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Isle of Wight Hotels With A Sea View 2025
A room with a sea view adds a lot to a hotel holiday on the Isle of Wight. You feel like you're by the beach for pretty much every minute of your holiday, rather than just when you get out and about.
Finding a hotel with a sea view on the Isle of Wight is not especially difficult. However, they aren't very well spread out.
Sandown and Shanklin have the biggest choice of hotels with sea views, whilst it's a bit hit and miss along the rest of the coastline. For example, if you decide to stay in the beautiful West Wight then you'll have a very limited choice of hotels with a sea view.
My criteria for inclusion in this guide is:
Finding a hotel with a sea view on the Isle of Wight is not especially difficult. However, they aren't very well spread out.
Sandown and Shanklin have the biggest choice of hotels with sea views, whilst it's a bit hit and miss along the rest of the coastline. For example, if you decide to stay in the beautiful West Wight then you'll have a very limited choice of hotels with a sea view.
My criteria for inclusion in this guide is:
- a hotel that offers evenings meals on the same site. The list gets a bit long if you include B&Bs and guest houses just offering breakfast. I've given honourable mentions to a couple of good B&Bs with sea views that are very close to decent restaurants.
- a TripAdvisor rating of at least 3.5/5. Any hotel with a score lower than that is a no from me.
- sea views that don't require you to use binoculars or stand on a chair. A tiny blue triangle of sea in between the roofs of two houses doesn't really cut it.
Sandown or Shanklin?
As mentioned 10 seconds ago, most of the Isle of Wight's hotels with sea view rooms are in Sandown and Shanklin.
Sandown and Shanklin are similar resorts, which appeal to those looking for a classic seaside holiday. The beaches are sandy and both towns have a railway station, which connects with the passenger ferries at Ryde Pierhead and Ryde Esplanade. You can putt your way round six different minigolf courses, dispose of unwanted £20 notes in the arcades and indulge in triple chocolate fudge ice creams served with lashings of remorse. Shanklin also has a thatched village that you will either consider to be wonderfully charming or excessively twee, depending on your point of view.
Don't stay in either town if your main desire is to avoid people.
I much prefer Shanklin to Sandown, as some of Sandown's seafront hotels look like they could really do with a visit from a bulldozer. This is a shame, as there are also some very good hotels on Sandown seafront.
Also, Sandown's hotels with a sea view tend to be right on the beach whereas most of Shanklin's hotels with sea views are sitting on top of the cliff. You get a more distant view from most of Shanklin's hotels. It's still very pleasant but there's nothing like a front row seat.
Sandown and Shanklin are similar resorts, which appeal to those looking for a classic seaside holiday. The beaches are sandy and both towns have a railway station, which connects with the passenger ferries at Ryde Pierhead and Ryde Esplanade. You can putt your way round six different minigolf courses, dispose of unwanted £20 notes in the arcades and indulge in triple chocolate fudge ice creams served with lashings of remorse. Shanklin also has a thatched village that you will either consider to be wonderfully charming or excessively twee, depending on your point of view.
Don't stay in either town if your main desire is to avoid people.
I much prefer Shanklin to Sandown, as some of Sandown's seafront hotels look like they could really do with a visit from a bulldozer. This is a shame, as there are also some very good hotels on Sandown seafront.
Also, Sandown's hotels with a sea view tend to be right on the beach whereas most of Shanklin's hotels with sea views are sitting on top of the cliff. You get a more distant view from most of Shanklin's hotels. It's still very pleasant but there's nothing like a front row seat.
Shanklin Hotels with a sea view
Shanklin has loads of hotels and guest houses, but most of them don't have a sea view. The esplanade is mostly restaurants, amusements and shops selling small buckets. Most hotels and guest houses are set back a bit on the cliffs.
However, there are several Shanklin hotels that meet our criteria for a sea view, evening meals and decent reviews:
However, there are several Shanklin hotels that meet our criteria for a sea view, evening meals and decent reviews:
- The Ocean View Hotel (4/5 on TripAdvisor) is a large hotel with about 100 bedrooms, many of which have balconies and impressive sea views. It's got a swimming pool and sits on top of the cliffs overlooking Shanklin's esplanade. You're a bit further from the beach, but the panoramic views of The Bay are gorgeous on a sunny day.
The Ocean View Hotel is large and is on the top of the cliff for a higher view
- A little way along from The Ocean View Hotel on Shanklin's cliff path is The Brunswick Hotel (4/5 on TripAdvisor). It's got a swimming pool and a restaurant attached called The Horizon. Again, it's a wide view of the sea from the clifftop rather than being close enough that you can nosily watch people playing on the beach.
- Channel View Hotel (4.5/5 on TripAdvisor) is at the top of the hill which leads down to Shanklin's esplanade and has the advantage of offering a swimming pool. Some of the rooms have an excellent elevated sea view. However, they tend to get booked up quicker than standard rooms, so you'll need to be on the ball to get a view.
The Brunswick Hotel is on the cliffs and has balconies with some rooms
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The Channel View Hotel has outstanding views from some rooms - but you'll need to be quick if you want a view like this
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- The Gracellie (3.5/5 on TripAdvisor) is over the road from the Channel View Hotel. It's got 29 rooms, some of which have a sea view. The Gracelie appeared on Channel 5's The Hotel Inspector where they repainted the outside and jazzed up some of the rooms.
- Luccombe, at the far end of Shanklin has adjacent hotels, which both have rooms with sea views from the cliffs. They share facilities that include a swimming pool. Luccombe Hall Hotel and Luccombe Manor Country House Hotel both score 4/5 on TripAdvisor.
Gracellie Hotel's sea views are a little more distant, but they're still very pleasant
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The two hotels in Luccombe are good choices if you want to be away from busy Shanklin
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Shanklin hotels with a sea view that didn't make our criteria include Pink Beach Guest House and Shoreside Inn. Both scores 5/5 on TripAdvisor and are right on the seafront but they don't offer evening meals. However, it wouldn't be a huge effort to walk a few steps along to The Steamer or The Waterfront, which are decent restaurants on the esplanade.
Haven Hall Hotel and the Carlton Hotel are also highly rated Shanklin hotels with good sea views (both get 5/5 on TripAdvisor). Neither offers evening meals. They are on the cliff top rather than on the beach so it's a bit more of a walk to the local restaurants.
Meanwhile, OYO Shanklin Beach Hotel is in a good location on the beach, but it scores 3/5 on TripAdvisor so doesn't make our list.
Haven Hall Hotel and the Carlton Hotel are also highly rated Shanklin hotels with good sea views (both get 5/5 on TripAdvisor). Neither offers evening meals. They are on the cliff top rather than on the beach so it's a bit more of a walk to the local restaurants.
Meanwhile, OYO Shanklin Beach Hotel is in a good location on the beach, but it scores 3/5 on TripAdvisor so doesn't make our list.
Sandown Hotels with a sea view
Kiss-me-quick Sandown is one of the flatter parts of the Isle of Wight but there’s a long row of hotels with excellent sea views along the seafront. Some of the hotels are good quality and are deservedly very popular. Others appear abandoned and have signs with missing letters ("H TEL").
If you want a hotel with a sea view from a familiar chain, then the Premier Inn (4/5 on TripAdvisor) in Sandown is your best choice. It's over the road from the beach, so you really feel close.
The rooms at Premier Inn don’t have balconies and the windows aren't massive but the views are good. We like the Sandown Cliffs restaurant on the ground floor. There's no parking, but you can walk from pay and display spaces in about four minutes or you might find a space on the esplanade if you're lucky. Take note that there are two Premier Inns with the name Sandown in the title. The other one does not have a sea view, so you need Isle of Wight Sandown (Seafront) for a sea view. See our cheap parking guide to avoid bankrupting yourself.
The Trouville is another excellent choice (4/5 on TripAdvisor) for a Sandown hotel near to the beach. It is on a similar scale to the Premier Inn, with sea views from most of its 80+ bedrooms. There's no swimming pool but it does have indoor bowls and table tennis.
The rooms at Premier Inn don’t have balconies and the windows aren't massive but the views are good. We like the Sandown Cliffs restaurant on the ground floor. There's no parking, but you can walk from pay and display spaces in about four minutes or you might find a space on the esplanade if you're lucky. Take note that there are two Premier Inns with the name Sandown in the title. The other one does not have a sea view, so you need Isle of Wight Sandown (Seafront) for a sea view. See our cheap parking guide to avoid bankrupting yourself.
The Trouville is another excellent choice (4/5 on TripAdvisor) for a Sandown hotel near to the beach. It is on a similar scale to the Premier Inn, with sea views from most of its 80+ bedrooms. There's no swimming pool but it does have indoor bowls and table tennis.
Sandown's beach is just to the right of this photo
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The Trouville is a large hotel with good reviews and fantastic sea views from most rooms
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The Bayshore Hotel is part of Alfa Travel, which is a big company with about 20 hotels. It has 77 bedrooms and is on the seafront. Some rooms have balconies and it scores 4/5 on TripAdvisor. It's near to Sandown's Pier, which is the old-fashioned sort with dodgems and penny-munching machines.
The hotel is popular with coach trips but you can also go for a 'self drive' option where you still get free Isle of Wight ferry travel. That can be a massive saving at peak times.
The hotel is popular with coach trips but you can also go for a 'self drive' option where you still get free Isle of Wight ferry travel. That can be a massive saving at peak times.
The Bayshore Hotel offers a deal which includes free Isle of Wight ferry travel
Other hotels in Sandown with a sea view that are worth considering:
Others which didn't quite fit our criteria include The Sandown Hotel (3/5 on TripAdvisor). We also didn't include OYO Marina Hotel because it doesn't do evening meals.
- The Sandringham is another large hotel on Sandown seafront. It scores a little lower on TripAdvisor (3.5/5) but has the advantage of having balconies with some rooms.
- Hotel Maria has got 66 rooms. It doesn't look as modern as the Premier Inn or Trouville from the outside, but reviews are positive and it's cheap (4/5 on TripAdvisor).
- Finally, there's the Royal Pier Hotel which gets its name from previous links to Princess Beatrice. It's got 65 rooms and scores 3.5/5 on TripAdvisor.
Others which didn't quite fit our criteria include The Sandown Hotel (3/5 on TripAdvisor). We also didn't include OYO Marina Hotel because it doesn't do evening meals.
Hotels with a sea view in Ryde and the East Wight
The East Wight is home to the fairly large town of Ryde. It's not my first choice for a holiday destination as it's quite busy and feels a little less distant from the mainland than the South Wight or West Wight. However, Ryde is very convenient for foot passengers coming from Portsmouth and it's got good public transport links and plenty of restaurants.
The sandiest and nicest beach is a bit further round from the main town centre. Your view is likely to be set back back a little, with views of Ryde Pier and the Hovercraft.
The big hotel on the seafront is the Royal Esplanade. Lots of the rooms have a sea view and it's a grand old building (4/5 on TripAdvisor).
Ryde Castle Hotel is another option. It's a pub downstairs, but it is near to the seafront and sells itself as a hotel. It's another impressive building but online claims that it was built by Henry VIII should be dismissed as Johnson-esque piffle. It was actually built nearly 300 years after he died. Still, it's a nice story.
The sandiest and nicest beach is a bit further round from the main town centre. Your view is likely to be set back back a little, with views of Ryde Pier and the Hovercraft.
The big hotel on the seafront is the Royal Esplanade. Lots of the rooms have a sea view and it's a grand old building (4/5 on TripAdvisor).
Ryde Castle Hotel is another option. It's a pub downstairs, but it is near to the seafront and sells itself as a hotel. It's another impressive building but online claims that it was built by Henry VIII should be dismissed as Johnson-esque piffle. It was actually built nearly 300 years after he died. Still, it's a nice story.
Ryde Esplanade Hotel is close to the pier and Ryde's bus station
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Ryde Castle Hotel - not built by King Henry VIII, but still a nice building
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The Travelodge in Ryde is a long way up the hill but there is a distant sea view from some rooms (4.5/5 on TripAdvisor). It's a pleasant bonus but you won't be sat out on a balcony sipping cocktails and listening to the waves.
See our main guide to hotels in Ryde for a bit more waffle.
Round the corner in Seaview is the Northbank Hotel. It's a small hotel with 16 bedrooms but they do offer evening meals. It scores 4/5 on TripAdvisor. Also on Seaview seafront is The Boathouse (4/5 on TripAdvisor). It's more known as a pub but it does have rooms above so you might just about consider it a hotel.
In the nearby posh village of Bembridge, your best bet is the Bembridge Coast Hotel which is run by Warner Leisure Hotels. It's a large hotel with good facilities including a swimming pool and a seafront location. Reviews average 4/5. It's aimed at older couples rather than families. They go bargain priced ferry travel to add to the appeal.
An honourable mention should also be given to Lakeside Park Hotel and Spa. It's a large and modern hotel with a swimming pool and good reviews but it has a lakeside view rather than a sea view (4/5 on TripAdvisor). Please forgive me for ignoring my own criteria...
See our main guide to hotels in Ryde for a bit more waffle.
Round the corner in Seaview is the Northbank Hotel. It's a small hotel with 16 bedrooms but they do offer evening meals. It scores 4/5 on TripAdvisor. Also on Seaview seafront is The Boathouse (4/5 on TripAdvisor). It's more known as a pub but it does have rooms above so you might just about consider it a hotel.
In the nearby posh village of Bembridge, your best bet is the Bembridge Coast Hotel which is run by Warner Leisure Hotels. It's a large hotel with good facilities including a swimming pool and a seafront location. Reviews average 4/5. It's aimed at older couples rather than families. They go bargain priced ferry travel to add to the appeal.
An honourable mention should also be given to Lakeside Park Hotel and Spa. It's a large and modern hotel with a swimming pool and good reviews but it has a lakeside view rather than a sea view (4/5 on TripAdvisor). Please forgive me for ignoring my own criteria...
Bembridge Coast Hotel is popular with older visitors and is next door to the beach
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Alright, so it isn't a sea view but Lakeside Park Hotel is a good hotel which is worth a mention
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Hotels with a sea view in Ventnor and South Wight
Ventnor has the Isle of Wight's most buttock-firming hills. This results in wide views from most properties in the town (as well as the occasional landslide and crack in the road). The main hotels aren't right on the seafront, but they still have good views of a big blue sea with rarely a ship in sight.
The town's most famous hotel is The Royal, which has been going for more than a century. It is posh and has sea views from some rooms. It scores 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor and is the sort of place where staff have careers in hospitality rather than a reluctant summer job to pay for a few bottles of Hooch (Ed: please update your snide references).
The Hambrough Hotel in Ventnor (4.5/5 on TripAdvisor) is also posh, but is on a much smaller scale than The Royal. It's just got eight rooms, but it does have evening meals and some rooms have balconies. A few years ago, it had a Michelin star and the hotel's restaurant still features in the Michelin Guide.
Most other 'hotels' within Ventnor just offer B&B, so we've not included them in our guide to hotels with sea views.
The town's most famous hotel is The Royal, which has been going for more than a century. It is posh and has sea views from some rooms. It scores 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor and is the sort of place where staff have careers in hospitality rather than a reluctant summer job to pay for a few bottles of Hooch (Ed: please update your snide references).
The Hambrough Hotel in Ventnor (4.5/5 on TripAdvisor) is also posh, but is on a much smaller scale than The Royal. It's just got eight rooms, but it does have evening meals and some rooms have balconies. A few years ago, it had a Michelin star and the hotel's restaurant still features in the Michelin Guide.
Most other 'hotels' within Ventnor just offer B&B, so we've not included them in our guide to hotels with sea views.
The Royal Hotel is set back from the beach a little but it is posh and historic
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If you want a balcony and a smaller hotel then The Hambrough in Ventnor is worth a look
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Meanwhile, The Wight Mouse Inn in nearby Chale is really a pub, but it does have rooms with distant sea views (4.5/5 on TripAdvisor).
Hotels with a sea view in Cowes and East Cowes
For the uninitiated, the west side of the River Medina is just called Cowes whilst the east side is called East Cowes. I've no idea why, although I'm sure it has led to many people driving to the wrong ferry port.
Anyway, neither side of the river has a big choice of hotels with sea views. In (West) Cowes, your best bet is Best Western's New Holmwood Hotel (4.5/5). It's right by Cowes beach, which is a great spot for watching sailing and cruise ships.
Anyway, neither side of the river has a big choice of hotels with sea views. In (West) Cowes, your best bet is Best Western's New Holmwood Hotel (4.5/5). It's right by Cowes beach, which is a great spot for watching sailing and cruise ships.
The Best Western Hotel is next to the beach in Cowes
Villa Rothsay (4.5/5) previously met my criteria, but I believe they no longer offer evening meals unless you sign up for private dining. It is a 14-bedroom hotel/guest house in Cowes that is two minutes' walk from the seafront and still has good views from some rooms.
Hotels with a sea view in West Wight
The West Wight is the quietest and least built up part of the Isle of Wight. As a result, there aren't an abundance of hotels with sea views.
In Yarmouth, The George Hotel is a posh hotel and restaurant that backs onto the beach. It's quite small and expensive, but it's a good location for watching activity on the Solent (4/5 on TripAdvisor).
Just outside Yarmouth is Norton Grange Coastal Village, which is run by Warner Leisure Hotels (the same chain as Bembridge Coast Hotel). It's a large hotel that is popular with older couples. The layout is more like chalets rather than hotel rooms and it scores 4/5 on TripAdvisor. It's worth noting that you don't get sea views from the chalets at Norton Grange, as they are behind the restaurant and other facilities. However, you get a great view in the communal areas. They also do cheap ferry travel for guests.
In Yarmouth, The George Hotel is a posh hotel and restaurant that backs onto the beach. It's quite small and expensive, but it's a good location for watching activity on the Solent (4/5 on TripAdvisor).
Just outside Yarmouth is Norton Grange Coastal Village, which is run by Warner Leisure Hotels (the same chain as Bembridge Coast Hotel). It's a large hotel that is popular with older couples. The layout is more like chalets rather than hotel rooms and it scores 4/5 on TripAdvisor. It's worth noting that you don't get sea views from the chalets at Norton Grange, as they are behind the restaurant and other facilities. However, you get a great view in the communal areas. They also do cheap ferry travel for guests.
The George Hotel in Yarmouth is an historic hotel which occasionally gets celebrity visitors
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Norton Grange doesn't have sea views from the bedrooms, but it has good views from the communal areas
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There are a couple of hotels in Freshwater Bay which offer sea views.
I reckon that The Albion Hotel has one of the best locations on the entire Isle of Wight, overlooking the crashing waves of Freshwater Bay. It re-opened in 2024 after a massive refurbishment and now looks very classy. Ignore the older review scores, which are before it was updated and changed management. We had a look round and thought it looked very smart.
The other hotel with a sea view in Freshwater Bay is Freshwater Bay House, which is run by HF Holidays. They specialise in organised walking weeks so it's a good one if you own a Berghaus coat and a pair of rugged boots.
I reckon that The Albion Hotel has one of the best locations on the entire Isle of Wight, overlooking the crashing waves of Freshwater Bay. It re-opened in 2024 after a massive refurbishment and now looks very classy. Ignore the older review scores, which are before it was updated and changed management. We had a look round and thought it looked very smart.
The other hotel with a sea view in Freshwater Bay is Freshwater Bay House, which is run by HF Holidays. They specialise in organised walking weeks so it's a good one if you own a Berghaus coat and a pair of rugged boots.
The Albion Hotel has a terrific location and was given a bit refurbishment in 2024
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