As I was packing up for a week-long family trip to South Devon, the temperature near where I live in Bath was just about to hit 30 degrees. I usually don’t get too affected by the heat and don’t let it reach unbearable “Egypt in August” levels, but on this particular day my whole body rebelled. Maybe it was because I had so much to do before I left, and I had promised to drive to Devon immediately after picking him up from school, so I didn’t have any time to do important tasks like decanting the dog. Maybe it was an unrealistic plan. I had to buy biscuits, find walking boots, and pack ice packs just so I could have a ball of mozzarella di bufala that was about to expire and a quarter pint of milk. . I don’t know. But by 1 p.m., I was mentally insane, and by 3 p.m., I was physically melting down. My back was sweating, my lower chest was sweating, and I was even sweating between my fingers, which don’t have sweat glands.
I know this is a non-standard introduction to a piece about a luxury villa on a cliff. “Underboob” and “mentally insane” are probably not among your desirable SEO keywords. But it’s important to give a little context and gradually and seamlessly guide you towards the climatic culmination of this holiday review.
I mean, I’m going to talk about how I packed when it was 30 degrees and ended up bringing a beach dress and sandals in my suitcase instead of just a jumper. Then I’m going to do something fun like this: The weather didn’t cooperate. Oh, the irony! The week we were there, it seemed to rain almost every day, and 2 out of 7 days it was a blinding downpour.
But remember what I’m going to do next (climatic top, as promised). I would like to say that none of the gray weather was an issue. The heavy rain didn’t bother us at all. Because we were staying at Clifftop, a huge villa bookable through Perfect Stays, and given the view from this house, it felt much better to be inside than outside.
That’s not an exaggeration. Sitting in any of the clifftop ocean-facing rooms, including two of the seven bedrooms, a main living space, a second living space on the top floor, and three spacious balconies; It felt like I was in an IMAX movie theater watching perfectly shot movie footage. Southwest coast. 24 hours a day. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame crashing waves, terrifying cliffs, and breathtaking sunsets. It was never boring.
(Sure, if you actually went to an IMAX theater to see this, you’d probably get bored with it after about four minutes. But what about the real world? And you’re actually sitting on a cliff, It was priceless to sit in a rocking chair and listen to the music as the waves crashed beneath you.
I could go on and on about the scenery and I think it would actually be completely justified. I love a good view and I bought the house for the view (partly the oil tycoon’s ski lodge vibe and the 70’s split (the level lounge also had a playful side) and I generally I really appreciate the views. Especially the well-constructed views. Oops. Show me a completely cutaway view of something, like a forest, a cliff, or a nice tree or part of the sky. It doesn’t matter how small the window is. I nod, satisfied that my little slice of the world has been captured so perfectly. Living, breathing, moving art.
Anyway, there was more to the clifftop than just the view. First, it was huge and beautifully finished. Seven bedrooms, six and a half bathrooms, two huge living spaces and extras like a ping pong room, and a cozy separate kitchenette on the top floor (with the best views in the house) , the entire office is equipped. Cupboard. The 14 people didn’t feel pressured or oppressed and felt completely comfortable and luxurious. Two of the bedrooms were on the bottom floor, overlooking the ocean, and made us feel as if we were on a cruise ship without any of the attendant drawbacks. (i.e. being stuck on a cruise ship, being on a ship for over 8 hours, being on a ship when I saw both Titanic and the more modern ship “horror movie” Triangle of Sorrow) .
It was a very clever design, with balconies on each floor and the ability to accommodate four people on the top floor and eight on the bottom floor, separated by the main living space. (If you noticed two people missing, you’re right; there’s an additional bedroom on the main living floor.) The top floor has its own lounge area, dining space, and very spacious It has a fully equipped kitchenette, meaning it can accommodate two people. If you want your own space, families can spend a week apart on the top floor. The downstairs can accommodate 2-3 more families.
What a jape.
As long as you like going out in large groups, of course. And this was the perfect catering home for a large group, with every practicality and logistics thought through. There’s space for three cars (charging points, bonus) and a kitchen worktop that can accommodate at least five adults at the same time, frantically chopping and plating like they’re chefs at The Ritz . One kid tops a triangular bagel with cream cheese and sprinkles with chives, another asks for sausage to be cut lengthwise “like alien fingers,” and a toddler needs cheese for a baked potato. , I only use the highest settings…
Ding ding! Thank you for your service!
But oh, that view. It’s always there, just there, like a big wall of blues and grays and greens colliding. To be frank and honest, all I could feel was gratitude. It stopped you in your tracks multiple times an hour, but it never got old. I said I wouldn’t be picky about this, but it was truly amazing and special.
Clifftop at Perfect Stays
So was the utility room. Remarkable and special. Please take a look. This utility wasn’t special because it had a DeVol unit, a pantry with a herbal rack, and a place to put flowers and whatever was currently in fashion. This utility was special because it was so meticulously thought out and so comprehensively planned. It was hard to blame him for that. In a sense, this place was like the engine room of the house. All the behind the scenes work was done there and the rest of the house was beautiful to walk around without the sand, dirt and smells that usually get in the way. Large group vacation.
The utility room is accessible from outside and is directly from the beach via an outdoor shower (hot! Great views!), a set of hooks and drying pegs, and a storage area for a variety of swimwear and towels, beach toys and bodies. You can enter. board. Everything was confused and left at the door. Inside there was another shower, a huge sink for washing the dog (at least I hope that was its purpose), and more pegs, rails, and shelves. And you know what? A house that sleeps 14 people needs these things. All of them! But there are so many places that don’t have them. These are important, non-sexy practical areas. If you don’t do this, your house will get dirty and eventually become damaged. No problem here. There’s plenty of space for dogs and sandy kids, and a variety of doors and partitions that can be closed and the whole place can be completely washed out…
Another utility door leads to a small cliff top with a large hot tub (I’ve already mentioned the view above, but I can’t quite remember) and a surprising, niche treat: a sauna. I was out on the stairs leading to the garden.
At the risk of turning this piece into a drinking game (“Shot every time she takes in the view!”), the sauna was tucked away at the edge of the property, with a small window looking out onto Challaro Bay. I sat there a little too long and felt like my insides were burning as I was so fascinated by the surfers paddling around and the people on the beach wading in and out of the water as I bided my time. What a wonderful place to be where you can feel your own nose hairs self-combusting.
So let’s recap: Huge house. Beautifully designed (the renovation must have been relatively new and the attention to detail and quality of workmanship was not overlooked) and generously appointed with plenty of towels and about 18 pillows and cushions per person. It’s in place. It’s in an incredible location, an easy walk to Barra Island (what a magical little property) and Challaro, and a short drive to Kingsbridge and Salcombe. You can really spend every day at the beach.
Not one person in the group of 13 could think of anything bad to say. So one person can’t really talk yet, so that person was ruled out, but the rest? I fully praise it. There are a lot of stairs and staircases (the house is over 3 stories) so that’s a consideration, but I liked that not all the bedrooms were on one level. It would have been an absolute mess.
Clifftop prices start from £2,950 for a week in the off-season (actually £3,350 for a week at the end of September, when we’re usually still blessed with sunny skies). Divide this by 14 to get the price per person… Yeah. Given the level of pure luxury, and the view (sorry!), I’m not sure you can top it.
You can find out more about Clifftop (with more descriptive and helpful photos) at Perfect Stays. You can watch the video for a full house tour. Click here or press play on the video screen below.
