Where was the pot of gold?

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...

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...

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

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

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...

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

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

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!)

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

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

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

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...

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

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?

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!

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!

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

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...

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

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...

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!

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!