Words By Hannah Tapping
A space where the ocean breeze meets luxury head-on.
Let’s be honest: the idea of a beach shack doesn’t usually conjure images of luxury. More often than not, we picture something a little rickety, a bit sandblasted, with a couple of mismatched deck chairs on the deck. The kind of shack that’s seen better days, but still holds onto its charm by sheer grit and stubbornness. Well, forget everything you think you know about shacks because the new collection of beach hideaways at Three Mile Beach will make you rethink the very meaning of the word.
These are shacks in the loosest sense. Yes, they sit amongst the dunes and they have a low-key, almost offbeat feel to them, but referring to them as ‘shacks’ is a bit like calling a Porsche a ‘car’ – technically correct, but absolutely not the full story. They’re cool, sure, but in a way that’s comfortable, understated and – dare I say – effortlessly chic. If a beach retreat could wear a leather jacket, this would be it. Three Mile Beach is the brainchild of Audley Travel founder Craig Burkinshaw and his partner Jo Le Bon. With an aim to ‘redefine the self-catering experience’, this collection of 19 beach houses that hunker in the dunes above the bay redefines beachside living.
You approach Three Mile Beach’s latest offering via a winding track that cuts through the undulating dunes, the kind of road that you’re convinced doesn’t go anywhere – until you reach your destination. Then, all at once, it feels like you’ve stumbled upon a secret. Like someone’s let you in on a little-known corner of paradise, where the sand stretches out endlessly and the only sounds are the crash of waves and the rustle of wind through the grass. Parking the car, we follow the winding footpath to the front of Crazy Diamond – our shack for the weekend. All of the properties here take their names from Jo and Craig’s favourite iconic songs, reading like the ultimate holiday soundtrack. and are unashamedly painted in vibrant colours, reminiscent of the Neapolitan ice cream I loved so much as a child. I feel very nostalgic.
Entry is simple; a key code arrives to your telephone in good time for arrival, so there’s no worries about a late check in should the A30 choose not to be kind. As we push open the satisfyingly heavy front door, the lobby opens out into the most glorious of spaces. Windows on all sides, high vaulted ceilings and décor that is nothing short of joyous. Jo is chief stylist and brings India, Moroccan and Mexican influences to bear. My daughter instantly falls in love with the crocheted sea creatures in her bedroom, while I wax lyrical about the mint green Smeg appliances and an unashamedly pink Everhot stove. I think that’s the key here, nothing takes itself too seriously, everything is wonderfully eclectic, yet retains an undertone of total luxury.
The living area has an easy open-plan configuration with a Stack Stove by La Castellamonte ready to warm post-surf toes. The comfy sofa, strewn with vibrant cushions faces what I first think to be a wonderful abstract painting, yet reveals itself to be the television. Same with the brightly coloured jerry can attached to the wall, it’s actually a cocktail cabinet. I love the unexpected nature of this place. The kitchen area is the kind of place that makes you want to cook. You won’t need much of an excuse to crack open a bottle of something cold and sip it while you stare out at the view, and when you feel like some culinary creativity, you’ve got all the tools. Down to the smallest most practical of objects d’art, each seems carefully chosen to enhance the mood. It’s these touches—unexpected, a little whimsical—that give the shack its personality. It’s luxury with a light-hearted twist, a place that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still manages to leave a lasting impression – I’m already in heaven.
If the living room is a lesson in beach-shack chic, then the bedrooms are the soft, dreamy punctuation at the end of the sentence. They are a sanctuary. The kind of room where you can’t help but think, “I could stay here forever.” A king-sized bed takes centre stage, with linens so soft, they beg you to stay under the covers a little longer. The colour scheme is light and calming—think pale whites, greys, and washed-out blues, with white-washed wood to ground it all. It’s the kind of room where you wake up to the sound of the ocean rather than an alarm, where the light filters in gently through the open windows and where, ultimately, you can just be.
The bathroom, as with every other corner of this beach shack, has an easy-on-the-eye design. Tiled floor to ceiling, stocked with sweet-smelling shower products and cocooning robes, even this functional space has been elevated to a spa-like status.
Once we’ve finished exploring the interior, we throw open the patio doors – one of two sets, the other leads off the master bedroom – and step out onto the deck. The smell of warm cedar from the sunken hot tub and private sauna mixes with the salt on the air to create a heady scent of coastal bliss.
I always think that it’s the little things that make a stay here memorable. The hammock where you can spend the late afternoon with a book you’ll never finish as your eyes droop and you nod off for the best of naps. The beanbags you can sink into with a glass of wine in hand as the sun slips below the horizon. The outdoor shower that rinses sand from sun-kissed toes or the gas barbecue that invites grilled seafood feasts – well why wouldn’t you with an ocean larder on your doorstep?
It’s not simply the location, nor the accommodation at Three Mile Beach that makes it so special, it’s all the carefully though-out extras that make for a perfect stay. A pizza party delivered to your shack, complete with pizza oven and all the ingredients you need to create your own little Italian eatery. A tuk-tuk at reception serving Origin coffee that will set you up for the day. The onsite Chomp take-out and bar serving family style sharing plates that can be enjoyed in the garden in summer, in beach huts or a cosy yurt when the weather turns, or delivered to your accommodation out of season. Bookable private chefs for the discerning gourmand. And, of course, surfboard hire for riding Gwithian’s infamous beach break.
Ah yes, the beach, we can’t leave that without a mention. You’re mere steps from it and as you wander down to the shoreline, the sand warm beneath your feet, it feels almost impossible that this idyllic little corner of the world exists at all. We’re here in the off season. No crowds. No noise. Just the endless Atlantic ocean, stretching out to the horizon. We cold water swim in ‘the sheep dip’ – a deep tidal pool exposed at low tide – before returning to the warmth of the sauna and the hot tub. This is a new breed of beach escape: quiet, cool and impossibly charming, with just enough eccentricity to make it unforgettable – we don’t want to leave.
