Stay the night: Hawke's Point, Carbis Bay

These new apartments offer a superior base for an active autumn break

With perfect timing for the year of the staycation, Hawke's Point opened this summer in Carbis Bay on the Cornish coast, just outside St Ives, a new complex of self-catering apartments offering all the luxury associated with a five-star hotel.

Local owners Charles and Louise Zadar believed this popular holiday spot on the Cornish coast lacked quality self-catering. So they got to work stocking their big bright apartments overlooking the Atlantic with hotel-style treats such as white fluffy robes and locally made Seboni Cornish spa products.

But this place isn't just for summer – it's a great base for an active autumn break surfing or walking coastal paths.

The rooms

Choose from one-bedroom suites to the three-bedroom penthouse – all have balconies and are individually decorated with an elegant nod to the Hamptons: open-plan layouts with honey-hued wooden floors, vast double-island cream sofas and white French antique-style furniture complete the look. Beds are made up with Egyptian cotton linen. The glossy kitchen is well equipped with Neff appliances, Villeroy & Boch crockery and groovy Alessi cutlery for children. There's a Bose CD player, iPod docking station and Nintendo Wii Sports as well as traditional board games, while penthouses have brass telescopes to scan the horizon.

The food and drink

You'll be greeted with a chilled bottle of Cornish Camel Valley champagne and a cream tea. The superior "welcome pack" has local specialities such as saffron cake. The owners are happy to take pre-ordered food deliveries and will even unpack it for you (go to food4myholiday.com for Cornish produce as well as cupboard staples). Porthminster Cafe, on Porthminster Beach in St Ives, specialises in Mediterranean and Asian seafood using fresh local ingredients (porthminstercafe.co.uk).

The extras

In keeping with the high-end hotel feel, there is a concierge service which can arrange everything from surfing lessons at nearby Gwithian beach, to restaurant reservations. Carbis Bay beach is a wide sweep of white sand just a three-minute walk down the hill – buckets and spades are provided. Take the pretty train ride along the coast to St Ives and visit the Tate's Cornish outpost.

The access

Children are welcome but no pets.

The bill

A three-night stay costs from £250 in a balcony apartment, and £725 in a penthouse.

The address

Hawke's Point, The Sands, Porthrepta Road, Carbis Bay (01726 884072; hawkes-point.co.uk).