Luxury self catering vs luxury hotel

It can sometimes be hard to choose between a luxury self-catering apartment or a luxury hotel in Cornwall, luckily these do not have to be the only two options…

Comparing the options

A luxury hotel can have a lot to offer in terms of the relaxation factor whilst on holiday in Cornwall. It’s hassle free and will have all the modern conveniences of Wi-Fi, onsite restaurant and if you are lucky, a spa. With all these perks on your doorstep however does it encourage you to go out and experience your surroundings? What if you are considering a week-long stay, will your hotel room start to feel perhaps a little too cosy?

Luxury self-catering should eliminate the need for more space and offer a homely feel when away for an extended stay, putting a strong focus on a good location, and a need to be near the hub of activity for nights when you don’t feel like cooking. However isn’t it nice to not have to sit in a buffet hall first thing in the morning with other holiday makers, and instead choose your own time for breakfast in the comfort of your own four walls, whilst listening to the radio and pottering around the kitchen as your tea brews in the pot?

The downside though to luxury self-catering in Cornwall can be it feeling remote. What if something goes wrong? Who is on hand to help? Is the rental agency going to care when they are at the end of a phone? Whilst in a hotel you have the reception to report to should something be less than perfect.

Two very different opportunities for a luxury holiday, which is right for you? What if there was the possibility to have the best of both worlds…

Luxury self-catering in Cornwall with concierge at the Sail Lofts

Two of the best forms of luxury holiday united, the Sail Lofts have combined the laid back atmosphere of a luxury self-catering holiday in St Ives with the convenience of having an onsite concierge office with guest hosts on hand during the day and night to answer your every need.

Located in the center of St Ives the luxury apartments in Cornwall are only a short stroll from some of Britain’s finest restaurants and bars, giving you the convenience of luxury dining on your doorstep or the opportunity to stay in and cater for yourself in a fully equipped luxury kitchen with all the modern conveniences.

Each luxury apartment comes with complimentary Wi-Fi, Apple TV for films, catch-up TV and Bose wireless sound systems for relaxing in your luxury surroundings, enjoying your favourite music and films, with the peace of mind that you are in the capable hands of the dedicated Sail Lofts team.

Should you wish to book or enquire about a luxury apartment in Cornwall with the Sail Lofts why not give the team a call on 01736 799175 or alternatively email info@thesaillofts.co.uk, for a full list of their luxury accommodation in Cornwall please follow the link.

Katy x

A luxury self-catering Pancake Day…

There has got to be nothing more frustrating on a holiday than booking a self catering property and then finding that the kitchen is not up to scratch for cooking in, defeating the purposing of going self-catered and ending up eating out every night of the week. We are by no means suggesting a self-catering stay should be about being tied to the stove, but home the comforts of being able to are always more than welcome on our own family holidays...

So we decided to put our luxury self-catering apartments in Cornwall kitchen's to the test and fry ourselves up a few delectable flip-able pancakes. Starting off with the freshest ingredients I head up the stairs into the self-catering apartment Beach, a wonderfully spacious three-bedroom property with an open plan living, dining and kitchen on the top floor, with loft style open beams and Velux windows, where the St Ives light floods the room.

Depositing all ingredients on to the generous central island in the kitchen I set about locating a frying pan, where upon I found a plethora of different sizes, shapes and depth frying pans, pots, casserole dishes and baking trays. From this collection I selected the perfectly formed frying pan with a slight slope; ideal for flipping pancakes with.

Electric hob on, pan settled, I portioned off a small sliver of Trewithen butter to prime the pan, and then came the whisking of the batter, once again I was spoilt for choice in selecting the right bowl and a whisk was already waiting within grabbing distance, poking up out of the aptly marked utensils pot.

All in all a success, and as I sip my freshly drawn Nespresso and sit back to enjoy the five star surroundings my mind starts to wonder what other delicious morsels could be cooked up in this exquisite kitchen after a wonderful afternoon stroll on Porthmeor beach which sits on the doorstep to the luxury self-catering apartment in Cornwall, St Ives.

Tempted to book a luxury self-catering stay in Cornwall with the Sail Lofts, St Ives? Call the friendly team on 01736 799175 or by email at info@thesaillofts.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you…

Katy x

A Cornish Life...

Many of our guests at the Sail Lofts luxury apartments in Cornwall take a keen interest in what us locals like to do and where we go when we have free time to roam around the County we call home, so I thought it best to create a short list of our top picks of things to do in Cornwall…

1. Breakfast

No Sunday morning is complete without a refreshing cliff top walk or meander along the coastal paths around the St Ives Bay. My favourite spot is to start off in the National Trust car park at Godrevy and then take in the sights by walking west to peek at the slumbering seals in the cove at the top of the walk, and then to slowly sidle back down into the coffee shop at the bottom of the hill. One of us will always pop in and grab the table on the top deck whilst the other goes and orders breakfast. Whatever the weather this is an amazing position for taking in the local scenery and wildlife, and the breakfast is a great way to start a Sunday adventure. Why not check it out on your next stay in one of our luxury self-catering apartments in Cornwall.

2. Truro

Cornwall’s capital is one of my favourite places to be, the quiet streets and hidden alleys are worth trawling for its array of boutique shops and high-street brands, not to mention wonderful independent coffee shops and bakeries. If you are a keen art lover and enjoy a spot of painting the city is home to one of England's premier art supplies shops; Truro Arts Company where it is a delight to peruse the aisles for its wealth of wonderful and inspiring stock of watercolour and oil paints.

I always insist on a pit stop in Archie Browns a health food shop on the fringe of the city. The Archie Browns cafe and deli makes the best salads, light bites and coffee’s around.

For more inspiration on top tips from locals in the county why not check out Anna’s The Cornish Life blog. Anna showcases a wealth of wonderful things to do in and around Cornwall that you could be experiencing during your own self-catering holiday. Watch out for Anna’s French Bulldog Pepper, she features throughout the blog and provides plenty of inspiration for our guests making use of the Sail Lofts luxury dog-friendly accommodation in St Ives with their own four-legged friend.

To find out more about booking a luxury stay in Cornwall please contact the Sail Lofts team in the office on 01736 799175, the friendly team can advise on luxury accommodation in Cornwall along with local activities, festivals, and sightseeing opportunities. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Katy x 

Luxury accommodation in Cornwall...

There is never a better feeling than knowing that you are in store for one amazing holiday even before you step off your front door step and venture in to the unknown…

Time on holiday is precious and there is nothing worse than time spent away from work being wasted. Whether it’s the weather causing you grief, traumatising tail backs on the motorways or just your holiday accommodation not being up to scratch, all these little things can affect what should be time spent creating timeless memories with loved ones.

Here at the Sail Lofts luxury self catering accommodation in Cornwall we offer an onsite concierge service to put your mind at ease, with top tips on how to beat the traffic, fun ideas for the whole family on what to do if the weather is less than perfect, or even just being on hand to make sure your stay in one of our five star luxury apartments in St Ives is the best it can be.

Over the 8-year history the Sail Lofts concierge team have made piano’s appear in apartments for family’s with important pending recitals, emergency novelty birthday cakes appear at just a days notice, and booked countless taxi’s for guests to get out and about visiting the county.

The Sail Lofts team have a broad knowledge base of the county’s hotspots, tourist attractions, cliff top walks, and local eateries, they are on hand to make your holiday one to remember and to be to be there should anything unexpected happen.

Award winning luxury accommodation in Cornwall

With a large proportion of returning guests coming back year after the year the Sail Lofts award winning formula has won itself countless five star reviews with a focus on its ‘helpful staff’ and ‘fantastic accommodation’.

So why not book your very own luxury accommodation in Cornwall for your next family holiday and put yourself in the safe hands of the Sail Lofts team in St Ives. The Sail Lofts team are on hand Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm and on Saturday’s between 11am and 1pm and easy to contact on 01736 799175 or alternatively by email on info@thesaillofts.co.uk.

Katy x

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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

Book a January holiday in St Ives...

Book a February holiday in St Ives...

Nadelik Lowen…

In recent years there has been a resurgence in the County to resurrect the Cornish language, and I am embarrassed to say the only piece of Cornish that I have learnt in the past 25 years of growing up in this beautiful part of Cornwall is Nadelik Lowen. Lowen meaning Happy, and Nadelik roughly translating to Christmas...

Cornwall as a county is steeped in rich history, traditions and culture. Many of which can be taken for granted on a daily basis. However you only have to drive down the main routes in to St Ives and you will pass a landscape littered with relics of the past and including Cornwall’s mining heritage with engine houses standing proud on wind torn hill tops, and craggy coves where smugglers and pirates brought ashore their days bounty.

For those looking for an experience Cornwall is an all-embracing destination and a final frontier of great contrasts. From rugged cliff tops to baron moorlands, wide spanning golden sandy beaches to picturesque harbours, all within easy driving distance to provide a one stop shop of culture and sight seeing during your self catering holiday.

At low tide walking out of the Sail Lofts luxury accommodation in St Ives across the road and on to the slipway down to Porthmeor beach a slice of such history appears. To those with a discerning eye you will notice the remains of the boiler from SS Alba, a ship that went to ground off the Three Brothers Rocks in 1938 after seeking shelter from the rough seas. Some will be mistaken that the rust stained masses are nothing more than Island’s outcrop of rocks. The SS Alba's remains leave a ghostly reminder of the tragic events that unfurled on that fateful stormy St Ives winters eve.

As a county surrounded by the sea it is impossible to escape the dramatic and sometimes unpredictable weather that visits this part of the coastline. Which gives a small insight in to what life might have been like in years gone by. Something to consider during your next stay at the Sail Lofts luxury accommodation in St Ives, surrounded by all the best creature comforts watching the wild storms blow over from your five star retreat…

To book your five star St Ives experience call the Sail Lofts team on 01736 799175. We look forward to hearing from you.

Katy x

Find out more about SS Alba…

Fireworks, fancy dress & a carnival style street party...

New Years Eve in St Ives is famous for it’s carnival style street party, wild fancy dress and stunning midnight fireworks in the Harbour. Whilst it sounds like a raucous affair this long-standing tradition is also family-friendly and is great fun for all ages.

If you are planning to spend New Year’s Eve in St Ives we have a few hints and tips to see you through the party:

Fancy-dress

An absolute must I’m afraid if you wish to avoid the friendly chants of ‘Where’s your costume’ from the slightly merry locals. Anything goes, some go all out on their creations, others simply pop on a wig and they are good to go. The local charity shops are a great source of inspiration and my favourite part of New Year is making a costume from scratch. My personal favourite was my husband and I dressed as Woody & Jesse from Toy Story… 

Restaurant Reservations

Again an absolute must. Some eateries, especially the popular Harbour front venues are booked up months (and I mean months!) in advance. Most will offer a limited or set menu on New Years Eve and there’s usually two or three sittings; an early, a late and a very late! Very late tables can usually be kept all evening so if you want a table to see in the New Year, book the latest sitting you can. Most restaurants will give staff a break to see in the New Year so service may be suspended for a time. Make sure the wine is ordered early to ensure supplies don’t run dry!

Pubs

As you’d expect, the pubs on New Years Eve are extremely busy. Some charge for entry but most do not. There are a few child friendly venues, but once the party is in full swing you might find the evening more enjoyable simply wandering the streets and spotting your favourite characters. Drinks early doors tend to be favoured by families, as the pubs are less busy early on. If you’re childless then it’s traditional to embark on a pub-crawl through the town, ending up on the Harbour Front at midnight to see in the New Year.

Taxi’s

Two word’s – Gold dust. If you haven’t booked one you’re in for a long wait. Despite having lived here for over 30 years, booking a taxi is something I quite frequently forget and come 12.30am a two-mile walk home never seems appealing. Of course, if you book one of our luxury self catering apartments in St Ives you won’t need to worry about cabs as the fun is just a short stroll away!

Accommodation

New Year in St Ives is extremely popular and accommodation gets booked up quickly. We are all but fully booked with just Surf, a one-bedroom property, still available over New Year but if you fancy joining the party next year, check-out our 2016 availability. Our 5* self-catering in St Ives is perfectly located in a quiet area tucked away from the heart of it but within easy walking distance.

Whatever your New Year plans, we wish you a happy one.

Kelly x

It’s behind you…

Hall for Cornwall in Truro is an active hub for great events that happen in the area, a brilliant trip for a night out of St Ives, and only a 30-minute drive…

For anyone that fancies a barrel of laughs, featuring the county’s very own comedian Kernow King, with his unique West Country twang, check out Dick Whittington which will run up until 3^rd January 2016 at the Hall for Cornwall.

For a truly magical experience why not try Rogue Theatre’s ‘Winter Wood’ at Tehidy Woods? With evenings spanning the run up to New Year indulge in theatrics in Tehidy woods. Follow the twisting woodland path and let the faeries and sprites entrance you with their wondrous songs and stories. Journey further into the woods an find Old Man Winter who will tell you tales of the path you follow. Accompanied by hot chocolate and face painting, this is an enchanting festive adventure that will stay with you long after Christmas is over.

If you are not the outdoors type why not try a day at the Eden Project with WildWorks Theatre and the Yule Tide Arkive. Eden has an array of activities over Winter that are not to be missed, including its ice skating rink, Enchanted Rainforest and opportunities to meet Father Christmas and his reindeer.

Looking further back to Cornish Winter traditions Let’s Wassail at The National Trust’s Cotehele House brings you a Pagan festival to scare away the evil spirits from the orchard to ensure good crops for the year ahead. You will find all manner of people in fancy dress, and you can even go inside the house and see the spectacular Christmas garland. An alternative look into Cornish heritage, the event is free and starts at 11.30 on Saturday 19^th December.

If history is your interest why not also experience a Tudor Christmas at Trerice House on the outskirts of Newquay, discover traditions old and new and get creative with Christmas craft activities whilst enjoying the festive food in the Barn restaurant and listen to the local choirs. The next open days before Christmas are the 19^th and 20^th December.

With plenty on in the local St Ives area why not take the chance to book a last minute St Ives break at the Sail Lofts five star luxury accommodation. Call us on 01736 799175 to find out more.

Katy x