Cottages in Looe

Table of Contents

• At a glance: What should you know about renting a cottage in Looe?
• Cottages in Looe: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring Looe: our top recommendations
• Activities: What are the top things to do and see in Looe?

• Cottages for every group: Snug boltholes for two and roomy family properties with gardens, most within walking distance of the harbour, the beach or the high street.
• Where to base yourself: East Looe suits first-time visitors, Hannafore rewards sea views and the Looe Valley offers woodland quiet a short drive inland.
• What guests praise: Sea views, log burners, private gardens and easy parking come up again and again in reviews of cottages here.
• Eating well: Day-boat fish, Cornish produce and traditional recipes, from harbourside shellfish to slow lunches above the bay.
• Best time to come: Summer for beach days, May and September for warm coast path walks and lower prices.

Cottages in Looe range from snug two-person boltholes in the wooded Looe Valley to roomy family properties with private gardens and views over the harbour. Some sit a minute from the quay and the high street; others are set back among fields for complete quiet. Most cottages here are well equipped for a self-catering stay by the sea:

• Wi-Fi and heating, welcome on autumn and winter breaks
• A fully fitted kitchen for cooking the day's catch
• A garden, terrace or balcony with harbour or valley views
• Pet-friendly spaces for long coastal walks with the dog
• Parking or a nearby car park, invaluable in Looe's narrow streets

Filter by the amenities that matter most to you and the choice narrows down quickly.

What are the best areas to stay in Looe?

For a first visit, East Looe is the easiest base: the beach, the museum, the shops and the fish quay are all within a few minutes' walk. The table below details areas for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests staying in cottages around Looe consistently highlight the same things: the short walk to the beach and the quay, the value of a private garden or balcony after a day on the coast path, and the comfort of a log burner in cooler months. Reviews often mention warm, hands-on hosts who leave local tips, sea views that make the steep lanes worthwhile, and how easy self-catering becomes when the fish is landed a few steps away.

Looe is a fishing town on the south-east coast of Cornwall, split by a river into East and West Looe and joined by a Victorian bridge.

🥗Where to eat in Looe?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, Fifty Looe is the best rated restaurant in Looe. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest traveller Charlotte recommends the Jolly Sailor Inn in Looe: a proper West Looe local where the menu follows what the day boats bring in, and the cider and pasties are as Cornish as the welcome.

1. Swim and stroll at East Looe Beach
2. Browse the Old Guildhall Museum & Gaol
3. Sail out to St George's Island
4. Get on the water
5. Eat freshly landed seafood
6. Unwind on Seaton Beach
7. Rock-pool at Talland Bay

1. Swim and stroll at East Looe Beach

   The town's main beach is widely rated one of the best in Cornwall: a long stretch of soft sand sheltered by trees and hills, with the famous Banjo Pier curving out at one end. Spend the day swimming and sunbathing, then walk the pier at sunset for the finest view back over the harbour. Food stalls, cafés and gift shops line the streets just behind the sand, so a beach day needs very little planning.

2. Browse the Old Guildhall Museum & Gaol

   Set in a 15th-century building with the original magistrates' court and cells still in place, the Old Guildhall Museum tells Looe's story through photographs, documents and everyday objects. Displays cover the town's smuggling years, its fishing fleet and the characters who shaped the harbour. It is compact enough for an hour on a wet afternoon and gives real context to the lanes and quays you walk afterwards.

3. Sail out to St George's Island

   Book an organised boat trip to St George's Island, the wooded hump visible just off the shore. The crossing takes minutes, and the guided walk covers a smuggling past, a 12th-century Benedictine chapel and the seabird colonies that nest here. Grey seals often follow the boat in, and the views back to the mainland are worth the trip alone. Sailings depend on tide and weather, so check the day before.

4. Get on the water

   The sheltered water around Looe suits paddling and boating of every kind. Local operators run glass-bottom boat trips and sea safaris, and hire out paddleboards and kayaks for exploring the coves either side of the harbour. Sea-fishing trips leave the quay daily, keeping alive the tradition that made Looe famous for shark angling. Seeing the cliffs from the water is easily the best way to understand this coastline.

5. Eat freshly landed seafood

   Looe still runs one of the busiest fishing fleets in the county, and the catch travels only metres from the quay to the plate. Order lobster, prawns and scallops at the harbourside, or sit down to day-boat fish and Cornish produce at one of the town's kitchens. Cottage kitchens make the most of it too: buy directly from the fish merchants in the morning and cook it that evening.

6. Unwind on Seaton Beach

   A short drive east, Seaton Beach is a natural bay of soft sand, rock formations and wide coastal views. A walking path links it to a nature reserve along the valley behind, and there is a play park for children plus a pub serving food and drinks. It is noticeably quieter than East Looe in August, which makes it the local choice for a lazy afternoon.

7. Rock-pool at Talland Bay

   Between Looe and Polperro, Talland Bay is a shingle beach with some of the finest rock pools on this stretch of coast at low tide. The South West Coast Path runs straight through it, making the 5.4-mile Looe to Polperro walk an easy half-day outing past cliffs, coves and a sixth-century monastery site. If the coast path becomes a habit, the wilder shores of Northumberland are a natural next trip.