Carbis Bay Estate Carbis Bay St Ives Cornwall UK beach lodge with hot tub

WHAT? WHERE?

Carbis Bay Estate 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. Built in 1894 by renowned Cornish architect, Silvanus Trevail, the original art-deco style white walled Main House of Carbis Bay Hotel and surrounding newer 125-acre estate, has literary associations aplenty.

carbis bay beach carbis bay St Ives Cornwall UK

The sweep of blue sea with golden sand is flanked by St Ives harbour and Godrevy lighthouse in the distance, the view of which was immortalised by Virginia Woolf in To The Lighthouse (she stayed for three weeks in 1914). The Main House, the original Carbis Bay Hotel, meanwhile, was the inspiration for local author, Rosamund Pilcher’s ‘The Sands Hotel’ in her novels The Shell Seekers and Winter Solstice.

Carbis Bay Estate Carbis Bay St Ives Cornwall UK

The family-owned estate gained popularity among Victorian travellers, who arrived by rail, and it has attracted the well-heeled ever since, including perhaps it’s most world-famous occupants in 2021, when then Prime Minister Boris Johnson chose to host Biden, Trudeau et al in the eight luxury beach front lodges overlooking and with direct access out onto the beach during the G7 conference.

Carbis Bay Hotel Estate Lodge 1, Carbis Bay St Ives Cornwall UK

These days, the hotel offering has expanded substantially from the Main House, where alongside 35 individually furnished rooms and sea-facing suites, you will find the new Orangery, a light and airy dining area with far-reaching sea views. Seals, all manner of sea birds and even sometimes dolphins can be seen enjoying the bay.

Carbis Bay Hotel Estate Carbis Bay St Ives Cornwall UK

In addition to the luxury lodges with roof terraces, beach gardens and roof spas, The Ocean Venue next-door is home to further luxury sea-facing beach suites, Walter’s on the Beach Restaurant, a TV Studio and Carbis Bay Deli.

THE VIBE

The 125-acre estate is set across the back of the beach and also includes verandas and terraces, subtropical gardens as well as up the wooded valley a selection of stone built cottages and apartments. While the South West Coast Path does pass through the estate on its way to St Ives (making a lovely stroll either way should you ever grow tired of the on-site options) the road itself ends at the estate; it is beautifully quiet, calm and tranquil, with no passing traffic, and at night, dark across the bay. Early risers will be greeted by the pink dawn skies, and those who enjoy an early morning dip will be on their own with just the gulls for company.

Quiet and calm doesn’t mean a lack of service though, far from it. From the concierge that appears to lift your cases from the car to your room to the canapés that magically materialised early evening, every detail has been carefully thought out. And for everything else, guests in the beach lodges need only drop their Lodge Guest Host a WhatsApp and your needs will be met. Want to fly in by helicopter? No problem, and they’re equally happy to meet you from the train too.

SCOFF & QUAFF

ugly butterfly carbis bay cornwall UK restaurant with beach view

All manner of dining is on offer at Carbis Bay, from picking up some picnic bits at the deli through to five and seven course tasting menus at Michelin starred chef Adam Handling’s Cornish fine-dining restaurant, Ugly Butterfly looking out over the beach. For a more bespoke meal, the chef service to cook in your own lodge might be more the ticket, and there are more casual options in Walter’s on the Beach Restaurant, The Orangery (the couple in the spa next to me were particularly taken with the sandwiches), The Beach Club and even just up the road, the The Gannet, which is a more traditional Cornish pub.

walters on the beach restaurant Carbis Bay Hotel Estate St Ives Cornwall UK

PILLOW TALK

Bedroom at Carbis Bay Estate Cornwall UK

Tucked away at the quieter end of the beach sit eight luxury lodges with roof terraces. You enter from the top level where the best of the views across the bay are, with the bedrooms one floor down and the living space at the bottom, cosy – or opening out onto beachside access, depending on which season you visit.

Carbis Bay Beach Lodge bedroom sea view St Ives Cornwall UK

Plush and inviting from the furnishings to the towels, no detail has been spared. Bamford toiletries line the shelves, and the waves lap the sands literally outside the window – drinking coffee in bed watching the sunrise over the bay was a real highlight.

Sunrise over St Ives Bay from Carbis Bay Beach Lodge Cornwall UK

Our lodge had three bedrooms, all with their own bathrooms, although just the one show-stopping roll top bath! The largest and most grand lodge – for the ultimate VIP experience – is tucked away in the corner of the beach and sleeps eight over 4 bedrooms. The lodges are not self-catering but they do come with a fully stocked larder and kitchenette with coffee machine, microwave, fridge, Dualit toaster, cutlery, glasses and plates are found on the ground floor – plus a private chef can be arranged to look after your every need.

SPA

The multi-award-winning C Bay Spa, with year-round heated pools and peaceful treatment rooms, now offers Bamford Spa Treatments – 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.

Bamford Spa treatments Carbis Bay Hotel Estate St Ives Cornwall UK

All guests staying at the Carbis Bay Estate have full use of the Spa facilities, as do those visiting for a treatment, or spa day. After taking my fill of swimming lengths watching the boats in the bay I headed to the fire-heated relaxation lounge and then the candlelit treatment for a facial. Supremely relaxing!

Also on offer, although I didn’t manage to try one, are Thursday morning yoga classes for both guests & members, in the ocean view yoga studio. As are spa days and packages perfect for locals or those celebrating hen dos, birthdays, pre-wedding pampering and more.

yoga studio Carbis Bay Hotel Estate St Ives Cornwall UK

KID-FRIENDLY

Carbis Bay kids club kids facing sea on beach St Ives Cornwall UK

For sure! Family breaks are on offer and it goes without saying that the Blue Flag beach is very popular with younger guests. For more organised fun, aka someone else will entertain them while you put in the hard work at the spa or having lunch, sign them up for the Kids Club, where creative activities run from 11am to 5pm under the care of First Aid trained and DBS checked staff, including exploring the Cornish coast and taking part in all manner of creative and craft activities. Registration is £30, and includes all kit including t-shirt, cap, bag and water-bottle and then each day’s activities costs £30 per child.

OUT & ABOUT

barbara hepworth's sculpture garden st ives Cornwall UK RB image May 2023

The 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, is going to take up at least part of your stay, but the coast path / train line to St Ives itself may prove a lure too hard to resist. 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 (below). Should the awesome dining options on site become exhausted there’s even more foodie delights in St Ives itself, as well as Penzance and Newlyn.

St Ives Harbour from the town above Cornwall UK

Further afield, here’s some more suggestions of places to go which I wrote when Biden and his crew stayed in the same beach lodge that we did when the G7 visited Carbis Bay in 2021. The road out of St Ives past Zennor towards St Just can’t be missed if you’re visiting by car, and it’s also an easy hop back on the train to St Erth and onto Penzance where you can swim in the largest salt water lido / geo thermal heated art deco pool, walk the causeway to St Michael’s Mount, or hire e-bikes and cycle to Newlyn and onto Mousehole. You could even just about manage a day-trip to the Isles of Scilly, especially if you arrived on the afore-mentioned helicopter.

DOG FRIENDLY?

Dogs are welcome on Carbis Bay beach outside of the seasonal dog ban (July to September between 10am to 6pm) but pets are not allowed in the main hotel only the beach lodges.

ACCESSIBILITY

The hotel site doesn’t make it the easiest for complete accessibility but nevertheless every effort has been made. Lift access accommodation is available in the Ocean Venue providing access to the Beach Suites and other rooms are on the ground floor with level access from the car park. An electric passenger transportation vehicle is available to assist with travel around the Estate and there is ramp access to the beach. Service dogs are welcomed in the hotel, on the beach and in the self-catering apartments.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: For those eco-conscious luxe-seeking travellers, as the railway branch line (change at the mainline station St Erth) is still at Carbis Bay, offering stylish luxury seaside breaks without needing to drive or fly.

Not for: All that luxe doesn’t come cheap, so that will rule out those who prefer a more a budget option. Those who travel avec pooch should note that dogs are only allowed in the beach lodges not the main hotel.

The damage: Rooms from £296 per night B&B.

Carbis Bay Estate Carbis Bay St Ives Cornwall TR26 2NP

carbisbayhotel.co.uk

Review: Carbis Bay Estate, St Ives, Cornwall

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