<![CDATA[Porth Holidays - Blog]]>Sun, 01 Mar 2026 10:17:53 -0800EditMySite<![CDATA[6 Unexpected benefits of cold water and wild swimming]]>Sun, 27 Oct 2024 12:03:02 GMThttps://www.porthholidays.com/holiday-letting-agency-blog/6-unexpected-benefits-of-cold-water-and-wild-swimmingImmersing oneself in the icy embrace of cold water can be like drawing a powerful bowstring back, preparing for the release. Just as the founder and CEO who participated in this piece illuminate, the latent power of cold water holds formidable surprises. While one expert initiates the discussion by seeing it as a tool to build mental resilience, another wraps it up by celebrating its ability to boost creativity. Altogether, this article features six intriguing insights from experts who share their experiences.
  • Build Mental Resilience
  • Increase Resilience to Stress
  • Improve Skin Health and Vitality
  • Strengthen the Immune System
  • Gain Mind-Body Control
  • Boost Creativity
man going into ocean

Build mental resilience

One lesser-known benefit of cold-water or wild swimming is how it builds mental resilience. Regularly plunging into cold water trains you to embrace discomfort and face challenges head-on. Over time, this habit of doing hard things translates into other areas of life—whether it's tackling tough projects at work or pushing through personal obstacles, you're better equipped to handle it. Cold-water swimming isn't just about physical endurance; it's about strengthening your mindset, proving to yourself that you can conquer the uncomfortable—in all areas of your life.

Laurel Robbins, Founder, Monkeys and Mountains Hiking & Adventure Travel
woman wearing swimming hat and goggles

Increase resilience to stress

One lesser-known benefit of cold-water or wild swimming is its positive effect on increasing resilience to stress. The act of immersing oneself in cold water triggers the body's stress response, releasing adrenaline and increasing heart rate. However, over time, regularly practicing cold-water swimming can help the body adapt to these stressors, effectively training the nervous system to become more resilient to everyday stresses. 

This process, often referred to as "hormesis," leads to improved emotional regulation and a greater sense of calm when facing other stressful situations. The controlled exposure to cold water conditions the body and mind to handle stress more effectively, resulting in reduced anxiety and an enhanced ability to cope with life's challenges. The mental boost and sense of accomplishment that come from facing and adapting to the cold can significantly contribute to overall emotional well-being.

Aviad Faruz, CEO, MANOR
Person swimming into ocean waves

Improve skin health and vitality

As a dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon, I have seen the benefits of cold-water exposure for skin health and vitality. Brief cold-water immersion causes vasoconstriction, reducing inflammation in the skin, then vasodilation as the body reheats itself, increasing blood flow. This repeated process over time strengthens capillaries and collagen production, leading to firmer, clearer skin. Patients of mine who practice cold-water therapy tend to heal faster from procedures and maintain healthier skin overall.

On a personal note, I find that a quick ocean swim in the mornings helps alleviate joint pain from years of surfing and snowboarding. The anti-inflammatory effects and hydrostatic pressure relieve pressure points and ease stiffness. Mentally, the shock of cold water plunges you into a meditative state, reducing excessive worry and quieting the mind. I credit cold-water swims for helping me start each day focused and present.

For those seeking natural solutions for skin health or mental well-being, cold-water immersion provides benefits beyond bracing yourself against the chill. While discomforting at first, the rewards of improved sleep, reduced stress, anti-aging effects, and pain relief make cold-water swimming worth incorporating into your self-care routine. The skin is our largest organ, and cold exposure is a simple way to nourish it from the outside in.

Dr Saami, Chief Executive Officer, SOM Aesthetics
man with tattoos sat by ocean

Strengthen the immune system

Cold water or wild swimming can offer some physical as well as mental benefits that a lot of people do not realize. One benefit that most people don’t realize is that it can help strengthen the immune system because cold water exposure stimulates the production of white blood cells.

While cold-water exposure swimming can be beneficial, it’s very important to approach it with caution, especially if you have any underlying health conditions, as it can have some negative side effects. I always recommend consulting with a healthcare professional first before attempting any kind of ice bath, cold-water plunge, or swim.

Sulo King, Integrative Health & Wellness Coach, Pacific Pearl La Jolla
boy swimming in ocean

Gain mind-body control

One lesser-known impact of daily ice bathing, when practiced in complete stillness over several years, is the profound change in your perception and control over your body's automatic responses. When you stop fighting the cold and instead surrender to it, focusing on slow, meditative breathing, you merge acute environmental stress with extreme mental focus. This consistent practice allows you to observe your involuntary reactions to the cold—such as shivering or rapid breathing—more clearly and consciously.

With repeated exposure, you begin to understand these physical reactions not just as reflexive but as processes that can be influenced. By becoming aware of these responses, you gain the ability to control them to some degree. For instance, some practitioners can minimize or even halt shivering in extremely cold conditions, demonstrating a newfound mastery over what is typically an automatic response. This is not achieved through sheer willpower alone, but rather through a gradual process of neuroplasticity, where the brain adapts and learns to manage stress more effectively.

This form of mind-body control parallels the kind of training performed by Shaolin monks, who undergo rigorous meditation and physical exercises to endure pain and extreme stress. Their ability to perform extraordinary feats, like standing on one leg for hours or breaking objects with their bare hands, comes from their ability to remain calm, focused, and aware despite physical discomfort. Similarly, in ice bathing, long-term ice bathers can achieve a heightened state of mental clarity and bodily control by consistently combining focused breathing and a relaxed mind with the environmental stress of cold exposure.

Dan Ioffe, Founder, Submerge
Person wild swimming

Boost creativity

Cold-water swimming, or any cold-water exposure, can boost creativity through several mechanisms. The shock of cold water triggers a surge of norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter associated with alertness and cognitive function. This heightened state of arousal, combined with the novel sensory experience, may spark new neural connections and unconventional thinking patterns. 

Additionally, the meditative aspect of swimming and the forced focus on the present moment can help clear mental clutter, allowing for fresh perspectives to emerge. Some cold-water swimmers report experiencing a sense of euphoria or "runner's high" after their swim, which may contribute to a more open and creative mindset.

Ryan Brown, Founder, Plunge Junkies
man wild swimming
]]><![CDATA[How to advertise your holiday home]]>Sun, 23 Oct 2022 14:33:11 GMThttps://www.porthholidays.com/holiday-letting-agency-blog/how-to-advertise-your-holiday-home​Here are 10 tips for how and where to advertise your holiday accommodation, these tips will be helpful for any holiday let owners running their own self-catered accommodation. In today’s competitive holiday letting market its vital to use all the tools that are available to boost bookings.

Social media

The use of social media in today’s world is essential in connecting with guests of all ages from all around the world. The most used social media platforms that suit the holiday letting industry are Facebook and Instagram. It’s best not to use to many platforms and if you don’t have much spare time, just pick one and put all your time into doing it well. Your posts should include pictures and information on your property’s features, what the local area is like, things to do and restaurants that are nearby.
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Modern website

Having a modern website with a booking platform integrated is the only way to get direct bookings without paying third party companies any commission for getting you bookings. There are some free booking platforms you can use such as Freetobook and if you need more professional features paid versions are available too. It is also very important your website is mobile friendly in fact 71% of the visitors to Porth Holidays website over the last 6 months have been from users on mobiles, make sure all photos and information is clearly set out and it is super easy to book your accommodation through a mobile. You can build a modern template website quickly and at low cost by using website builders like Wix or go bespoke and have a tailored website made by a professional exactly how you want it, we recommend Pure Cornish Design they made our Porth Holidays website you are currently visiting, it is also important to have a strong SEO stragety (search engine optimisation) this means using the correct keywords on your website to show in Google search results, we have temaed up with Smart Seo Cornwall for some help and advice with SEO.
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Thoughtful content

​Think about who your target audience is and write for them for example if your holiday home is a 4-bedroom house close to a beach your main target audience is families looking for beach holidays, explain in detail how close the beach is and what amenities are they, also what other attractions are close by that would be great for kids? If you accept dogs where are the closest dog friendly beaches and is there a dog ban at any point in the year? If your writing skills aren’t the best or you just don’t have the time don’t worry, you can easily hire a content writer from the digital services website fiverr. Its low cost and the websites freelance creators can offer many other digital services like website building, photo editing, voice overs.
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Paid advertising

There are a few options when using paid advertising, you can boost posts on Facebook and Instagram. You can also add your property to listing sites which promote direct bookings, these usually cost around £250 per year for just a property profile. Porth Holidays not only offer comprehensive holiday let management, but also offer the exciting opportunity for holiday let owners to simply advertise with us for less than £2 a week! This service is specifically designed to help property owners that are happy running their own self-catering accommodation in Cornwall get more direct bookings. Find out more on our Advertise with us page.
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Pricing your holiday let

Setting the correct pricing for your holiday home is important but you should always remain flexible as the market can change throughout the year, and it usually does! For example if 5 new properties come on the market in your local area that are very similar to yours and all of them have lower pricing you may find a drop in bookings if you don’t adjust to the new local competition – However if you feel you have more features and are confident your pricing is correct and gives good value, it’s worth seeing how the next couple of months go and monitor the bookings, are their calendars filling up with more bookings than yours? You should also think about discounts for long stays, as they are becoming more popular amongst holidaymakers. Read our blog on 10 features to guarantee more bookings
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Great photos & videos 

​Having great photos & videos showing off your holiday accommodation is essential in today’s increasingly competitive holiday letting market, help potential guests visualise the spaces and exactly what it would be like to stay in your property, achieve this with high quality photos & videos - We have a blog sharing the photography tips and tricks we use when photographing new properties getting added to our portfolio of self-catered accommodation in Cornwall. Read our holiday letting photography guide.
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Awards boost bookings

If you holiday accommodation is high quality, follows all the current regulations and is a unique place to be, you should think about entering it for a tourism award or certificate, for example a Visit England award for excellence or enter the Cornwall Tourism awards.
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Reviews & feedback for your holiday home

​The best marketing for your property is having multiple glowing guests reviews, it is the biggest deciding factor on if a potential guest will book your property or not! Remember constructive criticism should not be taken to heart and be looked at positively, if there are small ways to improve your accommodation that you haven't thought of guests will let you know in the reviews or private feedback, take note and make the improvements, even if its small things like, more cutlery, a stiff door handle or scuffs on the paintwork. Respond to all good and bad reviews and if you think it’s unfair explain why, anyone reading the reviews can usually tell if the previous guests where being unreasonable and it won’t put them off. Tip: If you do get an extremely harsh review wait 24hours before composing your reply, often replies in angry will not come across very well and make the situation look worse.
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List with other holiday booking platforms

To gain maximum exposure get your property listed on a few of the biggest third-party booking platforms such as, Airbnb, Booking.com or VRBO. Using these services can come at a cost, up to 20% plus VAT of your booking value, many will find this acceptable due to the number of extra bookings and exposure being on these booking platforms brings. These big companies have huge marketing budgets which gives you a high chance of getting extra bookings, which is why they can charge a lot of commission. Big name brand invest huge amounts of money in search engine optimisation which is why having your property listed with them means you'll have the best chance of being seen, for help and advice with SEO just to to our friends at Smart SEO Cornwall to get a boost in rankings!
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Join a holiday letting agency 

This option suits owners who don’t live in the area their holiday let is located or don’t have the time or knowledge to put into promoting and maintaining there holiday accommodation and all its visitors, join a holiday letting agency who can take care of everything in the above list for you. Here at Porth Holidays we offer low commission comprehensive management for holiday lets in West Cornwall, find out more on our Join us page.
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]]><![CDATA[Holiday letting photography guide]]>Wed, 05 Oct 2022 17:21:19 GMThttps://www.porthholidays.com/holiday-letting-agency-blog/holiday-letting-photography-guideGetting started with property photography
Having great photos showing off your holiday accommodation is essential in todays increasingly competitive holiday letting market, help potential guests visualise exactly what it would be like to stay in your property with high quality photos - In this blog we are sharing the photography tips and tricks we use when photographing new properties getting added to our portfolio of self catered accommodation in Cornwall. Here are 5 things you must do before you start snapping away!

✓Clean - This should go without saying but the property needs to be spotless, grubby paintwork, mould spots, stains on carpets, smudges on mirrors all need to be taken care of before anything else
✓ De-clutter - Remove any personal items or clutter that may distract potential guests looking at your holiday home
✓ Straighten everything - Picture frames, furniture, blinds and curtains all need to look perfectly straight and symmetrical
✓ Turn on the lights - This creates a feeling of warmth and avoids dark spots in any of the rooms
✓ Checklist - Its good practice to plan ahead so you know what photos you need to get, for example 2 main shots of the room, one of the view from the window (must be a great view) one close up per room - for example, artwork, ornaments ,house plants. one shot of the main feature in the room - for example exposed granite wall, log burner, free standing bath, etc ...

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Photography guide for the kitchen 

When preparing for holiday home photography we usually start in the hub of the house, the kitchen!

✓ Staging with props such as food can help guests imagine what it would be like to sit down for a family meal at your property 
✓ Put away all cleaning products and hide the rubber gloves 
✓ If you leave a hamper set one out and show it off
✓ less is more, de clutter the worktops and only keep the essentials
✓ Have useful appliances that guests would like to use on show such as coffee machines, wine fridges, blenders etc
✓ Move around the kitchen shooting from all corners and don't be afraid to get close ups
✓ Put away tea towels or oven gloves, these can obscure the clean lines of kitchen units
✓ Watch out for reflections in shiny surfaces like work tops or fridge doors
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​Photography guide for the dining room 

✓ Straighten out the table and chairs perfectly
✓ Set the table, it doesn't necessarily have to be with food but cutlery or a vase of flowers will help set the scene
✓ Make sure you have a table big enough to sit your maximum occupancy or show all of the seating arrangements for the guests
✓  If there is patio doors leading outside, show them open and if there is a really nice view from them show that in the next shot
✓ Make sure any artwork on the walls has been straightened, if its from a well known or local artist get a close up shot
✓ If the next room is visible from the dining room, show the connecting spaces so guests feel like they understand the layout of the property 
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​Photography guide for the lounge 

✓  Plump cushions and set out sofa throws in a causal yet inviting way
✓ If you have a log burner? light a fire! show off your features as much as you can
✓ If you have a smart TV with streaming services such as Netflix pause the screen and show it or leave the screen on an attractive background.
✓ Set the coffee table with book or magazine and a cup of coffee....or tea!
✓ Make sure the floors are clear, rugs are flat and running perfectly straight with the furniture
✓ Don't be afraid to move furniture around if things aren't looking quite right
✓ Take photos from inside the doorway to get a wider picture of the room
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​Photography guide for the bathroom 

✓ Leave the toilet seat down! Nobody wants to see the insides of a toilet
✓ Put any cleaning products away to declutter the floors or worktops
✓ Make sure it is sparkling clean
✓If you leave toiletries for your guests leave some on show, keeping in mind you may change your mind about leaving toiletries in the future.
✓ If you have a feature bath, make sure its filled up with bubbles and looks inviting
✓ Any towels left for your guests make sure they are folded straight
✓ Don't take to many pictures unless the bathroom is a big feature of the house
✓ Clean any water spots on taps or shower screens, it must be spotless. Same goes for the mirrors!
✓ ​Small decorations look great for example, house plants, candles, tasteful ornaments
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​Photography guide for the bedroom 

✓ Plump up any pillows and make it look comfortable
✓ Make the beds neatly (iron the sheets if necessary) and try dressing them with cushions or throws 
✓ Lay towels on the bed exactly how they will be one the day the guests arrive 
✓ Small props for staging could include, coffee, tea or a book on the bedside drawers
✓ Turn on any lamps to for a warm feel
✓ Make sure any mirrors are smudge free and spotless
✓ Don't forget about close ups of features or design elements of the room
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​Photography guide for the outside areas 

✓  The best time to shoot the exterior is 1 hour after sunrise or 1 hour before sunset also known as the 'golden hour'
✓ The best time of year to photograph the garden is spring or summer time when there are splashes of colour from new flowers
✓ If your property has a large driveway or a tight parking space, guests will want to be able to see the parking arrangements (Include exact measurements in your listing if the spaces are small)
✓ ​Cut the grass and trim the hedges, sweep up any leaves
✓ Arrange any garden furniture available for the guests to use including BBQ's, parasol's etc
✓ Show any toys or play areas for kids or pets 
✓ Watch out for glare from the sun
✓ Get close ups of any flowers that are in your garden 
✓ If you are luck enough to have a hot tub, turn it on with any jets or lights it has
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Photography guide for the features

Get close ups of all the property features even if they are small touches, it will give guests a the feel of your property, for example:
✓ Log burners
✓ Aerial photo of great location
✓ Amazing views
✓ Large parking areas
✓ Hot tubs
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Final checks and editing

✓ Check through your photos making sure non are blurry 
✓ Did you get all the photos you needed from your checklist?
✓Delete any photos that don't give a true representation of the size, design or feel of your property. Giving the wrong impression can lead to unhappy guests and bad reviews.

5 quick tips for using editing software:
✓ Adjust white balance from lights creating orange yellow glow
✓ Bring up the shadows and lower the highlights
✓ Straighten the frame, doors or windows need to look vertical and level
✓ Add some saturation and vibrance but you must keep it natural!
✓ Use preset filters with caution , to much editing can actually put guests off, keep it 'light and bright'
We use Adobe Lightroom for all our photo editing

Holiday letting with Porth Holidays 

The thing to remember with holiday home photography is to capture as best you can the feel of the property and what it would be like to stay there - These photos need to grab your guests attention quickly so arranging them in a thought out way can help a lot when potential guests are scrolling through multiple property listings searching for there perfect Cornish getaway!
We help owners that join us set up their properties ready for holiday letting with free photography, guest folder, and no on-boarding or membership fees... actually no fees at all until we get you a booking! We can also provide a comprehensive management service with a tailored housekeeping package, including full changeover and cleaning, hampers for guests and pups, holiday essentials pack, luxury linen and towels, arranging waste removal, fire alarm safety checks and more. ​We can also help with photography for property owner's looking to advertise their holiday accommodation with us, just get in touch!


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]]><![CDATA[Best places to eat in Cornwall...]]>Sun, 17 Apr 2022 14:19:34 GMThttps://www.porthholidays.com/holiday-letting-agency-blog/cornish-foodie-hot-spotsCornwall is a foodie hot spot with so many great places to get your hands on the best local treats! Here are just a few places you should really try and get to when you are visiting or even if you are lucky enough to live here – Lets kick things of with breakfast!

Breakfast 

Duke street café is in the heart of the historic town of Newlyn, they serve fresh coffee and a nice range of options including traditional, veggie and vegan breakfasts as well as bagels, sandwiches and other options. (oh, and a very nice homemade cake selection)
https://www.dukestreetcafe.co.uk/
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Lunch

Shutters restaurant in the Godolphin Marazion has an amazing Sunday roast menu paired with incredible views of St Michaels mount. We recommend booking in advance especially around the summer months, they are dog friendly too!
https://www.thegodolphin.com/eat
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Dinner

Looking for something memorable and like no other restaurant in Cornwall? Then the Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling located within the Carbis Bay Estate is the place to go. The ultimate in fine dining with stunning views of Carbis bay beach through floor to ceiling glass windows that stretch the length of the restaurant. They offer a tasting menu filled with incredible dishes paired with an extensive wine/champagne list.
https://www.uglybutterfly.co.uk/

Coffee & Ice-cream

Who doesn’t love a takeaway coffee at the beach? Pick up a freshly ground coffee at Alcatraz Bar & Café right on Perranporth beach – They also offer insane cocktails and a good range of beers and other bevs!
Now when it comes to a traditional Cornish staple, none have been around longer than Jelberts! They only make enough ice cream to last that day, so when its gone, its gone! One thing to note is that they only serve one flavour, vanilla! With optional clotted cream and a flake on top. A combination that clearly works, as this place has been going for over 40 years! 
https://alcatrazcornwall.co.uk/
No website for Jelberts just ask anyone in Newlyn where it is!

A Proper Pasty!

​We don’t want to start any arguments here by naming our favourite Cornish pasty. Honestly, we can’t choose just one, they are all equally delicious! However, there are some big names in the Cornish pasty industry, to name just a couple we have Philp’s, The Cornish Oven & Lavenders all have shops located throughout Cornwall!
https://www.philpspasties.co.uk/
https://www.thecornishoven.co.uk/
https://www.lavenderscornishpasties.co.uk/

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]]><![CDATA[Reasons to visit Cornwall...]]>Thu, 17 Mar 2022 15:58:34 GMThttps://www.porthholidays.com/holiday-letting-agency-blog/reasons-to-visit-cornwallVisit the beaches
​One of the most popular reasons to visit Cornwall is for its world-famous award-winning beaches. There is plenty of options with over 300 beaches dotted around the Cornish coast, from golden sand that stretches for miles to small, sheltered coves, Cornwall has them all, the small fishing town of St Ives has 5 all to itself!
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​Visit the secret beaches

The Cornish coastline is filled with large, beautiful beaches, but if you look hard enough there are many smaller secret beaches that are well worth the extra effort to find. A good one to start off with is ‘Portherras Cove’ just around the corner from Pendeen watch lighthouse.
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​Walk for miles

Cornwall’s coastline is a walker’s paradise, walks vary in difficulty with some steep rocky sections mixed in with plenty of gentle strolls, the good news is they all come with amazing sea views as standard. The southwest coastal path stretches along entire outline of the Cornish coast which is around 300 miles!
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​Go surfing

Fistral beach - Newquay is arguably the country’s surf capital but there are actually many great surfing spots all over Cornwall just a few of these include, Gwithian, Perranporth, Porthmeor and Sennen beach. Be sure to get some lessons from an experienced instructor and always surf in designated areas with lifeguards on stand by. 
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​Try the seafood

Visitors and locals are lucky enough to be able to get some of the freshest seafood available, with many working harbours and amazing local seafood restaurants, Cornwall is known for its world class seafood and fishing history, in fact the biggest working harbour in the UK is our very own Newlyn!
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The proper pasties

Well, you can’t get a proper Cornish pasty anywhere else can you! Invented in the 17th century as a hand held hearty snack for the hard-working tin miners. A traditional Cornish pasty are filled with beef, potato, onion, and swede. Some of the biggest names in the local pasty business are Philps, Ann’s pasties, Malcolm Barnecutts and St Agnes bakery.
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Learn the history of Cornwall

Cornwall has a fascinating history filled with struggle and success. Famous for notorious pirates and smugglers, perhaps most famous of all the smugglers was a man named John Carter Breage, nicknamed the ‘King of Prussia’ with a row of cannons protecting his base near Lands’ end. Mining played a huge part of Cornwall’s history with evidence of tin mining dating back 4000 years, by the mid 1700’s there were around 2000 mines in action.
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​Go to one of the festivals

There is a festival to suit anyone here in Cornwall, from surfing competitions and music concerts like, board masters to smaller foodie events like the St Ives food festival. We recommended trying the little orchards cider & music festival set within the Healeys cyder farm, they have live bands, a BBC introducing stage, camping, glamping, and delicious ciders from across the UK.
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​Become an Art connoisseur

Known for inspiring artists from the local areas and across the world, most towns in Cornwall have multiple independent art galleries to browse through. The coastal town of St Ives has both a handful of smaller art studios mixed in with some big ones including the famous Tate gallery located right on Porthmeor beach.
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]]><![CDATA[6 Reasons To Visit St Ives]]>Sun, 06 Mar 2022 18:35:58 GMThttps://www.porthholidays.com/holiday-letting-agency-blog/5-reasons-to-visit-st-ivesThere is 5 beachs!
Porthminster – With the perfect location right next to the train station, Porthminster is a long sandy beach and its nicely sheltered so usually stays quite calm. The beach is lucky enough to have an amazing restaurant right on the sand, Porthminster beach café is known for serving fine food right on the beachfront.

Harbour beach – Situated within the thick granite harbour walls this is actually still a working harbour. This is the most central beach right in the heart of St Ives surrounded by cafes, shops, and restaurants. Including St Ives oldest pub ‘The Sloop’. The harbour walls keep the beach sheltered and the waters calm enough to swim but watch out for boats!

Porthmeor – Just Infront of the world-famous Tate gallery lies the golden sand of Porthmeor beach, there is a surf school on the beach and Porthmeor café enjoys amazing views of the Atlantic ocean.

Porthgwidden – A sandy cove on the opposite side of the headland to Porthmeor, not quite as crowded and a bit more spacious than the harbour beach makes it the perfect sunbathing spot. Some great facilities include Porthgwidden café, snack shop and there’s even beach huts for hire!

Bamaluz – Around the corner from Porthgwidden is the almost secret beach which is only accessible at low tide via steep steps. A small quiet beach which is ideal for those early morning swims.

5 beaches to choose from in one location!? We could finish the blog here, but we have 4 other equally great reasons to come and visit so please keep reading...
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Picturesque Cornish village

​Walking through the cobbled streets of St Ives you feel like you are in the heart of Cornwall, browse the huge selection of shops and galleries, and eat at fantastic local restaurants and cafes. Voted best family holiday destination by 'Coast magazine' and Porthminster beach is one of 'TripAdvisor’s' top 10 European beaches. 
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Art hot spot

​Holiday makers and locals are really spoilt for choice when it comes to galleries in St Ives, to name just a few; The Penwith, The Blue Bramble, Salthouse, New Craftsman, Belgrave, Porthminster gallery and don’t forget to visit the Barbara Hepworth Museum!
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Boat trips

Boat trips in St Ives are a must-do experience, offering breathtaking views of the stunning coastline and local wildlife. Bluefin Charters provides exceptional sightseeing and adventure boat trips from St Ives Harbour, giving you the chance to explore hidden coves, spot seals and dolphins, and soak in the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean. Whether you're looking for a relaxing cruise or an exhilarating rid ride, Bluefin Charters ensures a memorable journey on the water, making your visit to St Ives truly unforgettable.
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Surfing

​Popular with both swimmers and surfers, Porthmeor gives consistent waves which are great to learn on. With a well-known surf school right there on the beach with the best equipment and instructors around, there’s really no excuse not to get that wet suit on and at least give it a try!
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The Restaurants

​St Ives is lucky enough to have countless well-regarded restaurant which cover cuisines from around the world as well as proudly serving the freshest local seafood. To name just a few ones you must visit – Porthminster café, The rum & crab shack, Beer & bird, Rajpoot, The Hub, Talay Thai, Caffe Pasta, that’s 7 we have given you, one for each night of the week.
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]]><![CDATA[The best of Cornwall on Instagram]]>Sun, 20 Feb 2022 14:18:08 GMThttps://www.porthholidays.com/holiday-letting-agency-blog/the-best-of-cornwall-on-instagramAward winning beaches, world famous festivals, historic locations, a place where many create life long memories.... We must be talking about Cornwall 😍  To help you all get your Cornwall fix we have listed 6 amazing Instagram pages to follow that cover all things Cornish! Click on any of the page titles to be taken to that Instagram page.
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@eatdrinkcornwall

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Feeling hungry? ... well you will be after just a few scrolls of this delicious instagram feed! The best food guide to Cornwall, featuring all the amazing cuisines we have here plus all traditional Cornish foods - It keeps you updated on where to get the best fish & chips, ice cream, pasties, and of course cream teas!



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@aaronjenkin

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Aaron Jenkin is a master of landscape & astrophotography, giving a totally new perspective on all the popular destinations and land marks around Cornwall. This account is full of amazing photography techniques bringing out the magic of Cornwall and a side of it you will never have seen before.



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@jasperthecornishbeagle

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Jasper the Cornish beagle is on hand to help other furry friends visiting find the best dog-friendly spots we have to offer, follow Jasper for updates on where he's been and all his Cornish adventures!



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@cornishramblingswalks

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Cornwall has endless miles of stunning coastline walks, 'Cornish ramblings' is a walking group that was set up to conquer them all. It has all the information on the best routes to take when you are out exploring! This account is not only filled with amazing photos of the groups adventures, but it is also packed full of content and you will learn something new about Cornwall with every post!



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​@aerialcornwall

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You may recognise some of 'Aerial Cornwalls' amazing shots from our very own website banner! Go to our home page to watch it right now. The best in Cornwall for drone photography and seeing cornwall from new heights. Capturing Cornwall from above with stunning photos and videos showing off all of your favourite destinations that we are lucky enough to have here!



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@porth_holidays

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Last but not least, our very own Porth Holidays account! Its full of handy blogs packed with info on everything you need to know about Cornwall and the best things to do here. Follow us to see when new properties are added to our portfolio or just to see some great photos & videos taken from amazing places throughout Cornwall.

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]]><![CDATA[How we advertise and market properties...]]>Sat, 08 Jan 2022 11:53:00 GMThttps://www.porthholidays.com/holiday-letting-agency-blog/how-we-advertise-and-market-propertiesPaid advertising 
We use our growing marketing budget to get the most exposure for your properties starting with engaging ads through Facebook, Instagram and Google to drum up interest in our new properties or to promote Porth Holidays and show potential guests who we are.  
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​Airbnb and Booking.com 
Unlike many other agents who don’t use third party booking sites, we have seen the huge potential by embracing these big names and leveraging them for maximum exposure. Once we have the initial bookings from third party sites, we convert them into direct bookings for returning customers - Guests will get a better price if they book direct through Porth Holidays secure booking platform, we raise online prices to include third party commission fees which means owners receive the same payment amount for every booking from any platform. 
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​Pay per click
We use keywords to create adverts on google, this means the ad will appear when people search for things hitting those keywords, for example, 'holiday accommodation Cornwall’ would show up our advert leading them to book through our website where they can browse through our properties.  
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​Porth Holidays Website  
​Our website was built to be user friendly, easy to navigate and to promote all things Cornish. As well as featuring individual property profiles displaying your property in its best light, we also have an ‘explore Cornwall’ section with full page write ups on all your favourite destinations in Cornwall. This is promoted constantly online to bring in more views to the website and our properties. 
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​Search engine optimisation 
In simple terms, this means we constantly update our website to improve its ranking and visibility, we outsource this to the IT pros who carry out regular audits, creating strategic plans to target specific customers and increase search ranking which will bring more website visitors and direct bookings.  
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​Blogs 
Uploading regular helpful blogs to our website which are shared throughout our social media pages. These blogs are created to help owners with useful information about holiday letting, or to tell potential guests about a Cornish hot spot or attraction. This brings more traffic to us and a bigger following, which we can then convert into bookings.  
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​Email marketing 
We are growing a database of guests and subscribers who choose to receive email updates, these can include exciting offers or discounts, showing people what we are up to and also new properties added to our portfolio get a special mention - Helping boost interest to guests that have previously booked with us.
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​Social media 
We use the power of Facebook and Instagram! We spend a lot of time creating great content along with engaging competitions which brings interest from potential guests. Popular social media pages are a huge help in growing a well-known local brand that people can trust.  
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​Photography 
In a competitive market it's vital to have great images of your let, we capture your property at its best showing the highlights and features which can really boost your bookings. All of our management packages include free property photography with web profiles that clearly show all the details and availability of each property.
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PR campaigns 
This year we aim to support local events and charities which creates awareness of our brand among local people and visitors. Our chosen charity for 2022 is the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, we will be donating £5 from each booking to this great cause and encourage owners and guests to donate if they are able to. ​
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​Self promotion
Of course, we promote your property using all of the above strategies but there's nothing quite as authentic as self-promotion, we know how much time, energy and love owners put into their properties which is why we encourage self-promotion and advertising your property to as many people as possible. We love helping with this and have a few easy ideas on how to get started: 
  • Make a Facebook/Instagram page  
  • Make a website which links to ours 
  • Share on your personal feeds 
We are more than happy to help create great content to use to get a boost in exposure for your property. Amazing pictures, great write ups, local knowledge and helpful advice are all things potential guests will really appreciate. 
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If you would like to find out a little more about letting with us then please get in touch and request a free owner's pack, these can be emailed or posted directly to you.
01736 396 339 / hello@porthholidays.com

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]]><![CDATA[A picture is worth a thousand words]]>Tue, 28 Dec 2021 16:47:17 GMThttps://www.porthholidays.com/holiday-letting-agency-blog/a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-wordsDuring 2021 we visited many amazing locations around all around Cornwall, places that are rich in Cornish history. Whilst exploring we have captured some images that have a story to tell...
Old quay 
Built in 1435 the old quay in Newlyn is a medieval quay and was the final port of the famous mayflower on its voyage to America, stopping of to pick up fresh water. Built to protect the harbour from wild sees and even wilder pirates, over the centuries Newlyn and neighbouring Penzance were victims of countless pirate raids, continuing until the late 1800’s. The old quay is no longer in use for commercial fishing as Newlyn has expanded its harbour and become one of the largest working harbours in the UK. 
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​Wheal Coates 
Perched high on the rugged cliffs of Chapel Porth beach near St Agnes with far reaching ocean views stand the remains of Wheal Coates tin mine, this image is taken from inside one of many crumbling stone buildings. One of the most iconic mining sites in Cornwall. The mine was built to extract a seam of ore that was running under the sea bed. Opened in 1802 and employing around 140 workers it was in operation until closing down in 1889. 
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​Lizard lifeboat station 
Peeking out through a window of an abandoned-out building, this picture is of the old life boat house at Polpeor Cove, Lizard point. First coming into operation in 1914 and remaining in service until 1961 before the new bigger, better equipped station at Kilcobben took over. This is the most Southerly point on mainland Britain and boasts breath-taking coastal scenery. Now it stands unmanned and open all of the elements of the Atlantic Ocean. 
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​St Michaels mount 
St Michaels Mount is situated 100 metres off the coast of Marazion, you will need to time the tide just right to be able to access the footpath that leads to the island were the medieval castle sits. This picture was taken back into the countryside of castle gate a few minutes' drive from Marazion. Once the tide comes in the only way to get to and from the castle is by boat (But we think this is father fun!). St Michaels Mount is an iconic location filled with history, myths and legends and with so many levels to explore, this is a great one for the kids! 
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Sennen round house 
The round house in Sennen cove was originally a capstan house constructed in 1876 with its footings almost touching the Atlantic Ocean, originally built to house the man powered capstan wheel which was used to winch boats up and down the slipway. It started a new lease of life in 1983 when it was turned into an art gallery which displays the finest artwork, sculptures and ceramics by the district's best artists. 

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]]><![CDATA[18 Reasons to join Porth Holidays]]>Mon, 27 Dec 2021 13:42:40 GMThttps://www.porthholidays.com/holiday-letting-agency-blog/18-reasons-to-join-porth-holidaysWe can give you 18 reasons to join us here at Porth Holidays! Our fully managed package is a comprehensive service that allows owners to have stress-free, enjoyable and profitable holiday letting experience. Each reason we have listed will leave you feeling confident your property is being looked after to the highest standards, keeping guests coming back each year. Leaving you with absolutely nothing to worry about, let us take care of everything. 
1. No fees until we get your property booked! 
Here at Porth Holidays we are exceptionally proud of the management service we offer to our property owners. You pay nothing until we get your first booking and our commission is super low at just 9%! Keep reading to find out what else is included ... 
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2. Full cleaning & changeovers 
Each property that on boards with us for full management gets a tailored cleaning checklist, we understand each property has different needs and should be treated independently. Owners will know their property is being looked after to the highest standards, exactly the way they want it done and at a fixed cost. Leaving your property sparkling for the next guests each and every time. 
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3. Luxury linen
Also included with fully managed properties, our housekeepers will make up the bedrooms with fresh white quality linen, owners can choose from classic plain white or luxury satin stripe. All linen from Porth Holidays is above 200 thread count and is made with quality materials, from industry leading manufacturers - The ultimate luxury feel for a cosy night's sleep. 
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4. Paid advertising
We list your property on our website and also use the huge exposure with listings on Airbnb and booking.com. We also use Google, Facebook and Instagram for our paid advertising campaigns. 
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5. Secure booking platform/flexible deposits
Porth Holidays website is fully set up with a secure booking platform for direct bookings and handling guest deposits, as each property varies, we also allow owners the flexibility to set their own damage deposit price for peace of mind. 
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6. No owner usage restrictions/owner login
We believe owners should be allowed unrestricted use of their properties at any time throughout the year, log into your owner's profile and instantly block out your calendar dates. If you do the changeovers yourselves or have an independent housekeeper, you can both simply log in to see the property calendar, new bookings and organise changeovers.
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7. Generous Hampers 
After a long drive what better way to kick off the holiday and start relaxing than a generous hamper. In addition to tea, coffee, milk and local goodies we add seasonal touches, cater to dietary needs and we don’t forget about the little ones - For guests bringing their furry friends along we also leave pup hampers including treats & toys! Included with our fully managed properties.
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8. Free photography and web profiles 
Like we mentioned above you pay nothing until we get your first booking, we not only offer no on-boarding or membership fees, but we also provide a FREE photoshoot, website profile and bespoke guest folder when you join us. 
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9. Low Commission Fees
​Some of the big letting agents are charging 20% plus VAT for basic property management, we believe the best way to make holiday letting more profitable for owners is flexible low cost packages that have huge value. Our commission for property management is just 9% (currently with no VAT) and if you are going for full management we have very reasonable housekeeping costs including luxury linen, towels & hampers.
 
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10. Personal calls 
Our team personally call guests to ensure any issues that arise are resolved promptly and gives peace of mind to both owners and guests that we are there for them throughout their stay. 
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11. Quick response property maintenance
​Sometimes things need fixing fast! We have an in house maintenance team as well as local trade connections to make sure if anything needs replacing or fixing it is done as soon as possible. We of course contact owners before going ahead with any maintenance work. 
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12. Guest review management
Reviews are the best marketing tool for your property so we know how important a glowing review is, we collect and look at each review to make sure our high standards are kept up or if there are any ways we can improve our service. 
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13. 24/7 emergency contact 
Our out of hours emergency phone number gives peace of mind to owners and guests that we will be there to help with any issues at any time. Most out of hours calls can be resolved without the need to disturb the property owners.
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14. Stress free holiday letting
When onboarding with Porth Holidays we take care of everything for you, with 24-7 emergency contact and guest communications and reactive property maintenance, you can be confident your property is being looked after by responsive local agents, leaving you with less stress and more time - this allows you to travel or live anywhere in the world.
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15. Invoice handling 
With owner's permission and provided there is sufficient balance in the owners account, we can arrange for additional services to be paid for directly to suppliers, these can include safety certificates, maintenance or trade services. 
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16. holiday start up essentials 
Hampers are a great first impression but soon guests will be looking for toilet rolls, bin liners, kitchen paper dishwasher tablets... the not so glamorous side of holiday letting, but equally important for the best guest experience. We leave a start-up essentials pack for our fully managed properties for each set of new guests so they are covered for even the smallest needs. 
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17. Monthly payments with financial statement 
We process owner payments via bank transfer at the end of each month with all commission fees taken out, each payment comes with a statement showing booking information, gross income, fees and any other financial information from that month.
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18. safety checks on every changeover 
​Included in each properties tailored cleaning checklist are some safety checks that our housekeepers undertake on each and every changeover, including testing of fire and carbon monoxide alarms and battery change if necessary.
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We believe our service and commission rates are unbeatable and if you would like to find out more get in touch with us on the details below. We also have a detailed owner's pack that includes; holiday letting requirements, our fees, and details of our services which can be posted or emailed to you on request.

Thank you for reading and we really look forward to hearing from you! 
​
The Porth Holidays Team​
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