As I was going to St Ives, I met a man with... six beautiful rooms.

And in each room there was a large comfy bed which you could relax on in between enjoying the delights of what this upmarket Cornish resort has to offer.

For I was fortunate to stumble upon Trevose Harbour House, a new boutique bed and breakfast.

Artists have come to this rugged and undeniably beautiful coast for the light and dramatic scenery and tourists have followed for the cultural scene and to explore the craft shops and galleries tucked away in winding lanes.

I aimed to follow this trail too – but such are the luxurious surroundings of Trevose Harbour House that it’s difficult to leave there and explore!

Situated in a quaint alleyway overlooking St Ives harbour, Trevose is a sumptuous stopover for couples or friends travelling together wanting to explore Cornwall and fancy treating themselves.

Getting it ready for the 2013 season has been a labour of love for owners Angela and Olivier Noverraz who chose to relocate from London and start their own holiday business, putting everything they had into the venture.

The couple, who met at a cookery school in Switzerland and have worked in properties throughout Europe, have used their hotel and catering industry experience to create the business, a luxury guesthouse with five star hotel service.

They have filled it with designer furniture, top of the range organic health and beauty products, massive beds with Egyptian cotton bed linen, bathrooms bigger than some bedsits, and fluffy towels, all around a blue and white colour scheme that sings simple sophistication. Coming in the front door you know you’re in for a treat when you’re offered a seat and a drink in the downstairs snug.

Guests can choose from one of six individually designed rooms to stay in. We selected the Harbour View Deluxe which commands superb views over the harbour and bay, a wonderful scene to wake up to.

Like many of the rooms it has an outrageously comfortable Hypnos Euro king-size bed, desk, WiFi, a flatscreen HDTV with Freeview, iPod docking station, full length mirror, coffee and tea making facilities (including exquisite Guatemalan coffee and filtered water) and Neal’s Yard organic remedies.

Confirming its five star quality, there’s a turn-down service in the evening and mini bars are being added to rooms.

Dining at Trevose is something else and it’s a shame that guests only get to enjoy breakfast. Such wonders are produced in the kitchen each morning that one can only wonder what culinary delights could be cooked up at night.

Think simple, wholesome, nourishing and delicious with an emphasis on locally-sourced ingredients – sausages and bacon from St Just, cheese from Mounts Bay Dairy, smoked salmon from Penryn, honey from Portreath and organic bread from Lelant.

What a treat is was to arrive at breakfast to be greeted with a home-made smoothie each morning.

We could then take our pick from an array of breads, pastry, fruit and muesli before deciding on a hot breakfast. The hot croissant filled with St Endellion Brie was divine and the veggie breakfast featuring locally smoked Tesyn goats cheese on toasted sourdough was also a highlight. The potato scones and free range scrambled egg with either smoked salmon, bacon or button mushrooms also cannot pass without mention.

If you can finally tear yourself away from Trevose there’s a wealth of places to visit and Angela and Olivier are a mine of information when it comes to the shops, galleries and attractions one should not miss and the restaurants to book a table at. Porthminster Cafe and Blas Burgerworks are two favourites.

The biggest draw locally is Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden and it’s definitely worth a visit to both. Modern and contemporary art is on show in a bright, well spaced out gallery of the Tate. Work exhibited this summer using the distinctive spaces of the building includes pieces by Hepworth Patrick Heron, Marlow Moss and Linder.

Those used to making the trip down the A30 will appreciate there’s plenty to do in Cornwall, whether it’s a beach, museum, garden or family attraction. One place I recommend is the Minack Theatre, Cornwall’s ‘theatre under the stars’.

This unique open-air theatre created from the cliffside at Porthcurno, half an hour’s drive from St Ives, is a must and even better if the performance you’re watching is blessed with dry weather. The shows go on here, rain or shine, although I would say shine is most definitely better.

So how many going to St Ives? You, if you book now.

Getaway
Trevose Harbour House 22, The Warren, St Ives, Cornwall, 01736 793267
E: hi@trevosehouse.co.uk
W: trevosehouse.co.uk
Prices start from £135 for the Warren Superior rising to £220 for the Harbour View Roof Suite.