Bella's Retreat

Our family have used Aspects for over 20 years, we have never been disappointed, every single property we have ever stayed at with Aspects has been a really great experience. Whatever issues we have had has been quickly and effectively dealt with. We have used Aspects time and time again because the standards are very high, nothing is too much trouble and they really understand the unique requirements that a town like St Ives has and how you can make the most of everything it has to offer.

We had the best holiday in a really great house in a perfect location. Aspects were very helpful, we needed to alter the change over day and they were so great and got that sorted very quickly. We also enquired about extending the holiday the day before we were due to leave, that was organised and all sorted in minutes with a quick call. Bella’s Retreat was such a nice house and we all loved it. Plenty of room for all 8 of us to relax in, spending time in your own individual space as well as being all together in the common areas. We will definitely book this house again.

We enjoyed our stay at Bella's Retreat.
From the reviews we were worried that the house may be a little tired but far from it; it was really modern, clean and fresh and we are looking to book this again in the future. The only main critique would be the dining table surface was visibly dirty on arrival but we gave it a good clean. WiFi and signal aren't the best especially when multiple users are using it.

All the doors kept shutting which required door wedges which were supplied.
Front room is quite snug but kitchen diner was spacious and we spent most of the time here.
Parking is at the back of the house and is tight to even get to the back and it is a squeeze to get two cars parked but not impossible. Parking at the front is between 6pm and 9am between April and September/October so we usually parked one car here and left by 9am.
Its a great location to the main town and beach, a bit of a steep walk on the way back which can be challenging but my 73 year old mom managed it so not impossible. There is a bus route on the street so that is an option.
Despite these minor drawbacks (which didn't detract from our enjoyable experience at Bella Retreat) we have no problem booking it again.

Well equipped roomy house.
Parking not for the faint hearted.

Excellent holiday home for family and grandparents. Well equipped and furnished. Good base for St Ives and western Cornwall.

Our first reaction to the house was that it did not quite live up to the photos. However, it had some lovely old features (finials, cornicing, high ceilings etc). The sitting room was pleasant with a cracking little log burner but, despite the information to the contrary, there was neither kindling or firelighters and only one log which meant we couldn't use it on our first evening. (The little shop down the road closed at lunchtime). It was comfortable for 5, but anymore would have been a very tight squeeze. The DVD wasn't working properly. Someone came out promptly but couldn't fix it. A new DVD was provided but that didn't work in the Sitting Room either, but it did in the Kitchen Diner.

The ladies in the local office, especially Niamh, were extremely friendly and helpful with the various problems we encountered.

The bin outside had not been emptied and was more than three quarters full. I mentioned this to the nice chap who came to sort the DVD and it was emptied promptly.

The loo seat in the utility room was ill-fitting and the large shower head was clogged with limescale, rendering it useless. The smaller showerhead worked well, though.

The en-suite facilities in the front bedroom on the first floor were extremely cramped. The steps up to the second floor bedroom (which was very spacious, with nice views from both windows - the sea and the Island from the back and views across the bay from the front) were a little precarious, with a lack of something to grab hold of at some stages. The bedroom at the back had stained sheets. New ones came with the gentleman who tried to fix the DVD.

The kitchen diner was very pleasant and spacious and came well equipped but the extractor was not working and an electrician was needed to fix it.

The outside was in need of a good sweep (moss and the like) and a pressure wash; after rain, it was very slippery indeed.

The heating was excellent and very easy to control.

Finally, the parking. Not good. When we could, we parked the larger of the 2 cars on the road (it being February) but, even then, a Vauxhall Corsa had trouble reversing into the empty space as cars parked on the other side of the lane weren't parked terribly thoughtfully - they had not reversed far enough back. It really rather spoiled things, having the looming stress of parking at the end of a day out. Many locals we spoke to confirmed the notoriety of parking along the lane.

This was the third time we booked Bella's Retreat. First time went without a hitch. Second time it leaked in and we had to get moved. This time, yet another contact the day before our holiday to inform us of a problem. The issue was the integrated fridge freezer wasn't working. The email communication (not even a phone call!) informed us that a temporary solution had already been sorted out and was in place. On arrival the following day, it was clear that there was no fridge at all. I rang the office and was assured the man was on his way. At around 5pm he called me to say he had been called to a broken down boiler in St Agnes but was on his way back and would be with me by 6.30pm. At 8pm he still hadn't arrived (even as a non-local I know it doesn't take 3 hours to travel to St Ives from St Agnes) so I text him. At 8.25pm he finally turned up. The fridge that was provided for 7 people was actually smaller than one you'd get in a touring caravan. It was pitiful. It was also dirty, despite the guy wiping it out before leaving us. Half of the TV's didn't work (which I didn't report to be fair) and the central heating wasn't working properly (which I did report and was fixed quickly). Given the stress and upset that the lack of fridge caused when we had paid a lot of money for the holiday and we clearly weren't provided with everything we had paid for, I would now be very hesitant to use Aspects Holidays again and will certainly not be recommending them to others. Whilst the gesture of giving us a small hamper of goodies was kind, it certainly is not compensation enough for spoiling a holiday that we paid a lot for and had looked forward to for so long. Especially when this was the second time we'd had issues with this property. As an aside, I'd also expected to have a starter pack of wood/kindling/firelighters for the wood burner - not only was there none of this, we also had to go and buy our own gas lighter as there wasn't even a lighter or pack of matches.

A little tired but a lovely property with some period features, log burner is exceptional - shop just down the road to buy wood.
As an older couple, and night visits to the loo are required, we didn't risk using the upper floor main bedroom (no loo) due to the low door and partial balustrade, and narrow steps. Let the youngsters have it.

Great restaurants just opposite the Tate entrance, and a hidden gem further up the hill or by following the path below the restaurant and facing the beach.

We went most recently during the St Ives Culture fortnight - lots going on. Suggest the walks around the town - local historian - good humour and fascinating.

A must try in the speciality chocolate shop in the arcade near the library and bus terminus.

excellent well laid out property

Good sized house within walking distance to the town. Be aware the hill is not for the faint hearted. Parking for two cars but very snug. Good shower room downstairs for beach lovers and small rear garden which would be nice for viewing the Porthmeor sunset.

Spacious house with lots of style and comfortable furnishings. The walk back from town does include a steep hill, but there are lots of short cuts to make it a little easier. There is noise from the road outside, but with windows and shutters closed it's negligible and it does stop at night around 10pm. We just happened to be there that very hot week, so we noticed it. Parking outside the door is great and makes unloading so much easier.

We love being in St Ives with the beaches, shops and harbour. As usual we were not disappointed. For the most part Bella's Retreat helped us to enjoy our holiday. The house was big enough and comfortable enough for all of us and car parking for two (super mini sized) allows popping in and out of the town to be trouble free. Guests do need to be aware that walking back from the seaside and shopping areas of the town can be a bit tiresome.

Comfortable spacious property for our multi generational family use. The location is fine but the hill may be a challenge when returning from Porthmeor beach or town. There is a half hourly bus service that drops you off almost outside the front door from the beach up to 6:55 pm during July - August. There is no bus service from the town but taxis are available. The rear car parking space was suitable for our Ford Fiesta and Ford C Max cars. Bella’s Retreat is well equipped and provided us with a comfortable space to have a relaxing holiday.

The property represents excellent value.But be warned the location requires you to tackle some very steep streets.I suppose it's one way of getting fit!

Comfortable, good sized family home in a decent location priced competitively

A lovely spacious house, within great reach of town. Fabulous sea views & great location. Parking a bonus. Needs a little TLC but comfortable enough for a weeks stay. Would be happy to return.

Bella’s Retreat provided excellent accommodation for up to eight people.
Plenty of room, very nicely equipped & furnished.
Off road parking at the rear was useful but better for one car only.
An easy stroll down to town and large car park.

Great property in fantastic location.
Easy access to beaches and town.
Spacious rooms with everything you need, a home from home.
Good to have parking, although I would say only suitable for 1 car due to tight access from lane.

Bella’s retreat was more than we expected it was very clean and well equipped. The house was large and furnished well with comfortable beds. We all had a lovely stay and would definitely recommend Bella’s retreat for a great holiday in St Ives. Just to add we received excellent service from Aspect holidays as always.

Bella's retreat is in amazing place to enjoy St Ives and is exactly as it's described. The parking is such a positive thing in the town. The hill is epic after a meal, but it keeps you fit and you get used to it ??
Wouldn't hesitate to go back again..

Great space. Great utilities. Felt like home.

Lovely stay at Bellas Retreat. Great location, house was great, highly recommend

Loved our stay. You get lot for your money. No stress of unloading car on awkward roads. Definitely would stop here again for the price and size.

A large cottage 15 minutes walk from the town and beaches, well equipped and good sized bedrooms although you would never be able to seat 8 occupants in the lounge. Would benefit from freshening up.

Fabulous week at Bella’s Retreat, Great location and the shower in down stairs in the utility room is a life saver after a day at the beach!

Do you want me to put this on a review especially as you have not even replied? Because of this failure to reply i am not putting i would recommend you to my friends. We will also see if you reply to this.

We have recently returned from Bella’s Retreat where we spent a wonderful week on a family holiday. Our party was only my Husband, almost 2 year old daughter and I, so the house had more than enough space for us. If you fully occupied all of the bedrooms, the living room would be very tight. But the kitchen has a large table.
The accommodation was excellently presented, where clearly a lot of money has been spent in recent years. The kitchen is well stocked with equipment. The rooms are large and airy. The 2nd floor bedroom has lovely views out to the sea.
The car parking space easily fit our BMW estate.
As other reviews have warned, the house is in the upper part of St Ives, so it’s a steep walk up hill back. But this is expected of so much of St Ives, and only helps to burn the extra calories you’ll be consuming in the wonderful local bakeries!
Aspects holidays are extremely helpful, I will definitely be booking with them for the future.

Our fourth trip to this beautiful property in lovely St ives and already reserved a week for next summer ! This house caters for all of our large family our children ages are from 26 down to six (yes our older children still come ... they love St Ives so much .. or it could be due to the offer of a holiday on Mum and Dad ! )
Aspects are also a fantastic company to book with !

We have already booked again for next year ... which sums up how lovely this house is ! We have a large family and it accommodates us all and allows us space, so we are not on top of each other. The car parking spaces are the icing on the cake !
Thank you x

Came to St Ives for a wedding at Tregenna and booked Bella’s Retreat due to its proximity to the venue.
Very well equipped was able to cater for 10 for Dinner with no problems.
Quite a busy road and parking around the back is snug especially if you have a large car.
Three nice large bedrooms and quite a small twin room, more suitable for children rather than adults.
Close to centre of St Ives but the hills proved a challenge to Grandma.

Had a nice stay with lovely weather and a great wedding.

Bellas Retreat is a large house in the upper part of St Ives. It is a bit of a strenuous walk back up the hill but that meant an extra pasty or ice cream was not out of the question. Its handy for all the beaches and near enough to call back to for a cup of tea or a sit down to recharge the batteries. Similarly if eating at the house it's an easy walk back to the town afterwards for a drink maybe. A taxi out for a special meal or if you dont fancy any of the hills was just a fiver.

A wonderful stay at a very clean, comfortable and well-equipped house in a great location. Very impressed with Aspects' service throughout and we have already booked this property again next year.

We had a lovely week at Bellas Retreat , perfect weather helped . Who’d have thought we could surf in February!
We loved the location wandering up and down the hill to Porthmeor and into St Ives was a treat .
There’s plenty to do in the area , we walked for miles on the coastal path . The cinema in St Ives is handy and cheap for a night out .
The house is well equipped, warm and comfortable .We would happily return .

Lovely house, lovely space, great convenience. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay!

Wonderful, well - equipped, stylish house within a short walk of St Ives town. Perfect relaxing week away!

The house was perfect for our family weekend in St ives. Perfect location, beautifully decorated, very clean and fully equipped.

This property is absolutely stunning, I can not wait to book it again.

Bella’s Retreat was a great place to stay for a winter holiday for up to 8 people, and Aspects make everything easy. Have used them lots of times for St Ives houses.

Excellent location and well equiped for families. Spacious house and great wet room downstairs for surfers etc

Bella's Retreat is a perfect property for a holiday in St.Ives! The house is incredible beautiful! We loved everything about it!!

A lovely homely space. Very well equipped and nicely furnished. We would definitely stay here again.

Bella 's is a lovely place, really enjoyed our stay! Well equipped and beds lovely and comfy!! Great location to walk into Town!
Would stay again!

Thank you so much Aspect Holidays and Bella's Retreat for a wonderful stay in St Ives! We loved the house and our two year old was also well catered for. We would definitely recommend this property for anyone looking for spacious accommodation near St Ives.

Beautiful property for a really comfortable stay,

Bella's Retreat has been a lovely place to stay with the extended and growing family for our last few holidays and hopefully more to come.

We loved our stay in Bella's Retreat and can't wait for our return visit next year!!

Bella's Retreat is a lovely property, finished to a high standard, with some sea views, comfortable beds and with the added bonus of parking for 2 small cars. A reasonably quiet location but the walk to the property from the beaches involves a steep hill! We would definitely book this property again!

We are all very impressed with the high standard of this property. The fixtures,fittings and equipment really exceeded our expectations. The bedrooms especially are delightful and bigger than the photos show on the website. There's plenty of crockery and cutlery and even dishwasher tabs are provided. The welcome pack of starter groceries is a very thoughtful touch too. The beds are so comfortable. All in all Bellas Retreat cannot be too highly praised...The owner must be commended for this beautiful house/home. Three families which include grandparents, parents and grandchildren have the potential for getting under each others feet but not here as there's plenty of room for all. The utility room is a brilliant idea with the toilet and the exit to the back yard. The pushchairs, wellies and drying clothes were out of sight too. All in all a perfect house for a wonderful holiday/family get together.

We had a fantastic stay at Bella's Retreat this November. The property is beautifully decorated and furnished, and so well equipped with everything you could possibly need! The location is great, just a short walk into St.Ives! The welcome basket was a lovely touch, we would definitely go back for another stay!

Bellas' Retreat is a beautiful house in a good location. It is incredibly well equipped and furnished and has a lot of space- it worked really well for our family of 6 and we would definitely book this house again.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Bella's Retreat and would highly recommended it. It had lovely views and the interior was to a very high standard. The beds were very comfortable and the kitchen well equipped. We wouldn't have changed a thing!

We have had a fantastic holiday, bellas retreat was a gorgeous property to stay in and was exactly as the description said, everything you could need was catered for and more besides the attention to detail was exceptional. The little welcome basket was a lovely touch and I would highly recommend aspect holidays and more so bellas retreat, which was a treat, thanks again for an enjoyable holiday, this was my granddaughters first holiday and you made it so much easer for us all xx hopefully see you again soon xx

Our party of three ladies returned to the property for a weeks break in April 2015 having had a long weekend at Bella's Retreat in October 2014.

The property represents very good value for money. It is well equipped, is light and airy and decorated in a modern style

Provided that you don't mind a relatively short walk up and down some steep hills you can park up for the week and easily access St Ives on foot. Bella's is conveniently located for the beautiful Porthmeor beach and if you enjoy walking then Porthminster beach and Carbis Bay are within easy walking distance.

We love St Ives and Bella's Retreat makes an good base for visiting this lovely seaside town.

Really great property in a fabulous location!