Pasty trials…

As a question asked on a daily basis by guests staying at Sail Lofts luxury self catering accommodation in St Ives, “where can I get a great pasty in St Ives” which may seem a relatively simple question however its answer may be hotly contested, so I always start my response with ‘in my opinion’ …

St Ives Bakery

If you are one for flakey pastry, melt in your mouth potatoes, salt and peppered to perfection you cannot go far wrong picking up any of the selection from St Ives bakery. In fact it is our office go to during busy Friday change overs to pick up a tasty hot treat to quell our Cornish hunger, as tried and tested by our Cornish handy man Dave, who will except nothing less than a St Ives Bakery Pasty.

St Ives Bakery is also only a short saunter from the Sail Lofts self catering accommodation, so is within perfect walking distance for a quick bite to eat.

Philps

This could be a controversial addition to the list as Philps bakery is not actually located within St Ives itself, however has two outlets within St Ives Bay situated in Hayle -  a good spot should any guests be heading out of St Ives to explore the local area, with handy car park outside.

I have never known a pasty shop with a queue on any day of the week, come rain or shine thirty people long backing out of the shop and around the corner. This alone speaks of the popularity of a Philp’s pasty, rich in colour with the crispest of pastry and mouth watering filling. You cannot go far wrong with their use of the best local ingredients.

Pasty Presto (now known as The Cornish Bakery)

The Cornish Bakery chain can now be found throughout Cornwall and is a safe go to when visiting any part of the county. With their exciting range of specialty savory and sweet pasties you cannot go far wrong when picking your Cornish delicacy. My personal favourite is to pick up a chocolate and banana pasty to pop in the oven at home and have as an after dinner treat, however I do recommend sharing. If sweet doesn’t quite make your idea of a Cornish Pasty try their curried parsnip offering and you will not be disappointed.

The team in the office at the Sail Lofts are on hand Monday to Friday to answer questions to do with the St Ives area and to impart their local knowledge to help guests experience the best that St Ives has to offer. So do not be shy when staying at the luxury self catering accommodation, pop in the office and meet the team, you never know what you might discover.

Katy  x

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

Sparkly St Ives...

When you think of St Ives you’d be forgiven for immediately thinking of fun family holidays spent on the beach but we think St Ives is just magical during the winter. A particularly special time to visit is in the lead up to Christmas when colourful lights illuminate the harbour and punchy mulled cider is a staple in most pubs. Come at the right time and you may even catch a glimpse of Santa Claus, who’s chosen mode of transportation in St Ives is (of course) the Lifeboat.

With a packed calendar of events throughout December there are so many reasons to enjoy a luxury break in St Ives, and that’s without mentioning the unique shopping opportunities. Here is a selection of the December events we’re getting excited about:

4^th December: Christmas lights switch on

Fisherman’s Hut, Harbour Front, 5pm

St Ives Mayor and champion fundraiser Madison Glinski will transform the town into a winter wonderland when they switch on the festive lights.

4^th December: Santa arrives in town

Harbour Front, 6pm

Ditching his usual sleigh, Santa arrives into the Harbour aboard the Lifeboat and is met by the Three Kings and their camels who will all parade to Santa’s magic grotto at The Glass Tree in Fore Street.

12^th December: Christmas Puppet Show

Boathouse Theatre, 4pm

This year Humpty Dumpty and Frosty the Snowman present their annual show. Great fun for all the family. Also showing on other dates throughout December.

20^th December: Food Trail

Various venues across St Ives, 12pm

Sample some fantastic local goodies with a food trail across St Ives. Finish up at The Castle where there’s a meal for two at Rum & Crab Shack and a magnum of Champagne up for grabs.

22^nd December: Kidz R Us Christmas Pantomime

Kidz R Us Theatre, 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Kidz R Us present it’s famous festive Panto which, this year, combines elements of two traditional stories: Robin Hood and Babes in the Wood. Also showing on other dates throughout December.

24^th December: Christmas Farmers Market

Guildhall, 9.30am

Pick up those essential Christmas treats and last minute gifts from local producers and enjoy some festive entertainment.

Up until 21^st December The Sail Lofts luxury self-catering in St Ives can offer short breaks in all of it’s properties so if you only have a few days to spare you can still enjoy all St Ives has to offer in the build up to Christmas.

With a handful of properties still available over Christmas now is the perfect time to book your festive getaway. Here at The Sail Lofts we think we’ve thought of everything to ensure your Christmas away from home is seamless. Real Christmas trees, crackers, an emergency wrapping kit and a secret present store are just a few of the things that come as standard. We can also order the meat for the big day and our friends at Cornish Food Market can deliver all the trimmings direct to your door.

Whether you’re looking for a pre-Christmas getaway or you’re planning to celebrate the big day with us, you can view our December availability here.

Kelly x   

Luxury self catering in St Ives, Cornwall…

As specialists in the booking industry we can appreciate how hard it can sometimes be to find the perfect holiday. We all have set criteria along with time constraints, mixed with high expectations of having a fun, yet whilst enjoying a relaxing time away, making finding the time to book the perfect holiday difficult…

TripAdvisor can be a great place to start when looking for luxury self catering in St Ives, with a broad range of locations, destinations and accommodation listed, and its honest guest reviews detailing what to expect on arrival, and what services are truly like, it is a safe way to gauge which holiday accommodation to book.

“Wonderful family holiday at Slipway”

Reviewed 2 weeks ago

Our family just returned to the USA following a simply wonderful short break in St Ives, staying at the fantastic Sail Lofts. We stayed in Slipway that had its own entrance and invaluable convenient parking. The apartment was beautiful and wonderfully appointed with our family of 5 able to fully relax and enjoy our time in Cornwall. We completely loved the Slipway apartment and would highly recommend to any family. As a person that appreciates the details I can honestly say that there was nothing that disappointed. A perfect place to stay for the family! Loved it!

Stayed October 2015, travelled with family

The Sail Lofts luxury self catering apartments in St Ives are ranked No 1 for specialty lodgings in St Ives by TripAdvisor for providing continued five star standards, for its accommodation, services and location. Entered in to the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame this year for its continued success. Upon the TripAdvisor website you can find guests top tips from their own stays at Sail Lofts, and frequently asked questions, along with guests own photographs of the apartments, giving an insiders glance at what the apartments and accommodation is really like.

“Lovely relaxing break”

Reviewed 3 weeks ago

We spent a lovely relaxing weekend at The Sail Lofts staying in the Ocean apartment. The place was very close to Porthmeor beach. Both the lounge and main bedroom overlooked the beach. We could fault nothing about Ocean. The bed was comfortable, the whole apartment was tastefully decorated and had great facilities including wifi, internet/DAB radio, double oven, microwave, fridge, freezer, Nespresso machine, dishwasher, washing machine, drier, TV (with Apple TV), beach towels, 2 bathrooms, welcome pack the list goes on. If you want a great place to stay in St Ives, you won't find better than The Sail Lofts.

Room Tip: Ocean apartment has views of Porthmeor beach

Part of the Sail Lofts success comes down to its on-site concierge team, providing over the phone support to guests regarding their individual bookings, and local tips on what to expect from a luxury self catering stay in St Ives and how to make the most out of a holiday in the St Ives area. Sail Lofts website lists many of St Ives local restaurants and top shopping spots, to give first time guests insight in to how to maximise their time in one of Cornwall’s most popular destinations.

To book luxury self catering in St Ives

Contact the Sail Lofts team to find out more about the St Ives area, luxury self catering in St Ives or to make a booking please visit the website or alternatively call our friendly team on 01736 799175 who will be happy to help.

Katy x