What with the weather in May anywhere would have been great as we spent very little time in doors, but the Blue Bay couldn't have been more helpful, welcoming, attentive and professional. It really is a magical hidden gem for a bargain price considering the quality of the food, the location and the personal service the owners James and Pippa offer. From the moment we arrived (after a few detours thanks to TomTom nonsense, it has to be said), the kettle was on and the warm welcome began. Pippa showed us to our room 'Kiwi' and it was as we expected for a hotel of this price, not palatial but clean, fresh with a lovely seaside feel. All the usual facilites. Lovely en suite shower, clean towels and fresh, bright bedding. I always feel silly shelling hundreds out per night for a room you're hardly in, and if you do spend all your time sat in your hotel room watching Pay Per View porn why go on holiday at all? You can get that at home! The main living area and bar is again clean fresh and welcoming, we enjoyed our Yorkshire Gold tea (as James insisted on telling us, followed by a detailed description of planning regulation violations in the Mawgan Porth area, a subject about which he seems to have inexhaustable resources) as we nibbled on a macaroon while Pippa enthusiastically regailed us with tales of the vicinity and things to do. Just wombling down the lovely lane to spend our afternoons laid out like lobsters on the beach is enough for our few days in Cornwall. When you come from Leeds even the sand piles in Jewsons look inviting! The best however was yet to come, by five o'clock James swapped his hotel manager suit for a chef's hat, Pippa donned her (I thought a little conservative) waitress attire (but she's a lovely smile which made up for it) and we sat down to a feast, the likes of which I have not tasted before or since. They call this stretch of Cornwall the 'Cuisine Coast' or Culinary coast or some such, on account of Jamie Oliver's, Rick Stein's, Nathan Outlaw and all the rest of the celebrity chefs that have gravitated to this neck of the woods. But you can take all of them, and their 'ways', stuff 'em with chicken liver parfait, bind 'em up with butcher's twine, saute them off in a little unsalted butter, before lobbing them off the cliff to make an overpriced underseasoned chowder of the lot of them, James's culinary skills leave
them chewing the dust in his wake. No messing about with geometrically interesting plates, stacks of parsnip twizzles or drizzles of goose foot reduction masking what is essentially the emporer's new clothes of eating out we've been spoon fed these last few years of the so called 'British culinary renaissance', not on your Nelly! No, James serves up no nonsense, exceptionally cooked and seasoned, perfectly portioned plates of gastronomic glory! Excuse me if I wax lyrical (as is my wont) but it's refreshing to be served such good, fresh, wholesome food in an unpretentious setting with engaging and gregarious hosts with not a hint of arrogance or snobbishness so often associated with so called Haute Cuisine. Eat here (you don't have to stay) for half the price of your local Chez Twit and you'll come back everytime you revisit Cornwall. My wife and I (and let me tell you he likes to eat) LOVED every mouthful! Highly highly recommended!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
