Perched above Porthminster Beach with beautiful views across St Ives Bay, this smart seaside hotel (formerly The Porthminster) pairs a relaxing spa and pool with a seafood restaurant. A stylish spot to soak up the light and colour that have long drawn artists to St Ives.
This was lovely. It's the sort of hotel you're genuinely excited to arrive at. You walk into a bright, airy, beautifully renovated old building kept to a really high, clean standard, with a grand central staircase and an old vintage lift taking you up. The staff were welcoming, smiling and friendly, the reception light and inviting, and you can see they've embraced the St Ives art scene, with bright, colourful artwork throughout that makes the most of the light the town is famous for. That feeling carries through to the room. We paid for a sea view, which I'd highly recommend. You get a balcony and an incredible view that could almost be the Mediterranean, looking out over the stunning beach towards Carbis Bay, just to the north of St Ives. We were lucky with the weather too. A really nice touch was the gin and tonic waiting for us to enjoy on the balcony on arrival, with Classic FM playing as we came in. The room was immaculate. The bed was very comfortable, a medium soft mattress with high quality bedding. My only slight disappointment was that it was a king rather than a super king, but it was still lovely. The bathroom, like a lot of British hotel bathrooms, was on the small side, but very nice and clean, with a bath, lovely soaps, and beautiful blue glassware dotted around the room that I loved so much I'm going to buy some myself. Downstairs is just as good. The bar is beautiful, light and airy and modern, with more artwork, friendly staff, a great drink selection and incredible views over the sea. It's somewhere you can genuinely settle in with a book or laptop and a glass of fizz, wine or a beer. The terrace, with its comfy chairs, is probably one of the best British hotel terraces I've ever come across. Breakfast the next day in their wonderful restuarant with the same great sea views, shame it was only continental included, as for the cost of the room I would have expected cooked to be included. Only filtered coffee too, come on, the cost of one Latte wont break your bank. The spa is great too. The pool is lovely for cooling off and relaxing, though it could be a touch deeper for a proper swim, and the hot tub was fantastic, actually hot, which is rarer than it should be. The rooms are slightly on the small side, but don't let that put you off, as they're beautiful and there's enough room to move around comfortably. One last thing worth mentioning is the concierge parking, which is brilliant in a town as tricky as St Ives. You simply pull up, they take your car and park it for you, and bring it back when you need it. Fantastic service. We will definitely be back. A wonderful stay.
We had the most wonderful experience celebrating our special day at the hotel, and a huge part of that was thanks to Ross and Bliss. Ross was absolutely fantastic behind the bar—attentive, friendly, and genuinely invested in making sure we had the best time. He went above and beyond to look after us, and it really felt like he was part of the celebration. Sharing such an important day with someone so warm and engaging made it even more memorable. Bliss was equally incredible. From the moment we arrived, she was welcoming, organised, and completely on top of everything. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and her attention to detail ensured the function room looked perfect. Her effort and coordination made the entire day run smoothly, and it simply wouldn’t have been the same without her. We’re so grateful to both Ross and Bliss for making our celebration so special—truly unforgettable service.
We booked a holiday at the Harbour about six months ago and, during the booking, requested a cot and mentioned that it was my baby’s first birthday. Unfortunately, when we arrived, the cot had not been set up. When we tried calling reception, nobody answered. As it was summer, I wanted to request a fan, but no one responded to my calls. Breakfast was included in our package, so we were expecting a decent buffet. However, the only complimentary options available were cereal and croissants. Everything else came at an additional charge. On the first day, the eggs were fantastic, but on the second day, the same dish tasted terrible. None of the rooms had balconies. The walk from reception to our room was extremely inconvenient. We had a pushchair, a baby, and a lot of luggage, yet there was nowhere to leave the pushchair. Every time we needed to go out, we had to carry the pushchair along with our bags all the way to and from the room. This was very difficult and inconvenient, and no assistance was offered. Overall, the stay was not worth the amount we paid.
A very old hotel which promotes itself as upmarket with a spa. There are a lot of levels, lots of stairs and a very old lift. We had a Sea view room expecting a luxury stay. Whilst the view was spectacular of St Ives beach, the room promoted as King Size bed, definitely wasn't. Rooms are spacious but bathrooms are tiny. There was no walk-in shower as requested but a bath/shower combo impossible for a short person to get in and out of. The space between the bath and bedroom was barely wide enough to get to the basin which had no bench space for your toiletries. The room was warm and there is no air-conditioning but a small fan was provided. Complimentary gun and tonic in the room and an ineffective mini-fridge with some mini bar items. The hallways were noisy, the wood floor creaked and you could hear doors banging all night. Used the pool in the spa which was very relaxing. Change rooms had lockers and showers. There was also a bathers spin to get the water out! Hair-dryer and curling wand available for use and towels also provided. Breakfast was included in room rate but was only for continental selection. You could order hot items from the menu which was extra. Ate in the restaurant. Food was delicious but overpriced. When paying we were pressured to include the optional service fee although service was not anything but ordinary making this one very expensive meal. There are not many other restaurants nearby unless you walk downhill to the town centre and then its a very steep walk back up. There is no parking at the hotel but staff will valet park for ÂŁ10 per night. Only 4 loading bays across the road to unload. Need to allow 15 to 30 minutes for return of car. Staff friendliness and helpfulness varied.
The hotel stands in a relatively old building. I don't know whether it had been built as an hotel or it originally was the house of a worthy family. One can't expect such hotels to be as rational as the new ones. With my wife I spent 8 nights there. The view on St. Ives bay is great, service professional, the hotel is clean, has a charming, elegant atmosphere. We got a room sufficiently large, the bathroom too but had few, too small drawers and a small wardrobe. The lift is old fashioned, small. It reaches the 3rd floor only, so the access to the 4 rooms of the 4th floor is through a steep and narrow staircase. The lift should be modified! The shutter of the cabin does not automatically close. It is too often forgotten open. When that happens guests have to walk up/down the stairs. Not pleasant at all especially for old, tired people.
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