Kittiwake House

Kittiwake House is a white-painted terrace on the promenade at Port Erin, divided into self-contained holiday flats. The arched windows on the lower floors are picked out in blue, and the front of the building looks down the bay to the green headland on the far side.

You step in off the promenade pavement, past a low wall and a row of planted pots, into a hall shared with the other flats. Upper floors are reached by stairs only, so ask for a lower floor if cases are a problem.

Front rooms and the light in them

The best of these flats put the sitting room in the bay window, with a sofa and armchairs turned to the glass and the sea filling three panes of it. Kitchens are compact and practical rather than smart: oven and hob, microwave, fridge, kettle and toaster, with a washing machine under the counter and a table to eat at. Furnishings are homely rather than designed.

Beds in the bay, beds in the roof

Two bedrooms per flat, sleeping four between them. Layouts differ: a double and a single in one, a double and a twin in another. The bay-fronted bedrooms get the water and a pair of armchairs by the window. The ones in the roof are smaller, the ceiling sloping over a single bed. Bathrooms are simple and well kept, some with a shower cubicle, some with a full bath and a heated towel rail.

Down onto the sand at Port Erin

Port Erin Beach is a short walk from the door, down onto the sand at the head of the bay. Port Erin sits at the southern end of the island and is small enough to cover on foot, with street parking along the front.

Who it works for

Couples and small families who would rather self-cater with a view than take a hotel room. Four is the ceiling, so two adults and a child or two, or two couples splitting a double and a twin.