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5 Best Ryde Hotels 2024
**Wightlink's 2023 deals: Kids Go Free during holidays + more deals on travel to Ryde**
I like Ryde but I personally don't think that it's the prettiest place on the Isle of Wight (Ed: great opening line, you're really selling it).
It doesn't have the old fashioned charm of Ventnor, the quaint poshness of Yarmouth or the yachty vibe of Cowes. Ryde feels like a typical English seaside town, rather than a complete escape from reality.
However, Ryde does have several things going for it so don't write it off as a place to stay on the Isle of Wight.
Before we move on to the best hotels in Ryde, let me share four things I like about Ryde:
Anyway, that's enough of a defence of Ryde. Let's plod on with our top five hotels in Ryde. We've mostly just included hotels which offer evening meals, rather than B&Bs. The exception is Travelodge Ryde, which is central enough that you won't struggle for places to eat.
It doesn't have the old fashioned charm of Ventnor, the quaint poshness of Yarmouth or the yachty vibe of Cowes. Ryde feels like a typical English seaside town, rather than a complete escape from reality.
However, Ryde does have several things going for it so don't write it off as a place to stay on the Isle of Wight.
Before we move on to the best hotels in Ryde, let me share four things I like about Ryde:
- It's exceedingly easy to reach by public transport. You get a 25 minute ferry from Portsmouth Harbour or a 10 minute Hovercraft from Southsea and then you'll be able to walk to your hotel (see our ferries guide). This isn't the case with the West Wight or South Wight where you'll spend the first hour of your holiday trying to get bus timetables to load on your phone.
- Ryde is well connected to the rest of the Isle of Wight with a shockingly modern train which pootles down to Sandown and Shanklin. Buses from Ryde cover most of the Isle of Wight, although you might end up changing in Newport for some journeys (through tickets are cheaper than two tickets).
- Ryde has a massive sandy beach and it's also very hilly, which means a sea view is quite common. This isn't really the case in somewhere like Bembridge which is much flatter. The beach at Ryde is excellent for flying a kite and you will be able to find plenty of your own beach space on a busy day. My opinion is that beaches like Freshwater Bay, Compton Bay, Priory Bay and Steephill Cove are more charming than Appley but not everyone agrees with me (see our beach guide).
- There's a good range of things to do in Ryde without travelling too far. We've written a top 15 guide but Ryde's highlights include a seafront swimming pool with a retractable roof, seafront playgrounds, a bowling alley, a small cinema, several nice independent shops (as well as a few less exciting shops), lots of good places to eat, the UK's oldest pier, pleasant coastal walks towards Seaview, a go karting track, professional tree climbing place, an escape room and a free bus museum. It also has modern things like Tesco, a McDonalds and escalators ("magic moving stairs") which are scarce in other parts of the Isle of Wight.
Anyway, that's enough of a defence of Ryde. Let's plod on with our top five hotels in Ryde. We've mostly just included hotels which offer evening meals, rather than B&Bs. The exception is Travelodge Ryde, which is central enough that you won't struggle for places to eat.
Ryde is easy to reach and has plenty of hotels - but it's not as pretty as some Isle of Wight villages
1. Ryde Esplanade Hotel (££)
You can't really miss the Royal Esplanade Hotel in Ryde. It is a stone's throw from where the foot passenger ferries arrive from Portsmouth, so it's very convenient for arriving without a car.
The hotel has got 70 bedrooms and dates back to 1868. The 'Classic' rooms are the cheapest ones but don't have sea views. I would take a look at the Premier Rooms, Superior Rooms and Family Rooms - most of which have sea views.
You can eat at the hotel and they also do afternoon tea. There is a car park at the Royal Esplanade Hotel but you pay extra to use it.
Ryde's Royal Esplanade Hotel scores a solid 4/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.1/5 on Google Reviews.
The sea views from The Royal Esplanade Hotel are plentiful but it's one for people watchers rather than those wanting to see the Isle of Wight's famous cliffs or rolling hills. You will see the constant coming and going of the Hovercraft as well as buses and trains. My father-in-law who spends hours watching webcams of railway stations would love it here.
This sort of view is what you can expect across Ryde - you won't find a hotel with the beach in the back garden. If you want that then you are better to go for somewhere like Bembridge Coast Hotel (££) in the East Wight or The George Hotel (£££) in the West Wight.
The hotel has got 70 bedrooms and dates back to 1868. The 'Classic' rooms are the cheapest ones but don't have sea views. I would take a look at the Premier Rooms, Superior Rooms and Family Rooms - most of which have sea views.
You can eat at the hotel and they also do afternoon tea. There is a car park at the Royal Esplanade Hotel but you pay extra to use it.
Ryde's Royal Esplanade Hotel scores a solid 4/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.1/5 on Google Reviews.
The sea views from The Royal Esplanade Hotel are plentiful but it's one for people watchers rather than those wanting to see the Isle of Wight's famous cliffs or rolling hills. You will see the constant coming and going of the Hovercraft as well as buses and trains. My father-in-law who spends hours watching webcams of railway stations would love it here.
This sort of view is what you can expect across Ryde - you won't find a hotel with the beach in the back garden. If you want that then you are better to go for somewhere like Bembridge Coast Hotel (££) in the East Wight or The George Hotel (£££) in the West Wight.
Ryde's Royal Esplanade Hotel is about as close as you will get to the ferries
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There are sea views from some of the rooms
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2. Travelodge RYde (££)
Travelodge in Ryde is ideal for you if you prefer the familiarity of a big brand on holiday.
This is a rarity on the Isle of Wight, where there are only eight hotels run by big name brands (if you're interested: Warner Leisure has two hotels, Premier Inn has three hotels on the Isle of Wight, Travelodge has two Isle of Wight hotels, Best Western has one hotel in Cowes).
I would go for Travelodge in Ryde if your idea of a great holiday is to eat your meals at Ryde's Wetherspoons, do your shopping at Ryde's massive Tesco and treat yourself to a Walls ice cream. Don't choose this option if you want a more surprising and authentically local holiday.
Ryde's Travelodge is - according to Google - a six minute walk from the dry end of Ryde Pier. However, it's a steep hill so expect it to take a little longer with your massive suitcase. On the plus side, your buttocks will get a great workout.
You will get a distant sea view from some rooms but don't expect to be sat on a balcony sipping a latte and listening to the waves (see our hotels with a sea view guide for that sort of thing).
Ryde Travelodge is one of their newer hotels. It opened in 2015 and scores 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor or 3.9/5 on Google Reviews. It features in our guide to accessible holiday accommodation as it has 'double accessible twin rooms'. Of course, one person's idea of accessible is different to another's but it's a good starting point.
There isn't any parking at Ryde's Travelodge and it's not particularly easy to find free parking in Ryde (see our free parking guide, which is a personal passion). Lind Street car park is about two minutes walk and it will cost you about £7 a day. You could also try Just Park.
You are probably well aware that Travelodge won't be offering you dining, but there are plenty of places to get breakfast in Ryde. The Wetherspoons mentioned earlier is only two minutes away and there lots of other popular cafes in Ryde such as No.64 Cafe. I like The Dell Café overlooking Appley Beach, which is a pleasant half an hour walk along the seafront.
Prices at Travelodge vary massively depending on demand. Booking long in advance is your best bet.
This is a rarity on the Isle of Wight, where there are only eight hotels run by big name brands (if you're interested: Warner Leisure has two hotels, Premier Inn has three hotels on the Isle of Wight, Travelodge has two Isle of Wight hotels, Best Western has one hotel in Cowes).
I would go for Travelodge in Ryde if your idea of a great holiday is to eat your meals at Ryde's Wetherspoons, do your shopping at Ryde's massive Tesco and treat yourself to a Walls ice cream. Don't choose this option if you want a more surprising and authentically local holiday.
Ryde's Travelodge is - according to Google - a six minute walk from the dry end of Ryde Pier. However, it's a steep hill so expect it to take a little longer with your massive suitcase. On the plus side, your buttocks will get a great workout.
You will get a distant sea view from some rooms but don't expect to be sat on a balcony sipping a latte and listening to the waves (see our hotels with a sea view guide for that sort of thing).
Ryde Travelodge is one of their newer hotels. It opened in 2015 and scores 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor or 3.9/5 on Google Reviews. It features in our guide to accessible holiday accommodation as it has 'double accessible twin rooms'. Of course, one person's idea of accessible is different to another's but it's a good starting point.
There isn't any parking at Ryde's Travelodge and it's not particularly easy to find free parking in Ryde (see our free parking guide, which is a personal passion). Lind Street car park is about two minutes walk and it will cost you about £7 a day. You could also try Just Park.
You are probably well aware that Travelodge won't be offering you dining, but there are plenty of places to get breakfast in Ryde. The Wetherspoons mentioned earlier is only two minutes away and there lots of other popular cafes in Ryde such as No.64 Cafe. I like The Dell Café overlooking Appley Beach, which is a pleasant half an hour walk along the seafront.
Prices at Travelodge vary massively depending on demand. Booking long in advance is your best bet.
Unique charm and thrilling architecture? Nope. But Ryde's Travelodge is centrally located...
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...and it scores an impressive 4.5/5 from customers on TripAdvisor.
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3. Ryde Castle Hotel (££)
Ryde Castle Hotel is another decent seafront option. It is currently owned by Greene King Inns, so it's a busy pub downstairs and a hotel upstairs. Customer reviews are similar to Ryde Esplanade Hotel's at 4/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.2/5 on Google Reviews.
There are 18 bedrooms, some of which have sea views. It's also similar to the Ryde Esplanade Hotel in that the views overlook a car park, a funfair and a bowling alley rather than being an unspoilt panoramic vista.
When I checked, the official website was proudly claiming that Ryde Castle Hotel was 'built by Henry VIII to defend against Spanish invasion'. This isn't completely accurate. It was actually built about 300 years after Henry VIII died. Anyway, it's an attractive building so let's not quibble over the odd century.
You get breakfast included at Ryde Castle Hotel and they also give you a discount if you want to eat in the restaurant. It has the big advantage of offering parking to guests.
There are 18 bedrooms, some of which have sea views. It's also similar to the Ryde Esplanade Hotel in that the views overlook a car park, a funfair and a bowling alley rather than being an unspoilt panoramic vista.
When I checked, the official website was proudly claiming that Ryde Castle Hotel was 'built by Henry VIII to defend against Spanish invasion'. This isn't completely accurate. It was actually built about 300 years after Henry VIII died. Anyway, it's an attractive building so let's not quibble over the odd century.
You get breakfast included at Ryde Castle Hotel and they also give you a discount if you want to eat in the restaurant. It has the big advantage of offering parking to guests.
Ryde Castle Hotel is historic...but not as historic as some claim
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The hotel is owned by Greene King and has a pub downstairs
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4. LAkeside Park Hotel and Spa (£££)
Calm yourselves down. I am well aware that Lakeside Park Hotel and Spa isn't actually in Ryde. Should it really be featured in a guide to Ryde's best hotels? Perhaps not. Let's plough on.
I've included Lakeside Park Hotel and Spa because it offers something very different to the others in this list and it's not a million miles from Ryde Seafront.
More precisely, it is 3.6 miles from Ryde seafront or an 11 minute drive away. You won't be wandering down to the beach after breakfast, but it's still pretty close.
Lakeside Park Hotel and Spa is a modern and quite posh hotel which features in our posh hotels guide. It's a popular spot for wedding receptions and it has an indoor swimming pool. The hotel overlooks Wootton Creek, which is very nice on a sunny day. You can park at the hotel, which is a big bonus. Lakeside Park Hotel is quite large with a total of 42 bedrooms.
Customers give Lakeside Park Hotel a score of 4/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.3/5 on Google Reviews.
I've included Lakeside Park Hotel and Spa because it offers something very different to the others in this list and it's not a million miles from Ryde Seafront.
More precisely, it is 3.6 miles from Ryde seafront or an 11 minute drive away. You won't be wandering down to the beach after breakfast, but it's still pretty close.
Lakeside Park Hotel and Spa is a modern and quite posh hotel which features in our posh hotels guide. It's a popular spot for wedding receptions and it has an indoor swimming pool. The hotel overlooks Wootton Creek, which is very nice on a sunny day. You can park at the hotel, which is a big bonus. Lakeside Park Hotel is quite large with a total of 42 bedrooms.
Customers give Lakeside Park Hotel a score of 4/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.3/5 on Google Reviews.
Lakeside Park Hotel and Spa isn't in Ryde but the views are good...
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...and it has an indoor swimming pool
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5. Appley Manor Hotel
Appley Manor Hotel is further inland than Ryde Castle Hotel, Travelodge in Ryde and Royal Esplanade Hotel.
However, reviews are a solid 4/5 and you can walk to the main car park for Appley beach in about 12 minutes. They do evening meals and also have parking for guests.
The building dates back to 1850 and has a nice tower which is apparently meant to look like the tower at Osborne House.
However, reviews are a solid 4/5 and you can walk to the main car park for Appley beach in about 12 minutes. They do evening meals and also have parking for guests.
The building dates back to 1850 and has a nice tower which is apparently meant to look like the tower at Osborne House.
