An award-winning architectural delight in Polzeath that's a perfect place to watch the sun set
Kai Tak in Cornwall is a surfer's paradise, with three levels of contemporary accommodation in the heart of one of Cornwall's best towns.


The sun is out and therefore I am thinking about the beach. I therefore decided to type ‘Cornwall’ into my little property search bar, and have spent the past 30 minutes looking and sighing at nice houses by the beach. Without breaking the fourth wall too much, a lot of what you see and read on this website is decided by what kind of mood I’m in and where I’d rather be.
One place I’d rather be is Kai Tak in Polzeath. This ‘exceptional and striking’ five-bedroom home, designed with ‘flair and panache’ by Cassell Tarring Architects is on the market with John Bray Estates for £3.25 million and sits in the heart of this surfing paradise.
Set over 4,000sq ft, the only thing more striking than the property’s design is its views over the sea as a result of its elevated position on Dunders Hill. It’s even got an EPC rating of C, making it relatively sustainable to run.
Open-plan living spaces are the name of the game here, with a sitting room and kitchen/dining/reception room on the ground floor. On the lower ground floor, you’ll find a surf store (of course), tv room, gym, and spa facility. Four bedrooms, and another sitting room (with the best views) make up the first floor.
Terraces to the front and rear are perfect for outside dining and entertaining, while the gardens to the rear face south and are fully enclosed with low-maintenance planting. No garden these days is complete without a pizza oven, and Kai Tak is no exception. If all this wasn’t enough, the property has detailed planning permission approved for a one-bedroom, two-storey annexe.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
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James Fisher is the Deputy Digital Editor of Country Life. He writes about property, travel, motoring and things that upset him. He lives in London.
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