St Ives Holiday Resort Strong Start for Spring

We're pleased to report that our holiday accommodation bookings in St Ives are strong this spring, which is great news following a particularly long and stormy winter. Here's a little press release we put out on our exciting success in providing fantastic holiday accommodation for holidaymakers in St Ives.

After surviving the worst winter storms in a generation, businesses in St Ives in Cornwall are busy preparing for the Spring season and a busy Easter holiday. One such business is Carbis Bay Holidays which has expanded from nearby Carbis Bay to offer a growing number of holiday properties in St Ives.

The holiday accommodation provider reports that St Ives is well and truly #openforbusiness, with strong bookings for 2014 at the 50 or so self-catering cottages, houses and apartments it represents in the town.

Although the winter storms caused some damage along the beaches in St Ives, the properties managed by Carbis Bay Holidays were unscathed. The company says holidaymakers should expect the same excellent standards and superb tourism facilities for which St Ives is known and loved.

Amanda O’Toole from Carbis Bay Holidays said: “VisitCornwall has done an excellent job with its #openforbusiness campaign to reassure people travelling to Cornwall that they can still enjoy excellent holidays. It seems like this message has worked as bookings for accommodation in St Ives are looking very good for Easter and beyond.”

This is great news for the company which entered the highly competitive St Ives holiday market, after gaining success and a loyal following for its property portfolio in nearby Carbis Bay.

Carbis Bay Holidays was established in 2000 and built up a solid reputation by marketing only a handful of very local superior seaside properties. Over the years, the company has built on this early success by only taking on a hand-picked selection of high-end properties throughout the St Ives and Carbis Bay area.

The company now represents 130 properties in total, well over a third of which are based in St Ives.

Amanda O’Toole commented: “St Ives was a natural progression for us. We’re only next door, so we know the town extremely well and are able to service the properties to the same high standards. Many guests who stay with us in Carbis Bay, love to experience everything that St Ives has to offer - and vice versa. So we knew there would be strong demand from our customers.

“St Ives is a superb tourist destination - it’s beautiful, culturally rich and vibrant. It’s good to see it thriving as a holiday resort, despite what Mother Nature threw at it earlier this year.”

* Carbis Bay Holidays welcomes the opportunity to talk to quality holiday accommodation owners in St Ives about how they can maximise their rental return. Please contact Operations Director Richard Brindley on 01736 630015 to arrange a visit. Or see www.carbisbayholidays.co.uk for more information.

Where to Find the Best Sea Views in St Ives

People visit St Ives in Cornwall for many reasons. Some visit the holiday town for art and culture, others visit for surfing and activities, while others come for shops and great places to eat. But many people simply want to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the spectacular coastal scenery. But where can you get the best sea views in St Ives? Here we share some of our favourite vistas in and around St Ives.

Station Approach
Many people’s first sight of St Ives is from the train as it travels along the cliff top from Carbis Bay and into the station. It’s important to make a first impression and St Ives does not disappoint. As the train chugs slowly along the track, passengers are afforded a beautiful view across Porthminster Beach. The view reveals a shimmering turquoise sea, lapping onto a white sand beach complete with palm trees, with St Ives Harbour in the background.

We think this must be one of the best rail journey terminations in the world, and well worth the journey alone. Those who want to linger longer in this spot can return on foot along the coast path to Porthminster Point to soak in this spectacular sea view.

We offer many holiday homes in this location, including the superb Primrose Court overlooking Porthminster Beach with far reaching views across St Ives Bay.

Harbour View
Once visitors have had time to settle into their holiday accommodation, it’s not long before they are drawn to the harbourside. This is St Ives’ perfectly picturesque, horseshoe shaped harbour full of colourful fishing boats bobbing on clear blue water (when the tide is in). There are fine vistas all the way along the Wharf promenade which is lined with vibrant shops, pubs and restaurants.

But for one of the best harbour views, holidaymakers should make their way along the breakwater known as Smeaton’s Pier. From here visitors get the dual vistas of the harbour backed by the town and out to sea across St Ives Bay to Godrevy Lighthouse.

For a holiday property with a fantastic view of St Ives harbour, there is the wonderful Harbour Lights. This apartment has big windows looking out over the harbour, town and sea, and is only a short stroll from Porthminster Beach.

Out on ‘The Island’
Just a short walk around the coast is St Ives Head with juts out into the sea besides Porthmeor Beach. Known locally as ‘The Island’, this rugged promontory rises up to a high point topped by St Nicolas’s Chapel. This St Ives landmark makes a great lookout point for sea views in all directions.

This is where visitors come to get a sense of direction, as the high ground provides a handy view over the rooftops of the town as well as awesome sea views along the north and east coasts.

The Whistler holiday home, part of Tate Reach, enjoys an elevated position superb panoramic views of ‘The Island’, as well as the town, harbour and beaches.

On Rocky Shores
Keen walkers are spoilt for choice in and around St Ives. But it’s not long before walkers make their way out of town along the South West Coast path towards Zennor. This rugged coastline is characterised by high cliffs, secluded coves, tidal pools and rocky outcrops.

Visitors who don’t want to go so far can get a taste of this scenery by taking the short walk out of town up to Clodgy Point. This headland is punctuated with boulders and rock ‘statues’ carved by wind and rain over many millennia. As well as possessing these unique features, Clodgy Point offers great views back along Porthmeor Beach to to Ives head and across the rooftops of the town.

Holiday accommodation close to this location include Porth Glas, in the One Eighty complex above Porthmeor Beach.

High and Mighty
More rugged scenery can be discovered inland at Rosewall Hill. This ancient moorland rises 200 metres above the sea to give impressive 360 degree views across the whole area. It’s here that visitors can discover wind sculpted carns and standing stones, as well as the chimney stacks of old tin mine engine houses.

On a fine day visitors will get a superb birds-eye view over the town, out to sea, across the bay and all the way up the coast towards North Cornwall.

This out-of-town location is wild and remote but can be accessed easily from any number of our properties in St Ives and Carbis Bay. One of our favourite centrally located properties is 4Shore, which is perched above Porthminster Beach with panoramic views of the sea and coast.

Bay Watch
Those visitors who venture from the hubbub of St Ives and stretch their legs along the coast path past Carbis Bay towards Hayle will discover more genteel scenery, hidden coves and far-reaching views across St Ives Bay.

At Hawkes Point, there is a beautiful view along the golden beach of Porthkidney Sands towards the turquoise mouth of Hayle Estuary and beyond to Hayle Towans in the distance. This is a laid-back vista, where sightseers can soak in the scenery of this postcard perfect stretch of Cornish coast in all its technicolor glory.

Holiday accommodation at Hawkes Point includes the Huers Hide apartment, part of the Sea Urchin complex, with panoramic windows overlooking the fantastic sea, beach and coast.

Share Your Best Views

These are some of our favourite sea views in and around St Ives. Please connect with us on Facebook to share yours.

Minack Theatre 2012. A “Must See” during your Holiday in St Ives

A trip to the Minack Theatre is a must for anyone holidaying with us in St Ives, whether it be for a day trip or to take in a show with one of the most stunning views around.

Tickets are now available for shows up until the end of May 2012.  See their website for details or call the Box Office between 10am and 4pm on 01736 810181

April 6 to 14:  Titanic - The Musical presented by The Atlantic Theatre Company
This production will mark the centenary of the tragic demise of the 'Ship Of Dreams'

May 17, 18 & 19:  Olympus presented by Good Company
This new show will be presented to coincide with the departure of the Olympic torch from Land's End

May 23 &24:  Port Isaac’s Fishermans Friends

Tickets £16/£14

May 25 & 26:  Suzanne Vega

Possibly the finest singer songwriter of her generation.
All tickets £20

For the schedule for the main 2012 season, view the Minack Theatre website here:  http://www.minack.com/whatson.htm

Have you been to the Minack Theatre? Let us know what you thought in the comments below.

Autumn is upon us... latest news from Carbis Bay Holidays

St Ives September Festival draws to a close this weekend and the nights are drawing in…but there is still lots to do in West Cornwall to keep any visitor to the area happy!

Cornish Food and Drink Festival this weekend

Truro’s Lemon Quay hosts the 8th Cornwall Food & Drink Festival running from this Friday 23 to Sunday 25 September 2011.  Entry is free and there’s something for everyone with lots to see and do and the finest selection of food and drink to try and buy.  You can find the event programme here.

Dogs soon welcome on all beaches

After 30^th September, the restrictions on dogs being allowed on some of our beaches are lifted.  Porthkidney Sands and Lelant are always dog friendly, but this time of year, your four legged friend has a wider choice of beaches and can expend some energy on Carbis Bay and Porthmeor beach too (amongst others!).  We’ve a great selection of pet friendly properties available if you are considering a short break or week long stay in St Ives.

Fancy a Winter Break?  You could win an iPad too!

If you're considering a stay with us between November this year and February 2012, look out for future blog posts outlining what’s on during your stay.  We have a great promotion this year, as all customers taking a holidays in St Ives, Carbis Bay and Lelant with us during this period will be entered into a prize draw to win an iPad.  We have four to give away!  You can find out more information on our website.

We'd love to know what the best aspects of your holidays in St Ives are at this time of year.  Do add your comments below.

Must See Beaches for Visitors to St Ives by Carbis Bay Holidays

We’ve rounded up some of your favourite beaches, which we feel are a must-see for any visitor to St Ives.  Some are on the doorstep, and some are a little further afield but definitely worth the trip.

Have we missed any of your favourites?  Be sure to add them in the comments below!

Gwithian:  A great beach for family fun 

20 minutes drive from the Carbis Bay Holidays Office (Postcode:  TR27 5BX)

A breathtaking sandy beach with superb rock pooling to be had, Gwithian provides something for all the family.  Check out Sunset Surf School if you’re feeling active or just enjoy the scenery that this lovely sheltered beach provides.  Sunset Beach Café does some great sticky cakes and Sandsifter is great for a steaming cup of hot chocolate after an afternoon in the surf.

With thanks to Neil Eggleton via Facebook

Porthkidney Sands: A walker and photographers delight

30 mins walk from the Carbis Bay Holidays office (Postcode:  TR26 5BL)

A lesser known beach of St Ives, Porthkidney Sands is located within easy walking distance along the coastal path from all of our properties.  Although lacking in amenities, this beach is a super spot for walking and photography with sweeping views across to Godrevy Lighthouse, and some beautiful sand dunes and grasses.  Also great for surfing too!

With thanks to @helsbels1272 via twitter

Church Cove:  A church on the edge of a beach!

47 mins drive from the Carbis Bay Holidays office (Postcode:  TR12 7PQ)

Church Cove is a sheltered family beach particularly popular for water sports such as snorkeling, diving and surfing.  One of its special features is the church located right on the edge of the beach which is often left battered by sand and waves after high tides and storms.  Church Cove also boasts many interesting rock types and rare and unique plant species. Due to this it forms part of a Site of Special Interest as well of being located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

With thanks to Dorinda Boag via Facebook

Porthgwarra: A secret hideaway, with a unique cliff tunnel

44 mins drive from the Carbis Bay Holidays office (Postcode:  TR19 6JR) 

A relatively unknown Cornish Cove with a tunnel running through part of the cliff.  There is a rope to hold on to as it can be very slippery.  Amenities are limited but there is a little cafe selling homemade pasties and ice creams.

There’s a great walk along the Southwest Coast Path between Porthgwarra and our next must-see beach Porthcurno.

Porthcurno:  Paradise!

39 mins from the Carbis Bay Holidays office (Postcode:  TR19 6JX)

A glorious sandy beach with a stream at the top which provides great paddling for children.

Porthcurno is stunning, with the colours of the sand and sea often being likened to the Caribbean. A fabulous place to visit to really appreciate the wonders of the Cornish Coast.

With thanks to Andrea Thompson and Susan Holt via Facebook

It's been a busy month here at Carbis Bay Holidays in St Ives

We've been a little quiet recently as we've been extremely busy moving into our new office along with furnishing it and preparing for high season.  We've also had lots of lovely bookings coming through for Summer.  Hooray!  Look out for another blog post soon where we will show you what we have done with what was The Cornishman Newsagents.  It really is a transformation.

With our new office move in sight, we made the decision to turn over a new leaf and signed up to the Green Tourism Business Scheme in 2010.  This month saw their visit to Carbis Bay Holidays, which was hosted by our lovely Tamsin.  We told them everything about Carbis Bay Holidays and our green ethos.  We are so excited to hear of the result in 4 - 6 weeks!

Our new office is certainly getting us noticed and grabbing the attention of lots of potential new owners with super properties in St Ives, Carbis Bay and Lelant.  So look out for more additions to our portfolio over the coming months.  In case you missed them, our latest are outlined below:

Driftaway, a stunning beachfront apartment in Carbis Bay overloooking Hawkes Point.  Sleeps two.  View here.

Bosorne, a beautiful bungalow in Carbis Bay.  Sleeps six plus an infant.  View here.

Carvean, a brand new pet friendly property sleeping 6 plus two infants.  View here.

We still have some availability for the school holidays, though some weeks are already booked up, so you need to move fast if you haven't yet made your reservation.  Don't forget also that we are now accepting provisional reservations for 2012 with no deposit required until early August!  Why not reserve your favourite holiday home now?

Do tell us what you think of our new properties in the comments below.

St Ives is Best UK Beach Resort

St Ives has been voted the top UK beach resort and placed at number six in a league of the best sandy destinations in Europe in recent TripAdvisor awards.

Head of tourism at VisitCornwall, Malcolm Bell, said: 'This award is an amazing testament to the popularity of St Ives which is truly one of the jewels in Cornwall's crown.'

'As well as stunning beaches it has a range of quality accommodation and fantastic attractions making it appeal to visitors of all ages and interests.'

We at Carbis Bay Holidays are delighted that this beautiful part of West Cornwall has been recognised once again.  Having fallen in love with the area over ten years ago, we now let 70 luxury holiday cottages, apartments and houses located in and around St Ives.

St Ives based Cornish Holiday Cottage collection boasts most Gold Awards

Discerning guests searching for a little bit of luxury in the south-west Cornwall need look no further than our portfolio of superb properties. VisitEngland has confirmed that Carbis Bay Holidays offers more self catering properties in Cornwall with the much coveted Gold Award than any other in the county!  

The VisitEngland Gold Award is an accolade given to those luxury holiday apartments, houses and cottages with exceptional levels of quality within their four or five star rating – and they are properties that are sure to exceed guests’ expectations.

In our 2011 collection, Carbis Bay Holidays offer 33 properties which bear the Gold Award logo – representing nearly 50% of all the properties we market.

This wonderful news couldn’t come at a better time, as St. Ives was named the Best UK Seaside Town of the year, by the British Travel Awards in November last year. Why not stay in the very best accommodation too?

Are independent assessments such as VisitEngland Awards important to you when you book your self catering holiday in the UK? Let us have your comments.