My boyfriend and I had been planning a holiday abroad for some time, but after receiving some difficult news, the decision was to delay our plans. During that time, we also made a life-changing but a hugely rewarding decision, to rehome a dog named Rolo. 

Having Rolo as part of the family meant we now had to carefully consider where we could go together, without leaving Rolo behind. We love Cornwall but were struggling to find a place that could fulfil our requirements. We were seeking a sea view, self-catering, walking distance to local shops, contemporary style but in a wild setting, beautiful furniture, a relaxed, open layout, and, most importantly, dog friendly. It was also our dream to take Rolo to the beach for the first time, so being close to the coast was top of our list!

I had bookmarked Ukiyo years ago as one of my favourite Unique Homestays, but it was often, unsurprisingly, fully booked. We thought we'd have a look at the property page and luckily, on this rare occasion, we managed to find a weekend available.

Ukiyo was the ideal place for us and most importantly, it was perfect for Rolo too. The house is impeccable, comfortable and ideally situated. The view is breathtaking. Returning to the house after a day walking along the coastline to cook locally caught seafood bought from the harbour, Rolo curled up by the fire, exhausted from a day of retrieving sticks from the beach, and watching the sunset: it was exactly the trip we had wished for. The whole experience of Ukiyo was just so wonderful and memorable. We can’t wait to return.

Images by Ella Parkes