WHAT? WHERE?

Managed by Carbis Bay Estate, POD ST IVES glamping are five pods and a spa garden set in the glorious West Penwith countryside very near to both St Ives and Carbis Bay (and very close to the Trink farm – which has a 24 hour milkshake vending machine, FYI). Each POD is set privately in it’s own garden and area of the site, with space to relax outside. There is also the communal spa garden.

beach at Carbis Bay Hotel St Ives Cornwall

It is just a short drive from the Carbis Bay Estate, to which guests have access during the stay. Carbis Bay is a seriously luxe coastal hotel, spa, and estate set on almost a mile of privately owned sandy Blue Flag beach on Cornwall’s north coast near to St Ives.

THE VIBE

undercover deck area pod glamping carbis bay st ives cornwall

Billed as glamping, but glamping Carbis Bay style means it is pretty far removed from anything you might recognise as in the same ball park as camping. Yes, you’re right in nature – and the dark skies are pretty spectacular – but your loo flushes, it is warm and cosy inside, there’s a fridge and a TV in the both the bedroom and living area. Basically, if you don’t think you like glamping, this is the glamping holiday for you!

SCOFF & QUAFF

There are cooking facilities in the PODS, which include a fully equipped kitchen with an oven and a hob stocked with all the necessary utensils and crockery. The team also drop off essentials for breakfast including bread, granola, local milk, ham and cheese each day of your stay.

While we could have cooked an evening meal, we opted to eat at the laid back Beach Club, below, at Carbis Bay instead. With a chic all white interior evoking New England vibes, we ate pizzas, and salads, and drank white wine as we watched the waves crashing on the shore below. There are also fish specials landed off the local day boats, and a children’s menu for little ones.

beach club restaurant Carbis Bay Hotel St Ives Cornwall

For a longer stay, all manner of dining is on offer at Carbis Bay; you could also pick up some picnic bits at the deli, or head to the Walter’s on the Beach Restaurant, which is a more grown-up vibe with fusion-like cooking, alongside a banging cocktail list. Or, just up the road, the Hungry Gannet is Carbis Bay’s more traditional Cornish pub. The Orangery serves things like sandwiches for lunch – which the couple in the spa next to me were particularly taken with!

cocktails at walters on the beach carbis bay

PILLOW TALK

As you’d expect from a property run by Carbis Bay, the beds are really comfortable – much more akin to a hotel stay than any kind of camping! Welsh wool blankets and pillows add warmth and texture for chillier evenings, and the sheets are crisp and white.

Rooms are of a decent size, especially considering these are glamping PODs, with a little wardrobe to keep clothes tidy, and even a massive TV screen for a late-night movie watching. Carbis Bay branded robes are also provided, ideal for walking over to the hot tub or sauna in the garden. And, in the least glamping-like touch of all, the toiletries, even the hand soap, is all Bamford. What a treat!

outdoor bath pod glamping carbis bay st ives cornwall

SPA

Spoilt for choice, depending how far you want to walk. Each of the two-bed PODs has its own hot tub in the garden, and the one-beds have outdoor bathtubs, plus all PODs have access to the Nest Spa Garden on site, with sauna, ice plunge, and a yoga studio.

hot tub in the garden at pod glamping carbis bay st ives cornwall

Plus, all guests of POD St Ives also receive complimentary access to the C Bay Spa at Carbis Bay Estate. The multi-award-winning C Bay Spa, with year-round heated pools and peaceful treatment rooms, offers Bamford Spa Treatments (at extra cost) – so exclusive, it is the only spa in Cornwall which does. And they really are lovely. The Bamford aesthetic is green and simple, reflected in the rosemary used as decor, and the huge glass windows framing the view.

Carbis Bay C Bay Spa sea view relaxation room St Ives Cornwall UK

The outside pool, heated to 25C, is lovely whatever the weather, with a heated invigorating hydropool just beside it, and also an outside sauna and sun-deck for sunbathing. The pool is open all day and children/under 16s are welcome in the pool at specific times, with a dedicated family slot every morning and late afternoon.

KID-FRIENDLY

Yes! The family PODs have two rooms, one of which is a super cute twin room, perfect for younger-medium sized kids / teens (it might be quite a squeeze for adult children – book the SPA POD instead with two doubles). My kids loved the fire/chiminea in the garden, which was perfect for the handily provided marshmallows, toasted under a dark star-filled sky. This area of West Penwith has barely any light pollution, and is beautifully dark.

garden chimnea pod glamping carbis bay st ives cornwall

OUT & ABOUT

So much to do locally – this is great location for exploring the delights of St Ives and West Penwith. Down at Carbis Bay there is a mile of soft, golden sand and sheltered waters right in front of the hotel, where the Ocean Sports Centre offers tuition and hire of paddleboards and kayaks.

Check out my guide to St Ives here where arty highlights include the Tate and Barbara Hepworth’s Sculpture Garden (above) and there’s four beaches within walking distance of the whitewashed cottages and cobbled streets that cluster around the harbour. There’s foodie delights in St Ives as well as Penzance and Newlyn. We spent a good deal of time lazing in the garden, reading, and dipping in the hot tub. We also went looking for stone circles – check out my guide here – as this part of Cornwall is full of them, and lots are quite easy to find.

DOG FRIENDLY?

Yes, well behaved dogs welcome – each POD has its own gated garden which is pet friendly.

ACCESSIBILITY

The PODs are all level, with car parking on site.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Glamping really in name only – makes a romantic getaway complete with outdoor bathtub, or a fun family week; it is a bit more rural and therefore easier to get to lots of places rather than just being tucked into St Ives.

Not for: There’s no restaurant on site, and although you have access to the restaurants and facilities at Carbis Bay, if you want a sea view or to be able to walk to dinner, you might be better off at the hotel itself.

The damage: The Mezzanine POD (sleeps two) from £295 per night, the family POD (sleeps four) from £325 per night, and the SPA POD (sleeps four) is from £350 per night.

carbisbayhotel.co.uk/stay/luxury-glamping-cornwall

Review: POD St Ives Glamping, Carbis Bay, Cornwall

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