Self-catering used to be the poor relation of seaside holidays, conjuring up images of leaving home in a car piled high with just about everything bar the proverbial kitchen sink. But in the current economic climate, coupled with the weak pound making it increasingly painful to holiday in the Euro zone, more people are opting to holiday on home territory

With its spectacular natural coastline, stunning countryside and artistic heritage, to say nothing of the cream, Cornwall is an obvious choice for a break on the British coast. And in St Ives, often described as the jewel in the Cornish crown, a £1.5 million development has taken self-catering to lofty new heights.

New lease of life

Opened in 2008, Sail Lofts have breathed a new lease of life into a group of 18th and 19th century buildings originally used as drying lofts for nets and sails and surrounding a courtyard used for processing pilchards, once the mainstay of the local economy. Today the complex is made up of 12 airy and beautifully appointed contemporary apartments a pebble's throw from Porthmeor Beach.

For families, groups of friends or couples looking for a holiday hideaway surrounded by creature comforts Sail Lofts offers a fantastic self-catering experience.

First stop were the local shops, dominated by individual small shops and locally owned businesses and making a pleasant change from lookalike town centres. Foodies won't be able to resist scrummy hand-made Cornish chocolate from the French-style shop Chocolat or the restaurants and pubs vying for attention with their imaginative gastro menus.

Alternatively, you can opt for feel-good sprouting seeds and other natural goodies from Living Food of St Ives.

Eating out

When it comes to eating out, or in, the ubiquitous Cornish pasty can be found at every turn and in every guise, including traditional beef, lamb, cheese and chive, vegetable and vegan at places like Pengenna Pasties. One of the best restaurants in town is Alba, in the former lifeboat house on the harbour front.

Line-caught fish and local produce feature on the menu and a local forager provides the restaurant with peppery wild watercress and edible seaweeds. For the best harbour views call in advance and book table 5, 6 or 7 upstairs.

For something less formal try Blas Burgerworks, a world away from your average burger flipping joint. Home of gourmet burgers made from naturally reared free-range meat, the restaurant has a strong ecological ethos from furniture made from reclaimed materials or sustainable sources to its recycling policies.

Eating in

But with a kitchen area fitted out with ultra-modern appliances and cupboards packed with every imaginable culinary gadget and gizmo, our plans changed (yet again) and we spent several nights eating in. It might take a bit of finding first time round, but persevere and you'll eventually come across Stevens fishmonger near the corner of Fish Street and Back Road East. With a gleaming counter spread with the catch of the day it's worth going early to get the best choice for your fish supper.

For other bits and pieces there are some great delicatessens and traditional fruit and veg shops where nothing is shrink-wrapped and brown paper bags are the norm. After dinner we cosied up in the contemporary living area showcasing work by a local artist and photographer, a prelude to the working artists' studios that will open on the Sail Lofts site this summer.

Exploring the area

Our days soon took on a leisurely routine with a bracing pre-breakfast walk along sweeping Porthminster, or one the other beaches, bringing us into nodding acquaintance with the early-morning dog walkers who take to the sands before the super cool surf dudes.

Next day we worked up an appetite by heading over the grassy hill across the road from Sail Lofts, once the site of a coastal fort. Depending what time of year you visit you might be lucky enough to spots seals and dolphins.

A short walk away is Tate St Ives, one of only two Tate galleries outside London and testimony to the town's long associations with art. Fittingly, it specialises in contemporary art, much of it Cornwall based. Another cultural highlight is the Tate-run Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, where the sculptor lived and worked until her death in 1975.

For obvious reasons, many people are drawn to St Ives in the summer but if you don't mind going with the flow weather-wise, it's a wonderful year-round spot. Out of season, when the Atlantic wind blows across the north Cornish coast and the waves break on to uncrowded beaches, it's an atmospheric destination and easy to see why it's so beloved of painters and authors.

So if you want to self-cater in style in a classic British seaside destination then point your compass in the direction of Sail Lofts and leave your footprints on the sand.

Need to know

Sail Lofts apartments are open year-round and in addition to week-long stays short breaks are sometimes available outside the peak season. Accommodation in one-bedroom apartments starts from £299 per week and the three-bedroom Slipway apartment, which has a large balcony, starts from £1,032 per week. Prices include a welcome hamper containing items such as hand made soaps, fresh bread, local cheese, tea, coffee, sugar and milk and a local paper.
T: 01736 799175.
www.thesaillofts.co.uk

For more information on Cornwall visit www.visitcornwall.com