Cohort Hostel

Danny and Lee Strickland took over what was a rather tired old building in the spring of 2015 and have turned it into something really special – and much more in tune with the cool St Ives vibe: a clean and contemporary hostel, right in the centre of town, that has a mixture of dormitory beds and private rooms catering to all kinds of folk on a budget.

The rooms have been completely refurbished to make the most of what was already a pretty impressive location – a 19th-century Wesleyan chapel and school. There are seven mixed dorms and two female-only dorms and all are furnished with custom built 'pod beds', each one having a privacy curtain, a plug socket, light, USB port and lockable, under-bed storage; each dorm has shared showers and toilet facilities although most have hand basins in the room too.The hostel also has three private rooms, one with a double bed and a single on top, the other two furnished with twin bunks, hand-basins and TVs.

Beyond the sleeping accommodation, it's a very sociable place, with a comfy lounge and bar, a private courtyard, a TV and movie room with free Netflix, a fully-equipped kitchen for self-caterers – and (a real plus, this) superfast Wifi available free throughout the building. They also have plenty of storage space for bikes, surfboards and luggage. The location is great, bang in the centre of St Ives, and walking distance from pubs, restaurants, the bus and train stations, the beach – you name it – making it a fabulous place to stay if you're visiting St Ives on a budget.