Staying in two luxury B&Bs on the Isle of Wight
‘We just fell in love with the island,’ said hotel owner David Barrett during my recent holiday on the Isle of Wight, as he showed me around Haven Hall, one of the newest B&Bs on the island. ‘It’s exactly like England was, 40 or 50 years ago.’
Now this could be a positive or a negative depending on your point of view, but there’s no question that the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England has a unique charm which has made it a popular place to visit, especially during the summer months when the beaches really come into their own.
I went mid-week at the end of March and while it was pretty cold it was beautifully sunny and showed off the coastal walks and the rolling hills inland to their best.
B&Bs on the Isle of Wight
I was lucky to stay in two charming B&Bs during my visit to the Isle of Wight as both were gearing up for the summer season.
Haven Hall is a luxury B&B with self-catering flats perched high on the cliffs overlooking the sea
Both were in the town of Shanklin, on the east coast, which has pleasant beaches, gardens, a town which has possibly seen better days and an quirky Old Town where the pubs are thatched, the streets winding and which is probably packed with tourists in summertime.
Haven Hall in Shanklin
My first night’s stay was at Haven Hall, a grand establishment on the clifftop with spectacular views along the coast. The coastal path is just yards away making it an ideal place for walkers and with seven self-catering apartments as well as six bedrooms in the main building, you can arrive back from a bracing walk without disturbing anyone.
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All the rooms are individually styled – mine, called Seagulls, had sea views, (including from a porthole window), a fully-stocked kitchen, wifi and TV and was a very relaxing place to stay
I stayed in the immaculate Seagulls Suite which had great views, including through its porthole window and a large bedroom which led through to a fully kitted-out kitchen.
There was a microwave, Nespresso coffee-maker, hob oven, wifi and all the utensils you could wish for (as well as restaurant recommendations if you didn’t want to do the work yourself) and the whole place was very quiet and relaxing, a little bolt-hole of calm.
The kitchen meant you could cater for yourself although David will also recommend some excellent local places to eat
David and his wife Arielle bought Haven Hall some years ago and re-opened after a multi-million pound refit, buying the property next door.
They individually styled each of the rooms and apartments and landscaping the gardens which contain an open-air swimming pool, grass tennis court and a pagoda, licensed for weddings. (The gardens were named Isle of Wight’s Best Commercial Garden by Alan Titchmarsh).
The award-winning gardens are licensed for weddings and have great views across the bay
As well as a luxury B&B, Haven Hall plays host to all sorts of events including yoga weekends and lunches (as I left the following morning the house was filling up with attendees of a gardening lunch) and has already attracted a celebrity fan base with previous guests including Colin Firth and Abby and Peter Clancy.
My (self-catered) breakfast has arrived…
To not disrupt the lunch guests David dropped off two vast baskets of breakfast goodies the night before, including bacon, eggs, sausages, cereal, fruit, bread and even chocolate eggs so I made use of the kitchen and emerged replete to explore the coast.
Foxhills of Shanklin
My second night on the Isle of Wight was at Foxhills of Shanklin, just a few minutes’ drive away. Run by Ray and Ann Snook, who formerly ran restaurants in California before returning to the UK, Foxhills is a classically-decorated eight-bedroom B&B with a lounge, breakfast room and even a jacuzzi hot tub on the ground floor, which is very popular with guests returning after a long day’s walking round the island.
Foxhills is a five-star rated B&B just a few minutes walk away from Shanklin town centre
The indoor hot tub is popular with guests returning from a long day’s hiking across the island
The rooms are light and airy, with all the necessary amenities such as kettles, hairdryers, toiletries and wifi, and even though it’s on a main road there is no hint of traffic noise.
I was also pleased to see not just information about the hotel in each room (which are all named after local towns) but there were also useful hand-drawn maps of the local area and local walks with recommendations of places to visit.
The eight rooms are light and airy
The downstairs lounge at Foxhills (there’s even a piano)
There are gardens at the side and rear of the property for al fresco drinks and dining in the summer months, and over breakfast you might even be lucky and catch a glimpse of Cyril, the friendly local red squirrel.
Breakfast at Foxhills B&B Shanklin
As a chef himself, Ray is justifiably proud of his breakfasts which cater to vegetarians and vegans as well as meat-eaters and fans of a Full English
I had an excellent avocado on toast with a poached egg and liked the little individual carafes of orange juice served to each person.
Ray is currently considering opening the restaurant in the evenings to guests and locals but is waiting to gauge interest before taking the plunge: with his cooking and hospitality I think it would be a great idea.
Exploring the Isle of Wight
The Taverners pub in Godshill
From the Easter holidays onwards the pace really picks up, but with Easter a few weeks away it felt as if I had the island almost all to myself. This meant that popular places such as gastro-pub The Taverners in Godshill, which consistently features on Best Pubs in Britain lists and consequently is hard to book, was practically empty when I turned up on spec and so was able to enjoy an excellent meal without the crowds.
An excellent meal of New Forest venison and roasted root veggies at The Taverners pub in Godshill
It was followed by a portion of the delicious Isle of Wight Blue cheese which is my current obsession
Steephill Cove
Steephill Cove is a charming and unspoilt fishing cove just south of the town of Ventor. It’s reached by a short walk from a car park on the main road and as is a lovely sandy beach with a selection of independent cafes, craft shops and restaurants serving delicious freshly-caught fish.
The walk down to Steephill Cove is rewarded by great views and some quirky buildings including a cafe and restaurants serving freshly-caught fish
Small Hope Beach
Just below Haven Hill is Small Hope beach with its colourful beach huts
Crab and Lobster in Bembridge
For dinner I went to the newly-furnished Crab and Lobster in Bembridge and enjoyed an excellent Fish Stew
The Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wight
There was just time for a quick visit to excellent The Garlic Farm in the middle of the island before my ferry back to the mainland but I made the most of it by stocking up on my current obsession – Isle of Wight Blue cheese – and taking a leap of faith with garlic beer. Can this be a good thing?
The Garlic Farm is stocked with everything from garlic beer to garlic ice-cream and has a lovely cafe too
Some of my purchases…
However places like The Garlic Farm and The Taverners certainly show that there is a lot more to the Isle of Wight than just the seaside – and there’s the annual Isle of Wight Festival, a great excuse to return!
Isle of Wight B&Bs information
Haven Hall, 5 Howard Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, PO37 6HD
Book Haven Hall on Booking.com
Visit Haven Hall on Tripadvisor
Foxhills of Shanklin, 30 Victoria Avenue, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, PO37 6LS
Book Foxhills of Shanklin on Booking.com
Visit Foxhills of Shanklin on Tripadvisor
The Garlic Farm, Mersley Lane, Newchurch, Isle of Wight, PO36 0NR
Tel: 01983 865378
The Taverners, High Street, Godshill, Isle of Wight, PO38 3HZ
01983 840 707
Crab and Lobster, 32 Forelands Field Road, Bembridge, Isle of Wight, PO35 5TR
Tel: 01983 872244
Isle of Wight Cheese Company
Tel: 01983 402736
Visitor information at Isle of Wight tourist board
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