Happy Valentines Day!!!
Thankfully we here at the Fowey Hotel are proving that romance is far from dead. We have accepted over a dozen bouquets over the weekend on behalf of many romantic people wishing to spoil their nearest and dearest. It’s been a really beautiful day with blue sky and sunshine, and a lot of couples have been enjoying a nice lunch and then a stroll in and around the town. The Restaurant is packed to capacity this evening and the chef has created a deliciously romantic menu for our valentine visitors.
I myself have enjoyed a perfect morning with my gorgeous boyfriend who has spoilt me rotten. Breakfast in bed, well juice and a cup of tea – but that is all I have. We then both opened our cards and I was given chocolates, a rose, a very cute cuddly toy and some beautiful bubble bath, what a lovely treat! Surprisingly, I haven’t even eaten one of the chocolates yet; I may not be able to say that tomorrow morning though!
I am a real romantic and I love to see older couples still enjoying each other’s company, holding hands and laughing. Some of whom are staying here at the hotel this weekend - Ahhhh how sweet!
Well this evening we are going to enjoy a quiet night at home, it is my idea to have an indoor picnic with both of our favourite foods - It’s a bit of fun, I’ll let you know how it goes. Happy Valentines Day Everyone!
Just beyond our reach…….
Just wanted to let you know that the South West Tourism Awards was a huge success last Thursday. Both Candace and myself dressed up in our evening gowns and had a really wonderful evening at the Headland Hotel in Newquay. I was lucky enough to bump in to an ex college lecturer Vince Falco and a few other ex students of Camborne College that night and it was so nice to enjoy some banter about “how things use to be”. As always the evening was well organised and the after dinner speaker was Kirstie Allsop from (one of my favourite programmes) Location, Location, Location. A few of us were a little miffed as to how Kirstie could be ‘linked’ to the catering and hospitality industry. However, she quickly explained that she owned a holiday cottage in the area and had always visited Cornwall as a child with her family. Kirstie gave a great (no notes required) speech and cracked a few ‘Cornish’ jokes which we all appreciated.
So I have waffled on and kept you in suspense for long enough, I expect some of you may be interested in how we did? As you may know we entered the hotel in for small hotel of the year. Last year we were delighted to receive the Silver award and this year we were awarded with the same again! So Silver two years running, which we are again very proud of. If you are visiting the hotel over the next few month do look out for the certificate and award displayed in the hallway.
Murder Mystery night at The Fowey Hotel is taking place on Saturday 28th November this year and is set to be another memorable evening in the very capable hands of the murder by appointment team. Anyone in the area wishing to come along for the evening can do so or similarly make a weekend of it and take advantage of our two night break from only £239 for a double room for the two nights! Visit this link for find out more http://www.thefoweyhotel.co.uk/murder_mystery.php .
The Fowey Christmas Market is again rapidly approaching and again the hotel is getting busy with booking for this time. Friday 4th and Saturday 5th is when the festivities begin with the turning on of the Christmas lights and carol singing on the Friday night, the main Christmas Market day on the 5th is always a fantastic day to get those final ‘local’ and unique gifts. With Cornish Christmas cakes, delicious local cheeses and the friendly family butcher you can’t go too far wrong. The Market opens at 10am on the Saturday so be sure to come along if you are in the area – it’s a great festive start to the season.
Web Cam
The web cam has been installed so hopefully you will be able to tap onto our website within a few days and see the beautiful views of Fowey that we are lucky enough to see every day. Also, with next week seeing the start of the Fowey Regatta week the timing could not be better. Keep an eye on this blog site and I will let you know when and how to see the view from the new web cam.
Over the last few days I have been working closely with Candace (Deputy Manager) and Emma (Head Receptionist) on our marketing plans for the Autumn and Winter of this year. We very much need to get our ‘creative heads’ on to try and come up with a different yet appropriate break for the October, November and December months. After a lot of planning, I feel confident that we are now offering highly competitive breaks, all we need now is lots of warm/sunny days. I guess only time will tell…..
On thinking about the festive season (already! I hear you cry) the hotel is now half full for the 3 day Christmas break, which is great news as this illustrates that people are booking early and planning their festivities well ahead of time. If you are thinking of taking a break away before the madness of the season, keep an eye on our website for the special offers. There is still so much to see and do throughout the quieter time of the year, with Eden opening their ice-rink, Heligan’s Harvest celebrations with Lobb’s farm shop as well as the impressive gardens of Lanhydrock, it’s a great (and somewhat more peaceful) time of the year!
Finally, yesterday saw the first marriage ceremony carried out at the hotel, this took place in room 109 and was a very intimate and private ceremony with only 6 people being present, two of which were our very own Candace and Tristan who stood in as the witnesses. According to Candace it was all very romantic and it was a really lovely day. Lets hope that this is the first ceremony of many…..
Blydhen Nowydh Da!!!
Or “Happy New Year” in Cornish. However, should you be reading this blog and not be Cornish then; Blwyddyn Newydd dda (Welsh) , Guid Hogmanay (Scots) and Bliain ur faoi Shean is faoi mhaise duit (Irish).
The evening went with a real swing and there are a number of guests that have taken advantage of our later breakfast times this morning, many of them are heading into the Dining Room now (10:45am) – its just as well that breakfast is being served until 11am today.
The evening last night started off with a Champagne Reception with Canapés and in order that a “party atmosphere” was created, tables of eight were arranged in order for guest to get to know each other. Thankfully it worked and there was a great party vibe throughout the evening.
Instead of a close up magician, this year we had a celebrity psychic called Leonora. Leonora did New Year readings for any guest that wanted it. As expected, it was mainly the ladies that had their cards read and all that did said that Leonora was very good – we will wait to see if what she has said will come true as I have been asked by a number of guests to invite her back next year. Sounds as though Leonora was a real hit!!
My main job of the evening was to ensure that the balloons (suspended in the balloons net over the dance floor) fell at exactly mid-night. Ok well it wasn’t exactly mid night and they didn’t fall exactly over the dance floor but the guests appreciated them after they had sang Auld Lang Syne. I must say a few of us got the words a little muddled so if you need your memories refreshing here they are:
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld Lang syne? CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, We’ll take a cup of kindness yet, For auld Lang sine! And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp, And surely I’ll be mine, And we’ll take a cup of kindness yet, For auld lang syne!
Some amazing Fireworks were set off in and around Fowey at midnight and we had a real birds eye view of the Polruan display, if it wasn’t planned they did very well as it seemed as though one household would wait until their neighbours were finished before they lit theirs.
All in all, the guests at the hotel enjoyed the display from our friends across the water for a good 10 minutes and with it being a perfectly clear evening it helped to end the evening (and start the New Year) on a real high note!
Happy 2009 to you all!!
The holiday blues - or is that motown?
Well, we have been back from our holiday in the states for a few weeks now and we are well and truly back into the old routine….
It was a real whistle stop tour. With a very full 14 days in the States, having flown over 7’400 miles and driven over 1’700 miles around the mid west including Detroit, Chicago, Green Bay, Ishpeming (Marquette) and Rhinelander - looking back over those two weeks seems like such a long time ago now but it was truly memorable. Keith introduced me to some amazing people and we have seen some of the real sights of America. We first met up with Russell (an old school friend of Keith’s) and Lara in Detroit. Whilst there we were quickly taught about the meaning of “front row parking”. As well as visiting the very impressive Rouge Factory at the Henry Ford Museum and seeing the very car (Ford Lincoln) that JFK was assassinated in! It was a really sobering moment whilst we all stood and learnt the facts behind that awful day. On my “wish list” whilst in Detroit, Russell took us to THE Krispy Cream factory where we had a free tasting of a Krispy crème doughnut straight from the conveyor belt. We all managed to eat at least three doughnuts for breakfast that morning all washed down with a big mug of coffee, you can’t get more American than that! On the fourth day Russell took us to the fantastic (and soulful) Hits Ville USA in down town Detroit. I even stood up to the mic and did (a very poor) rendition of “Stop in the name of love” by the Supremes with two other ladies. I don’t think either of them will mind me saying – The Supremes have nothing to worry about….. We had such a giggle and our tour guide Chris proved to have a truly amazing voice. So much so that we had to ask her if she sang professionally – she said no however her voice was totally fantastic!!! What a wonderful four days with our very kind friends. Russell your tour guide skills were second to none! Thanks for making us laugh so much it hurt… Lara you can shop with me anytime, I like your stamina my friend and thanks for the’ Zip’ sauce tips it’s improved my cottage pie recipe no end! Our final night was topped off by a visit to the Premier showing of the George Clooney film “Michael Clayton”. Lara and Russell are definitely two of those “friends in high places” that we all talk about. Such a great few days, we never wanted them to end. After Detroit we collected the jeep (after a few unexpected hiccups with the hire company) and headed up to Green Bay – with an unscheduled detour around “down town” Chicago, opps! What can I say, I run a hotel I am no navigator – I still stand by the fact that if those wretched road works hadn’t have been there we would have done just fine! We successfully arrived in Green Bay on the Wednesday evening and I met Keith’s friend’s Jean and Michelle for the first time. Two very special people who made me feel so welcome in their beautiful (newly built) home. Their three cats Tito (aka peanut), Oliver and Rosie were true characters, with the very cute Tito taking a real shine to both my handbag and Keith’s wallet! He knew quality when he saw it. Jean and Michelle certainly showed us the sights and shops of Wisconsin, visiting St Norbert’s University, Sturgeon Bay (Door County) and the very memorable Chicago at night. Here we viewed the entire city from the 94th floor of the Hancock building – Wow, wow, wow – this being despite Jeans fear of heights – Thanks Jean… Jean, being a dedicated soft ball coach, ensured that we marched fast enough to catch the late night train back to her sisters (Julie and Leif)- Good job team!! Also, thanks for all those great morning coffees Michelle, I’m a convert now! Whilst around Lake Michigan we also visited Keith’s great friends Kirk and Winona and their gorgeous sons Daniel (6) and Robert (8). It was at Roberts’s school that we were asked to give a talk about England and its currency. There were some interesting questions asked by the class as well as some comical ones, such as; “Do you have a Mc Donald’s in England?” – had to laugh. Ishpeming also warranted a night’s stop over to catch up with Keith’s relatives Ron and Julie. Ron had got in touch with Keith’s family over 12 years ago whilst studying his family tree which as a result led him to Stithians, Cornwall. From then on Keith and his family have kept in touch with Ron and Keith visiting each other whenever possible. Ron kindly took the Monday off in order to show us the sights of Marquette and the hugely impressive Marquette University, such a great day – pity we didn’t see any wild deer Ron but thanks for helping us look, the fall colours were truly breath taking – a great day. Well the holiday had to come to an end at some point or another, but not before the eventful “Late” landing at Detroit airport and the catching of our connecting flight by the absolute “skin of our teeth” – which involved us having to sprint the entire length of Detroit airport, I think we finally regained our heart rate half way over the Atlantic… That was too close. Sadly the two weeks flew by far too quickly, however we have brought back some great memories and feel like I have made some genuinely special friends. The change of routine has done me the world of good. I’m now ready to face a busy Christmas and look forward to saving up for the next trip – where will the next one be, Hhmmm…
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all Fowey Hotel Blog readers!!! I was heartened to learn over the festive season that my blog is regularly read by a number of the sites visitors, to those of you who have mentioned this to me, many thanks.
The hotel’s New Year Celebrations were a great success with the table magician causing quite a stir with his tricks, leaving the guests in a spin as to “how he did that!”. His slight of hand was quite amazing, leaving all of us astonished as to how he could have known in advance what he knew (comparable I thought to David Blaine himself)!!
As with Christmas the food was plentiful and delicious with many guests feeling another 3-5lbs heavier after the 2/3 days. Let’s hope that New Years resolutions are still holding strong!!!
The New Years Day Laser Clay Pigeon shooting was such fun. In fact I think I have discovered a new talent!! All I did was aim and shoot and actually did quite well, much to my and everyone else’s surprise! My colleague Candace also did really well and it made a pleasant change to get involved with our guests. Feedback from the day was very good and there were a few jokes flying around about my management style in light of my fairly impressive aim – rest assured no staff were harmed during my training for the day!
That night, we had a horse racing event. This involved an old projector (badly operated by myself) and screen with 8 different races being run (and guests jumping up and down like crazy things whilst shouting for their horse number). My heart stopping moment was when I wrongly loaded the projector and started to melt the film - yikes! Thankfully a very kind gentleman came to my rescue and order was soon resumed. Another comical event involved one of our guests getting so excited that she grabbed the toy Hobby Horse and started riding around the piano room. It all got very silly but was great fun for all that got involved.
Considering the staff were working some of them did comment on what a great atmosphere there was, I suppose it does help when its triple pay too!!!
Happy 2007 all Blog friends, may it be filled with much fun and laughter.
This show is the deeply funny, deeply disturbing journey of Mark’s rampage through the arms trade. As he works out deals, brokers torture equipment and advises armies he discovers just how easy it is to avoid the law.
Hard hitting, laugh out loud funny and shockingly entertaining, Mark Thomas is never anything less than compulsive.
TIME 8:00pm
ADMISSION £13/£10
DATE 7th November 2006
Cornwall Wildlife Trust - Discovery Day 2006 A fun-filled day for the whole family. Cornwall Wildlife Trust invites you to discover some of the most fascinating facts about wildlife and habitats in East Cornwall. Meanwhile, our junior group, Fox Club, are holding interactive workshops to keep the children entertained. In addition to the main events, there will also be stalls and displays to inform and inspire.
Time 10.00am - 3.30pm
Tickets Adults - £5.00, Children - £1.00 (excludes lunch) Booking fee includes all talks and covers the whole day
For a booking form, or for more information, please call Cornwall Wildlife Trust on 01872 273939 or book online at www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk. Please book no later than Monday 30th October.
Directions From Exeter follow the A30 to Launceston, then the A388 to Callington. take the A390 towards Liskeard after 3 miles turn right towards Pensilva, at the Victoria pub turn sharp right into Golberdon Road. After 1/2 a mile turn left at first crossroads, Penharget is 1/2 mile on the left.
Tate St Ives - An Introduction to Modern Art This six week course explores the current displays, focussing on Roger Hilton, Janet Leach and Nick Evans and looks closely at post-war painting, sculpture and ceramics associated with St Ives. Contributors include guest artists, curators and gallery staff. Booking is essential.
Prices £60, £50 concs, £40 teachers.
Time 6pm - 8pm
Carn to Cove- Tin & Fishes The Cornish Mining World Heritage Site Cultural Programme is delighted to announce the first part of its tour of Tin & Fishes on Carn to Cove. As part of the inscription of Cornwall’s Mining Heritage as a UNESCO World Heritage the World Heritage site team of Cornwall County Council has launched a programme to celebrate the living culture of Cornwall’s mining Heritage.
The first part of the programme will be the performance of the new play written by Pauline Sheppard on the Carn to Cove scheme with the objective that it is performed in (or nearby) each of the ten mining districts.
Tin & Fishes is a new and original piece of theatre commissioned by St Just Heritage Area Regeneration Project and the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site. It played to sell out audiences in the Summer of 2006 at Geevor so make certain you book your ticket in advance.
You can see Tin & Fishes at the following Carn to Cove Venues this Autumn:
Mawnan Memorial Hall Thursday 5th October at 7.30pm TICKETS (01326) 250772
Grampound Community Hall Saturday 7th October at 6pm TICKETS(01726) 883874
Lelant Village Hall Saturday 14th October at 7.30pm TICKETS (01736) 753522
Camborne Community Centre Friday 20th October at 7.15pm TICKETS (01209) 842523
Hall for Gwinear Saturday 21st October at 7pm TICKETS (01736) 850506
Leedstown Village Hall Saturday 11th November at 7.30pm TICKETS (01736) 850332
Carleen Village Hall Saturday 18th November at 7.30pm TICKETS (01736) 763457
“Engrossing story is pure Cornwall” The Cornishman
