<preform>So you want to live . . . in a B&B</preform>

The Clearwater Hotel is a detached, 14-bedroom guesthouse located in the coastal resort town of Falmouth, Cornwall. Unsurprisingly, it has attracted a lot of interest from "downshifters" from the south-east, who want to settle down to enjoy a better quality of life with their families, away from the big-city work ethic.

Ah, another one of those lifestyle businesses?

Spot on. The Clearwater Hotel is a detached, 14-bedroom guesthouse located in the coastal resort town of Falmouth, Cornwall. Unsurprisingly, it has attracted a lot of interest from "downshifters" from the south-east, who want to settle down to enjoy a better quality of life with their families, away from the big-city work ethic.

Surely frazzled professionals are not the only takers in this market?!

Interest has come from other quarters, too; some are looking to get on to the next rung of the business ladder, while older couples whose children have flown the nest, are looking around for a new project.

Is it well looked after?

Under the current owners, Clearwater has been given a bit of a spruce-up, so it's light, breezy and very well equipped. Along with 14 rooms, the guesthouse has a dining room, lounge and sundeck, as well as separate private quarters. For the more ambitious, there is also plenty of scope for further expansion of the property, including the optional reopening of three "mothballed" rooms, which will offer a further boost to income.

I'm not that familiar with Falmouth. Is it a less famous version of Newquay?

Less famous, yes, but some say a little more refined. Falmouth is best known for its sailing and with seven sailing clubs in the town it's quite a draw for the nautically minded. For many, it's also less spoilt than Newquay. The guesthouse is just 400 yards from a pristine, sandy beach, recently awarded a Blue Flag for its high standards of cleanliness.

Won't it need a small army to run it?

The owners insist that two people are more than adequate for the running of the guesthouse. In fact, they claim it's even possible with just one, as long as they have some part-time help.

How much?

Offers are expected to start at £515,000. The owners are acting without an agent, so they can be contacted directly on 01326 311344.