Weekend break in the Isle of Wight

[debster]

My dp and I are expecting our second child in October and have decided to have a weekend away in September on the Isle of Wight. Just the two of us. Does anyone have any hotel recommendations? We are planning a 2 night stay (Sat-Mon) and wouldn't want to spend more than £250 in total. Is this realistic - it needs to cover food and maybe even the ferry? We want somewhere relaxed and peaceful (no night time cabarets) but not far away from a town so that we could have dinner out. I'd also love somewhere that has a swimming pool but this is not essential. We basically want somewhere we can chill out before all hell breaks loose with new arrival.

Come on guys - don't let me down now! Someone must know of places to stay. Our only real requirements are that the hotel is nice and quiet (no evening entertainment) and not too pricey. So far I have found one place that sounds perfect. It's called The Hermitage and has only 4 rooms. Apparently it is the most remote hotel on the island! I think the costs are between £75-95 per room per night which is about right price-wise.

So who wants to go first

debster, I have only been to the Isle of Wight once - last summer, but did a fair amount of driving around. Sorry I have no hotel recommendations to give you - we stayed in a lovely B&B - the Roseberry Hotel - in Shanklin, very child friendly, great location, near the centre of a pretty little town, near the beach, but very quiet - but that's not what you're after, is it? Ventnor, I was told, is meant to be slightly more up market and quiet.

I soon had the impression that the island was packed with hotels and guest houses. They all looked extremely well kept from the front - perhaps competition is so fierce, any substandard ones don't survive.

If we go back this year, I'd be very tempted to turn up and choose a hotel on sight. There were lots of 'vacancies' signs when we visited at the height of the season. If you feel brave, perhaps you could consider this?

Sorry can't be of more help.

Sorry Debster, I think that one of the real weaknesses of this beautiful island is that most of the hotel accommodation smells of cabbage, has swirly red carpets and hosts coach parties. There is the Seaview Hotel, in Seaview itself. Pretty building, food supposedly good, apparently child-friendly, but I have never been inside. I am 99% sure it does not have a pool as it is a bow-fronted Georgian place on quite a small plot in the centre of the village. I don't think Seaview's beach is one of the better ones on the island but then in September you may not be too worried about that.
There is also the Farringford Hotel over in Freshwater. That is a little more remote but fab surroundings and close to a couple of nice eating places (Dimbola Lodge, a photography museum, does lovely lunches - and the Red Lion at Freshwater does very superior pub dinners). You are also nearer to a public swimming pool here, don't know if Farringford has one. Also don't know what the food is like. What it does have is self-catering "suites" in the grounds which have been highly recommended for families in travel articles, for example, they will do baby-listening for you.
Didn't originally answer as we always self-cater!
Might be worth checking with the IoW Tourist Board for package details as a ferry crossing has been known to cost nearly £70 (but that was Saturdays, high season).

I have the place for you debster. We went to stay at this hotel just before ds was born. Been back there a couple of times since... Really can't fault it.

It's called The George Hotel in Yarmouth (IOW). It's next to the ferry terminal - you get the ferry across from Lymington, and then it's a small drive around the mini one way system in Yarmouth.

Fab bedrooms, fab service... attentive but not too daunting, IYSWIM, views across the Solent. Food so good you really won't want to go anywhere else. Got a posh restaurant and a brasserie.

Only thing is... no pool.... BUT you do have your own private beach!!

No real idea of cost, but every time we've been, its been on a "Deal" basis. Give them a ring, and see what they have to offer. Never seen any small children there, so expect reasonable peace and quiet. (Dunno about you, but when I leave ds at home, last thing I need is to put up with someone elses!)

Have fun. Can I come too??

Debster, did you book yet? The D Telegraph on Saturday recommended two hotels on the island for being child-friendly. One was the Seaview, and the other was the cheaper but nice-sounding Sandpipers Hotel, in Freshwater.
Here is the Seaview Hotel website, but for some reason I cannot get the Sandpipers one to load here. It is www.fatcattrading.co.uk and I can see it perfectly well when typing it in my browser. Weird.

Sandpipers Hotel
Well, it worked this time. Hah. HTH Debster.

Just to say The Seaview hotel has a babysitter service according to The Observer, and has just got high marks in the new Which? Hotel Guide for 2003.