Blue Hayes Private Hotel

About Blue Hayes Private Hotel

Blue Hayes sits on Trelyon Avenue, on the slope above Porthminster Beach with a wide view across St Ives Bay to Godrevy Lighthouse. It calls itself a private hotel, which is about right: six suites, no reception desk to speak of, advance bookings only, and an owner-run feel that a larger property could not manage. The house was substantially remodelled and now has a colonnaded terrace at the front that is the best place in the building to sit with a drink in the evening.

All six rooms are suites and all have their own outdoor space, whether a balcony, roof terrace or patio. The Master Suite is the largest, with a big terrace facing the bay; the Godrevy, Bay, Garden and Trelyon suites each have their own outlook, and Lowarth sits at garden level. Rooms are furnished comfortably rather than fashionably, with generous bathrooms, seating areas and plenty of storage. The scale of the rooms is unusual for a property of this type in St Ives.

Breakfast is included and served on the terrace when the weather allows. There is a licensed cocktail bar and a private dining room, and light suppers can be arranged. Crucially for St Ives, there is on-site parking, which removes the single biggest headache of staying in the town. A path leads from the garden down to Porthminster Beach, and from there it is roughly ten minutes on foot into the harbour and the town centre.

Blue Hayes does not take children under ten, and the atmosphere is calm and adult throughout. It suits couples on a longer break, people visiting the Tate and the Hepworth garden, and anyone who wants a comfortable, quiet base with a view rather than a large hotel with facilities. It is closed for a period over winter, so check dates before planning an off-season trip.