The Sail Lofts St Ives

Yummy Valentines Treat

2012-02-02T03:18:00.000-08:00

Love is in the air at The Sail Lofts and as Valentines Day is nearly upon us we’ve asked our lovely friends at Seagrass for some ideas on how to spoil that special someone. Head Chef Lee Groves (semi finalist of Masterchef The Professionals 2010) has come up trumps with this fantastic recipe for homemade chocolate truffles, so why not give them a go and really impress your loved one with a handmade gift this year?

What you’ll need:

· 16 oz good quality dark chocolate (at least 60%)

· 5oz unsalted butter

· 2 fl. oz double cream

How to do it:

Melt 10oz of the chocolate and the butter in a bowl – set over a pan of warm not boiling water.

When melted, remove and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Bring the cream to the boil and add to the chocolate – beat well with a wooden spoon or spatula

At this point you can add flavourings of your choice (nuts, dried fruits, glace cherries, alcohol etc..)

Allow to set overnight in the fridge.

Make balls out of the truffle mix, either with your hands or a melon baller.

Melt another 6oz of chocolate – but make sure it doesn’t get hot.

Dip the rolled truffles into the melted chocolate and allow to set for a few hours in the fridge.

Now you can decorate as you like – chopped stem ginger, rolled in coconut or cocoa powder.

Enjoy these yummy little treats,

Kelly.

Have a choice...

2012-01-10T03:36:00.000-08:00

January is our busiest booking period and at the moment the bookings are flying in, so we thought we best let you know the busy weeks so you don't miss out on your favourite dates and apartments.

The one bedroom apartments and Slipway are incredibly popular this year, if you would like to stay in one of these we recommend booking very early.

February half term is filling up quickly, but we still have some great apartments left, including our most popular one bedroom - Lighthouse and a selection of two bedroom properties.

Easter is also nearly booked up for all the school holiday weeks, especially the larger apartments, we suggest booking very soon to avoid being disappointed!

Whitsun week - apart from Surf we're fully booked, but for those who want to sneak a weeks break with just 3 days holiday this is the week!

Summer school holidays - getting very busy - lots of bookings for all apartments of all sizes - don't leave it too long! (we also have some parking available - call the office for more information 01736799175).

September is getting busy around the festival weeks already - if you like a choice of apartments don't wait too long!

If we can be of any help do contact us on 01736 799175 or info@thesaillofts.co.uk.

Where was the pot of gold?

2011-12-12T07:54:00.000-08:00

With the weather as it is we've been lucky enough to spot a fair few rainbows in the past week, the problem is the camera hasn't always been to hand, but here are a few we did catch...

Christmassy Cornwall...

2011-12-09T07:15:00.000-08:00

We’re beginning to feel very festive here at The Sail Lofts, our Christmas tree has just arrived and Dave is hunting around the garage looking for the lights. In fact St Ives in general has a very festive feel to the air, the town’s lights have been switched on and many of the local pubs have added mulled wine and mulled cider to their menu’s – some recent guests inform us that the mulled cider is deliciously potent!

Cornwall is a great place to buy unique gifts and recently I went to Trereife House for its annual Christmas Fayre, there was so much on offer from local handmade jewelery to quirky clocks made from slate and yummy Cornish food to glasses made from recycled bottles. I certainly picked up some great stocking fillers that I hope will wow my family and friends.

In the lead up to the festive period there are a number of Christmas Fayres in Cornwall but there’s also lots to do with the family if you’re tired of all that Christmas shopping.

Last weekend my husband and I visited the Eden Project up in St Austell. Eden is currently celebrating its Time of Gifts season and features a host of festive themed treats in the lead-up to Christmas. The ice skating rink is back for another season and is looking stunning. This year they have ‘chilly penguins’ to help young children on the ice, these penguins act as a skating aid and really do help the little ones confidence on the ice.

There really is so much going on in Cornwall over the festive season and if you’re visiting us and you need any recommendations whatsoever on Christmas markets or attractions that are really getting into the festive spirit please don’t hesitate to ask.

Kelly.

hello to the new and good bye to the...

2011-11-30T08:02:00.000-08:00

The last few months has seen the artwork at The Sail Lofts change, we've unfortunately said good bye to most of the powerful paintings of Andrew Garner who has had work on display at The Sail Lofts since we launched in 2008 - thank you Andy, its been a pleasure working with you (hopefully still see you in the water!).

However, as things change we've been able to welcome a whole host of new artists to The Sail Lofts, from the abstract paintings of Marie Keeling to the emotional seascapes of Jenny Hirst, Chris Hankey and Erin Ward.

The last three artists' works have been loaned to The Sail Lofts by the lovely Porthminster Gallery in St Ives. David, Dee and Claire are all very knowledgeable and have patiently spent Friday afternoons choosing and deliberating over the best paintings for each apartment - and the results are marvelous!

All the artwork at The Sail Lofts is available for purchase, so if you are staying with us, or like the look of a piece on our website please do let us know and we will be happy to help.

Below is a selection of some of the new artwork...

Sun and Surf for our Guests

2011-08-25T01:50:00.000-07:00

Does this tempt you? If so we still have some availability for September (and 20% off the first 2 weeks) where we are hoping for surf just as good as this (if not better ;-)) and lots more sun...

St Ives Lifeboat Day

2011-08-10T08:33:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (August 11th) is the RNLI St Ives Lifeboat Day starting at 10am. It is a fun family day in aid of the RNLI and takes place in and around the lifeboat station on the harbour front.

There will be lots of stalls, a barbeque and perhaps the most anticipated is the live display from the lifeboat crew and RNAS Culdrose Search and Rescue helicopter.

Later on there will be live music and a raffle outside The Sloop Inn.

The RNLI do a sterling job in looking after the UKs water users on the beach and out at sea, so please do come down and support the day if you are in the area.

My favourite time of year...

2011-07-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

No not July, or August or even June or May... its September. For me it sums Cornwall up, heres why:

1) St Ives September Festival - if you haven't been, try it... Music, arts, celebrations and all round fun - its a bit like a celebration of the end of the season for locals and those in the know.

2) Amazing sunsets - I don't know why it is, but September seems to have the most amazing sunsets, much mellower than earlier in the summer.

3) Surf - it goes without saying for many, but September is THE month for surfing in Cornwall - warm water, powerful swells and offshore winds.

4) Calming - as the children head back to school and the masses think summer has ended the county quietens down, the traffic eases and life becomes a bit more relaxed again. The locals come out to play and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.

5) Greenaway Pro - In memory of a popular local surfer, a surf competition with much more soul than normal surf comps. The Guildhall normally hosts live music in the evenings to add to a weekend of fun.

The list could go on and on but for now this has put happy thoughts in my mind just thinking about it. Luckily for you though we still have some availability for this popular month, but be quick as last year we were fully booked!

Mid stay cleans

2011-07-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

As part of our desire to continuously improve we have added a new service for all our guests as a result of feedback. If you would like to have your apartment cleaned during your stay, be it a freshen up or the full service with a new Welcome Hamper, fresh linen and towels we are now able to offer this.

Our flexible housekeeping team will come in on the day of your choice, and do as much or as little as you need, all you have to do is arrange it with the team in the office and they'll do the rest.

It certainly can help when you have a change of guests, perhaps some friends down to stay, or if those sandy footprints get too much!

The cleans start from as little as £15/day, if you have already booked with us please call 01736 799175 to arrange.

Hello from sunny Cornwall

2011-07-05T06:24:00.000-07:00

Hello from sunny Cornwall!

Its been a busy couple of weeks, with the launch of The Angel Inn, a new website for the pub and a full house down at The Sail Lofts... But with summer in full swing with lots of sun, a fair few burnt bodies, and some lovely summer surf - July seems to have changed its tune from the last few years and looks like it is ready to deliver!

We're fully booked for the vast majority of the summer holidays now, Surf is available for the last weekend of August and then we're into September.

September is looking like another busy one, we do have some gaps left but we recommend booking soon to avoid disappointment (especially with the smaller properties) as these are nearly fully booked.

If you haven't already, why not Like our Facebook page, to see the latest pictures of St Ives, last minute offers and the latest news from The Sail Lofts?

We're back (even though we never went anywhere!)

2011-06-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

We might have been quiet recently - sorry about that - its been very busy at Sail Lofts HQ! The last month has seen sun, surf, flat spells, a bit of rain and lots and lots of happy visitors to St Ives.

Since we last posted we welcome a new team of cleaners to The Sail Lofts, we have launched our next venture in Suffolk (see below for more info) and we have launched 2012 pricing - if this isn't enough we have some other exciting new projects coming soon.

A late cancellation means our Bay apartment is available next week, grab a bargain as we have reduced the price to £1249 and it sleeps 8 - thats only £22 per person per night.

Moving on, our new venture is a pub in the pretty village of Stoke by Nayland in Suffolk, it is a 16th century inn, which we have added our touch to with a sympathetic refurbishment, a new chef and a new menu (new website is coming soon - we'll keep you posted). If you are around the area do pop in for a drink, some food or stay the night in one of the boutique rooms. We wish the team in Suffolk the best of luck over the coming months. Here are some pictures to give you a flavour...

St Ives September Festival 10-24 September

2011-05-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

Ahh, the St Ives September Festival - one of those special times in St Ives. The school holidays are over, the sun is shining, the sea is at its warmest, a sense of relaxation settles into the town as the season is coming to an end - time to celebrate!

The September Festival is time for locals (and everyone in the know ;-) ) to celebrate the end of another summer with two weeks of live music, arts, poetry, and everything in between. Guests who stay during the festival almost always book for the next year, if you haven't been before - try it!

This years line up is even bigger and better than before, the important thing is to get your tickets early for the main acts...

Here is our pick of the bunch for this years festival:

The Big Chris Barber Band - Saturday 10th September 2011 8pm at the Guildhall
81 year old band leader Chris Barber is world renowned, now with an 11 piece band the combination of blues and jazz make this a must see! Tickets are £25 and we strongly recommend booking these early.

Brodsky Quartet & Jacqui Dankworth - Monday 12th September 2011 8pm at the Guildhall
The Brodsky Quartet are at the forefront of the international chamber-music scene, mastering the string quartet to become very well know for their work with other artists including Elvis Costello, Bjork and Sting. Their skill lies in their diverse performances of complex compositions from the likes of Hayden, Beethoven, Bartok, Britten and more. If you like this type of music it should be an excellent night of music.

Lau & Adrian O'Reilly Wednesday 14th September 2011 8pm at the Guildhall
A must see if you like folk, winners of Best Group at the Radio 2 Folk Awards for three years in a row (2008, 2009 and 2010) this is the perfect time to see Lau. Three very talented chaps make up the group who are by no means restricted to the 'folk' genre and instead explore across genres to create a fabulously unique sound.

We'll be back with more recommendations as and when the acts are announced. If you still haven't arranged for accommodation in St Ives during the festival we recommend booking early as it is a very popular time.

If you have any other comments or recommendations do feed them back on the blog!

3 New (ish) Restaurants and a great weekend

2011-05-12T03:16:00.000-07:00

For the first time I had the privilege of staying at The Sail Lofts. My partner and I chose Zennor, the big master bedroom, large bed and the living area made it 'The One' for us.

A quick trip back home to pick up some belongings and the other half and we were back in St Ives to watch the sunset over Porthmeor - perfect way to start the weekend!

After the madness of a Friday and with it being the end of the week we felt good old fish and chips were deserved, so we headed along to the recently opened and stylish Harbour Fish and Chips. We were surprised at how professional and friendly the service was right from the start, I opted for traditional fish and chips with homemade tartar sauce, crispy batter, excellent fresh fish and good chips, my partner went for the mussels which I'm told were excellent as well. Overall a great experience and great value with nice touches like fried parsnip crisps on the fish and reasonable presentation.

After a day pottering around West Cornwall including Sennen, Gwynver and back to St Ives through St Just, Botallack and a sneaky pint at the Tinners Arms we headed back to get ready for the open evening of St Ives' newest restaurant - Seagrass.

A great turnout and some superb examples of some of the food they will be serving made it a great evening and we can't wait to try out the full menu soon.

On Sunday, the clear blue skies drew us to the beach, and Porthmeor Cafe was just too tempting! Recently refurbished and with a change in direction last year we had to try it out. We shared a platter of tapas which was fantastic, coupled with a glass of wine it was all very pleasant with some of the best views in town.

A great weekend, great weather and some super food - #happydays

If you would like to enjoy this and more we still have limited availability in May and June, have a look at our last minute deals for more information.

20% Discount at Sail Lofts Ocean Spa

2011-05-05T04:11:00.000-07:00

Sail Lofts Ocean Spa are celebrating the launch of a new treatment room this Friday by offering a 20% discount on all treatments over £40.

Start the weekend how you want it to continue by relaxing... From pampering your skin to easing your muscles from a week of work with a luxurious massage.

We are also offering a 15% discount on Spiezia Organics Rose and Vanilla Oil throughout May, this can be ordered over the telephone or purchased in store.

As part of our May offers, the luxurious Head in Heaven treatment will be reduced from £52 to £38 as well.

To book or find out more contact the spa team on 01736 448545.

Happy Days...

2011-04-27T02:37:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic few weeks we have had (and its still going but we don't want to jinx it!), but we felt we just had to write a little something about it.

Glorious spring sunshine has been basking down on us for a few weeks now, bikinis are out on the beach, wetsuits are off for the brave ones, and BBQs are definitely on the menu... To top it all off, those that surf have had a great run as well with most racking up impressive water time.

It felt only right to post a few of our favourite pictures from the last month.... Enjoy!

If you would like to take part in a bit of all this loveliness then we still have a few gaps, just take a look at our last minute deals or pick some of the last few weeks in May, June, July or August.

St Ives Food and Drink Festival

2011-04-19T05:38:00.000-07:00

As promised here is the second installment of our pick of the best events happening in St Ives. This week we are featuring the St Ives Food and Drink Festival, a relatively new festival to the town, but one of our favourites.

Starting on Monday 16th May for six days the festival promises to highlight the culinary delights of St Ives and the local area amongst a host of cooking demonstrations, foraging, walks and wine.

Here is a pick of some of the events we are looking forward to most:

Tuesday 17th May - Coastal forage and beach barbecue with Porthminster Cafe

A foraging walk along the coast with one of St Ives' most renowned restaurants to forage for food to cook later at the beach. We think this sounds great, there are so many hidden treasures along our coasts, with the help of some experts this should be a great day out. It is limited to 15 people and tickets cost £20 - make sure you book in advance with Porthminster Cafe on 01736 795352.

Thursday 19th May - South African Wine Evening with Scarlet Wines in Lelant

A sharing of tables in a relaxed setting - guests will be provided with six wines to taste served with South African inspired dishes. A great way to try new wines from a very knowledgeable team, with a growing reputation for the quality of food this should be a great sociable evening.

Friday 20th May - Wine and Cornish cheese evening with Mark Elwood at Cornish Deli

Sample some of the best Cornish cheese with Mark, its a great place to eat at any time, but this should be even more special!

Sunday 22nd May - Cooking Demonstrations

There are going to be several cooking demonstrations on the Sunday, our favourites would be at the Porthminster Cafe, Porthgwidden Cafe and the Seafood Cafe. These should be great and we look forward to seeing you there!

Next time we will be looking at the big one, the St Ives September Festival.

Another award for St Ives? Really?

2011-04-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

Yes, St Ives has scooped another award, this time from the coveted Traveller's Choice Awards. We felt this deserved some space on the blog, so we will continue with the events theme next time. So what was this award for?

After winning ‘best UK holiday destination’ in 2010, St Ives has now been awarded ‘best beaches in the UK’ by Tripadvisor users at the Traveller's Choice Awards.

All with naturally soft sand, beach cafes and hire shops, they have something different to offer everyone. Porthmeor (30 metres from The Sail Lofts) is the year-round surfers beach. With the newly refurbished Porthmeor Beach Café, a surf school, chalets that can be pre-booked, and world famous Tate St Ives, Porthmeor faces northwest and is perfect for the Atlantic waves. If you’ve got small children or toddlers,

Porthgwidden (a minutes walk from the Sail Lofts) is the one to choose. Nestled beneath the slopes of the ‘Island’, with uninterrupted views across St Ives Bay to Godrevy Lighthouse, it’s smaller crescent shape is sheltered and just right for children. There’s also got the wonderful Porthgwidden Beach Café serving food all day, with their own hire shop and beach chalets to pre-book.

A ten minute walk round the harbour front, past the Lifeboat House and up through the Warren brings you to Porthminster, a traditional family beach with a choice of cafes, shops, and hire facilities. Don’t miss having a meal at the award winning Porthminster Beach Café which is on the sand itself, with fantastic views from the restaurant and their outside terrace across St Ives Bay towards Gwithian and Godrevy.

Not forgetting the Harbour Beach at low tide and Carbis Bay for a spot of crabbing, St Ives is lucky to have such a selection of beaches.

If you want to take advantage of all these lovely beaches in this lovely spring weather then we have had two unfortunate cancellations for this Friday 15th April in our Island and Zennor apartments.

Whats happening in St Ives over the next season!

2011-04-05T07:04:00.000-07:00

Lots and lots of events and happenings are planned for St Ives over the next few months, from food to art to literature and music - but which ones will you be going to? Over the next few weeks we will be writing here about the key events. First up is....

St Ives Literature Festival - 7-15th May 2011

With a growing following and increasing recognition the St Ives Literature Festival is firmly in the diary for most locals. The event boasts a week of readings, events and workshops. Some of this years highlight events are:

Robin Williamson at St Ives Art Club on Monday 9th May. A founder member of the ground-breaking Incredible String Band in the sixties and the Merry Band in the seventies he became a key figure in the revival of story telling in Europe and America in the eighties. Robin has also written several books including The Craneskin Bag.

Liz Kessler - Creative Writing Workshop - Saturday 14th May at St Ives Art Club. Liz Kessler is a very popular children's writer who lives in Cornwall but is held in high regard. This is a super chance to learn about the writing process.

Phil Bowen - The Captain's Tower on Friday 13th May at St Ives Art Club. Co author Phil Bowen reads from The Captain's Tower with over 70 poems including Simon Armitage, Caroline Bird, Johnny Cash, Jane Dracott, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Linda France and Peter Finch.

This is just our pick of a great line up, there are lots of other events, but we think these ones are going to sell out quickly so make sure you buy your tickets in time from Cafe Art in the Drill Hall.

Next time we will be having a look at St Ives Food and Drink Festival.

If you still haven't booked a holiday in April, we still have some availability for the week of the 15th April in our cottage and Island apartment - but book soon to avoid disappointment!

What to do with all these bank holidays!

2011-03-03T02:50:00.000-08:00

A great opportunity has arisen as a result of Will and Kate's Royal Wedding, two bank holidays in one weekend. Why not treat yourself to a break in St Ives, away from the hustle and bustle, and use less of your holiday allowance?

A stay at The Sail Lofts is the perfect place to celebrate the Royal Wedding (or escape it if needed!), with a friendly and open community in St Ives there will be a great social atmosphere, or you can tuck yourself away in one of the many cafes and restaurants, or even just sit back and relax in the comfort of your apartment and watch it on a television.

If all goes to plan (not that we have any control over it ;-)) it will be a lovely sunny week (it was last year anyway). Perhaps plan in a surfing lesson, or a visit to the Tate in the last week of Simon Starlings' exhibition or perhaps a gastronomic week of restaurants, private dining and great breakfasts at Porthgwidden Cafe.

Take a look at our availability and see if we have anything to suit you and your party.

We are also getting very booked up throughout April, so if you have left it all a bit last minute check our availability and don't leave it too late!

Sensational Spa Breaks

2011-02-25T08:21:00.000-08:00

We recently launched our most luxurious spa break to date all in our delightful 3 bedroom Sail Lofts Cottage in Bethesda Place.

Each guest gets to choose from one of three packages, each with over 2 hours of treatments. The offer is exclusive to bookings in February, March and April and start from just £399 for two people.

Shelley, Sail Lofts Ocean Spa Manager, put three packages together to give you more choice than our standard spa break package.

To find out more about the offer visit this page, please be aware this exclusive offer is booking up quickly.

We also have a whole host of other last minute offers for the next few weeks, from one bedrooms to four.

Relax with a party...

2011-02-10T08:26:00.000-08:00

Relax with friends in the comfort of your own home with a Skinsense home party, where one of our trained therapists will help you improve your well being. With a selection of discounts (including 25% off your next treatment), a free 15 minute massage at our spa and a goody bag with a Spiezia sample, the parties offer more than just a social gathering...

Our therapist will talk you through ways of improving:

Muscular problems

Nail Care

Detoxing

Skincare for the face and body

Luxury pampering

Stress relief

We encourage you to dip, delve and try the Spiezia products we bring along, this presents an opportunity to discover the benefits of organic skincare with the added benefit of skin/mirror consultations.

Our therapist will then demonstrate either an Express Facial (great for learning how to do them yourself) or an acupressure massage.

The party host receives a free one hour treatment of their choice. *

If you would like to arrange for your own home party call Shelley at Sail Lofts Ocean Spa on 01736 448545.

*Subject to our terms and conditions.

Changing Colours in 2011

2011-01-25T07:56:00.000-08:00

Since the beginning we have always tried to be environmentally friendly, but it we haven't always achieved this to the level we would like. Now we have our feet firmly under the table we want to focus on how we as a business can do more - and 2011 is the year to make this happen.

We started by undertaking an environmental analysis of the business to see which areas we need to improve and the areas which we are already doing right. Its highlighted how much more we can do, but we were pleasantly surprised to see we are doing ok!

We scored very highly on supporting local businesses, encouraging alternative transport, using local suppliers and encouraging guests to explore the local area before traveling away from St Ives (and if they do to use public transport).

Our main area to improve in is utility efficiency, even though all our appliances are less than 3 years old and A rated, we feel there is an opportunity to reduce our consumption levels considerably. To tackle this we are looking into alternative lighting as LED technology advances, managing heating systems more proactively and reducing water consumption. This may sound simple, but we want the guest experience to be the same, if not better.

To follow our Green Change programme keep an eye on this space.

Try something local...

2011-01-18T06:47:00.000-08:00

We're really pleased a local company is expanding into the competitive online grocery market. We think it is a great alternative to the 'big four' if you are looking for convenience and value as well as a taste of Cornwall.

Many of our guests order Tesco online deliveries before arriving at The Sail Lofts, and when Cornish Food Market approached us with their new venture, we wanted to make sure our guests were aware of it as an alternative (we will still unpack your shopping for you too). It reduces food miles, supports the local economy and overall is a more environmentally friendly approach to your shopping - something we are very passionate about at The Sail Lofts.

Cornish Food Market delivers the best locally sourced food & drink - fresh bread baked to order, Cornish meat and dairy produce, fish from St Ives, fruit, vegetables as well as other essential kitchen cupboard items to complete your shop. Delivery is completely free, the minimum order value is only £12.50 and orders can be placed by 11pm for delivery the next day.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T08:02:00.000-08:00

The majority of The Sail Lofts team spent New Year in St Ives - and what a night it was! Fancy dress prevailed, Managing Director Philip was dressed as a hippy, Emma our Housekeeper in burlesque, and the others? You will just have to wait for the pictures!

It was a great night as usual and we thoroughly recommend, from our own experiences!

...And from all at The Sail Lofts - We wish you a very happy and successful 2011!

Sunny St Ives

2010-12-22T02:18:00.000-08:00

We've been hoping for snow, just a little, watching the rest of the country snowed in makes you just a little envious! But St Ives isn't delivering the goods, all we're getting is sun and blue sky!

Heres the pics to show it...

If your ready to escape the snow (where possible ;-) ) then we still have some availability left for both Christmas and New Year, and to entice you down to the warmer climes of St Ives we have reduced our cosy fisherman's cottage by over 50% to just £549 for a week!

Christmas is around the corner...

2010-12-14T03:05:00.000-08:00

The festive season is upon us, Christmas trees and lights are up, Turkey and Cranberry pasties are in the bakery (we even spotted a Venison and Stuffing festive pasty!), and mince pies are springing up everywhere you look.

If you still haven't decided what you are doing for Christmas this year we still have 3 properties left: Surf, 5 Bethesda Place and Harbour all with 20% off the original price.

More importantly, if you are struggling with the Christmas wish lists of loved ones we may have a few ideas for you... Sail Lofts Ocean Spa has a selection of gifts from carefully prepared gift boxes to gift vouchers.. Or how about a weekend break in January or February with our spa package - the ultimate gift!

If you are still struggling with your plans for New Year, we have some availability left in our apartments and again as a gesture of festive goodwill we have reduced the prices by 20%. To see a little of St Ives at New Year have a look at this video.

Let it snow let it snow let it snow

2010-12-03T05:35:00.000-08:00

Unusually Cornwall has received a little bit of snow again this year - not as much as the East and the North but quite a lot for Cornwall! Here are a few pictures and photo's from the past week...

Don't forget if you have any images of the snow in Cornwall you would like to share post them on our Flickr or Facebook page.

We have a selection of apartments available at the moment at special rates, do contact us or visit our last minute page for the latest offers.

Autumn in St Ives

2010-11-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

The middle of November has arrived quickly but autumn has undoubtedly arrived (possibly even winter?) as the leaves turn golden and the sea whips up large swells. The town has quietened and the opportunity to really explore St Ives and the surrounding area has arrived.

For the surfers amongst us, there has been no shortage of swells for the last few weeks although the winds have been very strong. The south coast has lit up a few times and the sheltered spots have been shining with Porthmeor having some great days. The next few days are looking rather nice with lots more swell coming through and the occasional offshore day at the exposed beaches.

For those of you thinking of going away for Christmas we still have some availability left but bookings are coming in quickly for this period. Likewise for those of you who are considering St Ives for New Year, a great place to see in 2011 particularly for families, we still have some availability but we are receiving a number of enquiries.

Don't forget to check out our last minute availability for some fantastic deals starting at £199.

It all makes Skinsence...

2010-11-04T09:27:00.000-07:00

We held our first Skinsense evening last night in our Beach apartment which was a relaxed evening hosted by Katie Light from Spiezia Organics and our Ocean Spa therapists. When everyone arrived and enjoyed their glass of bubbly and nibbles, the evening began with Katie talking about the importance of organic products and general wellbeing.

The ladies were asked what they wanted to know about skin care, we had great feedback and were grateful for the opportunity to have helped and offer advice on a subject close to our hearts. The main purpose of the evening was to demonstrate what should be used on your skin and how. Some tried the Spiezia products on their face whilst others with makeup on tested the products on their hands. The feedback on the smell and quality of the products was excellent.

We finished the evening with a talk on the different treatments that we offer in the spa. The top treatments that our guests were most interested in and curious about were the Relax and Rejuvenate Facial, Thermal Basalt Stone Massage and Cornish Algae Wrap. We look forward to seeing them in the future.

If you are interested in learning more about your skin type and the best ways to take care of it, contact us to register your interest in our next event.

Sail Lofts | Ocean Spa video

2010-11-01T04:21:00.000-07:00

After being approached by Light Circus about creating a video for our new spa we thought it was a brilliant idea. A month or so later with the balmy September sun, models arranged and some great sunsets Mark and Greg shot the video.

Let us know what you think...

Skinsence

2010-10-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

Sail Lofts Ocean Spa have teamed together with Spiezia Organics to invite you and your friends to a complimentary skin care evening held in one of our apartments on Wednesday 3rd November between 7-9pm.

The evening is going to give you an insight into a five step homecare routine to help get the best from your skin. It will be a relaxed affair with wine and nibbles with the opportunity to find out more about your skin type, products to use, consultations and to allow you to ask any questions you may have.

Everyone who attends will receive 25% off their first treatment at the spa, and a lucky winner receives a goody bag and a 30 minute massage voucher.

For further information contact the spa on 01736 448 545 or info@sailloftsoceanspa.co.uk

Cornwall Tourism Awards 2010

2010-10-08T08:54:00.000-07:00

Suited and booted we made the trip up to St Mellion at the other end of Cornwall in the Mini. Surprised by how many people were there we settled ourselves in and started chatting away, when we started hearing rumours about an 'email' - we hadn't received an 'email'; and were a bit concerned and baffled by it.

Malcom Bell, Head of Tourism at Visit Cornwall, in his opening speech once again started apologising for this 'email' and our concerns heightened and hearts sank as we thought the worst! We then found out that all the winners had received an email by accident the day before, but we hadn't picked one up!

The awards carried on and when it came to the large self catering award we didn't get bronze or silver and we really started to get quite concerned, but lo and behold we won - a brilliant surprise!

We were probably the only ones in the room who didn't know they had won! But it was actually a great surprise and we are thrilled to have won this award in only our second year of trading. Thanks to all who helped us get this far including but not restricted to: the staff, the housekeeping team, Joseph (the wonderful interior designer), Dave (Digga) and Max.

We would also like to congratulate some friends of The Sail Lofts who did very well at the awards as well: Boskerris Hotel, Global Boarders, Treasure Trails and The Porthminster Cafe.

St Ives September Festival

2010-09-13T04:17:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to be supporting the St Ives September Festival 2010 which is set to be a great week of music, art, theatre and events. The Guildhall will once again be hosting the majority of the music with St Ives Parish church acting as a secondary venue.

Some highlights of the festival this year include:

Guildhall

Battle of the Bands - 13th 7:30pm £7.50 presented by Every Child Matters.

Eddi Reader - 14th 8:30pm £20 Eddi Reader is a Scottish singer known both for her work with Fairground Attraction and for an enduring solo career.

Atlan - 15th 8:30pm £20 Atlan emerged during the 1990s as one of Ireland's premier traditional bands.

Donavan - Thursday 16th 8:30pm SOLD OUT The 1960s folk singer/songwriter Donavan is coming to St Ives. With support from Kirsty McGee.

The Imagined Village - Friday 17th 8:30pm £25 A popular live show featured at lots of festivals around the UK and Europe.

Paco Pena - Saturday 18th 8:30pm £20 Flamenco guitar at its best.

Kila - Sunday 19th 8:30pm £20 A superb Irish folk/world music band.

The Fishermans Friends - Monday 20th 8pm SOLD OUT. An array of sea shanties.

Mousehole Male Voice Choir - Wednesday 22nd 8pm £7.50 The choir has an impressive repertoire and have toured across the world.

Robin Trower Band and Hamsters - Thursday 23rd 8:30pm £20

The Beat and John Otway - Friday 24th 8:30pm £15 The Beat fuse ska, pop, reggae, punk rock and soul with special guest John Otway.

For Those About To Rock - Saturday 25th 8pm £16 The UK's leading high energy rock show featuring Live Wire, ACDC, and Limehouse Lizzy.

St Ives Art Club (Our pick)

Edgar Macias Quintet Tuesday 21st 8:30pm £12 A five piece band that combines different jazz styles and rhythms from funk to South American.

Ken Nicol and Phil Cool Saturday 25th 8:30pm £12 adv. Phil Cool, comedian and impressionist teams up with Ken Nicol guitar virtuoso of Steeleye Span to produce a two hour show full of music and laughs.

Arts and Literature (Our Pick)

Bernard Leach - open daily 10am to 4:30pm

Tom Cross Retrospective - Open Monday to Saturday 10am - 6pm at Belgrave Gallery.

Kiln Opening - Sunday 19th, Leach Pottery 12-2pm.

Late at Tate St Ives - Friday 24th Tate St Ives. 7pm-9pm A chance to visit the current exhibitions for free.

Workshops (Our Pick)

Feltmaking - Friday 17th, St Ives Library. With local Jo McIntosh, all ages welcome and materials provided. £5.

Drop-in Beginners' Oil Painting 14th and 21st Starting with some basic colour theory and colour mixing exercises, this an ideal introduction to this popular medium.

Films (Our Pick)

Toy Story - Saturday 18th 4pm St Ives Art Club. £3

Hairspray - Saturday 18th, Porthmeor Beach, 8:15 Tate St Ives presents a unique screening on the beach of this cult family classic.

September is on its way

2010-08-31T06:52:00.000-07:00

If I could ask for a perfect week in Cornwall it would probably look a lot like this one. To get it off to a good start its only a 4 day week, allowing my Monday to be spent mostly in the water in the sun - ideal!

But it gets better, the weather is set to continue right up until Sunday and may be even longer, those balmy September evenings are about to arrive.

If this isn't enough, the surf looks likes its going to be going off in Cornwall, with the first hurricane swell of the year, Danielle, due to arrive around Thursday and a blocking high pressure system over the South West. This means great weather, light offshores and a solid 4ft+ of swell reaching over the weekend.

Get your sun cream, board and BBQ out, September is on its way!

Image courtesy of the Met Office for full details of the chart please visit their website

Bank Holiday Weekend

2010-08-25T06:56:00.000-07:00

August's bank holiday is around the corner, with some sun forecast and even a bit of surf we are all looking forward to a long weekend.

Tate St Ives are hosting their summer BBQ this Friday to kick the weekend off, if the weather behaves itself it should be a lovely evening watching the sunset. Booking is recommended, phone 01736 796226.

If the Tate isn't what you are looking for how about St Ives Harbour Raft Race, all in aid of charity this is bound to be a laugh. For details of how to enter please email stivespilotgigclub@yahoo.co.uk.

St Ives has a whole host of live music this weekend as well, from blues to the Summer Concert featuring some great local talent.

If you are still struggling to find somewhere to stay, we have one property available, 5 Bethesda Place, which we have reduced to £1529 for the week.

The Greenaway Pro

2010-08-18T02:53:00.000-07:00

The Greenaway Pro begins today on Porthmeor beach in St Ives. After the success of last years competition and music, locals and visitors alike are looking forward to this years event.

The event which serves in memory of Tom Greenaway raises money for some great charities such as SAS. As part of the competition on Thursday SAS will be organising a beach clean from 1pm outside the surf school - try and take part as we all like clean beaches :-).

With an even bigger lineup this year on both the entertainment and the competition side, we can expect another great event. The Mystery Jets will be there, as will The Strays playing at the Guildhall on Saturday, this event is now sold out but looks like it should be a top night. The acoustic night on the Friday at St Ives cinema, with Frankie Davies, Brother and Bones and plenty more, still has tickets available from here.

Come down and support any of the events, the longboarding, U18s, Masters and Womens start today and the Open and Bodyboard categories start on Friday. The swell looks like it should be building through the week, so hopefully the waves will come out for the weekend.

Final quick note, we still have one property left in August, 5 Bethesda Place and we have reduced the price today by 20%! We keep our availability up to date so make sure to check our last minute availability.

Lifeboat day

2010-08-16T08:02:00.000-07:00

St Ives will be hosting its annual Lifeboat day this Thursday 19th August. With a variety of stalls, tombola, grand raffle, BBQ, and live music outside The Sloop Inn.

The funds raised will go towards supporting RNLI and the volunteer lifeboat crews, who have saved many a life in this area and the crews put so much time and effort into their volunteer roles - please give generously to this worthy cause.

To make the day even more special the Red Arrows have now been announced to appear at 17:50 (weather permitting) and they always but on a fantastic show - just look at the reaction they received in Falmouth this year.

Also on the Thursday SAS are holding a beach clean at Porthmeor from 1pm outside the surf school. Clean beaches make everyone happy and someone has to do it, so make sure you get stuck in if you can!

Kidz R Us

2010-08-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

We are really pleased Kidz R Us has been shortlisted for lottery funding! Voting has begun and we have all cast our votes, but we need your help. Voting ends on the 13th August. Cast your vote here!

Kidz R Us a local charity has always been a charity which has made St Ives proud and The Sail Lofts has been pleased to support it in the past. Peter, PR manager at The Sail Lofts, is also a keen volunteer, and helps with everything from directing plays to sweeping the stage!

It is a prestigious award which will be featured on BBC1 with a star studded show. So if you get the opportunity please support this local charity by placing your photo!

Summer is upon us

2010-07-28T03:43:00.000-07:00

Its been a manic couple of months at The Sail Lofts, hence the lack of a recent post. Since our last post our new spa in St Ives has opened, two websites have gone live, we have a new look email newsletter and we have uploaded 2011 prices.

The Sail Lofts Ocean Spa has gone down a treat with holiday makers and locals alike, the Spiezia products are receiving great feedback and we are really proud that almost all of the products used are organic and natural (we'll always tell you if they're not). Shelley Worth is the new Spa manager, and can be found posting on Facebook with the rest of the team. Have a look at the website and let us know what you think - and don't forget to make the most of the launch offers before the end of July.

Enough about us though, St Ives is really coming alive now that the school holidays have begun. Boat tours, trips to the Minack, events at the Tate and of course the beaches.

The surf has been a mixed bag, with some really nice swells cropping up and many of those small summer onshore days. The week ahead isn't looking to promising but if you have a longboard or summer board to hand there should be a wave or two. I'm hoping to get my summer board this week from Freeriders - fingers crossed it has arrived!

The recently refurbished Porthmeor Cafe has proven popular and we have had some excellent reviews of the food there as well, so we wish them the best of luck this season. It doesn't get much better than watching the sunset from the terrace with a great selection of tapas.

Finally, we have some availability during August because of the inevitable cancellations etc.. Our Curno apartment is available from the 20th August for one week and 5 Bethesda Place is available for the weeks of the 20th and 27th August.

Websites

2010-05-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

We are busy working with our web designer to produce a brand new website for launch at the beginning of June. Lots of new features and hopefully much simpler design, for those following the blog they will need to wave good bye to the current url in a couple of weeks. I'll keep you posted of when this happens.

The Tate has opened the doors to their new summer exhibitions, Lily van der Stokker- No Big Deal Thing and Object:Gesture:Grid- St Ives and the international Avant-garde. Guests of The Sail Lofts receive 50% discount so if you are staying with us don't forget to pop into the office to borrow a Tate Corporate members card!

St Ives food and drink festival is also progressing with some interesting events already lined up, see their website for more details.

We only have very limited availability in the summer now, so please do contact us sooner rather than later to avoid disappointment. We are also booking up very quickly for the September festival week, its always a great week!

Welcome aboard

2010-05-13T08:29:00.000-07:00

I can't believe we are in May already, although we've had nice dry weather it is taking its time to warm up, but one can't complain. The beginning of May has been really busy down here lots of exciting things happening.

We would like to welcome Rebecca to the team. Rebecca is responsible for ensuring our Friday changeovers run smoothly and we improve our quality standards even further, with new welcome hampers high up on her agenda!

We are really excited to announce the new spa is currently being fitted out and will be ready for launch in June, dates TBC. Leave a comment or email me if you are interested or would like more information.

We also have another launch in June, but we'll tell you more about that soon!

Its a good job we've been so busy, because there has been a real lack of surf... I had a couple of surfs last weekend, and thanks to Aggie Surf Shop I demoed a cool 5'8 quad, interesting little thing but not really the best conditions to try it out in.

Don't forget to contact us about any last minute availability we may have, there are some great opportunities for a break to enjoy the sunshine!

I took these photos on my walk down here this morning.

Photoshoots and holidays

2010-05-05T09:17:00.000-07:00

We've been very busy down here juggling full photo shoots of all the apartments, it was a bit of a marathon, but James King did a superb job, and the photo above is of our Slipway apartment since being redesigned earlier in the year. 14 properties over a bank holiday weekend was never going to be easy but we are really pleased with the results.

For all those who remember them, the Surfers Against Sewage Ball is back! SAS are holding the Inviciball at Porthtowan Eco Park to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the charity. Tickets are likely to sell very quickly so get in there quick if you want tickets!

The Tate St Ives is currently rehanging, getting ready for the new summer exhibition which opens on the 15th May. To coincide with this we have our five star holiday cottage and 3 apartments available for this week, so if you would like to take a peek at the new pieces then do contact us at info@thesaillofts.co.uk or 01736 799 175.

#ashtag and Bank Holidays

2010-04-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

What a frantic week it has been so far, even in this tranquil part of the country. We, like most of the country, have been feeling the chaos of the volcanoe without even being near an airport. We are sorry that many of our guests have been unable to make it this week, but we hope they will find another opportunity to enjoy St Ives.

However we are pleased that many of those hoping to go on holiday have been able to make the flightless trip down to Cornwall to enjoy the sun and sea down here. For those who are still struggling to getaway by plane, do give us a call and we may be able to help you holiday nearer to home!

For those that have made it to Cornwall the dry sunny weather is continuing, and it looks set to stay for a bit longer, it really feels like summer is on the way! The surf however has been flat, withdrawal symptoms are settling in!

We have some last minute weekend offers for the weekend of the 30th April to the 3rd May, we only have a limited selection of apartments left so please phone 01736 799 175 for details.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter for all the latest news!

A glorious week in St Ives

2010-04-16T01:55:00.000-07:00

All the visitors to St Ives this week have been basking in glorious sunshine for the majority of the week with many making the most of the lovely beaches, walks and bike rides around here. It has also been a good week to learn to surf as the waves have been small and clean providing the ideal conditions, as some of our guests have found.

For anyone struggling to getaway this weekend due to flight cancellations and the ash, hen why not visit St Ives for a sunny break? We still have a couple of apartments available for the week or less starting from today and tomorrow so why not give us a call on 01736 799 175 or email info@thesaillofts.co.uk.

We have a set of special weekend breaks for the bank holiday at the end of the month. It will be a great opportunity to visit St Ives and stay in luxury accommodation. We can help arrange surfing, chefs to cook you a stunning meal, discounts to the Tate St Ives and Barbara Hepworth, and book restaurants. To find out more about a bank holiday break visit our website or call us on 01736 799 175.

We are also booking up very quickly for July, August and September and are recommending guests or others interested in staying with us to start looking and making enquiries to avoid disappointment.

Luxury accomodation offers to celebrate spring

2010-04-08T04:15:00.000-07:00

After all the fuss about bad weather over the bank holiday Cornwall has been blessed with some lovely weather at the end of the week. Blue skies, clear blue water and its even warm enough to lose the jumpers!

We have been busy working on our new cottage which is all ready to go for our first guests on Friday, and it looks fantastic, I'll post some pics soon.

Great opportunity to learn to surf at the moment as well as its not too big and more importantly its warming up as well. For anyone interested in a surf break then please do contact us.

To celebrate the beginning of Spring we will be offering some April offers in our five star apartments and cottage. We have several last minute offers on our website and for more information on the deals we have at No.5 Bethesda Place please call us on 01736 799 175.

Happy Easter from TSL

2010-04-06T06:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to everyone, we hope you have had an enjoyable weekend wherever you have been. As anyone in Cornwall will know, the season has now begun! Its exciting for us down here at The Sail Lofts as we are very busy and enjoying having a 'full house' again.

A big congratulations to St Ives, Tate St Ives and Porthminster Cafe (St Ives) for winning the hatrick at the Coast awards! Also congratulations to Surfers Against Sewage who won an award for the Best Marine Green Project, a worthy cause doing many good things around our coasts.

The surf has been mixed as well but Saturday and Monday were both two good days and it looks like it will continue through today on the North Coast and tomorrow on the South Coast. Lots of different spots seem to be working at the moment, and both coasts meaning lots of choice!

For anyone prepared to travel for a meal out whilst in St Ives I had a superb meal at Kota in Porthleven, I had heard about the excellent reviews but was pleasantly surprised when it completely exceeded my expectations!

We have a set of weekend breaks online at the moment at very special prices! A perfect opportunity to come to St Ives and enjoy the quieter period before the summer rush!

A New Cottage

2010-03-24T04:51:00.000-07:00

We've been very busy down here at The Sail Lofts, with the preparations for Five Bethesda Place (our new holiday cottage in St Ives) rapidly underway and thankfully all on schedule thanks to Dave. The new cottage is looking great and it seems like we are having deliveries everyday for it, getting ready for its first guests in a couple of weeks.

I found this rather novel the other day when in Falmouth, I had breakfast on Princes Pier at the cafe, and as it was warm and sunny we sat outside. When the breakfast came along the waitress brought a water pistol toscare off the sea gulls, brilliant idea!

The surf has been good over the last week with a new swell arriving on St Patricks day and we still have waves today. I've also noticed in the past week that it is warm enough to drop the gloves, as the air temperature rises and the water temperature seems to as well. The forecast for the next week is looking OK as well if one can find some shelter from the forecasted Westerlies.

For all those who live in Cornwall don't forget there is only a week left of free entry at Tate St Ives.

We are really busy for the next 3 weeks with no availability at all, but if you would like a break in April then give the office a call and see if we can arrange the perfect break in St Ives for you.

Last minute offers to take advantage of the great weather

2010-03-12T07:33:00.000-08:00

We have had a great response from the newsletter we sent out last week, we are pleased guests are excited about our new offering to be officially announced shortly.

The weather in St Ives has been glorious for the past week or so and long may it continue. For those of you who would like to take advantage of this we have a selection of last minute breaks available.

To find out more about these breaks please visit our late availability page. With both two and three bedroom properties at great rates it could be the perfect way to celebrate spring.

The surf has been mixed with a bit too much North in it, but next week should see a new pulse coming mid week. Any forecasters or surfers who think otherwise please leave a comment, I'm always interested in other peoples opinions.

Happy St Pirans Day!

2010-03-05T07:09:00.000-08:00

Happy St Pirans day to one and all! We all celebrated with pasties today, which went down very well as usual, thank you St Ives Bakery! Only a short post today as it really hectic down here at The Sail Lofts.

Rumours have been flying around St Ives (and much of Cornwall) about Pirates of the Caribbean coming to St Ives, Johnny Depp has even been rumored to be seen around! The Sun and MTV have got the story into the mainstream press but is it true?

We are moving closer to announcing our new ventures, sign up to our newsletter before 4 today for the full low down to find out some of our plans.

On a final note for those who have had the opportunity to be out and about in Cornwall this week, you will know what a superb week of weather it has been, and long may it continue. But a bit of surf would be quite nice too, Monday and Tuesday are looking quite good, so finger crossed.

Have a good week!

A mixed bag

2010-02-26T06:45:00.000-08:00

Cornwall seems to be having a fairly busy weekend approaching with lots going on. For the art enthusiasts, Late at the Tate is an opportunity to view the gallery for free every last Friday of the month. For those who can make it, this is on tonight featuring the Dexter Dalwood exhibition.

Good news for all Cornish residents is the Tate St Ives is offering free entry throughout March, just ring along proof of residence. Has to be worth a trip to St Ives to take this up especially as we have been told it is a really good exhibition. If you do then drop by and say hello to us at The Sail Lofts.

Work is continuing on our new addition in St Ives, a traditional fisherman's cottage which is being modernised to our high standards. The workmen are doing a great job of pulling this project together and we look forward to posting some pictures of the new property on this blog.

We are progressing with our new venture which we are extremely excited about, word seems to be working its way around town but watch this space for the full details.

We will hopefully be getting a newsletter out next week, if you aren't already signed up make sure you do here.

Its been a varied week for surf, with the North coast seeing perfection on Wednesday, and the South coast has remained surprisingly consistent. With a mixed bag of winds it is going to be difficult to predict the surf over the weekend but I'm hoping one of the coasts will have a wave. Don't forget to check out our twitter account for the latest surf in St Ives. Next week isn't looking too promising so it could be worth making the most of any swell this weekend even if the wind is on it.

As usual we have a couple of cracking deals for last minute stays in our wonderful apartments in St Ives.

Busy week at The Sail Lofts

2010-02-22T08:13:00.000-08:00

The Sail Lofts is making the most of the quiet season (although last week wasn't quite so quiet). We are currently fitting out and transforming a fishermans cottage in the heart of St Ives into a beautifully interior designed property which meets the high standards of our Sail Lofts apartments.

The property will be a 3 bedroom property, with 2 double bedrooms, one en suite and further single bedroom. For anyone who is interested in a fabulous holiday cottage tucked away in a beautiful part of St Ives please contact our office on 01736 799 175.

The Sail Lofts also has another piece of news, but we're keeping this hush hush for the moment, so watch this space in the coming weeks to find out more!

There has been lots of news flitting about for the St Ives Festival in September a full line up (so far) is here.

Rumours have also been flying around as to who will be taking over Woolworths on Fore Street, apparently Pizza Express has submitted a planning application, but who are the other takers and what are your thoughts?

Other news is that we are still offering a fantastic 25% off late availability breaks in St Ives in a selection of our wonderful apartments.

Half term in St Ives and Cornwall

2010-02-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

Half term has arrived and St Ives is busy again after a 6 week break from Christmas. The weekend saw great weather, in particular in Sunday, when there was a number of people out and about enjoying Valentines day and their holidays.

With no surf this weekend I was a little stuck of what to do, so I spent a lot of the weekend delving into parts of Cornwall I hadn't been to for a while. The highlight of the week was certainly lunch on Sunday at the Victoria Inn in Perranuthnoe, with great food and a lovely atmosphere, a real hidden gem I would recommend to anyone.

A pleasant walk along the coastal path on the South Coast is always nice, the water was glassy flat (looks nice but not much fun for the surfers amongst us!), the picture on here is of the view from Perranuthnoe towards Mounts Bay with Mousehole in the distance.

We have a couple of apartments left for next week but these are booking quickly, for more information visit us here. Also we have just added an a listing onto a new website for St Ives which I came across recently: LoveStIves which has all types of interesting information on the area.

Feasting, surfing and a round of golf!

2010-02-09T03:57:00.000-08:00

St Ives began the week in style as the annual Feast Day kicked off, with the youth of the town scrabbling around for a silver ball, which then led to a cold swim for two brave souls! To see the action and read a bit more about it this blog has a great perspective on the day.

Philip down here at The Sail Lofts celebrated his Birthday in style by winning a competitive game of golf over the weekend at Tehidy Park Golf Club. His family and friends lucked into some glorious weather for the game as well, good timing!

The surf was on fire over the weekend as well, the south coast was great on Saturday and was well overhead, with some sneaky barrels. With the sun shining I'm sure there will be some great photos floating around, but check this video of Porthleven, looks nice!

On Sunday the North Coast decided to turned really clean and Porthtowan was really good fun with long long lefts and some really fun walls. Its been a while but what a weekend!

Here at The Sail Lofts we are fully booked for half term week but we do have some great offers on holidays in st ives coming up soon, so keep your eyes on the website.

Whats happening in St Ives

2010-02-02T07:22:00.000-08:00

Even though we are still in the depths of winter there seems to be quite a lot happening in St Ives. The Tate has reopened again with the Dexter Dalwood exhibition, I'm yet to make it down there but I've been hearing good things!

A long lasting tradition in St Ives is St Ives Feast Day, seen as a signal for the start of the season, it takes place on Monday 8th February. Traditionally to celebrate the anniversary of the consecration of the Parish Church of St Eia in 1434, it's also a day off for everyone at school. Central to the other goings-on is The Hurling of the Silver Ball; so old, no one quite knows when it originated. At 10.30am the Silver Ball (same size as a tennis ball, but made of wood and covered in silver leaf), is hurled from the wall of the Parish Church over Lambeth Walk Beach and into the mass crowd of young people, who have arranged themselves into teams, by the Mayor, this year Cllr Yvonne Watson. Each team tries to keep the ball until noon, when it's returned to the Mayor at The Guildhall. This usually involves a number of huge scrums, swimming with it across the bay and/or other pre-planned distractions to stop opposing teams grabbing it. The person who gets the ball back to the Guildhall at midday is given a silver coin (originally a crown piece); everyone else gets a penny. In 1823 William Webb Ellis, with total disregard for the laws of soccer, picked up the ball at Rugby School and ran around. The Hurling of the Silver Ball may throw another answer as to the origins of rugby; well, Cornish rugby anyway.

For those less inclined to take part in this, or can't make it, some more civilised goings on are as follows:

The St Ives Jazz Club every Tuesday, there are some good acts playing throughout February including Trevor Watkis Trio, but for a full listing see here.

On top of all this there is a Childrens Workshop - Paint and Plant with Jo.
Wednesday 17th February - 11.00 - 13.00.
St Ives Library
Decorate a plant pot for Spring - with Jo McIntosh.
£2.00 per child.
Places limited - advance booking strongly advised.
Call the library: 0300 1234 111

Jo is also running a series of workshops for adults.
Details on the website:

The Sail Lofts has some great offers on again for next week we are still offering up to 50% off, please see here.

Don't leave it too late to whisk your loved one away for a break over Valentines, we are getting booked up quickly but for our latest availability either visit our website or telephone 01736 799 175

Working, surfing and the occasional pint!

2010-01-26T09:06:00.000-08:00

We've been exceptionally busy over the last week with several incoming bookings, so apologies for no blog post over the last week or so!

We had a good run of surf over the last week with some clean conditions most days either on the south or north coast and it seems to have continued into this week for those who are prepared to search.

I had a good surf on saturday down at Praa Sands first thing, with some high tide offshore fun, the sun was blazing and it had to be one of the mildest days so far of 2010. The sun continued through the weekend and all the puddles have dried and we seem to be going through a really nice spell.

A pint at the Trengilly Wartha was due again on Sunday with their infamous Trengilly Gold ale proving a good way to pass the afternoon and catch up with friends.

Its been all happening in St Ives, the streets are getting busier again, the Tate has opened with Dexter Dalwood's new Exhibition, a great attraction for all those thinking of visiting St Ives.

We've also been looking at some new items for the apartments, so regulars can expect some subtle changes over the next year or so, very exciting as we are trying really hard to push our standards even higher.

As usual we have some fantastic deals for late availability and last minute breaks, with these starting to book up quickly as people take advantage of the peace and quiet at this time of year and the surprisingly the good weather!

Surfing and hanging

2010-01-15T07:13:00.000-08:00

The Sail Lofts has been busy this week with bookings flying in and a change of scene in some of the apartments. Whilst we are busy changing art, it is nothing compared to the scale of the rehanging at the Tate St Ives as they prepare for the new Dexter Dalwood exhibition opening on the 23rd January.

New artwork has been added to many of our apartments, with some new pieces of work from Andrew Garner and additional pieces from Sonya Walters a local St Ives artist. Andrews work is very contemporary and his latest works, entitled ‘Passage’, reflect the layers in the stages of life.

It has been a good week of surf too, I've made it into the water a few times and feeling very jealous of those surfing Porthmeor today, 2-3ft and clean with a light offshore! Luckily the swell is going to keep rolling in we should be able to find a wave for a while yet. The winds are going to become a little more tricky, with North Westerlies forecast, possibly some South coast days?

For those who want to fly down to Cornwall for a bargain holiday, AirSouthWest are offering flights at £29, superb value!

We were interested to find out today too that not only are we five star but we have the Gold Award, which means we are at the very top of self catering holidays!

We still have great offers for breaks, so visit our website for more information and to take advantage of up to 50% off.

Its even been chilly in Cornwall!

2010-01-12T05:17:00.000-08:00

The past week has been a very strange one for Cornwall, for one main reason, we had snow! Not only did we have snow but it lasted for more than a few hours, and even a few days! But enough of that, as all we have heard about for the last week is snow snow snow.....

The phones and emails have been going mad this week, perhaps as others are at home and bored we've been busy helping people arrange their holidays for later in the year.

So after a rather busy week I was relieved when the weekend came and the surf had arrived. It was a bit colder than usual, with the puddles on the beach frozen and the car park white, but for the 6 of us out there it was well worth it.

St Ives Bakery were my saviors of the day as my pasty was piping hot and defrosted me thoroughly! A pint by an open fire in a pub in St Agnes (St Agnes Hotel) was also a welcome addition to the day, and thanks to the landlord, home made nibbles were handed around.

The surf this week is looking mixed with some potentially good days as a new swell arrives but the winds are looking very variable. So have to watch it closely to make the most of it.

At The Sail Lofts we have some fantastic deals on last minute breaks for January, with up to 50% off some apartments, see here for more details.

We are also offering 20% off all breaks before the 11th February on all apartments.

For those of you considering getting away during the busy periods this year, i.e. school holidays, we recommend you book early to avoid disappointment as we are filling up very quickly.

Snow in St Ives (just not for very long!)

2010-01-06T06:51:00.000-08:00

Firstly, Happy New Year to you all!

West Cornwall saw its first snowfall of the year today! The hill tops were all white, the side roads and gardens of St Ives were white, but its all fading very quickly as the salt air and sun melts it and as the picture shows, its actually quite nice day!

On top of the snow we've also had some fairly stormy seas sweeping into the bay, all in all giving a blustery and wintery feel. A quick walk this morning from the beach to The Sail Lofts was refreshing, but I must admit the warmth of the 'lofts' was more appealing!

St Ives bought the New Year in with style with lots of fancy dress, frolics and celebrations. A quieter week has now entailed, especially for those who are snowed in!

We had our second art showcase on the 2nd January, with Andrew Garner exhibiting some fine pieces of work, which we have now placed into the apartments. Watch this space to find out when the next event will be.

If you are interested in a January or February break then please ring 01736 799 175 for our latest offers.

Fore Street at lunch time today looking very quiet after the hustle and bustle of Christmas.

Making the most of 2009

2009-12-30T07:45:00.000-08:00

After a few days off it was back to the office yesterday and its been very busy with new bookings (perhaps taking advantage of the 15% Vat?). The Christmas break was brilliant, some dry days, walking along the coast paths and of course a few visits to some fine public houses.

I made a visit to the Trengillywartha Inn at Nancenoy (the other side of Helston), and what a lovely pub it is, great food and atmosphere and a some rather tasty ales! I would recommend it to anyone, only a half hour drive from St Ives and it is a convenient stopping point for some good walks.

We were gifted with some surf over the Christmas break, a couple of North coast days with some solid waves and a brilliant south coast day on Sunday at Praa Sands (20 minutes from St Ives). This week has and will see some small but clean conditions and looking into the weekend it should be small but offshore on the North Coast. Porthmeor had a wave this morning but its dropped away near high tide.

St Ives is bustling away with tourists making the most of the sales and the independent shops and galleries, and the preparations for St Ives' famous New Year celebrations are beginning. Fancy dress all the way!

As a thank you to our blog readers we are offering 20% off all apartments for January vacations, and if you book before the 31st December you can take advantage of the 15% VAT. To find out more please give us a call and tell us where you saw the offer on 01736 799175.

Lastly we would like to take the opportunity to wish you a very happy and prosperous new year!

Longer days are on the way!

2009-12-22T07:37:00.000-08:00

What a crisp couple of days its been, icy cold in the mornings but on the whole glorious sunshine (with the odd hail or sleet shower) all in all St Ives seems to be fairing better than the rest of the country! I took this picture at lunch time today (sorry for poor quality only had my phone), it could almost be summer.

We're almost fully booked for Christmas now, but still have some space for New Year, and as a gesture of festive good will we've reduced the prices significantly for some lucky people! To find out more about these deals, either give us a ring on 01736 799 175 or visit The Sail Lofts and look for our offers at the bottom of the page.

The surf has been a bit quiet recently, a rarity for the time of year! However things are looking like they may improve over the week, providing those winds play ball, at the very least there should be a bit of xmas swell. Magicseaweed is predicting some very long wave periods, and if it all comes good it could be a small but powerful swell!

We've started asking guests to review us on Tripadvisor, and what a response we have received! Thank you to all of you who have posted a review!

The Sail Lofts are now very busy with our xmas guests, and the town center is getting busier, especially with holiday makers enjoying a day out in the sun. So I best not blog for too long, as work, xmas shopping and the sun are calling!

Clear skies of St Ives

2009-12-19T02:25:00.000-08:00

This is our first blog, and we'll be writing about St Ives mostly and giving an insight into some of activities and past times we enjoy in Cornwall. This will include local events, surf, art, and all things St Ives. As a bonus we will also be letting you know of some of the exclusive offers Sail Lofts self catering can offer to our online readers.

Winter has definitely arrived in St Ives this week, with the first frosts of the seasons and the town is gearing up for xmas. But its good winter weather as we're getting mostly clear skies letting the sun shine through, gone are the dramatic gales and showers of autumn.

The nice weather has also given some nice clean surf for the past week or so, with some days better than others, but the open beaches of the North coast have finally been working for the first time in a while. As part of this blog we'll try and post some pictures of the surf in the area too.

Xmas is very nearly here but its not too late to book a holiday to recover from all the Christmas parties. We have some fantastic last minute deals available, so why not have a very special break in the lovely St Ives this Christmas or New year? To find out more visit our special offers page or call us on 01736 799 175.