Crab Cottage

Selsey, West Sussex | Sleeps 8 | Bedrooms 4 | Parking: Yes (Street) | Pet friendly: Yes | Wi-Fi: Yes
From £385 to £545 per night (2-4 nights minimum stay)

Description

Tucked away on the very tip of the south coast, Crab Cottage’s combination of elegant, modern design, eco-friendly credentials, and second-to-none beach location make this the most stylish of Sussex beachside homes. Cleverly designed, upside-down living ensures that the gorgeous open plan social spaces make the very best of the stunning sea views. While four kingsized bedrooms, each with their own private terrace, mean that groups of up to eight can relax in supreme comfort. Add a brilliantly equipped, glamorous kitchen, a clawfoot bath where you can relax and look out over the waves, and a Derek Jarmanesque ’beach garden’, and the scene is set for the most memorable of holidays.
Crab Cottage’s architecture is all about clean lines and the huge windows that allow the coastal light to pour in. But there is nothing minimal or austere about the interior design. The white walls and grey wood flooring are softened by statement lighting, carefully chosen paintings (many painted by the owner, an artist) and accessories, and comfortable sofas, beds and places to lounge. The statement kitchen is painted the dark blue of a stormy seascape and will entice the keen cook in with cleverly concealed storage and a Lacanche range. Find the secret door in the library area, and you can commandeer the bathroom behind and enjoy a long soak in the bath while gazing out to sea.

Just add friends, long walks on the beach, fresh Selsey crab bought straight off the boat, and sundowners overlooking the sea, to create your perfect seaside holiday.

Features

Ground Floor:
1 x kingsize bedroom with ensuite shower room and French doors opening onto a beach side deck. Wardrobe, shelves and vanity unit

1 x kingsize bedroom with French doors opening onto a beachside deck, double wardrobe, shelves and chest of drawers

1 x kingsize bedroom with zip and link beds, with Crittal door leading onto a rear garden deck. Single wardrobe, shelves & dressing table.
Large shared wet room (with disabled access).

1 x self-contained annexe, within the house, that is perfect for elderly relatives or perhaps anyone with a baby – consisting of a king-sized bedroom with ensuite shower room, double wardrobe and chest of drawers, plus own sitting room with kitchenette, and French doors that open to a beachside wooden deck.

First Floor

Open plan kitchen, sitting and dining areas that make the most of the stunning views. The kitchen is extremely well equipped with Lacanche range cooker, dishwashers, Dualit toaster, fridge, freezer and drinks fridge, and well-stocked pantry. A woodburner keeps the sitting area cosy on blustery days.

There are balconies on the beach side, and a ‘G&T’ balcony on the garden side (to watch the sunset). At the rear of the sitting room is a library area with hidden door to:-

Bathroom with floor to ceiling window looking out to sea, and roll-top bath.

Outside

The multiple decks around Crab Cottage are furnished with coffee tables and bistro-style tables and chairs. There is a lovely, sheltered alfresco dining area in the back garden, complete with teak table, chairs and an umbrella, perfect for enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. The property is surrounded by elegant fencing; leave the garden and cross private East Beach Road, to find the ‘Beach Garden’, complete with festoon lighting, charcoal BBQ and a chimera – perfect for an evening drink overlooking the beach, or a BBQ.

At the rear of the house is a studio which also a utility area, available to guests (including washing machine, tumble dryer, and sink)

Children: are welcome at Crab Cottage. One of the bedrooms can be made up as a twin room, on request. Please note that the deck is 1m up from ground level, and although it is surrounded by grasses, isn’t fenced, so young children would need to be supervised.

Pantry items: the larder is fully stocked; please just replace anything you use, like for like.

Pets: One well behaved dog is allowed if it kept off furniture. 

Parking: There is ample parking for 3-4 cars, just outside the gates and entrance to the property.

Other: Crab Cottage is fully accessible thanks to an extra wide front door, ramp to the entrance, and internal lift (please note that the lift is to be used for disabled access only). There is also a fully accessible wet room to the ground floor.

Beach towels and blankets are available for guests to use, and a heated outside shower for rinsing off the salt water after a swim!

Location

The historic fishing town of Selsey lies on the very Southern tip of the Manhood Peninsula in West Sussex, eight miles to the South of Chichester (which also provides the nearest railway station, with trains running to London Victoria or London Bridge). Selsey is reputed to have more sunlight hours than anywhere else in the UK!
The town is rich in history and wildlife, and it is still possible to witness the fishermen bringing in the catch – including the famous Selsey Crab. Many of the fisherman also man the lifeboats in the working Lifeboat Station. Selsey is surrounded by miles of beaches.

With easy access to Chichester, Goodwood, Arundel, the South Downs National Park, and all of the many beaches along the south coast from Wittering to Brighton, Selsey is a wonderful destination.

Things to do

When you are able to spend your holiday in a house that all but dips its toes in the sea, the coast has to be the main attraction. The beaches in and around Selsey stretch for miles, especially west towards Bracklesham Bay and East Wittering. It is usually quiet, even in the peak months – East Beach and Oval Field Beach (which is also sandy at low tide) are dog friendly, too. Swim, walk, lounge, fly a kite, look out for seals just offshore, and make sure not to miss the famous Selsey sunset. Local SUP hire and lessons are available, and Selsey is a PADI diving centre, too.

You can’t visit Selsey and miss seeing the fishermen bringing in the day’s catch – and buying your own Selsey crab, lobster, and prawns fresh off the boat. Head to the Lifeboat Station, which is open every day, to explore more of the sea-faring past of this area. Stunning Pagham Harbour, and the Medmerry Nature Reserve, both nearby, are both teaming with sea & wetland birds.

Just inland, there are miles of glorious walks and cycle trails to be found around the South Downs National Park – not least the famous South Downs Way which stretches all the way from Winchester to Eastbourne, taking in the most stunning coastal vistas and rolling countryside. The cathedral City of Chichester offers some fascinating Roman history, and a vibrant cultural scene thanks to modern art galleries such as Pallant House, and the Chichester Festival Theatre. Arundel has a castle, complete with the wonderful Collector Earl’s Garden, Lido, museum, and some great independent shops.

Browse the Gallery

Food & Drink

If you love seafood, you will be spoilt for choice. Potters, next to the Lifeboat Station, is a friendly, family-run beachside café serving delicious crab and lobster – the family fishing boats supply the produce. If you’re planning a special occasion or meal in, you can even ask them to deliver one of their seafood platters. Julies also sell crab, lobster and wet fish from their kiosk on the wharf. The Crab & Lobster is a local destination pub, and sits on the banks of Pagham Harbour in nearby Sidlesham. The menu features plenty of seafood alongside other traditional English and Mediterranean dishes.

The Boulevard in Selsey has a more relaxed, fun, family-friendly vibe and offers everything from all-day breakfasts to delicious sundaes! The Crown & Anchor at Dell Quay (right on Chichester Harbour) has a great outdoor terrace where you can watch the comings and goings on the water. While inland, country pubs are plentiful; The Fox Goes Free just outside Chichester, or The Lamb Inn, on the way to Wittering are favourites, but there are lots to choose from.

For fine dining, book a table at Farmer, Butcher, Chef on the Goodwood Estate, where all of the produce for the kitchen is sourced from their own Home Farm, or try the exquisite, seasonal menu, and equally understated but stylish décor, at The Parson’s Table, in Arundel.

Would’t want to see in the new decade anywhere else!

We had the most fabulous week at Crab Cottage, the owner had thought of everything …
a well-equipped kitchen with a Lacanche cooker, one and a half dishwashers, a larder fridge, drinks fridge and freezer, along with an amazingly stocked walk-in larder, super comfy beds, fab showers, rooms leading onto their own part of the wooden deck,  and that’s before we even mention the views.  It looks pretty stunning as you walk through the extra wide front door, but as you ascend the staircase, the view emerges, and completely takes your breath away….  you really are right on the sea; stepping out to the balcony and hearing the waves gently crashing on the shore, soothes all those stresses of City life and soon the moon rises over the sea, the cocktails are served … really, what more could you wish for (well, apparently we missed  the incredible sunrise and the sunset from the Gin & Tonic balcony at the rear of the house).  
 
We so enjoyed the walks around Pagham Harbour nature reserve, especially the walk to lunch at The Crab & Lobster, which is not to be missed, sunbathing on loungers on the wooden deck,  swimming in the clear sea (it is a shingle beach) not to mention, the hot outdoor shower when we came off the beach,  BBQ’s on the beach garden with the chiminera roaring, ending the evening with roasting marshmallows,  … we return as often as we can to our little piece of Paradise.
 
Then drifting off to sleep in a cosy bed listening to the sound of the waves lapping on the beach .

An amazing place to stay. Penny and her attention to detail and all those small treats and provisionswere greatly appreciated. The place was amazing, clean. The place for me had a lot of warmth and love. The pictures don’t do it justice, I will definitely be returning back

 Penny is super friendly and amiable. What a great spot!

Immaculate. Well insulated, so very warm and comfortable (we were there in January, and it was really cold out). Decent wifi, well-equipped kitchen and a great shower. Location is just by the beach. I’m sure we would have been able to hear the waves, but it was flat calm. The sunrise is spectacular.