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5 Isle Of Wight Holidays Including Ferry Travel 2024
It’s often much cheaper to book an Isle of Wight holiday with ferry travel included. Many hotels, campsites, holiday parks and self catering cottages get a ‘trade rate’ from Red Funnel and Wightlink, which they pass on.
The savings can be pretty good - I've seen deals which work out at about 50% off the ferry fare for an accommodation + ferry bundle.
We’ve picked out five of the best deals for Isle of Wight Holidays including ferry travel.
The savings can be pretty good - I've seen deals which work out at about 50% off the ferry fare for an accommodation + ferry bundle.
We’ve picked out five of the best deals for Isle of Wight Holidays including ferry travel.
1. Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park (Caravan and Lodge Park)
**Whitecliff Bay Discount Code: Save 10% via this link with discount code IOWGURU10 (expires 31/12/23)**
Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is one of the best options on the Isle of Wight if you're looking for a Haven style caravan park, or a lodge park with hot tubs. It's won a few awards in recent years, including Best Holiday Park at the Red Funnel Isle of Wight Awards in 2022.
For Wightlink ferries from Portsmouth and Lymington, they provide a discounted booking link and you book it yourself. For Red Funnel ferries from Southampton, you just tick a couple of boxes on the Whitecliff Bay booking page. In price comparisons we've done, the ferry works out as about half price (or less) compared to booking direct with Wightlink or Red Funnel.
Whitecliff Bay is a large site with a big range of accommodation. The cheaper units are caravans or chalets, while the posher accommodation is described as 'exclusive'. They are a bit like lodges, which are more spacious and have names like The Rockstar and The Tribeca. They also have glamping, which is similarly priced to caravans.
During school holidays you can expect it to be busy with families, as it has swimming pools, kids' clubs and outdoor cinema. There's a range of pay-as-you-go activities such as archery, Nerf, disc golf and pottery painting.
The trump card for Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is the location. It's in the East Wight right next to one of the Isle of Wight's best beaches. Even better, it's hard to access unless you're staying at an adjacent holiday park, so it isn't terribly busy. The beach allows dogs.
For Wightlink ferries from Portsmouth and Lymington, they provide a discounted booking link and you book it yourself. For Red Funnel ferries from Southampton, you just tick a couple of boxes on the Whitecliff Bay booking page. In price comparisons we've done, the ferry works out as about half price (or less) compared to booking direct with Wightlink or Red Funnel.
Whitecliff Bay is a large site with a big range of accommodation. The cheaper units are caravans or chalets, while the posher accommodation is described as 'exclusive'. They are a bit like lodges, which are more spacious and have names like The Rockstar and The Tribeca. They also have glamping, which is similarly priced to caravans.
During school holidays you can expect it to be busy with families, as it has swimming pools, kids' clubs and outdoor cinema. There's a range of pay-as-you-go activities such as archery, Nerf, disc golf and pottery painting.
The trump card for Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is the location. It's in the East Wight right next to one of the Isle of Wight's best beaches. Even better, it's hard to access unless you're staying at an adjacent holiday park, so it isn't terribly busy. The beach allows dogs.
The more expensive accommodation at Whitecliff Bay looks like this
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If the sun's shining then there aren't many better places to be in England than Whitecliff Bay
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Similar alternatives: the four Parkdean Resorts holiday parks on the Isle of Wight also offer a ferry discount for guests. You can choose from:
The exact ferry discount varies and they don't give you a figure upfront unfortunately. You book your holiday and then they send you a discount code within a couple of days. More details here.
- Nodes Point Holiday Park in St Helens, which sits alongside a dog-friendly beach and gets the best reviews of the four. There are sea views from quite a few of the caravans and lodges and hot tub upgrades available.
- Landguard and Lower Hyde, which are sister parks in busy Shanklin. They are both about 20 minutes walk from the beach.
- Thorness Bay Holiday Park, which is on a quiet bit of coastline in the North Wight. It is a little behind the others on reviews but it is usually the cheapest of the four. It has direct access to a shingly beach.
The exact ferry discount varies and they don't give you a figure upfront unfortunately. You book your holiday and then they send you a discount code within a couple of days. More details here.
**Parkdean Resorts Black Friday: 1000s of holidays from £69 + up to 30% off 7 nights (expires 04/12/23)**
Nodes Point is our pick of the four Parkdean Resorts with ferry inclusive deals
2. Warner Leisure Hotels in Bembridge and Yarmouth
**2023/2024 Special Offer: Return car ferry for £60 or less when staying at Bembridge Coast Hotel or Norton Grange**
**Black Friday: One Night Free & 25% off 2 Night Rooms. Expires 27/11/23**
Warner Leisure do a ferry + accommodation bundle at their two adults-only hotels on the Isle of Wight. They tend to be popular with older adults, but adults won't be turned away for looking too young. That's a relief to those of us who still get asked for ID in Sainsbury's (Ed: don't kid yourself).
Your choice is either Warner Leisure's Bembridge Coast Hotel in the East Wight or Norton Grange Coastal Village in the West Wight.
They both overlook the coast and are near to a ferry port. Both score 4/5 on TripAdvisor. However, there are some differences between the two sites:
Your choice is either Warner Leisure's Bembridge Coast Hotel in the East Wight or Norton Grange Coastal Village in the West Wight.
They both overlook the coast and are near to a ferry port. Both score 4/5 on TripAdvisor. However, there are some differences between the two sites:
- Norton Grange tends to be slightly cheaper than Bembridge Coast.
- Bembridge Coast is more like a hotel whereas Norton Grange is more like a resort of chalets. However, they've both got activities, entertainment, swimming pools and restaurants.
- Norton Grange is more convenient from the Lymington to Yarmouth ferry crossing. Bembridge Coast is nearer to the Portsmouth to Fishbourne ferry crossing. They are equidistant from the Southampton to East Cowes ferry crossing.
- Bembridge Coast is better located for driving to busy seaside resorts like Shanklin and Ryde. Norton Grange is better located for walks around the sleepy and scenic West Wight.
Ferry and accommodation bundles are available at Bembridge Coastal Hotel...
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...and at Norton Grange Coastal Village which is near to the Lymington ferry
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3. The Bay COlwell, The Lakes Rookley and St Helens Holiday REsort
**Promo Code: Save 10% at The Lakes, The Bay or St Helens with discount code IOWGURU10 via this link (expires 31/12/23)**
I've decided to bundle these three holiday lodge resorts together as they offer a similar thing and are run by the same company (Away Resorts). You get the same generous discount on the ferry with all three - just tick the box and fill in your details when you book, and you'll save a packet. The saving was about 50% when I did a couple of tests, but it does vary.
They are all dog friendly and have a range of different accommodation types.
They are all dog friendly and have a range of different accommodation types.
- The Bay, Colwell is your best bet if you want to be near a beach. It is a five-minute walk to Colwell Bay, which is lovely and sandy at low tide but doesn't have much beach at high tide. It's in the West Wight, which is the quieter side of the Isle of Wight. There are fewer family friendly attractions in the West Wight, but it's less developed than the East Wight (Sandown, Shanklin, Ryde etc). Colwell Bay is also home to a trendy restaurant called The Hut, where celebrities take selfies against the sunset.
The resort has 'lodges' (££), which are posher and more expensive as well as 'cottages' (£), which are rows of bungalows which were updated in recent years. You can choose to upgrade to a hot tub at The Bay Colwell and some of the more expensive accommodation has a sea view. There's a small indoor swimming pool, somewhere to buy a coffee and some entertainment in the summer.
The Bay Colwell scores 4/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.3/5 on Google Reviews.
Some of the lodges at The Bay Colwell have a sea view...
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...and the local beach is only 5 minutes walk away
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- St Helen's Holiday Resort gets the best reviews of these three lodge parks (4.4/5 on Google Reviews, 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor). It is sometimes known as St Helens Coastal Resort. It's about 15-20 minutes' walk to the nearest beach. It's a good choice if you want modern accommodation, as many of the caravans and lodges were added in the last five years. Your options include caravans (£), lodges (££), superior lodges (£££) and lodges with rooftop terraces (££££).
St Helen's Holiday Resort has got an outdoor swimming pool and a small playground, but it is a simple site rather than somewhere to occupy a lot of time. If you have a car, then the location is excellent. St Helen's Beach is great for paddling and watersports, with a hire place called Tackt-Isle nearby.
The rather nice village of Bembridge is nearby, as is a beach called Priory Bay which is one of my favourites. Priory Bay is an effort to reach as there's no parking nearby but it's worth the bother to reach the golden sands. If it was more accessible it would be heaving on a summer's day but it's nice and quiet all year round.
We were impressed with the modern lodges at St Helens Holiday Resort...
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...which has a small outdoor swimming pool for sunny days
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- The Lakes, Rookley is a good choice if you want to be centrally located so you can see all four corners of the Isle of Wight in one week. It's bigger than The Bay and St Helens and it's got a bit more onsite than the other two, including a small restaurant. It scores 3.5/5 on TripAdvisor and 4.1/5 on Google Reviews. Reviews on TripAdvisor date back to long before it was given a revamp by Away Resorts. I mention this as it may explain the lower average score.
The accommodation is a combination of Lakehouses (£££), Cottages (££) and Caravans (£). The Lakehouses were recently added whilst the Cottages are chalet bungalows which have been upgraded and refurbished in the last few years.
There are indoor and outdoor swimming pools onsite. They are both straightforward rectangles rather than complexes with slides and flumes, but they are a nice addition for those who don't want to swim in the sea (i.e. sensible people). The Lakes, Rookley also has a 'bar and eatery', as well as a modern playground and watersports on the lakes including kayaking.
The Lakes, Rookley has invested a lot in lakeside lodges in the last five years...
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...and there are watersports on the lakes
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4. Alfa Travel Hotel + Ferry Self Drive Bundles
Alfa Travel are best known for coach trips, but they also do some cheap 'self drive' Isle of Wight holidays where an off-peak ferry ticket from Portsmouth to Fishbourne is included. You just do whatever you want each day, it isn't like a coach holiday where you join in with excursions.
They own two Isle of Wight hotels, including the imaginatively named Shanklin Hotel in, er, Shanklin and Bayshore Hotel in Sandown. Both score 4/5 on TripAdvisor.
Sandown and Shanklin are both popular seaside resorts with sandy beaches, seafront restaurants and shops selling inflatable things (not that sort of inflatable things).
Personally, I prefer Shanklin as it's got a quaint olde village, a long esplanade and a clifftop coastal path. Sandown has its plus points too, including a pier and a surf school.
You can choose from 2,3,4,6 or 7 night stays. You also get two meals a day.
They own two Isle of Wight hotels, including the imaginatively named Shanklin Hotel in, er, Shanklin and Bayshore Hotel in Sandown. Both score 4/5 on TripAdvisor.
Sandown and Shanklin are both popular seaside resorts with sandy beaches, seafront restaurants and shops selling inflatable things (not that sort of inflatable things).
Personally, I prefer Shanklin as it's got a quaint olde village, a long esplanade and a clifftop coastal path. Sandown has its plus points too, including a pier and a surf school.
You can choose from 2,3,4,6 or 7 night stays. You also get two meals a day.
Shanklin is one of the Isle of Wight's traditional seaside resorts...
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...along with Sandown which has a kiss-me-quick pier
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5. Coach Trips With Just Go! And Others
A coach trip is one way to get an Isle of Wight holiday with ferry travel included. Of course, you won't have your own car when you arrive but it's often a low-cost option.
Your options will either be to rely on public transport, car hire or join in with the organised excursions. There are several coach companies which cover the Isle of Wight including Just Go! Holidays, Alfa Travel and National Holidays.
They tend to provide accommodation at a hotel in either Sandown or Shanklin, which is where most of the Isle of Wight's guest houses and traditional hotels can be found. Alfa Travel own their own hotels, whereas Just Go! Holidays work with local hotels.
The excursions usually follow something of a checklist of famous attractions including The Needles/Alum Bay, Godshill and Osborne House. If you want to explore the less well-trodden paths on an Isle of Wight holiday, then a coach trip probably isn't for you. However, if you want a low-hassle holiday then it's very appealing.
Your options will either be to rely on public transport, car hire or join in with the organised excursions. There are several coach companies which cover the Isle of Wight including Just Go! Holidays, Alfa Travel and National Holidays.
They tend to provide accommodation at a hotel in either Sandown or Shanklin, which is where most of the Isle of Wight's guest houses and traditional hotels can be found. Alfa Travel own their own hotels, whereas Just Go! Holidays work with local hotels.
The excursions usually follow something of a checklist of famous attractions including The Needles/Alum Bay, Godshill and Osborne House. If you want to explore the less well-trodden paths on an Isle of Wight holiday, then a coach trip probably isn't for you. However, if you want a low-hassle holiday then it's very appealing.
Just Go! works with several Isle of Wight hotels and organises excursions to big name attractions
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Alfa Travel runs coach trips with its two hotels on the Isle of Wight, including the Shanklin Hotel
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6. Carlton Hotel, Shanklin
I've included the Carlton Hotel in Shanklin as an example of an independently run Bed and Breakfast which offers ferry inclusive holidays on the Isle of Wight.
It certainly isn't the only one though. My advice would be to phone a hotel direct to see if they do a ferry + accommodation bundle.
With the Carlton Hotel you get 'up to 50% off' the ferry fare with their inclusive deals.
It's a popular bed and breakfast which scores 5/5 on TripAdvisor. They don't provide evening meals but there's a tea gardens which has lunches and sea views.
It certainly isn't the only one though. My advice would be to phone a hotel direct to see if they do a ferry + accommodation bundle.
With the Carlton Hotel you get 'up to 50% off' the ferry fare with their inclusive deals.
It's a popular bed and breakfast which scores 5/5 on TripAdvisor. They don't provide evening meals but there's a tea gardens which has lunches and sea views.
The-Isle-of-Wight-Guru-Don't-Blame-Us-Disclaimer™ The information on this website is correct, as far as we know, but please contact us if you find anything inaccurate. Our proper disclaimer is here.
