view of pub from Porthminster Beach Pedn Olva St Ives St Austell Brewery Cornwall — Pedn Olva St Ives

WHAT? WHERE?

Recently re-opened after an impressive refurb, the Pedn Olva in St Ives, Cornwall, is a St Austell Brewery pub and restaurant with rooms. Perched on a granite outcrop, the four storey building overlooks Porthminster beach and St Ives harbour.

Sitting on what was once the engine house of the North Wheal Providence copper mine, which operated in the 1700s, the redesign has drawn extensively on the site’s mining heritage for inspiration from everything to the colour palette, decor and even the granite rocks that are part of the reception area.

It really is a fabulous location. So close to the sea it feels like you are on a boat when the tide is in. Think winter wave watching, or summer sun-trap!

THE VIBE

lookout Pedn Olva St Ives St Austell Brewery Cornwall — Pedn Olva Review

Part beachside pub, part aprés-ski lodge, the leather chairs, sheepskins and floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the action are super cosy for an autumn and winter break. In summer, the multiple roof terraces lend themselves to post-surf pints, and long lazy dinners into the lighter evenings.

roof terrace in the sunshine Pedn Olva St Ives St Austell Brewery Cornwall

Decor is dark and moody, with plenty of metallic textures and stone. Lighter accents come in the form of leather chairs and banquettes. In the bedrooms, white linen and white towels soften the jewel and earthy tones.

Mining documents, old black and white photos and lots of local artwork centre this pub in the locale firmly; there is no mistaking that this location has a rich and varied heritage of which St Austell Brewery is proud to celebrate. I also enjoyed the portrait of Hester Parnall, daughter of founder Walter Hicks, that hangs in reception, and plenty of prints by women artists central to the area including Barbara Hepworth and Winifred Nicholson. In the Lookout area a stained glass window is another nod to St Ives fishing past.

PILLOW TALK

bedroom with sea view Pedn Olva St Ives St Austell Brewery Cornwall

26 en-suite bedrooms have been reimagined and in some cases, quite cleverly fitted in to maximise the available space. All have sea views. The most impressive are 1 and 18 (below) at the top of the building. Floor to ceiling windows and huge beds look out over St Ives harbour; these rooms are named after St Ia, patron saint of St Ives. Decor continues the copper mine palette, with plenty of cosy elements including local wool blankets, and Hepworth-inspired artwork. Toiletries are by Muddy fave brand, Land & Water, based at Watergate Bay.

All but one room have en-suite showers, with one room having a bath. The lower numbered rooms look out over Porthminster Beach. Higher numbered rooms are on the other side, looking out towards the harbour.

There is plenty of bang for your viewing buck even in the smaller rooms, as all the rooms have decent size beds and views out over the beach. Middle sized rooms have semi-private balconies, although in some rooms the layout does mean it is a little bit of squeeze to access both sides of the bed. All rooms have a mini-bar and fridge, and the first Korev is on them. As with other St Austell Brewery pubs, a beach bag is also hanging in the room to use during your stay, along with an OS map of the area.

SCOFF & QUAFF

restaurant Pedn Olva St Ives St Austell Brewery Cornwall

The menu is typical of the St Austell Brewery offering, and available all day in the restaurant, and Lookout. Judging from the queue for tables when we arrived, the Pedn Olva is popular with visitors, and we could see why when we took a seat.

Floor to ceiling windows give uninterrupted views over the beach and to the harbour. From what felt like our eyrie-style perch we could look straight down to watch the waves crashing on the rocks below. Our waiter told us that seals are often spotted, and dolphins too out in the bay.

On the menu we chose comforting elevated pub grub – like surf and turf with chips, and confit belly pork with potato and apple sauce. We could also have gone for more traditional seaside fish & chips in St Austell’s own Little Gem batter, or a truffle & bacon burger. Crabby fries are obviously popular, as they had sold out! Portion-wise, things were on the smaller side (my surf and turf, for example, was on the under 600 calories menu, but it was also only £24) leaving room for a starter and pudding. St Austell Brewery does puddings well, and the sticky toffee pudding disappeared before I could even get my camera out!

Drinks wise, I enjoyed a glass of local Camel Valley rosé, which was on by the glass. There was also the the entire range of St Austell Brewery beers to choose from – including favourites like Korev lager, and Tribute ale. Later, I had a bramble cocktail in the cosy comfy seats made from local blackberry gin from Tarquin’s.

Breakfast – also available to non-residents – was a cold buffet, plus a decent choice of things on bread, muffins or toast, plus a full Cornish. My overnight oats were delicious. I could have sat there all day watching the ever changing view and drinking coffee.

OUT & ABOUT

There aren’t many British seaside resorts that manage to be quaint and cool at the same time but St Ives ticks all the boxes. As well as its famous white sand beaches, turquoise sea and golden light, this artists’ mecca has a thriving foodie scene, good surf and miles of breathtaking, nearby coastline to explore. Check out insider guide to St Ives here for the full lowdown. Arty highlights include the Tate and Barbara Hepworth’s Sculpture Garden, and there’s four beaches within walking distance of the whitewashed cottages and cobbled streets that cluster around the harbour, which include Porthminster, above, accessible directly from the Pedn Olva.

CHILD FRIENDLY?

Yes. Several rooms are designed for families, and others will fit an additional cot or folding bed. Additional occupants aged 3+ years are charged £30 per child, per night.

DOG-FRIENDLY

The entire pub and restaurant is dog friendly, with a handful of rooms designated for doggy guests. The bonus is these rooms all lead directly out to the sundeck and steps to the beach, so perfect for early morning dog walks. Dogs cost £15 per night, which includes a ‘Proper Dog’ hamper complete with tennis ball, Forthglade treats, biodegradable poo-bags, a can of ‘Proper Dog’ pooch-friendly beer and Proper Job beer for you to take away with you.

WHAT ELSE?

Ideally situated for a car-free break, the Pedn Olva is super close to the little branch line at St Ives. It is also a brilliant location to access events like the St Ives Food Festival, which takes place on Porthminster Beach, below, annually in May.

Much has been mentioned about the new granite sculptures that are in reception – one props up the check-in desk, the other is a bit of a shin-basher when the room is busy, which it was, but I hear there are plans afoot to reclaim a bit of the space it takes up.

The new decked area outside revamps what was once the latterly out-of-action outside pool. With the sea that close, a swim is still on the cards, but it is undeniable it does maximise the space and views better.

Pedn Olva behind the St Ives Food Festival credit Caitlin Mogridge

ACCESSIBILITY

The Pedn Olva is arranged over four floors. Guests with limited mobility may struggle to get to some of the rooms. They advise to make contact direct before booking.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

If you love St Ives, this is a great choice for a stay. The location is truly excellent for a carless holiday, and it is still properly quiet at night.

Good for: The views are fabulous. We loved the vibe and the moody mining inspired decor. The Pedn Olva makes a unique romantic getaway, particularly if you want somewhere with access to the town, galleries and shopping, but is also right on the beach. We also liked that it was fully and easily accessible by train.

Not for: If you like the kind of hotel you can pull up to in your car, or one where all rooms are spacious rooms – and baths – this might not be the one for you for a long stay. Our room was compact and the bathroom, particularly the sink, tiny. The excellent view and balcony more than made up for it, but still, worth knowing.

The damage: Rooms start from £145 per night, depending on the time of year.

GETTING THERE

The nearest railway station is St Ives. Change at St Erth for the main line to Truro, Exeter, Plymouth and London. 14 rooms have an allocated parking space in the station long stay carpark, charged at £15 per night.

Pedn Olva, Porthminster Beach, St Ives, Cornwall, TR26 2EA

Muddy Review: Pedn Olva, St Ives

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