Toms Holidays – Beach Chalets, Lodges & Bungalows at Riviere Towans

Holiday homes in the dunes at Riviere Towans

Toms Holidays looks after a wide choice of self-catering beach chalets, timber lodges and bungalows at Riviere Towans, just outside Hayle on St Ives Bay. The properties sit among forty acres of sand dunes and open grass, with paths leading straight down onto three miles of Hayle Beach.

Riviere Towans is not a typical holiday park. There are no rows of identical caravans here: every chalet, lodge and bungalow is privately owned and has its own character, from vintage beach huts with painted doors to modern timber lodges with balconies. Beach chalets have stood on these dunes since the 1920s, and generations of families have come back year after year.

Toms Holidays is a small, family-run company based in Hayle with an office on the park, so help is close at hand from the moment you arrive. It has been advertising with Cornwall Online since 2013.

Choosing your Riviere Towans holiday home

Because each property is individually owned, sizes and facilities vary. Most have two or three bedrooms and sleep four to six guests. Many include Wi-Fi, a washing machine and a dishwasher, and bed linen is provided. Some owners have even added electric vehicle charging. Each listing on the Toms Holidays website shows exactly what is included, with photos and, for many properties, a 3D tour.

Toms Holidays also manages holiday homes at Tolroy Manor, which has a bar and swimming pool, and cottages in Hayle town itself, so there is plenty of choice if you would rather stay away from the dunes.

Dog-friendly and easy-access stays

Holidaying with a dog is easy at Riviere Towans. Selected properties welcome dogs for £35 per dog per week, and the website has a Dog Friendly filter so you can see them at a glance. With the dunes and the beach right outside, morning and evening walks are on the doorstep.

If steps are a problem, look for the Easy Access properties. They are on level ground with parking right beside them, and some have a level entrance. The Accessible filter on the website shows which properties suit particular needs, and the office team are happy to advise.

Life on the dunes

The wide open spaces between the chalets give children room to play, and from most properties you can be on the sand within a couple of minutes. Hayle Beach runs for three miles from the mouth of the Hayle estuary all the way to Godrevy, so even in high summer there is space to spread out.

Surfers and bodyboarders of all levels have breaks within walking distance at Hayle Rivermouth and Mexico Towans. The South West Coast Path runs along the edge of the park, ready for a walk along the towans or a longer hike towards Gwithian and Godrevy Head.

Hayle on foot

Hayle town centre is about a mile from Riviere Towans. You can follow the road, or at low tide walk back along the beach to North Quay and into town. Hayle has supermarkets, independent shops, cafés, pubs and takeaways, and a long maritime and industrial history around its harbour and quays.

The Hayle estuary is a well-known spot for birdwatching, especially in autumn and winter. Hayle station is on the main line to Penzance, and the nearby St Erth station is the start of the scenic branch line to St Ives.