Sixpence Cottage, a few steps from the harbour!

Hotel Description

You know what struck me first about Sixpence Cottage? The name actually makes sense once you’re there – it really does feel like stepping into one of those quaint English cottages you see on postcards, except this one happens to be smack in the middle of St Ives’ most coveted spot. I mean, when they say “a few steps from the harbour,” they’re not exaggerating for once. You can literally hear the gulls and the gentle clank of boat rigging from your window, and honestly, it’s one of those sounds that either lulls you to sleep or keeps you up depending on how you feel about seaside ambiance.

The location on Carnglaze Place is pretty brilliant – it’s tucked away enough that you’re not dealing with the main tourist crush on Fore Street, but you’re still close enough to pop down to the Sloop Inn for a pint or grab proper Cornish pasties from the bakeries without any real effort. What I really appreciated was the cottage feel they’ve maintained inside. The rooms have that slightly uneven floor thing going on (you know, where nothing’s quite square because the building’s probably older than America), but they’ve done it up properly with decent fixtures and surprisingly good Wi-Fi. The 4-star rating feels about right – it’s not trying to be some fancy spa hotel, but everything works well and the beds are actually comfortable.

Parking’s always a nightmare in St Ives, so I’d honestly recommend the park-and-ride if you’re driving down – though if you manage to snag a spot nearby, you’re golden for exploring on foot. The whole Tate St Ives and Barbara Hepworth Museum area is just a pleasant wander away, and if you’re into the art scene, you’ll probably end up walking those narrow streets multiple times anyway. What really sells this place for me is how it captures that proper St Ives vibe without feeling touristy or fake. You’re staying somewhere that feels connected to the town’s character – the salty air, the artistic heritage, the working harbour that’s still actually working. Sure, it gets busy during summer (I mean, it’s St Ives), but even then, having the harbour practically at your doorstep means you can enjoy those early morning or evening moments when the light’s incredible and most day-trippers have headed home. The 8.2 rating seems fair – it’s the kind of place that does what it promises really well without any major surprises, good or bad.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $243. Holiday Home with 1 double bed and 2 single beds for Max persons: 4

Reviews

• Laura from United Kingdom – 12 April 2025 (8/10)

  Great location and had everything we needed for an enjoyable stay
  
  What could be improved: It was snug but perfect for a weekend

• Warren from United Kingdom – 10 November 2024 (8/10)

  Great location near to quayside. A beautifully converted fisherman's cottage; great decor, artwork, and furniture.
  
  What could be improved: Alleyway outside was very messy and smelly dumped carpet, restaurant waste and general litter.
  For winter visitors, an outside light would be helpful.

• Shave from United Kingdom – 25 April 2023 (7/10)

  Location is great in middle of St Ives. Had it in my head there was a sea view from somewhere in the cottage but there wasn't. But other than that, great.
  
  What could be improved: They would do well to state that it's not great for families with babies. Constantly had to carry our baby around as the stair wells are open with no door to shut. 3 floors with spiral staircase is also hard work with a baby and very limited room in the kitchen where you might want to wheel a buggy in or have a high chair.

• Geraldine from United Kingdom – 4 January 2023 (8/10)

  great location

• Cornwell from United Kingdom – 18 May 2025 (9/10)

  The location was great. The cottage was very well decorated and comfortable
  
  What could be improved: None of the televisions could get a signal so there was none working correctly.

• Jayne from United Kingdom – 17 September 2024 (9/10)

  Amazing location, well equipped and styled cottage
  
  What could be improved: Cleanliness, surfaces unclean. Double bedroom a little tight, only one side accessible. Be careful with the close dryer! You could lose a finger closing it!

• Sarbjit from United Kingdom – 31 August 2024 (8/10)

  Great location close to the Harbour, the property had everything you would need. It was clean and well maintained. If you were stopping in, there were books, games etc to keep you occupied.
  
  What could be improved: The staircase was the only slight issue we had. It was a bit difficult getting our luggage up. The courtyard leading to the back of the property needs tidying and has poor lighting. Other than that I couldn’t fault the property.

• Janis from United Kingdom – 3 August 2024 (8/10)

  The location was ideal for us. Lovely cottage. Very well equiped.
  
  What could be improved: The circular stairs could be a little tricky for some. Bit difficult to get cases upstairs, but we managed OK.

• Clive from United Kingdom – 15 June 2024 (8/10)

  The cottage was very clean and had everything we needed. The standard of accommodation was very
  good.
  We wanted to be close to the harbour and this ticked the box for us as it was easy to go into the town and use the shops, pubs and restaurants.
  
  What could be improved: The ensuite bathrooms are pretty small and parking in St Ives is difficult. There is not much that can be done about either of these things.
  One of the suggested car parks , The Island, is close but very difficult
  to get in and following reviews I chose not to use it and chose the Rugby Ground which was good. We did not want to move our car much anyway but it was a 25 minute walk up the hill to get the car if you needed it.
  We used the bus or walked all week.
  There is room to drive your car along the Wharf and unload bags but then you need to park the car elsewhere.

• Henriette from Denmark – 6 June 2023 (7/10)

  What could be improved: It was very difficult to find the place and especially the keybox. We tried 10 different places before we realised we had to go through an almost hidden door and into a yard full of carbage containers to find it. There is definately need for a better explanation. It was difficult ( read impossible) to find out what trash goes where as only one container had the right house number. The house is so very much smaller that on the pictures, only really fits 2 people. It says in description size 500 square meter but it is more likely 50 square meter.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities