5 star quality at 2 star prices!! (Bay View Guest House (St Ives, Cornwall))

Member Name: haydn96

Product:	Bay View Guest House (St Ives, Cornwall)
Date:	25/09/08 (129 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: absolutely everything

Disadvantages: the unpredictable English weather

Bay View Guest House - St Ives, Corwall

The Bay View Guest House is situated in St Ives Cornwall, overlooking the magnificent St Ives Bay, the harbour, the Island. Porthminster beach and the town. The house itself is an old sea captains house and is a rather elegant victorian built granite walled terraced house on a row of similar properties. The house itself retains many of the period features such as the old front door, the sash windows, although the majority of the internal windows are now double glazed, fantastic marble fireplaces, ornate ceilings and more. However the house is not victorian inside, the interior is bright modern and homely. It is not super modern and contemporary but decorated with fine taste with large comfortable high quality sofas, plush curtains, high quality carpet, fish tank book case with some fanastic books, piano, interesting prints and paintings on the walls etc. The hallway is welcoming, the large victorian original door is always open during the day revealing a lockable interior door with stained glass window giving a bright and airy feel. The interior door is kept locked however you do have your own key and own key to your bedroom. Fresh flowers are placed on the table in the hallway along with a guest book for you to leave any comments and suggestions regarding your stay and a selelction of mints and sweets...a little touch but all amounts to the attention to detail given by the owners. In the hallway there are a selection of umberellas in a stand to borrow if the weather needs and a rack of leaflets regarding places to visit in and around St Ives...more interesting perhaps to some would be the list provided by Lucy and Vic, the owners of personal recommendations for places to visit, restaurants pubs etc. all with addresses and phone numbers and a few works such as fish restaurant, family friendly pub lunch fare etc. There are business cards for local taxi firms and obviously the Bay View itself. Every evening a lamp is switched on at dusk in the hallway to ensure the welcoming atmosphere again and to ensure you dont have to stumble in finding your key etc. The garden is perfectly manicured to the front and every year that I have been there an abundance of flowers and palm trees act as a feast to your eyes. There are a couple of benches under the window from which you can sit and read or just take in the pleasures of the breathtaking views, blue skies (hopefully but we are in England) and blue sea with fishing boats bobbing up and down. For any smokers, as the establishment is non smoking there is a smokers ash tray available outside. The garden is lit in the evening and from the harbour it is easy to pick out the Bay View due to the lights.

Now the bedrooms, there are four bedrooms 3 with stunning sea views and 1 without 3 with ensuite facilities and 1 with private use of a bathroom and toilet( which is again decorated to a high standard with a welcoming beach theme and immaculately clean. The bedrooms are all roomy bright and airy, with seating, mirrors, interesting features such as photos of the seas during winter, the life boat, and other local features. there are matching cupboards and wardrobes, all being of good quality in all the bedrooms and tea and coffee making facitilties in all the rooms with supplies, including biscuits and milk being replenished daily. Tea towels renewed daily along with plentiful white fluffy soft bath and hand towels again renewed daily. One of the great plus points the Bay View has over other establishments in the area is the fact that it is thoroughly cleaned through out on a daily basis, your bed is changed and remade for you again on a daily basis, your bin is emtied etc etc all those home from home comforts. There is a colour TV in every room, and a hairdryer, shaving point and besides the one room shower, basin and toilet. Toiletries, good quality ones at that are replenished daily also and dont forget those fluffy white towels. Every bedroom is vacuumed daily when you go out, if you are staying in your room all you need to do is hand the note provided on the external door handle and you wont be disturbed. There are heaters provided in all rooms along with extra blankets and pillows if needed but the duvets are renewed each and every year and the white cotton startched sheets were all that we have ever needed. There is WiFi internet access in all rooms too.

The decor is redone every winter and there are no worn carpets etc Everything is how you would like it to be, nothing but care and love is shown in every part of the establishment and nothing but care for an enjoyable stay is shown by the owners.

Breakfast is served every morning from 8 o'clock through to 8 o'clock with a wake up knock if you so wish. The food is all cooked to perfection. Plentiful tea and coffee, selection of fruit juices and milk, water, an assortment of fresh fruit and yoghurts and a variety of boxed breakfast cereals for you to help yourself and eat till your full, but wait leave room for the full english breakfast, egg and toast (boiled) poached, fried or scrambled, tomatoes, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, beans, tomatoes followed by toast, jam, honey, or marmalade, all freshly cooked and served to you hot made with local produce as far as possible.

Another bonus is that it is all served in matching white crockery no chips or stains, something which I have experienced in other similar establishments!!

The tables are cleared away and you are not rushed off but have chance to if you wish catch up with the other guests and Lucy and Vic who are happy to sit down after breakfast and share their knowledge of the area with you with a well earned cup of tea. There is no pressure to stay and take it easy however if you just want to get up and go thats fine by them.

No evening meal is provided however as said earlier there are a wide variety of eating establishments in the area many treid and tested by Lucy and Vic who are only too happy to pass on their experiences.

Free carparking is available for all guests on a private carpark which is a money saver in itself, although the bus station and train station are both a few minutes walk away so access is easy, the nearest airport is Newquay for those travelling by air.

Prices are reletavely cheap compared to other places in the area especially when you consider what you get, tea coffee wifi free parking etc There are no extras to pay for. £33 - £35 pppn is standard although obviously subject to change each year but that was the rate for 2008.

Bookings can be made either by phone writing or online. Just take a look at the website for more details. A small deposit will confirm a booking but early booking is advisable as the customers tend to come back year after year after year.

The establishment is rated as 4 stars by the English Tourist Board.

address
5 Pednolver Terrace
St Ives Cornwall
TR26 2EL

tel 01736796765

website http://www.bayview-guesthouse.co.uk/

email jamesvictorsimmons@hotmail.com

Summary: Home from home high quality holidaying