Isle of WightArvostelua 

It was an epic experience in so many ways ... from the superb Claremont Hotel, fine dining and its wonderful staff (and its restaurant and coffee bar is open to the general public too!), to all of the wonderful scenery and places to see on the island. Was never interested in history until we saw how well it was presented here. The transport system is amazing, modern, clean, on time/reliable, the drivers are so helpful and understanding. No Graffiti !!! No Rubbish !!! People wanted to talk to us about life on the island. Proud to fly their flag all over at every opportunity to do so, obviously not influenced by any looney brigades. Slight negative, the sea front eateries in Douglas were filthy, disgusting food, overpriced. Go to away from the sea front and you'll be fine. One time late in the day we were lost in the middle of nowhere as far as we were concerned and a driver noticed this, stopped and went out of their way to take us back to our hotel. It's mostly about the people.

Isle of Wight Mushrooms

Harding Shute Farm

Harding Shute

Ryde

Isle of Wight

Been buying mushroom drops from this company for 6 months. Dr John Campbell recommended their product to perhaps battle Prostate Cancer so I started buying from them. Got my first 5 months supply paying per item. I set up a DD to have a bottle delivered every month paid for the first bottle then no delivery but they took the payment. Called several times also emailed with no reply. Be careful

I have been visiting the IOW twice a year .. but yesterday I decided to give up! I have stayed in campsites, hotels, Forts and lodges. So, for my 65th we decided on a day trip.
The ONLY place that showed any warmth & worth was "Toni's Coffee Shop", Ventnor. 5*.(and their new Gingerbread muffins are on sale from tomorrow).
The Garlic Farm, always a last treat of any visit in the past .. was dank, workmen practically shared our table for 4 .. we were innocently walked through the open door of the Christmas Fayre barn ... to "...get out we are not ready .." by some miserable older lady. The products are available on the mainland & online, so without politeness & atmosphere .. what is the point?? The new Mermaid Gin in the shop, but not behind the bar. A sad farewell IOW. Cornwall, Devon and more here we come ...
I will erase this memory from my birthday treats, but feel cheated.

I find it very frustrating that motorists have to pay to park their vehicles in
Sandown, Isle of Wight because many vehicles evade parking fees
by parking on the pavement outside the old tourist information centre
opposite Sandown Pier.
This area is also in a pedestrianised only zone, which means by parking on
the pavement it is dangerous for pedestrians.

Apart from this the Isle of Wight is a nice place

Absolutely lovely island our second visit here. This is the first time with an electric car, we have had an absolute nightmare with charging. what chargers they have 90% of them don't work.take my advice if you only have an electric car DO NOT visit the island.

Don't Try and get a taxi. We called 8 firms within 15 minutes drive and 7 didn't answer and the one that didn't wouldn't come as not in the area of the Botanical gardens.

It was only 9.45 pm.

The phone signal on two networks has also been really poor. We were staying in the south of the island and trying to call or text people was terrible.

Honestly felt like we had stepped back in tech time.

From the warning on the ferry about bull breeds not being welcome from one of the passengers the whole week was littered with like minded insults and general unfriendly attitudes. The dog in question by the way was a labrador cross. I certainly won't bother again, there are easier ways to waste money.

Visited here for the first and last time! Island is very expensive whatever you do and ideally you need a car to get around we spent over £100 in diesel in 4 days. Locals are rude know it alls. Sandown was the worst place i've ever been to, burnt out buildings, small pier, half he arcade machines weren't working. Very very disappointed. Local produce is very expensive.

I was most disappointed with this so called trip back in time,
Not a trip back in time the restoration of the coaches was not all back to the original they have used wood looking paint on the wooden doors and frames it looks cheap and nasty.
The trip cost £66 for three adults and what we got was a load of messing about while they changed the engine from one end of the train to the other so all you got was sitting onboard with nothing to look at except weeds and then a couple of miles up and down the same bit of track.
for that amount of money I would have expected at least a longer journey with a lot more to look at than fields and weeds.

Recently stayed at Luccombe Hall Hotel, Shanklin. It’s a traditional seaside hotel that appears to be thoughtfully managed by on-site owners. It’s large to provide a spacious interior/facilities for the occasional wet day, and outside, a lovely heated swimming pool with adjacent warm jacuzzi. There is an abundance of reclining sun beds, space to wander round to admire the well tended, colourful plants and shrubs.
Inside?
Dining- very well thought through menu that caters for varying tastes and age of diners and the food itself is deftly created and presented by caring staff.
The staff - they are approachable and very willing to help new and the many returning guests. Make no mistake. Every aspect of this quality hotel is well managed (Can you spot one of the Directors working with their staff?)
There has and continues to be a real drive to make your stay be the best it can be. Admire the unique indoor pool and all day sauna. Tucked away, there are classic game machines and more to be accommodated.
Yes, you guessed, we had a lovely relaxing, cosseted time.
So why not 5 stars? The adjacent sister hotel, Luccombe Manor permits dogs but provides no evening meal (for humans) so they gravitate (dogs and all) to Luccombe Hall for Dinner.
Dogs? Well behaved in an appropriate location are a real joy, I know from first hand experience.
However a dining room occupied by boisterous barking dogs with indulgent owners is not a place to enjoy such delightful food presented by well trained front of house staff - ever.
The next door, sister hotel, Luccombe Manor accommodates dogs so why can’t dogs be left there, so diners can dine in peace and enjoy what must be some of, if not the best food on the island?
The last bit -promise.
After delightful food there was the opportunity to sit in the comfortable bar area - and enjoy individual local vocalists performing to a high standard - where, on enquiry, we learned dogs were indeed allowed to sit on the seats.
Gentle reader, this is an hotel that tries hard and succeeds but dogs, as described above, are a Marmite decision.
Next year our decision would be a “no”. If yours is a “yes” then you won’t be disappointed.

Nodes point safari tent, damp and moldy dead rat on grass outside tent. Had to pay for upgrade to a caravan as tent was inhabitable.

What a dive. Honestly save the extortionate cost of the ferry and go to prettier places like Dorset, Devon, Cornwall etc. neglected towns, awful drivers, rude locals and paying through the nose for awful days out. Will never visit here again and could only advise all against coming, also got food poisoning from seafood restaurant in Shanklin to make an awful break worse.

Just had our 2nd visit to Appley Lodge Shanklin Isle of Wight.

Lovely B and B. Gareth and Wendy could not be more welcoming. Lovely place to stay and will be back again.

Visiting here after 52 years.
What a dump most of the towns are - totally neglected.
Feel sorry for the people who have to live here
Villages and the countryside are good and clean
Why would we come back?

Jingle bell Christmas shop in Shanklin, superb service bought a item in 2023 while visiting. Telephoned Lisa to see if I could get another item mailed to me.
Lisa was so helpful ordered on a Sunday arrived by the Tuesday, great service well done.

I got an appointment at Barnetts hair salon on Friday 1st September, where Jo the owner hacked at my hair,
I stupidly was persuaded to have it coloured the following Friday and had a conversation with Jo about what she was going to do , she said she was going to give me a base colour of brown,got her colour book out and persuaded me to go for bright copper colour going through it using foils she said it would take about two hours. The following Friday 8th September I arrived for my appointment. I sat in the chair she asked what are we doing today I said I was having it coloured, what did we agree on she asked so I said a base colour of brown with bright copper running through it using foils you said, she got her colour book out and looked and then said which one , pointing at the hair samples I said one of those, sha then said is there anything else there you like so I said how about the red, thats nice a bit bright she said, I don't mind I said thinking that I was going to have red running through my hair. At NO point did Jo say she did not have the time to do my hair the way we agreed. She mumbled something about needing a base colour and went off out the back. A few minutes later she returned with two colour mixing bowls, then proceeded to start colouring my hair, not with a base colour just with the bright red. Whenshe had finished she said it would be ready at 2.10, while she was putting hte colour on my hair she said that she was short staffed
one stylist had gone to a wedding, one was on holiday and one had phoned in sick. Why she did not tell me she did not have the time to do my hair the way we agreed I do not know. When I saw the end result I was upset it was not what I wanted at all and she knew it. This woman is vile, she was so rude .
She more or less banged my head with the hair brush when she was blow drying it , all because I said I did not like it , it was not what we talked about the week before. She then took me to the till had the absolute
cheek to charge me £72.00 for a crappy colour and cut. Her attitude was F*** off! Then if you don't like it. I am surprised she has any customers. If you can't do something the way you agreed to do it just explain, a choice of a wash and blow dry, or if she said I could have an all over tint I would have chosen a different colour but she never said anything , all she was interested in was getting the money for a really bad job! Don't go there EVER!! A HORRIBLE WOMAN

The needles chair lift is well worth a visit. £8 to go on the chair lift return and you can get off at the bottom if you wish to go onto the beach then you can get the chair lift back up.
Lovely view of the Needles

We had expert advice on a new battery charger for our car / van. Such a pleasant experience to talk to an expert . We ended up buying a slightly better product than intended - more expensive , everything about our buying experience was excellent . Well done Halfords

Avoid car hire on Isle of Wight.
Best to use buses and taxis though these may add to travel time.
In spite of being very careful to avoid the high level of parking restrictions on Isle of Wight in September 2022 (off peak), we were not surprised to receive a £95 fine via Enterprise.
Visitors are advised Not to use the little London car park at Sea Street Newport PO30 5BW where the payment system is not intuitive.