Sundowners in St Ives...

Now I’ve always been a fan of this colloquial British tradition and in my view there is no better way to round off your day whilst on holiday than with a glass of something very cold, and in my case bubbly, overlooking the ocean.

With this in mind, I took it upon myself to research six of the best spots for a sundowner in St Ives. It was a tough job but someone had to do it! Here is a rundown of my favourites:

The Alba Restaurant

Old Lifeboat House, Wharf Road

Following a slick refurb, The Alba has transformed its ground floor restaurant into a trendy, London-esque bar with an equally trendy cocktail menu. If you’re feeling peckish they also serve a great selection of small plates from 12 -10pm, perfect if you’re in the mood for a couple of drinks and a few nibbles.

The Hub

Wharf Road, St Ives

Grab yourself a table on the upstairs balcony and you have the perfect spot for a bit of people watching. Craft beers, burgers and hot dogs are the speciality but good wines and cocktails also feature on the menu. If you were tempted to stay for a bite to eat no one would blame you, the barbecue smells trickling from the kitchen will make your mouth water.

Rum & Crab Shack

Wharf Road, St Ives

The interior of this quirky little bar resembles a pirate ship and it certainly has a very rustic feel. With nearly 40 varieties of rum, a fantastic menu of local and international craft beers and a carefully balanced wine list to choose from you could spend all week working your way through the menu. On a sunny day the windows concertina back offering panoramic views across the Harbour.

The Sloop

Wharf Road, St Ives

One of the town’s oldest pubs, this St Ives institution is a hit with locals and visitors alike. On a sunny day getting a table outside is like gold dust but if you do, don’t be surprised if you’re soon sharing it, as this is one of the hottest spots in town. The Sloop is a traditional pub and it’s drinks menu reflects this, ask for a ‘Sex on the Beach’ and you’ll probably be met with a strange look!

Upper Deck

Fish Street, St Ives

Tucked behind The Sloop, this open-air bar has a very cosmopolitan feel and basks in the sunshine all day. The service is super friendly and the drinks are beautifully chilled making this alfresco bar a summer time favourite of mine.

West Beach Bakery

Porthmeor Beach (West), St Ives

This funky little beach bar is the best spot in town to watch the sun disappear into the sea. With a laid back vibe and jugs of Pimms and Sangria in plentiful supply this lesser known gem is most definitely worth a visit. The sourdough pizzas are pretty special too!

Have fun, and of course drink responsibly, we cannot be held responsible for fuzzy heads in the morning!

Kelly x

Fuel for the day...

Early mornings have never been my thing but thanks to the arrival of our beautiful baby girl I have a newfound appreciation of early starts and I’ve fallen in love with St Ives all over again.

Now, don’t get me wrong a lie in would be nice from time to time but I’ve decided to embrace the dark circles, get out nice and early and sample what St Ives’ breakfast menu’s have to offer.

Porthminster Beach Café

Topping my list has to be this beautiful little beach café that you usually have to book weeks in advance. At sunrise however it’s a different story. We arrived at 9.30am on a Saturday morning and had our choice of tables and it really was perfect in every way – the weather, the view, the food and the sleeping baby! I plumped for the free-range poached eggs with a cheeky side order of local sausage and bacon and it was divine. The other half of course went for the full fry-up and without even a smidge of brown sauce left on the plate I’d say it was a winner. Washed down with locally sourced apple juice and freshly squeezed orange juice, it really couldn’t have been better.

Porthmeor Beach Café

Continuing the beach theme (well we are in Cornwall!) we headed to Porthmeor Beach Café. This is somewhere I’ve always wanted to eat but until now simply haven’t gotten around to and breakfast seemed a great place to start. It did not disappoint. Being a sucker for granola, yoghurt and compote I couldn’t resist this when I saw it on the menu and I must say it was one of the best. Hubby built his own brekkie and ordered most items on the menu despite my encouragement to try something a bit different. Again we managed to dine alfresco and the view really is one of my favourites in St Ives and despite the baby being far from asleep she was impeccably behaved and charmed the other diners with her cuteness.

Hub, St Ives

Being massive fans of The Hub for lunchtime and evening food we decided to give this harbour front hang-out a go for breakfast. The breakfast menu itself is fairly simple but what they do, they do well. This time around we decided to share a stack of pancakes with summer berries & maple syrup and a ‘Pig me up’. Both delicious but the pancakes were a definite hit for me. Whilst the weather wasn’t quite so kind on this breakfast outing the cosy booths and décor create an American style diner feel which is a refreshing change for St Ives.

There are a few more breakfast outings planned this summer so if I come across any other gems I’ll let you know.

Kelly x

Days out and about around St Ives Bay...

We all know that St Ives has plenty of amazing things to do and see, but there are also many things in the local area worth checking out whilst self catering in St Ives... 

Godrevy

Looking out from St Ives Harbour casting your gaze along the coastline you will spot the distinctive shape of Godrevy’s lighthouse. Godrevy consists of a beautiful sand dune beach, plenty of rock pools and an awe inspiring coastal walk along North Cliffs where you can catch glimpses of the local seals sunbathing on hidden coves along with an amazing café serving some of the best cooked breakfasts imaginable, we recommend sitting out on the top deck and taking in the views.

Godrevy is only a 15-minute drive from St Ives and is worth a visit and is amongst one of our favourite local spots for lazy afternoon strolls.

Trevaskis Farm

We love Trevaskis Farm, just outside of Hayle and only a 15-minute hop from St Ives. Boasting pick your own fresh fruit and veg, farm park, market shop and deli, not forgetting an amazing family friendly restaurant. 

Trevaskis is a day out at its best in Cornwall, giving a great idea of working life on a farm. Great for all ages to experience, we especially enjoy strawberry picking afternoons topped off by a cream tea in the restaurant. 

Paradise Park

After recently spending a whole day entertaining my niece at Paradise Park, I cannot recommend it enough for a truly enchanting day out. We visited on a slightly overcast Spring day, with high chances of rain which didn’t dampen our spirits as we wandered around the beautiful gardens and visited spectacular species of birds from around the globe. With plenty to see and do, we spent a whole afternoon walking around the grounds, and being enthralled by the live displays including ‘Flight of the Rainbows’ where visitors can feed nectar to parrots.

Our highlight were the flamingos, free roaming around the central area all twinned with beautiful horticulture, a sight I will not forget in a hurry.

These are just a few of our recommendations whilst self-catering in St Ives for perfect days out about around St Ives Bay...

Katy x 

Have a choice...

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.

Hello from sunny Cornwall

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?

A glorious week in St Ives

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.