St Ives in January...

You might be mistaken in thinking that Cornwall in winter is a desolate wasteland, where all the locals hibernate and not much happens. However, you couldn’t be further from the truth…

Weather

Winter weather is about extremes in Cornwall, and no two days are ever the same, St Ives can be a peaceful crisp haven, where waves are mere ripples, and a calm descends over the town, to gale force winds where white horses lash the coastline and roll in along Porthmeor beach.

Sightseeing

Very few of Cornwall’s major attractions close over the winter months, contrary to popular belief, leaving opportunity to see the Eden Project biomes in peace and quiet, an experience in itself worth indulging in, in comparison to the summer months where you can easily get caught up in the throng of the crowds, missing the best parts of the indoor subtropical rainforest.

Or why not discover Porthcurno’s very own Telegraph Museum with  its fascinating exhibition, which looks to raise the profile of the under-represented aspects of the First World War. The exhibition offers a chance to view recovered artifacts and to learn about some of the lesser-known, but compelling, stories of the Great War. Over 700 wartime wrecks are known to lie off the south coast of England. These include largely forgotten ships and craft of all shapes and sizes, all of which were carrying out a myriad of different tasks and activities when they were lost.

Alternatively, for any savvy art enthusiasts, the Royal Cornwall Museum located in the centre of Truro is exhibiting works by Terry Pope. ‘Space Visualised’ is his latest interactive exhibition using optical illusions to challenge and play with our perceptions.

Terry Pope is a Constructionist artist; his experiments with glass, lenses and lights are imaginative and enticing, and an experience not to be missed.

The Sail Lofts luxury accommodation in St Ives can be your perfect base for storm watching, sightseeing or for just indulging your cultural side, whilst surrounded by five-star luxury. Studio staff are on site 6 days a week and are on hand to provide tips on when best to visit local attractions, or on the best ways of getting out and about around Cornwall. To find out more, call the team on 01736 799175 about booking your St Ives holiday this January.

Katy x

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St Ives Storms...

With the latest storms battering the St Ives coastline I decided it would be a great time to talk about the beauty that comes with such ferocity. St Ives becomes a dramatic and wild frontier abound with incredible vistas to be viewed from both the safety of your self catering accommodation or along the local coastal foot paths… 

Storm Abigail

White horses rushed on Porthmeor Beach on Friday 13^th November, creating some of the most spectacular views of the year. If you are one for storm chasing this one was not to be missed. The bright winter skies created a stunning back drop for the thundering, tall waves that came storming up along the soft sand, along with breath taking winds that shot up the slipway and along Porthmeor Road and rattled around the inner court yard of the Sail Lofts.

Storm Kate

The day later we saw Kate with her strong wintery grey mass of clouds and rain thunder down upon the harbour, and surrounding coastline washing away any remaining traces of our mellow Autumn. The harbours’ high tide brought the waves sloshing up in to the streets, and breaking in to the road, whilst locals dodged the tides to make safe passageway.

Storm Barney

Hailing from the North and bringing an uncommon biting chill to the South West, Barney has officially kicked off the winter for us here in St Ives. With incredible morning views to be seen around the St Ives bay as the sun breaks over the slumbering town, leaving an eerie calm in its wake, a stark contrast from Saturday when Barney initially arrived bringing barreling waves that bore down on Porthgwidden beach, a true force majeure.

Here at the Sail Lofts luxury self catering apartments in St Ives we recommend visiting St Ives throughout the seasons, as each one brings its own natural beauty and excitement. However the winter months are amongst the finest for seeing the local scenery brought to life by the power of Mother Nature.

To enquire about self catering stays in St Ives give our friendly team a call on 01736 799175 and we will be happy to help plan your next stay in St Ives, just moments from Porthmeor Beach and the local coastal foot paths.

Katy x

St Ives in Winter…

St Ives is one of Cornwall’s few coastal fishing towns that is open all year round, with a wide variety of festivals spanning all seasons, acting as a hub to a thriving coastal community. This can sometimes become disguised during the core of the summer months, as the town becomes full of brightly coloured buckets and spades…

Once the summer subsides the St Ives community springs back in to life, whilst in contrast the beaches empty out, and come October beaches are yours for the taking, with the vast open spaces ready for you to discover, without hazard of treading on someone else’s carefully honed sand castle.

Cornwall has always been renowned for its mild winters, with crisp blue skies and long stretching horizons. Perfect for meandering coastal walks, pub lunches, and afternoon cream teas. With our luxury apartments in St Ives creating the ideal space for relaxing and recuperating after days out in the fresh Cornish air.

Out of season you will also find that the roads are much quieter than in the summer months, giving you plenty of chances to venture to Cornwall’s beauty spots, unhindered by the usual summer tail backs. 

Should you be looking for dog friendly holiday in St Ives, look no further as the Sail Lofts has three dog friendly apartments, all just a stones throw from ideal walking, running and ball chasing hotspots; including from October 1^st Porthmeor Beach, an expansive stretch of golden sand, that sits across the road from the apartments.

If you are looking for retail therapy, again you shall find all the shops in St Ives open and ready for business albeit in October much quieter, perfect for pursuing. The high street is bursting full of the likes of Seasalt, Crewe and Fat Face along with St Ives beautifully unique boutique shops and galleries.

The majority of restaurants you shall also find still open, and with much higher likelihood of getting the best seats in some of St Ives top eateries, which is reason enough to come out of season and enjoy St Ives.

Should you be interested in booking a stay in a luxury apartment in St Ives, or in finding out more about what St Ives has to offer in the winter months, please get in touch with us on 01736 799175. We are on hand to help, and to make recommendations on what to see and do whilst here in St Ives.

Katy x

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September exclusive last minute escapes…

September in St Ives is a great time to visit the town as it settles down from the bustling Summer, and the weather mellows in to beautiful crisp mornings, and long starry evenings. So why not book your next last minute escape and relax in one of our five star apartments by eve whilst exploring the coastal paths and shops by day, with treats abound around every corner.

 

We are running a new promotion ‘end of the line’ where we are offering St Ives visitors that have the flexibility on when they travel our luxury St Ives accommodation with up to 25% off.

For the week commencing Friday 25^th September, we have a range of luxury apartments available for you to relax and enjoy, with friends and family or even on your own, giving you chance to rest and recuperate without breaking the bank.

For instance our exquisite five star luxury apartment Slipway is available, with its three en-suite bedrooms and large kitchen-diner. Slipways piece de resistance is its large sunny sitting room complete with its own private balcony overlooking Porthmeor Beach, not forgetting that this property comes with its own private car parking space in our onsite garage. For guests in the know Slipway is on offer for the week commencing Friday 25^th September at £1,459, that’s a £490 saving from our standard rack rate prices.  All guests need to do during booking is to call our office on 01736 799175 and quote which property they are interested in and say ‘end of the line’ and let us do the rest.

Alternatively if you are looking for a last minute bolthole to escape to why not consider a three night stay in our five star luxury apartment Harbour with its loft style open-plan living-kitchen-diner with an en-suite master bedroom, twin or super king second bedroom, and a spacious family bathroom... perfect for a break in St Ives, available as a three night stay commencing Friday 25^th September, with a 20% saving, bringing the price from £799 down to £639. Once again to book this apartment, please call us here in the office and quote the promotion ‘end of the line’.

This promotion does not work online, so to register your interest and to book your own last minute retreat please call the office on 01736 799175, the office is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Katy x

Find out more about our end of the line promotion...

Check availability for September...

new years

To make the most out of your luxury self catering holiday it is imperative that you fit in times to relax and kick back to enjoy your 5 star surroundings. On site within the Sail Lofts accommodation we run the Sail Lofts Ocean Studio offering a wide variety of treatments, including Elemis facials, Geleration manicures and pedicures and hot stone massages.

Our trained therapists are specialists when it comes to putting you at ease, just moments from your luxury 5 star self catering accommodation in Cornwall. Also make note that the therapists can collect your directly from your Sail Lofts apartment, so no more waiting around.

The top treatments from guests in the know include the Ocean Studio Absolute Spa Ritual, which involves a 2 hour treatment, where you can choose from a range of Elemis facials and combine it with the powerful, relaxing effects of a an Elemis deep tissue massage. Two hours of indulgence to leave you calm, cool and collected.

Or if you looking for just stress and tension busting the 60 minutes deep tissue massage on its own cannot be beaten for its ability to alleviate stress, ease aching muscles and revive the senses. The massage is customizable to suit all preference of pressure, with a dynamic blend of essential oils that are prescribed to target individual needs and reduce specific stress and muscle tension.

For those looking for a less passive form of relaxation why not head up to the top of St Ives and check out the Tempus Leisure sports facilities, their cardio studio has panoramic views of the entire St Ives bay, so whilst you are burning off those extra calories from the over indulged night before you can sit back and view the atmospheric ever changing landscape of the bay.

The sports facilities are fully air conditioned and come with a full sized pool, 64 station gym with cardiovascular equipment and resistance, dance studio for classes in yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, Metafit, Zumba and Insanity.

The gym is open all year round and on weekdays is open between 6.30am – 10.00pm, and on the weekends from 7.00am – 4.30pm.

Katy x

Find out more about sports facilities in St Ives

Find out more about the Sail Lofts Ocean Studio

Autumn Walks in St Ives

Our idea of a perfect autumn afternoon is a long walk along the Cornish coast followed by a hearty lunch. Not only will you work up an appetite but you will see some of the most beautiful views in the country. We can’t think of a more relaxing way to enjoy your five star holiday in Cornwall. 

St Ives to Zennor

Be warned that the St Ives to Zennor coastal walk is no easy feat. It’s six miles long, taking approximately four hours and requires some clambering over rocks. Sensible footwear is a must! However if you’re up for the challenge you will reap the rewards. The coastline is breathtaking and the half way point at Seal Island makes a perfect break.

Once you arrive at Zennor why not stop off at The Tinner’s Arms for a much needed refuel? Lunch is served from 12 – 3pm daily with a great roast on Sundays. On a warm day you can sit out on the terrace to enjoy the views, and when it’s a little more windswept you will find comfort in the pub’s log fires, stone floors and low ceilings.

After enjoying the real Cornish ales you might find yourself energized and ready to take on the walk back to St Ives. If you feeling a little worn out you can take a shortcut via a sign-posted route across the fields or you could hop into a taxi. Luckily our luxury accommodation is situated at the end point of the walk so once you’re all worn out you can put your feet up and relax.

St Ives to Lelant

For those wanting less of a challenge the St Ives to Lelant coastal walk is much shorter with the route taking approximately two hours. Although there’s a large hill to climb at the half way point, you do have the option of stopping at Carbis Bay and getting the train back. This flexibility makes it great for all levels.

 

There’s a lot to take in on the walk to Lelant with the spectacular views of Lelant Estuary and Godrevy ahead as well as the chance to see St Uny Church and its atmospheric graveyards. While in Lelant why not try some lunch at Scarlet Wine’s Café The Vineyard Table? Enjoy their fresh Mediterranean dishes from 12 - 3pm and you can try any of the wines from their shop at your table for an additional charge of £5. If you’re too full after a sharing platter you can always hop on the train at Lelant Saltings which will take you straight back to St Ives.

Comfy clothes and sturdy shoes are a must for Cornish coastal paths but if you need help making your five star self catering holiday special please don’t hesitate to ask. We’re here to help! 

Onna x 

A luxury guide to St Ives: part 1

When planning a luxury escape to a new destination it can be hard to know where to start. So to be sure that our guests do not miss out on the luxury that five star Cornwall has to offer we are going to make a regular feature listing our top spots in Cornwall for indulging… 

Dining can be a controversial topic, with most visitors to St Ives having their own personal preference, however from insider knowledge we know that two places come head and shoulders above the competition when planning a luxury feast in St Ives.

To start with Porthminster Beach Café, with its stunning location, multi award winning seafood restaurant, combined with it’s relaxed and friendly atmosphere, provides quintessential St Ives luxury, that no trip to St Ives would be complete without. The café specialises in Mediterranean and Asian seafood cuisine with sea view vistas. Our top tips for this hot spot would be to book early. We can place reservations on your behalf, or call directly and request a window seat.

Then there is the Porthmeor Beach Café, renowned for its laid back atmosphere, incredible view across Porthmeor Beach, along with the occasional chance of catching sightings of dolphins as you dine in the five star surroundings. Their tapas selection is revolutionary with tastes to suit all palates, and perfect for whether you fancy a light bite or a hearty lunch. Our top tip for the Porthmeor Beach Café is to book early and request a heated outdoor pod for the alfresco dining experience.

For luxury self catering in St Ives essentials you will need Scarlet Wines, conveniently located on the way in to St Ives on the roundabouts in Lelant, Scarlet Wines provide a continually evolving selection of hundreds of wines from around the world, craft beers, local ciders and first class spirits, served with excellent knowledge to aid in setting your five star break off in the right way. Or alternatively as a day trip, why not take the St Ives branch line to Lelant Saltings a short 10 minute trip where you can take in the St Ives bay’s spectacular scenery by rail, which conveniently drops you on to Scarlet Wines doorstop.

As a side note if any guests find themselves without mackerel pate or tasty tidbits, Norway Stores located just along the road from the Sail Lofts five star luxury apartments can be a life saver when you need just about anything. The friendly team is always on hand to help you out of a pickle (please excuse the pun)…

The Sail Lofts concierge service is on hand to aid in restaurant reservations, local knowledge and first class recommendations from Monday to Saturday every week of the year, so please make sure to pop by the office located in the central courtyard during your luxury self catering stay in St Ives, as we are always on hand and happy to help.

Katy x

See more St Ives restaurant recommendations...