27th May 2007 - Bed & Breaksurf From the Scilly Isles to the Scottish Highlands … we pick our Top Ten stylish seaside hotels.
ST IVES is one of the funkiest seaside resorts in Cornwall thanks to the opening a few years ago of the Tate art gallery. So it’s hardly surprising that the town should now have a stylish boutique hotel overlooking the bay and harbour. Blue Hayes is five minutes walk and gazes down upon Porthminster Beach.
Cool, minimalist rooms have been created within a whitewashed 1920s building. It’s a real suntrap and on a summer’s morning feels like the French Riviera, with even palm trees in the garden. There are plenty of restaurants nearby but the hotel does offer light suppers that can be served on the terrace if you fancy dining al fresco.
WHAT TO DO: Walk along the South West Coast Path, wander around the cobbled streets of St Ives or take a picnic to Porthminster Beach.
WAKE-UP CALL: The hotel is closed November to February. B&B starts from £70pp a night when two share. See www.bluehayes.co.uk or call 01736 797129.
Lonely Planet - "A little piece of the south of France in St Ives." There are a couple of grand country hotels around St Ives, but for something less ostentatious try this boutique beauty, where you'll find five pamper-palace suites (including one with its own private roof patio) and a balustraded breakfast terrace overlooking the bay.
Positioned in a fabulous spot above the town along Trelyon Ave, overlooking the sandy curve of Porthminster Beach, this newly refurbished hotel is rapidly gaining a name for itself as one of St Ives' most luxurious hideaways. All the rooms are designated as suites, and with good reason; they're decked out in truly luxuriant fashion with achingly tasteful palettes of coffee, cream and sea-blue, silky cotton sheets and huge, futuristic bathrooms with multi-jet showers and Molton Brown bath goodies. They're all supremely comfortable, but for maximum impact go for the Trelyon Suite, which has tall French doors opening onto a lovely balcony overlooking the hotel's palm-fringed gardens and the Godrevy lighthouse beyond. The whole atmosphere here is more St Tropez than St Ives, a beguiling blend of classic chic, razor-sharp service and high-tech extravagance.
June 2006 St Ives
Seaside Splendours - Our top 10 British resorts
Blue Hayes -
Perched on a hill just off the South West Coast Path, this luxurious tiny hotel is a gem. There’s a balustraded balcony with great sea views, the breakfasts are enormous and delicious, and Elizabeth Hodson, who serves them, has dozens of stories of St Ives, from her time as a 50s Carnival Queen to the salty characters from ‘Downalong’, where the artists and fishermen once lived.
With its mining heritage, colonies of artists, coastal walks and National Trust connections, the west of Cornwall is, says Gemma Hall, the perfect spot for a break away
WED Magazine
Tucked away on the cliff tops above Porthminster beach, the Blue Hayes Hotel is something of a well-kept secret amongst those who appreciate a touch of seaside luxury. The décor of this 1920s’ building is sleek and spacious. The atmosphere is tranquil. And the building whispers luxury and exclusivity from every light, airy and effortlessly stylish corner.
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PLACES BY THE SEA
Blue Hayes Hotel, St Ives, Cornwall - www.bluehayes.co.uk
Cornwall has always been smart - now it's positively chic. The proof is in its new hotels and restaurants, says Fiona Duncan.
Cornwall: England’s Champagne Coast - 27/06/2004
It feels like Capri at the Blue Hayes Hotel (01736 797129; www.bluehayes.co.uk; doubles from £130), a new five-room "private hotel" overlooking St Ives Bay and harbour. It has glitzy suites, a white-balustraded terrace, palm-fringed gardens and stunning sea views. This is a much-needed addition in St Ives, another Cornish resort where sleek bars and restaurants have been springing up around the harbour to meet the demand from more upmarket visitors drawn to the town by attractions such as Tate St Ives.. Click here to read the full article.
Telegraph writers pick their favourite discoveries made during 12 months of travel across the globe. Fifteen hotels selected, only two of which are in the UK - one of these is Blue Hayes:
The Best of 2003 - Worldwide directory of our favourite hotels - 29/12/2003
Blue Hayes, St Ives, Cornwall. This freshly rebuilt and refurbished hotel above the coastal path at the approach to the town is in a class of its own. For years Cornwall's most romantic and cultured seaside hideaway has been in need of somewhere comfortable to stay, and now it has it. The hotel has five stylish suites and does not accept children under 10 years. From £55 per person per night including breakfast. Click here to read the full article.
The 2005 edition of the Good Hotel Guide features a record 115 new entries, a sure sign that independent hotel-keeping is thriving. The 10 chosen here illustrate two emerging themes: a new owner gives an existing inn or hotel a contemporary make-over; or an abandoned building, part of our industrial heritage, is given new life as a stylish hotel. In each case, it is the drive and vision of a private owner that has underpinned the development. Another common theme is the importance given to the restaurant, with modern menus presented with flair. All 10 of these new hotels have been tried and tested by Guide inspectors on an anonymous overnight visit.
09/11/2004
'In a perfect location', above magnificent Porthminster beach, this 1920s building, now a small luxury hotel, stands on a slope: reception is on top; you work your way down to the bedrooms. The owner, Malcolm Herring, opened in March 2003 after a 'two-year rebuild' which created a light, minimalist decor in cream and blue. David Wright is manager. 'The place has a tranquil feel,' say this year's nominators. From the wide terrace, there are 'wonderful views of coast and sea'. On fine days this is where breakfasts and light suppers are served….. Click here to visit the Good Hotel Guide.
Down Memory Lane - 08/06/2003
Down memory lanes - Paul Wade returns to his childhood haunts and finds narrow alleys of St Ives much changed. Blue Hayes is open again after a facelift. Expect urban sophistication with the finest views in town. Click here to read the full article.
Gold Award to Blue Hayes - 23/07/2003
You’ll be converted by beautiful St Ives - The Cornish fishing village became popular with painters – but there’s far more to it than red ochre says Peter Hardy. Blue Hayes stands out in vivid relief from the otherwise bland canvas of hotel accommodation. The house, on the coastal path at the approach to the town, was recently reopened, after a two year makeover, with five stylish suites. Click here to read the full article.
Pioneering Spirit - 19/07/2003
Pioneering Spirit thrives in St Ives - Joanna Hunter examines the artistic legacy of this tiny seafront town; she stayed at Blue Hayes Hotel where a double room costs from £90.
Walk of the Month - 07/03/2003
Follow the path of smugglers and artists - Take the road out of St Ives and you’ll be rewarded with spectacular clifftop views. Mark Rowe gets walking. Mark Rowe stayed at the Blue Hayes hotel, a luxurious, private option in St Ives, recently reopened after a refit as a modern, swish hotel with dramatic views across the bay and harbour.
Sleepover: A night in St Ives: Blue Hayes - 31/08/2003
Luxurious in every respect. It represents a welcome addition to the hotel scene in St Ives and suggests that accommodation is finally catching up with the fancy restaurants around the harbour. The recent facelift appears to have exterminated every bit of chintz; instead expect smooth, sleek, Scandinavian cream lines, soft cotton and fresh lilies. Click here to read the full article
Going To Cornwall - 17/11/2006
Cornwall, the jagged peninsula in the southwest corner of England, is enjoying a foodie revival. Once known mainly for its Cornish pasty, a doughy meat turnover created to stave off the hunger of miners, the seaside county now boasts of Michelin-starred chefs and first-rate restaurants. They’re taking the British craze for locally sourced food to new extremes, pulling together ingredients from Cornwall’s coves and farms. Click here to read the full article.
The Local Travel Directory - 17/11/2006
mrVisitor stayed at the fantastic Blue Hayes Hotel. If you use toiletries to gauge a quality hotel, then a Molton Brown sighting will likely mean you are in for a treat. But the Blue Hayes isn’t all about staying in your bathroom, although they are all superb, with shower jets and all the bells and whistles, the toiletries are just one indication that here luxury, comfort, and attention to detail are taken very seriously.
"Sleek, spacious, calming with just five rooms and sweeping views"
Blue Hayes Hotel Review - 18/11/2006
Blue Hayes is set in its own grounds on Porthminster Point, overlooking St Ives Bay and harbour, with its own car parking facilities and above one of the finest sandy beaches in the country, which is just a few minutes walk along the coastal path which passes the bottom of the garden.
Blue Hayes appears in Alastair Sawday's Special Places to Stay, British Hotels, Inns & Other Places
GOLD AWARD
Awarded to properties that not only achieve their overall rating but also exceed the expectations within their rating level. The awards recognise the high level of comfort, cleanliness, hospitality and service afforded.
Properties achieving a Gold award will demonstrate exceptional levels of quality, comfort, cleanliness, hospitality and attentive service.
From the Scilly Isles to the Scottish Highlands … we pick our Top Ten stylish seaside hotels.
There are a couple of grand country hotels around St Ives, but for something less ostentatious try this boutique beauty, where you'll find five pamper-palace suites (including one with its own private roof patio) and a balustraded breakfast terrace overlooking the bay.
