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8 Best Isle of Wight Holiday Lodges 2024
I’m a big fan of self-catering holiday lodges, which provide a slightly classier option than the wobbly walls of caravans. They are often based on holiday parks and spa resorts with decent facilities such as indoor swimming pools and restaurants, as well as sea views and beachside locations.
Many self-catering lodges also have hot tubs, so you can spend your holiday indulging in an outdoor bath and a glass of Cava.
Here are eight of the best holiday lodges on the Isle of Wight:
Many self-catering lodges also have hot tubs, so you can spend your holiday indulging in an outdoor bath and a glass of Cava.
Here are eight of the best holiday lodges on the Isle of Wight:
1. Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat and Woodside Coastal Retreat (hot tubs, restaurant, beachside)
Woodside Coastal Retreat and Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat are two adjacent beachside sites on the east of the Isle of Wight. They aren’t the cheapest holiday lodges on the Isle of Wight but both sites get very good reviews from visitors (9/10 generally).
The lodges are in Wootton, which is very near to the Fishbourne ferry port, so it's very simple if you’re travelling from Portsmouth. The site doesn’t have a swimming pool, but there is a gym and restaurant. You can use any of the facilities regardless of which of the two sites you stay at (the sites are linked by a short woodland path).
The slightly newer lodges are at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat whilst Woodside Coastal Retreat has better sea views. There are private hot tubs attached to some of the accommodation and there’s a shingly beach which is only a pebble's throw away.
The park is around the spot where the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival was held, when Bob Dylan’s performance was watched by 150,000 people including John Lennon.
Cheapest price at Woodside Coastal Retreat and Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat for a family of four for one week in August 2023:
The lodges are in Wootton, which is very near to the Fishbourne ferry port, so it's very simple if you’re travelling from Portsmouth. The site doesn’t have a swimming pool, but there is a gym and restaurant. You can use any of the facilities regardless of which of the two sites you stay at (the sites are linked by a short woodland path).
The slightly newer lodges are at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat whilst Woodside Coastal Retreat has better sea views. There are private hot tubs attached to some of the accommodation and there’s a shingly beach which is only a pebble's throw away.
The park is around the spot where the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival was held, when Bob Dylan’s performance was watched by 150,000 people including John Lennon.
Cheapest price at Woodside Coastal Retreat and Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat for a family of four for one week in August 2023:
- 4 berth Osborne lodge at Woodside Coastal Retreat from £2399 or from £1839 for a lodge with a hot tub (I'm not sure why the hot tub option was cheaper!)
- 4 berth Wootton lodge at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat from £1585 or from £2605 for a lodge with a hot tub
Woodside Coastal Retreat has great sea views...
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...whilst adjacent park Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat has slightly newer accommodation
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2. Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park (Indoor and outdoor pools, beachside, hot tubs - good for families)
**Whitecliff Bay Discount Code: Save 10% via this link with exclusive code IOWGURU10 (expires 31/12/23)**
Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park used to just offer caravans and glamping. However, they've added some 'exclusive' accommodation which are more like luxury lodges.
The Rockstar and The Tribeca luxury lodges have the option of a hot tub, whilst the Seaview lodges don't have hot tubs but they have a sea view (you probably guessed that). The Rockstar lodges featured on a Partridge-esque programme called Caravanning With Shane Ritchie on Channel 5.
The holiday park is run by a company called Away Resorts which has several parks around the UK. Whitecliff Bay scores 4/5 from most reviewers and offers a busy schedule of stuff to do including indoor and outdoor swimming pools and entertainment. Expect it to offer a lively atmosphere, rather than complete silence.
The best thing about Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is the location, which is alongside a really lovely sandy beach. The beach is much quieter than it deserves to be because it's an effort to reach unless you are staying at the holiday park (or another adjacent park called Sandhills). On a sunny day you can convince yourself that you're sitting on a foreign island, as long as you don't dip your toe in the water.
You can also get them to help with booking the Isle of Wight ferry. Accommodation providers usually get the best prices and can save you quite a bit.
Price for a week in a lodge for a family of four at Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park in August 2023:
The Rockstar and The Tribeca luxury lodges have the option of a hot tub, whilst the Seaview lodges don't have hot tubs but they have a sea view (you probably guessed that). The Rockstar lodges featured on a Partridge-esque programme called Caravanning With Shane Ritchie on Channel 5.
The holiday park is run by a company called Away Resorts which has several parks around the UK. Whitecliff Bay scores 4/5 from most reviewers and offers a busy schedule of stuff to do including indoor and outdoor swimming pools and entertainment. Expect it to offer a lively atmosphere, rather than complete silence.
The best thing about Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is the location, which is alongside a really lovely sandy beach. The beach is much quieter than it deserves to be because it's an effort to reach unless you are staying at the holiday park (or another adjacent park called Sandhills). On a sunny day you can convince yourself that you're sitting on a foreign island, as long as you don't dip your toe in the water.
You can also get them to help with booking the Isle of Wight ferry. Accommodation providers usually get the best prices and can save you quite a bit.
Price for a week in a lodge for a family of four at Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park in August 2023:
- £1852 for a luxury Rockstar lodge with a hot tub (sleeps 7). The cheapest accommodation starts at around £900.
Lodges at Whitecliff Bay have names like Tribeca and Indulgent Rockstar...
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...and the site is next to one of my favourite beaches
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3. St. Helen's Holiday Resort (hot tubs, 15 minute walk to the beach, outdoor swimming pool)
**St Helen's Discount Code: Save 10% via this link with discount code IOWGURU10 (expires 31/12/23)**
St Helen's Holiday Resort was previously called St Helen's Coastal Resort, before it was bought by Away Resorts in 2022. The new name is more accurate in my opinion, as it's 15-20 minutes' walk to the beach.
Reviews are consistently excellent, averaging about 9/10 on most sites. There's an outdoor heated swimming pool for those who are optimistic about the weather, as well as fields for playing sports.
It's a quiet park on the Isle of Wight's east coast but you won't get a sea view. The local beaches are pretty and have shallow water, which are ideal for paddling but less practical for swimming (Priory Bay and St Helen's are my favourite beaches in the area). Ryde is also nearby for a bucket-and-spade day out.
There are two and three bedroom self-catering lodges on offer, some of which have hot tubs.
Away Resorts will book the Isle of Wight ferry for you, which works out much cheaper than going direct to Wightlink or Red Funnel. It was as much as 50% off when we checked.
Cheapest price for one week for a family of four at St Helen's Holiday Resort in August 2023
Reviews are consistently excellent, averaging about 9/10 on most sites. There's an outdoor heated swimming pool for those who are optimistic about the weather, as well as fields for playing sports.
It's a quiet park on the Isle of Wight's east coast but you won't get a sea view. The local beaches are pretty and have shallow water, which are ideal for paddling but less practical for swimming (Priory Bay and St Helen's are my favourite beaches in the area). Ryde is also nearby for a bucket-and-spade day out.
There are two and three bedroom self-catering lodges on offer, some of which have hot tubs.
Away Resorts will book the Isle of Wight ferry for you, which works out much cheaper than going direct to Wightlink or Red Funnel. It was as much as 50% off when we checked.
Cheapest price for one week for a family of four at St Helen's Holiday Resort in August 2023
- £2188 for a 'superior lodge' with hot tub. The cheapest caravan was £1380 for a week.
St Helen's Holiday Resort has modern lodges, a small outdoor swimming pool...
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...and the option to upgrade to a hot tub lodge
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4. The Bay, Colwell (indoor swimming pool, hot tubs)
**The Bay Colwell Discount Code: Save 10% via this link with discount code IOWGURU10 (expires 31/12/23)**
The Bay, Colwell was previously called Colwell Bay Holiday Cottages. It's a fairly small and simple site in the West Wight with an indoor swimming pool, tennis and a play area.
The self-catering cottages/lodges sleep 4 to 6 people, and the more expensive ones have outdoor hot tubs. Reviews average about 8/10.
The local beach is a 5-minute walk away and is the closest point to the mainland. I would avoid trying to swim across unless you want to accidentally visit France. Colwell Bay has not got a lot of sand at low tide, but it’s on the West side of the Isle of Wight which has several unspoilt beaches.
If you want to trek across to the busier tourist resorts of Sandown, Shanklin and Ryde then it will take about 45 minutes. Most Isle of Wight residents don’t like to travel far and only attempt a journey of this distance on special occasions but I’m sure you’ll be fine.
You can also get a big discount on the ferry crossing with your booking.
Price for a week in a lodge at The Bay, Colwell in August 2023:
The self-catering cottages/lodges sleep 4 to 6 people, and the more expensive ones have outdoor hot tubs. Reviews average about 8/10.
The local beach is a 5-minute walk away and is the closest point to the mainland. I would avoid trying to swim across unless you want to accidentally visit France. Colwell Bay has not got a lot of sand at low tide, but it’s on the West side of the Isle of Wight which has several unspoilt beaches.
If you want to trek across to the busier tourist resorts of Sandown, Shanklin and Ryde then it will take about 45 minutes. Most Isle of Wight residents don’t like to travel far and only attempt a journey of this distance on special occasions but I’m sure you’ll be fine.
You can also get a big discount on the ferry crossing with your booking.
Price for a week in a lodge at The Bay, Colwell in August 2023:
- £1709 for a family of four in a luxury cottage. A lodge/cottage with a hot tub was £2222.
The Bay has cottages for 4-6 people...
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...and a simple indoor swimming pool onsite
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5. The Lakes, Rookley (indoor swimming pool, hot tubs)
**The Lakes Discount Code: Save 10% via this link with discount code IOWGURU10 (expires 31/12/23)**
The Lakes, Rookley was formerly known as Rookley Country Park. It's been upgraded in the last five years and is now owned by Away Resorts. Historic reviews aren't as good as Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat, but most refer to the park before it was taken over. Onsite it's got indoor and outdoor swimming pools and lakes for kayaking.
They've got a mix of self-catering caravans, cottages and 'lakehouses'. Some of the properties were new in the last few years and the posher ones have hot tubs.
Rookley is inland, so the nearest beach is about 15 minutes away by car but it's a convenient central location for exploring the Isle of Wight. You can get anywhere within 30 minutes.
You'll also see it advertised as Rookley Park, which was its old name. This is another park which offers a very good ferry discount when you book (about 50% off when we did some comparisons).
Price for a week in a lodge at The Lakes, Rookley in August 2023:
They've got a mix of self-catering caravans, cottages and 'lakehouses'. Some of the properties were new in the last few years and the posher ones have hot tubs.
Rookley is inland, so the nearest beach is about 15 minutes away by car but it's a convenient central location for exploring the Isle of Wight. You can get anywhere within 30 minutes.
You'll also see it advertised as Rookley Park, which was its old name. This is another park which offers a very good ferry discount when you book (about 50% off when we did some comparisons).
Price for a week in a lodge at The Lakes, Rookley in August 2023:
- £2440 for a family of four in a Lakehouse or £2823 for a cottage with a hot tub. There were caravans starting from £1419.
There are lakeside lodges with a view at this park in Rookley...
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...and some lodges come with hot tubs
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6. Landguard Holiday Park (indoor swimming pool, hot tubs, kids activities - good for families)
**Parkdean Resorts Black Friday: 1000s of holidays from £69 + up to 30% off 7 nights (expires 04/12/23)**
**Landguard Offer: 7 nights from £199**
Most of the accommodation at Parkdean Resorts Landguard Holiday Park is caravans, but there’s a decent choice of self catering lodges which get much better reviews (8 or 9 out of 10) and are worth a look if you like the location and facilities. Some of the Larch Lodges at Landguard Holiday Park have hot tubs
Landguard is in Shanklin which is a classic bucket-and-spade resort which claims to be the sunniest spot in England (although a few different places claim that…). The park is about 20 minutes walk to the beach, so there’s no sea view, but it’s a very well-equipped site with an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, restaurant, shop and playground.
There’s also a busy schedule of kids and grown ups entertainment and sports, if that’s your sort of thing. The park itself scores about 8/10 from most reviewers.
A similar alternative is Lower Hyde, which is also owned by Parkdean Resorts (formerly Park Resorts). It’s a 15 minute walk away and gets similar reviews but the indoor swimming pool is smaller.
Cheapest price for a week in a lodge at Landguard in August 2023:
Landguard is in Shanklin which is a classic bucket-and-spade resort which claims to be the sunniest spot in England (although a few different places claim that…). The park is about 20 minutes walk to the beach, so there’s no sea view, but it’s a very well-equipped site with an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, restaurant, shop and playground.
There’s also a busy schedule of kids and grown ups entertainment and sports, if that’s your sort of thing. The park itself scores about 8/10 from most reviewers.
A similar alternative is Lower Hyde, which is also owned by Parkdean Resorts (formerly Park Resorts). It’s a 15 minute walk away and gets similar reviews but the indoor swimming pool is smaller.
Cheapest price for a week in a lodge at Landguard in August 2023:
- £1829 for a family of four in a Hemlock Lodge or £2779 for a Larch lodge with a hot tub. A week in a caravan is cheaper (from £1179 when we checked).
Parkdean Resorts' Landguard Holiday Park is known for caravans but they classy lodges...
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...which are usually 20 foot wide - or 8 foot wider than a typical caravan
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7. Nodes Point Holiday Park (Indoor swimming pool, entertainment, beachside)
**Nodes Point Offer: 7 nights from £199**
Nodes Point Holiday Park has the same owners and vibe as Landguard Holiday Park (see above) but it's slightly more appealing in my opinion.
It is a Parkdean Resorts' caravan park but there are also 10 different types of lodge to choose from. Some lodges at Nodes Point have hot tubs, dishwashers and ensuite facilities and some are pet friendly. Most lodges are 20 foot wide, which is considerably more than a typical 10 foot or 12 foot wide caravan.
Why do I prefer Nodes Point to Landguard Holiday Park, I hear you cry?
Nodes Point is right next to the beach at St Helens whereas Landguard is a 15 minute walk from the beach at Shanklin. The beach at Shanklin is sandier and has much more to do (minigolf, restaurants, amusements) but convenience is key here. You will often see families having an evening play down at the beach at St Helens before pottering back to their lodges at Nodes Point.
The area around Nodes Point is also a little less touristy than Landguard. Some people find Shanklin a little bit (...dare I say it?) twee with its olde village and shops selling sticks of rock. St Helens' certainly doesn't have the same range of entertainment but it has a nature reserve called The Duver and a watersports centre called Tackt Isle right by the bay. One of my favourite beaches - Priory Bay - is just round the corner.
Nodes Point itself has some kids' entertainment onsite as well as an indoor swimming pool, sports court, playground and onsite restaurant. They also have horse riding on the beach during the summer.
It scores 4/5 on TripAdvisor or slightly higher on Google Reviews.
Cheapest price for one week at Nodes Point Holiday Park in August 2023
It is a Parkdean Resorts' caravan park but there are also 10 different types of lodge to choose from. Some lodges at Nodes Point have hot tubs, dishwashers and ensuite facilities and some are pet friendly. Most lodges are 20 foot wide, which is considerably more than a typical 10 foot or 12 foot wide caravan.
Why do I prefer Nodes Point to Landguard Holiday Park, I hear you cry?
Nodes Point is right next to the beach at St Helens whereas Landguard is a 15 minute walk from the beach at Shanklin. The beach at Shanklin is sandier and has much more to do (minigolf, restaurants, amusements) but convenience is key here. You will often see families having an evening play down at the beach at St Helens before pottering back to their lodges at Nodes Point.
The area around Nodes Point is also a little less touristy than Landguard. Some people find Shanklin a little bit (...dare I say it?) twee with its olde village and shops selling sticks of rock. St Helens' certainly doesn't have the same range of entertainment but it has a nature reserve called The Duver and a watersports centre called Tackt Isle right by the bay. One of my favourite beaches - Priory Bay - is just round the corner.
Nodes Point itself has some kids' entertainment onsite as well as an indoor swimming pool, sports court, playground and onsite restaurant. They also have horse riding on the beach during the summer.
It scores 4/5 on TripAdvisor or slightly higher on Google Reviews.
Cheapest price for one week at Nodes Point Holiday Park in August 2023
- Two bedroom Dimbola Lodge for four people for £1729 or £2659 for a three bedroom lodge with a hot tub
You can enjoy an outdoor bath in a hot tub at Nodes Point...
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...whilst some lodges overlook the beach (please flirt responsibly)
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8. West Bay Cottages
West Bay Cottages (previously called West Bay Club) is another option for families looking for a posh self-catering lodge. There’s a mix of cabins, cottages and two storey houses on a large site with more than 100 properties. They don't have any hot tubs as far as I can tell.
West Bay Cottages are in Yarmouth, which is a rather well-to-do town in the West Wight (the quieter side of the Isle of Wight). It's a 10-minute walk to the pretty harbour at Yarmouth or a couple of miles to a beach for swimming or paddleboarding (Colwell Bay is nearest).
Reviews average 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor or 7.8/10 on Hoseasons when I checked. It's worth noting that West Bay Club used to include a lot of kids' activities and a swimming pool as part of your holiday, but these are not available at the time of writing (hence the name change).
Cheapest price for one week at West Bay Cottages in August 2023
West Bay Cottages are in Yarmouth, which is a rather well-to-do town in the West Wight (the quieter side of the Isle of Wight). It's a 10-minute walk to the pretty harbour at Yarmouth or a couple of miles to a beach for swimming or paddleboarding (Colwell Bay is nearest).
Reviews average 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor or 7.8/10 on Hoseasons when I checked. It's worth noting that West Bay Club used to include a lot of kids' activities and a swimming pool as part of your holiday, but these are not available at the time of writing (hence the name change).
Cheapest price for one week at West Bay Cottages in August 2023
- Two-bedroom cottage for four people for £1461
West Bay Cottages has a big range of different lodges for hire...
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...and it scores well with reviewers
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Which Isle of Wight lodge would you choose?
- If you want to be within walking distance of a beach, I'd choose Woodside Coastal Retreat or Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat (their treehouses are popular with couples), Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park or Nodes Point Holiday Park.
- If you want family friendly activities but would rather be in a busy tourist resort, I'd choose Landguard.
- If you want a central location to explore the whole Island I'd pick The Lakes, Rookley.
- If you want decent accommodation and want to be in the sleepy West Wight, I'd choose West Bay Cottages or The Bay, Colwell
Necessary waffle about our price comparison: we looked for the cheapest lodge available for a family of two adults and two children for a week in early August 2023. We carried out searches in September 2022. We didn't include extras or upgrades. There's obviously no guarantee that the same price will be available when you search, it's just meant as a guide. I mean really, do I have to point out the blindingly obvious?
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.
