The Best Hotels on the Isle of Wight
Planning a trip to England's biggest island and looking for the perfect hotel? Look no further...
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Known for its sandy beaches, annual festival, and plethora of dinosaur fossils, the Isle of Wight is the ideal island holiday destination without straying too far from home – and easily reachable via public transport. We’ve put together the ultimate guide to the best hotels on the Isle of Wight to ensure you get a particularly special good night’s sleep and don’t miss any of the action…
Best Hotels on the Isle of Wight
The George, Yarmouth
The George’s location could not be more stunning: on the water’s edge between the castle and the pier in bustling Yarmouth. The 17 bedrooms are stylish and relaxing, with large beds, crisp white cotton linen, plump pillows, and well-equipped bathrooms. Design furniture and charming touches – a sailboat, a bowl of shells, scented candles – make all the difference. Many have spectacular views: a canon on a battlement, the charming pier, and the Solent, stretching across to the Lymington River, with its needle-like forest of masts bunched in the distance. Isla’s Restaurant is noted for its fine cuisine, while the airy Conservatory has a distinctly Mediterranean feel and opens onto a waterfront lawn, perfect for summer dining.
BOOK
+44 (0)1983 760331 / thegeorge.co.uk
The Hambrough, Ventnor
On the southern tip of the Isle of Wight and sheltered by St Boniface Down to the north, Ventnor is one of the sunniest spots in the UK – perfect for a seaside escape. The Hambrough has seven individually designed rooms; all are fresh, light and airy, some with balconies looking across the English Channel. For something more private, there is a charming cottage for four and a lovely town house that sleeps ten. The recent appointment of executive chef Matthew Tomkinson (Roux Scholarship winner, two-time Michelin star awardee) is already elevating The Hambrough’s reputation as one of the Island’s top culinary destinations. His light, classical menus garner a faithful following. The small, friendly staff give a family-run feel, adding to the charm without compromising on service.
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+44 (0)1983 856333 / thehambrough.com
North House, West Cowes
It’s well worth the short, steep climb from Cowes’s High Street to the top of Sun Hill for this engaging 19th-century, Grade II-listed townhouse – the town’s very first boutique hotel. North House has been sympathetically restored and decorated with flair, with 14 unique rooms – from small to spacious suites – kitted out with everything you could want and more: Roberts radios, hair straighteners, and some also come with wood-burning stoves or freestanding bath tubs. The Hotel reopened in April with Robert Thompson – the youngest British chef to be awarded a Michelin star – as Chef Patron. The cuisine is Modern British, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients and local seafood. From March to late October, the heated outdoor pool is open and the dining terrace and cloistered garden come into their own.
BOOK
+44 (0)1983 209453; northhousecowes.co.uk
Hillside, Ventnor
Hillside – a 12-bedroom, all-white Scandinavian guesthouse with Danish designer furniture and CoBrA-inspired abstract paintings – offers breakfast, dinner and a wonderful night’s sleep. The kitchen team is proud to offer a daily changing set menu of French cuisine with a Scandinavian twist, inspired by home-grown produce from the walled garden together with island specialties. All the bedrooms, including the two apartments, are coolly contemporary, with colourful vintage Welsh wool throws. Hillside’s past – as previous home to the poet John Sterling, and visited by Thomas Carlyle and Charles Dickens – is charmingly displayed in photographs and documents on the walls of one of the lounges. A one-off delight, in a delightful place.
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+44 (0)1983 852271 / hillsideventnor.co.uk
The Seaview Hotel, Seaview
Where the charming, coastal Seaview village has remained unchanged for decades, the long-established Seaview Hotel – stylish, relaxed – has evolved with the times. There are endearing echoes of the past in both the Pump Room (traditional wood panelling and roaring log fire) and the Naval Bar (modelled on a wardroom and filled with memorabilia) while the Restaurant has a contemporary, if nautical, feel. Here, the affordable, creative cooking of Bruce Theobald has won a Michelin Bib Gourmand. As well as the 13 neat, pretty bedrooms and one apartment in the main house, there are seven in a designer annex that are immaculately furnished. There are also five large suites in the lovely neighbouring Old Bank, plus self-catered Myrtle Cottage. Dogs are particularly welcome.
BOOK
+44 (0)1983 612711 / seaviewhotel.co.uk
The Royal Hotel, Ventnor
That rare bird: a hotel that suits all ages and all types. Traditional (it was built in 1832) with a modern twist, The Royal is a handsome, three-storey building fronted by a pretty, wrought-iron veranda that overlooks Ventnor’s Esplanade and the English Channel. The views are particularly marvellous from the hotel’s Riviera Terrace, across the (quiet) road, where chairs, sun loungers and blankets are provided. Stunning framed black and white photographs of the Isle of Wight add interest throughout the hotel. In the grand dining room, hung with portraits and chandeliers, the food is a happy mix of old favourites and more modern fare. You can also eat in the stylish brasserie, colonial conservatory or relaxed bar.
BOOK
+44 (0)1983 852186 / royalhoteliow.co.uk
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