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10 of the best Isle of Wight holiday cottages for large groups

If you're planning an Isle of Wight holiday for three generations of the same family plus assorted hangers-on and aunts you'll probably be looking for a large property which can cope with at least 10 people. Here is my pick of 10 of the highest rated and best value large self catering holiday cottages on the Isle of Wight. If you're doing stag do research, check out our guide to activities for an Isle of Wight stag weekend.

1. Kingston Manor, near Chale, Sleeps 16

Kingston Manor near Chale has got a lot of history about it, with parts of it dating back 800 years. It's got huge 15 acre grounds, so you can wander around pretending you are Lord of the Manor for a few days. There's even an outdoor heated swimming pool and a games room.

2. The Marine Villa/Charleston House, Shanklin, Sleeps 20

This one is pretty spectacular - Marine Villa (also known as Charleston House) is a 1920s gentleman's residence with fantastic views and a dining room suitable for a sword fight scene in a Bond film. Its water feature is something else and its art deco touches are pretty cool too. It's actually not all that expensive if you spread the cost out between 20. It has seven bedrooms in total. 

3. Shalfleet Manor and Shalfleet Barn, Sleeps 16 or 22

Shalfleet Manor sleeps 16 people, whilst they also have a separate property called Shalfleet Barn in the grounds which sleeps another 6 (I'd stick the noisy side of the family in this one). The rooms are huge and there's a tennis court and outdoor swimming pool for lounging around. 

Shalfleet isn't right by the sea, but it's towards the pretty West Wight.

4. Gladices Barn, Chale, sleeps 14

I don't know who Gladice is but she's got a lovely converted barn in the rural South Wight which has 7 bedrooms and (count 'em) 8 bathrooms. It's got a one-acre garden, distant sea views, parking for 10 cars and comes with its own hot tub. Inside the barn, there's not a cow in sight, with a slick modern interior which gets very good reviews.

It's in a quiet part of the Isle of Wight but you can head to Ventnor for meals out, or Newport for shopping in 15 minutes. My favourite beach - Compton Bay - is also 15 minutes drive away.

5. Greystones, Freshwater - Sleeps 12

This former vicarage is halfway between Freshwater and Yarmouth in the West Wight (the quieter side of the Isle of Wight with crumbly cliffs, rather than the amusements and pedalos of the East Wight). It sleeps 12 people in 7 rooms and is one of the cheaper large accommodation options we've found. Reviews were averaging 9/10 when I checked (2019).

6. The Hermitage, near Ventnor, Sleeps 20

The Hermitage is a swanky manor house with 11 acres of land, sea views, 10 bedrooms, a gym and pool table. A friend of mine was taken there by his employees for a team-building thing and spoke very highly of it (my employee usually goes for Travelodge, which doesn't seem fair).

You'll find it in the rural South Wight, a couple of miles inland from Blackgang and Ventnor. 

7. Fernhill Farm, Wootton Bridge, Sleeps 18 in 4 barns

Fernhill Farm in Wootton Bridge near Ryde is an appealing option if you're concerned that your Aunt Maude will be bickering with your mother-in-law after 20 minutes under the same roof.

There are four properties at Fernhill Farm, so you can strategically spread people out, just like you would when planning a seating plan for a wedding. Each barn has its own kitchen, although one can seat up to 8 people and there's outside space.

Along similar lines, the National Trust has three holiday cottages in a row which sleep a total of 14 people. They are former coastguard cottages which overlook Totland Bay in the West Wight.

8. The Mill House, Brighstone, Sleeps 12

Pretty Brighstone is in the quieter West Wight, with gorgeous sandy beaches but not a whiff of the bucket and spade tourism of places like Sandown and Shanklin (not that there's anything wrong with buckets and spades!). Mill House is ideal for a quiet holiday spent trying to work out how an AGA works or going for coastal walks, or playing the piano. See our guide before you decide which Isle of Wight town you should stay in.

9. Burwyns, Ventnor (ish), sleeps 16

If you want panoramic views of the South Wight and your own sauna, you might consider Burwyns near Ventnor. It looks fairly ordinary from the outside but it's got a modern open-plan interior and six bedrooms including one with a balcony (so you might end up politely arguing over rooms). It also lets you bring a couple of dogs. There are quite a few steps to climb, as the whole of the south Wight is on a great big hill, so not one if you are a wheelchair user. Reviews are very positive.
For those who don't know the Isle of Wight very well, Ventnor is in the south so you'll either conclude that it feels a bit cut off or wonderfully secluded and other worldly, depending on your point of view. This particular property is near Ventnor Botanic Gardens and Steephill Cove. The beach is only accessible on foot and down a steep hill (hence the name...) but it's a really lovely secluded spot. It's also not too far from the busier and more accessible beach at Ventnor.

10. Northcourt House, Shorwell, Sleeps 20 or 30+

Northcourt House is in Shorwell which is a pretty little village in the West Wight. The Manor is older than the United States of America and can sleep about 20 people, or 30 plus if you also rent Little Northcourt. Inside it's a classy manor house with a terrace for summer evenings and a grand piano so your children can play 'chopsticks'. My favourite stretch of Isle of Wight coastline is about 10 minutes to the west by car.

Accommodation for really big groups...

If you are visiting the Isle of Wight as part of a school, church group or some other big rabble then there are a few options which can accommodation groups of 100 or more people: I'm sure there are others, let me know if you find a good one.

Related guides from Isle of Wight Guru