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   

St Ives at Christmas...

For any of our guests at the Sail Lofts luxury self catering accommodation, in the run up to Christmas there are plenty of things to see and do, other than the more obvious shopping in the towns spectacular array of local boutique shops. Kicking off on Saturday 5^th December, and then every Saturday following running up to the big day, St Ives branch line Christmas Train…

The famous Party Train with magicians and elves will be running between St Erth and St Ives every Saturday, so why not climb on board and visit Santa’s Grotto with all its festive spirit. To gain entry to the Christmas Party Train, buy your regular train ticket at the kiosk (there are family priced offers) then head to the decorated coach, where you will find music, children’s entertainers and each child will receive a goody bag. For more on the train times please follow the link below.

 

Or once darkness has fallen on a December evening, why not join the magical, mystical lantern parade as it lights the way from Barnoon, down past the Tate and along in to Fore Street and then along the Wharf. The wonderful array of lanterns depicts all things St Ives, with seals, mermaids, and perhaps the occasional sea-witch. Should you wish to be part of the making process why not pop along to a lantern-making session at the Barnoon Workshop. To view more on the procession, and workshops please see the link below. 

No run up to Christmas would be complete without a Christmas Panto, so why not book your tickets now to enjoy the Kidz R Us’s take on the traditional, combining the adventures of Robin Hood with the tale of the Babes in the Wood. Join them for this legendary story of courage and friendship as Robin Hood and his loyal band of Merry Men try to outfox the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham and, meanwhile, help Nurse Nellie Nickerlastic protect the Babes from the Sheriff’s hopeless henchmen. It’s packed with pantomime fun and frolics, laughs for all the family, a soundtrack that you will be singing along to until next Christmas and plenty of chances to cheer and boo… 
 
To find out more about St Ives in December, please call our booking line on 01736 799175, or to learn more about our luxury self catering apartments our team are in the office Monday to Friday to aid in making your Christmas retreat one to remember.

Katy x 

Christmas availability
December availability
Christmas Party Train
St Ives Lantern Parade
Kids R Us Pantomime

Christmas in St Ives...

St Ives has a lot to offer in the run up to Christmas, with its beautiful boutique shops with their windows twinkling with stunning coastal displays and gifts unique to the area. Not to mention the ultimate in luxury; spending a magical Christmas stay in St Ives, with daily walks on the beaches, and strolls around the cobbled streets, giving you plenty of opportunity to walk off any Christmas over indulgence…

The Sail Lofts luxury apartments in St Ives know that planning Christmas away from home can require a lot of organisation, so for guests staying with us over the Christmas break we go a long way in making your stay one to remember, starting with in your apartment you will find a real Christmas tree with plenty of decorations to dress it with.

Should you have presents that need hiding from prying eyes, we provide a Santa’s grotto to store all your Christmas presents until the little ones are tucked away in bed dreaming of sugar plum fairies, and Santa cruising in along St Ives roof tops.

As for the Christmas Day feast our friends at the Cornish Food Market are on hand to delivery all the best ingredients ready for your traditional Christmas dinner direct to your door.

In your apartment upon arrival you shall find a stock of wrapping supplies, ready for any last minute presents, along with provisions for Santa and his reindeers.

Christmas is an extremely popular time for us here in St Ives, so make sure not to miss out on booking your dream luxury apartment now ready for the big day. Our Christmas arrivals run Monday 21 December and depart Monday 28 December, unfortunately due expecting to be fully booked we cannot offer any flexibility on these arrival and departure days, so all bookings must be for the full 7 nights.

For instance why not book our five star apartment Ocean with its three floors of contemporary accommodation in St Ives with three double bedrooms and two bathrooms, topped by a relaxed living area with stunning sea views and spacious kitchen-diner a stone throw from Porthmeor Beach.  

To find out more about Christmas in St Ives, or to speak to a member of the team to make a booking, please feel free to call the central office on 01736 799175 and we will be happy to help.

Katy x

Find out more about Christmas in St Ives

Check availability for Christmas 2015

Nautical November…

I hate to mention the c word however (with no wish to scare anyone)… Christmas is coming. The twinkle of fairy lights, and the sight of brightly shining baubles will soon be here, and whilst we all love Christmas it can be scary how fast it seems to come around.

St Ives is a haven for Christmas shopping, with its wide variety of boutique shops, bursting full of wonderful gifts and delights, perfect for even the hardest person to shop for. Interspersed with amazing coffee shops and cafes, ideal for refueling, during a long days shopping.

Below I have listed some of my favorite treats that I would recommend for Christmas presents, all with a St Ives nautical theme…

Starting at Jo Downs on the corner of Market Place, her beautiful glass selection of wish sticks, coasters, candle holders, display dishes, and wall mounted plaques could be the unique present that you are looking for with your loved one in mind, with simplistic yet effective designs that can work well with many peoples interiors.

Moving along in to Fore Street, the Painted Bird sell a wide selection of beautiful bronzes, wonderful ceramics and spectacular jewelry, we particularly like their Ahoy collection of glasses and ceramics, perfect for reminding your favorite person of their last visit to St Ives.

Delving deeper in to Fore Street on the left you will then encounter Poppy Treffry’s boutique, filled with hand stitched wonders, and printed masterpieces, their beside the sea theme has some of the most beautiful breezy boat textile designs, created skillfully into small coin purses up to medium sized tote handbags and everything in between. We are particularly partial to the long legged oystercatcher design.

The Sail Lofts five star accommodation in St Ives acts as a perfect base for all your shopping needs, allowing you to browse, and consider your purchases as you hunt out your Christmas gift list, whilst treating yourself along the way.

We have a range of luxury apartments available in St Ives during November, that can be booked as week long stays, or short breaks. To book, or to find out more about availability please view our website, alternatively please call our friendly reservations team in the office on 01736 799175, who will be happy to accommodate your needs, and assist in setting up your booking. We look forward to hearing from you…

Katy x

Find out more about our luxury accommodation in St Ives…

Check availability in November…

Book a Christmas retreat in St Ives...

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Stay in the quaint and beautifully furnished Sail Lofts Cottage located in the heart of old St Ives. Whilst you are here you will have the opportunity to be pampered in our luxury spa near the harbourfront with a specially designed 'pamper package'.

If you would like to stay at the cottage during March we have reduced the price to £249pp including a spa package for either a Friday to Monday or Monday to Friday break. Visit here for more information.

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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.