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Everything you need to know about TV’s American Gigolo reboot
32 years after a topless Richard Gere swaggered into his walk-in wardrobe to prep for a hot night seducing clients, American Gigolo returns – bigger, better and with a banging new cast. Here’s the low-down
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Looking for a Cornish escape for the whole crew with serious wow-factor? It doesn't come much more stylish or slick than this reimagined country house in St Issey.
Well, hello Cornwall! You’ll find this stunning house – very big house – in the country, three miles outside Padstow in the cute hamlet of St Issey. It is one of two gorgeous properties from ARC, a collab between award-winning architecture studio Parti and branding agency Regular Practice which should give you a rough idea of what you’re getting here – a chic, design-led country escape, big enough for parties of 26 (ARC Padstow) or 30 (ARC Painswick, in the Cotswolds) with all the trimmings of a boutique hotel.
No surprise then, that an extensive refurb has rendered Manor House a rental hidden gem, with a striking contemporary kitchen complete with fluted island and brushed concrete floor. The epic dining room – which seats a full 26 – is Insta catnip with floor to ceiling glass and sliding doors out onto the walled garden beyond. Think Country Living meets Wallpaper* and you won’t go far wrong.
Location-wise you’re in ideal territory – a five minute stroll to the local pub, 10 minutes drive to the family-friendly Trevone beach (there’s plenty of parking), 15 minutes to buzzing Padstow, or half an hour if you want to make like the fancy folk on the sandy beach at Rock or swing by the Eden Project.
Relaxed, minimal modern luxury. A pair of low-slung wooden chairs on either side of a fire in the kitchen keep things laidback for a morning coffee, and there’s a large slouchy sofa in the sitting area with TV for when you want to escape the hub of the kitchen. Essentially, it gives all the relaxed Scandi feels you want.
The hot tub, heated by logs (tip: be organised, it takes 1.5 hours to heat up!) was a massive hit with my friends and though we didn’t stay up late enough to really make the most of the horse-shoe seating around the fire pit – don’t judge, I like my sleep! – it would be a gorgeous spot to end the day.
There’s a huge list of concierge-style options you can choose to make your stay more luxurious and special, from hiring a private chef to wine tasting, in-house yoga or a photographer who can take photos while you have all the fun. If not, make like we did and just kick back, head to the beach and take things down a notch while the little ones potter in the playroom next to the patio (yes, it’s kid-friendly if you’re looking for that).
13 airy bedrooms, all beautifully appointed with a mix of light wood, marble, reclaimed floorboards and tactile woollen blankets. The en suites have a combo of showers or baths (some free standing, others sunken) depending on space. Only one bedroom doesn’t have its own en suite but don’t feel too sorry for the occupant – there’s a gorgeous, huge bathroom midway down the stairs that they can snaffle.
The best bedrooms are definitely to be found on the first floor, via the central staircase. All bedrooms are roughly zoned into three areas which would well suit separate families or groups – four bedrooms on the main first floor, a second set of 4 bedrooms off the dining area, including a more accessible room up a few stairs, and the third set of another 4 bedrooms on the top floor, including a family room with double bed and two singles.
As you’d expect with this many guests, the house is perfectly poised for entertaining – the kitchen has two fridges, a small freezer and elegant wine glasses for whites, reds and champers are racked up in both the kitchen and dining area for easy access.
A massive hit with my party was the outside pizza oven. We made the dough from scratch in the kitchen (OK not me, I was in the hot tub), the toppings were added from the picnic tables in the garden next to the oven, and we ate back in the dining room. Perfect! We didn’t use the huge BBQ next to the pizza oven but that’s just crying out for a good fire-up from the resident BBQ king or queen in your family.
The location is pretty damn perfect – close enough to the action but far enough out that you’re not going to spend your life in traffic jams. We hired bikes in Wadebridge, about 10 minutes away (where you’ll also find supermarkets) and cycled the no-car, flat and scenic Camel Trail for the three miles to Padstow where we mooched around and sat with a drink or two in the sun, pondering whether we should take the ferry over to Rock.
If you’ve worked up an appetite (you will have, trust me), there are umpteen Rick Stein food options in Padstow (we tested out the fish and chips on the wharf – exceptional) along with a Michelin-starred option at No6 by Paul Ainsworth. I’ve also heard good things about the walk-in Taqueria – Prawn on the Lawn summer pop-up in Padstow (open Tues – Sun until Sept) if you fancy something more relaxed.
From the Manor House there’s a convenient run of seven beaches, all a short drive – Trevone, Harlyn, Mother Ivey’s, Booby’s, Constantine, Treyarnon and Porthcothan. Trevone and Harlyn are both well equipped with cafes, parking and facilities. If you’re at Harlyn, make sure you make it to The Pig – we ate at the outside Lobster Shack at the end of a sunny day and it was unforgettable.
Another option close to Harlyn and brand new is the brilliantly-named Duchy Grub bar/restaurant – always packed so you’ll need to book, with an outdoor area and a sleek, art deco-inspired downstairs bar.
Closer to home, a few minutes walk from the Manor House, is the Pickwick Inn pub which has a good reputation locally. If you or the kids are feeling active, you can drive to Retallack Aqua Park, Tide Climbing and St Eval Karting. I could go on but I won’t. In short: you’re in stay-cay heaven here, so head down before everyone else cottons on.
Peak season in August it’s £8,800 for three nights (11-14 and 29-31 still available at time of writing so get to it!). Or based on September availability, it’s 3 nights from £5,200 and 7 nights from £6,357 – split between friends or family this is exceptional value compared to what you’d spend on a boutique hotel.
Good for: If you’re after design-led luxury, this has your name all over it. Brilliant for large groups, primarily families I’d say but I can definitely see me coming back with a bunch of girlfriends too. Whether you’re a gotta-do-it-all tourist or more laid back, you’ll be happy with the location. Foodies will love the pizza oven and BBQ. Lazies like me will live in the hot-tub. Kids will want to lounge all day in the ARC oversized sweatshirts laid on for your stay (and yes, you can buy the merch at the end!).
Not for: There’s an 11pm curfew for parties in the garden to be considerate to the neighbours who are close on either side (let’s be honest, 26 adults can make a lot of noise) so rowdy groups or hen parties might prefer a different venue. There is no sea view, and the garden, though lovely, is small for 26 people, so if you’re imagining afternoon teas on rolling lawns, this one’s not for you.
ARC Padstow, The Manor House, St Issey, Wadebridge PL27 7QB. Tel: 07595 044168.
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