Cheriton View in Tenby is in a street of similar Victorian houses common to many British holiday towns, and apart from its soft lilac colour, it could easily be missed. Looks can be deceiving though.
I knew better than to judge a property by its outward appearance especially as the few days stay had been arranged through Coastal Cottages – Pembrokeshire’s premier holiday letting agency. I had previously visited Pembrokeshire and stayed at 1 Neylands Marina, one of their other properties. That property had wowed me and I knew I could expect something special from the current property in Tenby.
Historically Tenby was a walled town with plenty of narrow streets. Parts of those walls remain and the tightly packed houses make it very pedestrian friendly and unfriendly to cars. Outside the walls, the developing town was built when visitors arrived by train and there were few cars about. Parking is now a problem if you want to be close to where you are staying. Having an off-road parking space, despite it being a little cramped with our Zafira parked in it was, I felt, a real bonus. Of course if you choose to arrive by train it is only a short taxi ride, or a short but steep walk, to Cheriton View.
The entrance door opens into a small hallway which is a little cramped with two people trying to remove footwear. From here stairs lead up to the apartment. At the top of the flight of stairs is a short landing off which is the master bedroom. A further few steps lead to a bathroom another bedroom and the property’s reception room.
Light and airy, this was designed for open-plan living. Along one end wall was a modern fitted kitchen with plenty of storage space, worktops, fridge, hob, oven and dishwasher. A quick investigation of the cupboards revealed it was well equipped with everything you might need. There was one omission as far as I was concerned; there was a lack of anything to make a decent cup of coffee.
I always appreciate it when there’s a dishwasher installed in a property as it dispenses with having to wash up by hand. Many modern kitchens are now being installed with what looks like a mini shower head with a flexible pipe. These are used for rinsing plates and bowls before putting in the dishwasher. They are also great for washing fresh fruit and vegetables. Cheriton View had one of these fitted over the sink and once we mastered using it found that it was an excellent accessory to the kitchen.
The rest of the open plan area was given over to a table and chairs and the living area with sofa, chairs, coffee table and television. Here there was a large window overlooking a rare green space. This was the local bowling green and was a far better outlook than many similar properties nearby that looked out onto more houses of the same. From this large bay window, you can also see the Old Town walls and about 100m up the road the sea and Esplanade. It really is easy to access the beaches and the Old Town.
The whole place was made homely with an eclectic mix of artwork on the walls, colour coordinated with the decor of the room. Ornaments were everywhere but not so many as to give a cluttered feel. Most of the paintings and ornaments were on a nautical theme in keeping with the location. Books magazines and CDs were provided. In one bedroom there was a pile of obviously well-read children’s books by Arthur Ransome, Enid Blyton and Kenneth Grahame but, surprisingly considering his connection with Tenby, no books by Roald Dahl.
Coastal Cottages have what they call the Coastal Concierge Service. This is a service where you can book those little extras that can make a holiday special. When we arrived there was a selection of goodies on the table and an afternoon tea of sandwiches, cake and scones with clotted cream and jam in the fridge. A delightful touch and a real welcome. For more about what they offer in their Concierge Service visit Coastal Cottages website.
Cheriton View makes a great base for exploring the seaside town of Tenby. Everywhere is walkable and we explored the Old Town on foot. We walked to the harbour several times exploring the streets of the town and also strolled along the beach to Castle Hill. Alternatively, you can explore further afield with the whole of Pembrokeshire easily reached from Tenby. I will be posting a guide to Tenby in the near future but you can read the already published post Pembrokeshire highlights for a short break.
Link: Cheriton View
Declaration: I stayed in Tenby as a guest of Coastal Cottages. However I value my editorial independence, as do my readers, and write honestly about my experiences be they excellent, mediocre or downright appalling.
