[skip to content]

Live Booking is now available, enter your arrival date and duration to go to our FreeToBook page:

Frequently Asked Questions

Quality

I'm looking for a hotel or guest house in St. Ives, why should I choose the Old Vicarage?
The Old Vicarage has been providing quality bed and breakfast in clean, comfortable spacious accommodation since 1970. In that time we have won awards, featured in highly regarded guide books and established a strong reputation for affordable quality. We prefer to let our guests comment further, so please take a look at the kind words they have written in our guestbook.

Are you a 4 star hotel?
No, the Old Vicarage (previously known as the Old Vicarage Hotel) is now a 4 star guest house, as assessed by the AA. For a detailed explanation please see the AA website for differences between hotels and guest accommodation.

Location

Are you in the narrow streets in the centre of the busy town or are you out in the open countryside?
Neither, we are in the quiet residential area on the western edge of town, right by the open countryside and near the Coastal Path and the Leach Pottery.

Is parking restricted or do we have to pay extra for parking?
Neither, unlike many other hotels and guesthouses in St. Ives we have ample parking, free of charge, in our grounds.

Do you have rooms with sea views?
No, we are surrounded by our own wooded grounds in the quiet residential area on the western edge of town.

How far are you from the town centre and the beaches?
We are just over half a mile from the town centre and beaches. Please note St. Ives is quite hilly and many of our guests like to walk downhill to the town and beaches and take a (very reasonably priced) taxi cab back up the hill. During the summer months a shuttle bus runs up and down from the Rugby Club (next door) to Porthmeor Beach.

From the Old Vicarage, how easy is it to get out of St. Ives to visit other places in West Cornwall?
We are close (but not too close) to the Old Coach Road (B3311) which bypasses the built-up narrow streets of St. Ives and Carbis Bay leading out to Penzance, the A30 and the other parts of Cornwall.

Breakfast and other meals

When may I take breakfast?
Breakfast at the Old Vicarage is served between 8.30 and 9.30 and must be ordered the night before please.

Do you cater for vegetarians/vegans/gluten-free/lactose intolerant etc.?
With advance notice we will do our best to provide food suitable for any kind of diet. Please be prepared to furnish us with details of your requirements.

Do you serve lunch and evening meals?
We do not serve evening meals at present any more as most people prefer to eat in the many excellent cafes, restaurants and pubs now available in town. Please see the our food page for details of our current lunch options.

I don't know where to eat, can you suggest somewhere? Can you book it for us?
We regularly eat out ourselves to assess the quality of local restaurants and pubs with our guests in mind. We are more than happy to suggest somewhere to suit every budget and taste and also happy to make the arrangements for you.

Tariff

How much do you charge?
Please see our tariff page for a breakdown of our charges.

How may I pay the deposit or balance due?
We accept cash and most debit and credit cards. In order to keep our costs to a minimum, we prefer payment by cash or debit card whenever possible. We do not surcharge credit cards. We regret we are unable to accept cheques, Euro or other foreign currency, or travellers cheques.

What if I leave early or don't take breakfast?
No allowance can be made for late arrival, non-arrival or early departure, meals not taken, or for services or facilities not used. Please see our terms and conditions page for full details.

Facilities & Services

Do you have single rooms?
No, but we do let double rooms for single occupancy at quieter times of the year, with a discount on the usual room rate.

May I bring my dog?
Your (well behaved) dog is more than welcome during our quieter months and there is a small charge per dog per night. Please note that guests are completely responsible for their pets whilst they stay with us.

I have special requirements or needs, can you accommodate me?
When enquiring please tell us of any special requirements or needs you may have so that we may advise on the suitability of the accommodation we offer and ensure a stay with us is as comfortable as possible. Please note that our bedrooms are all on the upper floor, accessed by a wide staircase with a secure handrail. We do not have a lift.

Do you allow guests to smoke in the bedrooms or the dining room?
No, we do not permit smoking in any area inside the Old Vicarage. Guests may smoke in our grounds only.

Privacy & Security

What do you do with the personal details (e-mail address, telephone number, card information) I provide when I communicate with you?
We take the best care of your details we possibly can: we don't use them for anything other than direct correspondence with you regarding your enquiry/booking and we certainly don't pass them on to anyone else. Please see our privacy statement for full details.