Over 610 Lodges | Established 2018
Over 610 Lodges | Est. 2018
St Ives holds a well-deserved reputation for being one of Cornwall’s most beautiful seaside towns, and it’s easy to see why. Golden beaches, turquoise water, cobbled streets, galleries and a picturesque harbour all come together to create somewhere that feels different from your average seaside resort in the UK.
Choosing a luxury lodge in St Ives gives you a comfortable base for enjoying everything the area has to offer. You could spend the morning on the beach, wander around the galleries in the afternoon and settle down for a relaxed evening back at your lodge, making the most of the privacy and premium features. It doesn't matter whether you're looking for a romantic escape, a family summer holiday or a staycation you can bring the dog on, St Ives ticks a lot of boxes.
St Ives is in West Cornwall, and it’s surrounded by some of the county's most impressive coastline. It's a former fishing town, but today it's equally well known for its beaches, art, restaurants, independent shops and outdoor activities. The town itself is compact enough to explore on foot, with narrow streets leading down towards the harbour and several beaches within easy reach of the centre. Porthmeor is popular with surfers, and Porthminster offers a more sheltered setting for swimming and relaxing.
One of the things that makes St Ives such a popular holiday destination is the variety that’s packed into a relatively small area. You can spend one day going and sitting on the beach, then the next you could head out for a coastal walk, visit an art gallery or explore one of the nearby towns the next. The wider St Ives Bay area is also worth exploring, with Carbis Bay, Hayle and Lelant all within easy reach.
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Porthmeor is one of St Ives’ best beaches, and it’s particularly popular with surfers. It’s also right beside Tate St Ives, so it’s easy to combine a morning on the sand with an afternoon exploring the town’s art scene. If you’re booking a luxury lodge in St Ives, be sure to make time for a proper beach day. Grab an ice cream, find a spot on the sand and enjoy being beside the sea.
You don’t need to be an art expert to enjoy Tate St Ives. The gallery overlooks Porthmeor Beach and displays modern and contemporary art, with exhibitions linked to both British and international artists. It’s also a good rainy day option if the Cornish weather takes a turn for the worst.
Barbara Hepworth had a close connection with St Ives, and her former home and studio are now open as a museum and sculpture garden. The garden is filled with her work and gives you a quieter experience, compared to some of the busier attractions in town.
The harbour in St Ives is at the heart of the town, and it’s one of the best places to go if you want to soak up the atmosphere. At low tide, the sandy Harbour Beach appears between the harbour walls, whilst the surrounding cafés, pubs, shops and galleries give you lots of reasons to stick around.
Some of the best scenery around St Ives can be found on foot. The South West Coast Path provides stunning views, with the route towards Carbis Bay being a particularly enjoyable option. You can even leave the car behind and use the train to return to St Ives after your walk.
Seeing St Ives from the water gives you a completely different perspective of the town and coastline, and it’s well worth doing. Local boat trips regularly head out from the harbour and give you the chance to spot marine life, explore the coast and even venture towards Seal Island or Godrevy Lighthouse.
Porthmeor’s waves make it one of the best places around St Ives for surfing, and it’s a must-visit spot if you’re keen to get out on the water. If you’ve never tried surfing before, local surf schools offer lessons, making it possible to give it a go even if you’re a complete novice.
St Ives has a fascinating artistic history that goes well beyond painting, so there’s lots to explore if you’re an art lover. The Leach Pottery was founded in 1920 by Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada, and it’s still an important part of the town’s creative heritage.
The journey between St Erth and St Ives is short, but the scenery makes it worth doing. The railway follows the coast, passing views of Carbis Bay and Porthminster Beach, before arriving in St Ives. It’s also a useful way to avoid driving into the town during busy periods, such as the summer holidays.
One of the biggest advantages of a lodge holiday in St Ives is having the rest of West Cornwall within reach. You can head towards Penzance and Marazion, visit St Michael’s Mount, explore Hayle or venture further along the coast. There’s lots to discover beyond St Ives, so don’t feel as though you have to spend your whole holiday in the town.
St Ives is a great base if you want to explore this part of Cornwall, as there are several coastal destinations and attractions within easy reach.
The town itself is the obvious starting point. You can wander through the narrow streets, browse independent shops and galleries, grab something to eat by the harbour or find a spot on one of the beaches. To make it easy, Harbour Beach is right in the centre of the town.
Just along the coast from St Ives, you’ll find Carbis Bay, which is known for its beautiful sandy beach and clear waters. It’s also connected to St Ives by the scenic St Ives Bay Line, or you can walk between the two along the South West Coast Path.
Hayle is a useful base for exploring the wider area and it has a huge stretch of sandy coastline for you to enjoy, along with access to the Hayle Estuary and nearby sand dunes.
Lelant sits between Hayle and St Ives, and it has a quieter feel than the main resort. It’s appealing to walkers and those who want a peaceful holiday, boasting access to coastal paths and views across the estuary.
If you head a little further west, you’ll come across Penzance, which is a good choice for a day out. Its seafront, shops and historic streets offer something slightly different from St Ives, whilst nearby Marazion gives you the chance to visit St Michael’s Mount.
St Ives is a destination where you’re likely to spend a lot of time outdoors. There are beaches to explore, coastal paths to walk and lots of attractions to visit, so having somewhere comfortable to return to at the end of the day makes a difference.
A luxury lodge in St Ives gives you more space and privacy than a typical hotel, whilst still putting you within easy reach of the coast. Some lodges also come with extras such as private hot tubs, which are hard to beat after a long day walking the South West Coast Path.
For families, a lodge holiday in St Ives can be somewhere to spread out rather than everyone being confined to a couple of hotel rooms. Plus, if you’re planning to bring your dog along, looking for a pet-friendly lodge in St Ives means you can enjoy Cornwall’s coastal scenery together.
Choosing a lodge in St Ives itself is ideal if you want to be close to the beaches, harbour, shops, restaurants and galleries. Carbis Bay and the surrounding area might be better if you’re looking for a quieter base while remaining close to St Ives.
Yes, pet-friendly lodges in St Ives do exist, and there’s a lot of choice. With beaches, coastal paths and countryside nearby, Cornwall is a particularly good choice for a holiday with your dog. Be sure to check individual beach restrictions, as some St Ives beaches have seasonal dog bans. It’s also important to check individual lodge policies, as some have limits on how many four-legged friends can stay.
Yes, you can definitely stay in lodges with hot tubs in St Ives. Luxury lodges with hot tubs can be found in and around the St Ives area, giving you the chance to soak and relax after exploring the coast.
Absolutely, and the beaches are a major attraction for families, but boat trips, surfing, galleries and coastal walks are good alternatives when you want to do something different. Porthminster is good for families if you’re looking for a sheltered sandy beach.
St Ives is best known for its beautiful beaches, picturesque harbour and strong artistic heritage. The town is home to Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, and it has long been associated with modern British art.
A long weekend is enough to experience the main beaches in St Ives, as well as exploring the town and visiting a few of its attractions. A week gives you more time to slow down and explore the wider area, even returning to your favourite spots.
To discover even more stunning destinations across the UK, take a look at our full collection of lodge holidays in the UK.
St Ives is accessible by both road and rail, meaning it’s easy to reach from most places. However, it's a good idea to think about your travel arrangements before setting off. The town has narrow streets and limited parking, and it gets busy during the summer months. This can make driving into St Ives tricky. Luckily, alternatives such as St Erth Park & Ride are available, which means you avoid trying to drive into the centre.
The train is one of the nicest ways to arrive into St Ives Bay. From St Erth, the train takes you along the coast into St Ives, with the journey taking around 10 to 15 minutes. St Erth also connects to the mainline, making it easy to travel from London and other parts of the UK, without driving the entire way to Cornwall.
If you’re driving, the A30 is the main route into West Cornwall. Having a car can be useful if you want to explore further afield, particularly if your chosen lodge is outside St Ives itself.
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