falmouth Estuary, and so much more, Falmouth continues to be a popular holiday destination. Character-filled townhouses line the streets surrounding the centre of Falmouth, which are perfect for holiday letting. You can choose to keep the house as one, or even convert it into multiple apartments to increase your investment potential.
There are also a handful of small villages in the surrounding areas which are worth considering. These include Mawnan Smith, Gweek, Constantine, Flushing, Mylor and many more.
Padstow Harbour
One of the pricier places for a holiday home on this list, Padstow currently has an average house price of £492,690*. There’s good reason for that though, with over 2,900 Google searches a month for ‘holiday cottages in Padstow’ on average, proving this is a hugely popular staycation spot. Padstow is also home to our 3rd most booked property of 2025, Lantern Cottage, which saw a total of 46 bookings across the year.
Padstow is known by many as a foodie’s paradise due to its world-class seafood scene. But it’s not just the food that puts Padstow on the map. Its upscale experiences, picturesque harbour, boat trips, and stunning beaches make it a popular tourist destination all year round.
While property prices are some of the highest in Cornwall, its close proximity to breathtaking beaches and charming villages in North Cornwall makes it even more appealing. The town’s association with celebrity chef Rick Stein draws visitors from miles around.
With a wide range of properties including charming cottages, large family homes and unique boathouses, there is something here for all types of visitors, making Padstow a great location for investment potential.
St Ives Harbour
When many people think of holiday letting in Cornwall, they think of St Ives. This upmarket, artsy seaside town has built up a brand over the years as a top Cornish holiday destination, and with good reason. Indeed, in the 2026 Sykes Staycation Index, St Ives was found to be the top UK location Brits most want to visit.
Properties here are expensive, costing on average £427,926* to buy according to Rightmove. However, properties here receive some of our best booking rates, and searches for holidays here are higher than any other location on this list, at 5,400 a month on average. According to the 2026 Holiday Outlook Report from Sykes Cottages, Carbis Bay is one of the highest earning places in the UK, with holiday home owners in the area earning on average £36,100 annually.
St Ives offers a dream location for holiday lets and proves to be extremely popular with tourists all year round. While property prices may be more expensive than in other areas of Cornwall, its high demand throughout the year means you can price yourself higher, gaining more rental income.
This captivating town boasts stunning beaches, a rich art scene, a charming harbour teeming with character, independent shops, and a wide range of delicious eateries. For those wanting to base their holiday in one spot, St Ives ticks all the boxes, so consider this when looking to buy a holiday let in Cornwall.
For those that want to venture further afield, St Ives is perfectly located to be within easy reach of surrounding beaches, walking and cycling routes, and various attractions.
Porthleven Harbour
With an average of over 2,400 ‘holiday cottages in Porthleven’ searches per month, Porthleven has some of our top performing properties. The average house price is lower than some previously mentioned destinations, at £328,313.
A holiday in Porthleven offers a wonderful escape from the stresses of everyday life and, as such, is a great choice for a holiday home. The harbour has lots to enjoy in all seasons; in summer it has blue tranquil waters, while in winter, when the wind blows, watching the waves and storms crash dramatically into the bay is a scene to behold.
The curve of the harbour wall is lined with whitewashed houses and traditional silhouettes, with the iconic clock tower standing in the centre of the scene. There are some fabulous independent shops, galleries and eateries here, making it a real foodie destination. On the far side of the granite pier, there is a lovely golden beach – the perfect spot for surfers and families at low tide.
Quaint coastal cottages line this harbour village and are certainly an attractive and memorable proposition as an investment property in Cornwall.
A 10 minute drive along the coast leads to Praa Sands – a stunning area which has been named 4th in a list of the top 10 ‘trending’ locations for 2026, in the Sykes Staycation Index, based on year-on-year booking growth!
Newquay Harbour
A quick walk around Newquay in the summer months will show you just how popular this destination is for Cornwall’s holidaymakers. Newquay is also the location with the most traffic on our website over the last 12 months, and there are an average 2,900 Google searches a month for ‘Newquay holiday cottages’. Holiday home prices are lower compared to other options on this list, at £339,210*.
Renowned for its world-class waves, stunning beaches, and lively atmosphere, Newquay attracts a steady stream of tourists, making it the ideal location for holiday let investment. When buying a holiday let here, consider that a lot of your guests tend to be families, groups of friends, and couples.
Aside from the surf, Newquay has plenty to offer including coasteering, quirky galleries, a zoo, stunning coastal walks, and plenty of eateries to please the tastebuds. Whether you’re looking for a townhouse with multiple bedrooms, a penthouse apartment with breathtaking sea views, or a cottage filled with character and charm, there are all sorts of properties that make great holiday lets.
Nestled in the heart of Cornwall, Camborne might not be the first place that pops up when considering a holiday let investment. However, this unassuming town offers a unique charm and surprising advantages for investors seeking a foothold in the Cornish letting market.
A number of our top performing properties are in Camborne, while the average house price is just £255,074* – a lot cheaper than other locations in Cornwall. This makes Camborne a very attractive location to buy a holiday let in Cornwall.
Camborne boasts a relaxed pace and a rich history deeply rooted in Cornwall’s mining heritage. This unique character attracts a different kind of tourist – one interested in cultural immersion and exploring the lesser-known corners of Cornwall. Guests visiting Camborne can delve into the fascinating history of tin mining, wander through the scenic countryside, or embark on a journey along the dramatic Cornish coast.
The town is also a central hub that offers easy access to popular tourist destinations like St Ives, Hayle, Helston, Penzance, and Falmouth.
Across the Cornish Cottage Holidays and Sykes Cottages portfolio, these value-adding features make properties more appealing to potential guests:
Investment in any or all of these areas will increase your potential revenue and property appeal.
While some guests might like to get away from the hustle and bustle, we think it’s important to consider the practicalities of a property’s location. Some questions to ask yourself include:
As a general rule of thumb, if the amenities aren’t within walking distance, they should be no further than a 20-minute drive.
For more tips on buying a holiday home in Cornwall, read our full guide.
Once you’ve found a property you’re interested in buying, there are a few next steps you will need to take before committing.
If you would like to know how much your investment will return, let us help you. We have been managing and marketing holiday homes successfully in Cornwall for over 50 years. This has given us the experience and knowledge to advise you on buying a holiday let and maximising the return on your investment.
Our Property Consultants are more than happy to give free, no-obligation income and booking projections based on an online property listing you’re interested in. We can also work with estate agents to organise visits to a property you are thinking of buying, helping us provide accurate rental projections. Complete the form below to arrange a call with one of our Property Consultants.
When it comes to buying your Cornish holiday home, you may need a mortgage to finance your investment. Holiday lets tend to have different affordability criteria to residential properties, and often require a letter from a reputable holiday letting agent to confirm anticipated rental income for the low, mid and high seasons.
As a recognised source for lenders, we can provide a letter including an annual projected income to support your mortgage application.
If you’d like to find out more about holiday let mortgages, read our blog on financing a holiday home.
With over 50 years of letting experience, Cornish Cottage Holidays prides itself on delivering the bookings your property deserves. Our expert team are based in Redruth and can offer a wide range of holiday letting advice, from holiday let interior design to making your holiday let eco-friendly. Learn more about choosing a holiday letting agency in Cornwall by reading our blog.
Whether you’re right at the start of your journey, looking for some additional help, or a seasoned pro, contact Cornish Cottage Holidays today to discover how a local brand with national reach can work for you.
To find out more, email us, call 01326 573808, or complete the form below to request contact from our team, including a copy of our FREE Owner Guide.
*Average house prices according to Rightmove, as of September 2026
Interested in letting a property outside of Cornwall? We’re proud to be part of Sykes Holiday Cottages, with a network of regional brands offering the same award-winning service across the UK. Enquire now to be put in touch with your local holiday letting experts.
Find out how we can work together. With over 25 years’ experience, our local expertise will give you peace of mind and bring you the bookings you deserve.
by Justine King / Owner
I’m Justine, a Freelance Travel Writer with over 4 years’ experience writing about UK travel. I’ve lived in the South West f...
Read More About Author
Sign up to receive exclusive offers, competitions and the latest news to your inbox, and you'll be entered into our monthly prize-draw 3 times!
As an owner, it is essential that you are familiar with the most up-to-date and relevant holiday let regulations....
Letting a holiday home can be a profitable and rewarding venture, but to make it successful, you need to...
Our property expert for Cornish Cottage Holidays, Jonathan Steers, shares his many years of expertise and knowledge about buying...
