The Best Hotels on the Isle of Wight

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. 

+44 (0)1983 852186; royalhoteliow.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. 

+44 (0)1983 612711; seaviewhotel.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.

+44 (0)1983 852271; hillsideventnor.co.uk

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.

+44 (0)1983 209453; northhousecowes.co.uk

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.

+44 (0)1983 760331; thegeorge.co.uk

The Hambrough, Ventnor

Nestled on a pretty street in the coastal town of Ventnor, The Hambrough benefits from both a village-feel location and fabulous sea views.  This boutique island hotel has seven individually designed rooms, all are fresh, light and airy, some with balconies looking across the English Channel.  If you are after something more private, there is also a charming cottage for four and a lovely town house, which sleeps ten, with original features but modern amenities.  This summer sees two more private houses just a couple of seconds away being added to the portfolio, each sleeping up to six people.  A visit to The Hambrough Restaurant is a must, where Chef Curtis Elphick’s light classical style menus with a modern twist are attracting a faithful local following, and the Cocktail Bar with those stunning sea views is the perfect stop-off to chill after an exhausting day on the beach.  The friendly staff add to its charm without compromising on service.  On the southern tip of the Isle of Wight and sheltered by St. Boniface Down to the north, this is one of the sunniest spots in the
UK and perfect for a seaside escape. 

Doubles from £160

+44 (0)1983 856333; thehambrough.com