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5 best Isle of Wight holiday lodges 2020
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 5 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 5 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 pebbles 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 2021:
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 pebbles 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 2021:
- 4 berth Osborne lodge at Woodside Coastal Retreat from £1505 or from £1905 for a lodge with a hot tub
- 4 berth Nettlestone lodge at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat from £1319 or from £1805 for a lodge with a hot tub
2. St. Helen's Coastal Resort (hot tubs, 15 minute walk to the beach, outdoor swimming pool)
St Helen's Coastal Resort was previously called St Helen's Holiday Park, before it was bought by Aria Resorts and revamped in 2019.
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, although it isn't actually right by the beach (15-20 minute walk) so 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 two favourite 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.
Cheapest price for one week for a family of four at St Helen's Coastal Resort in August 2021
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, although it isn't actually right by the beach (15-20 minute walk) so 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 two favourite 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.
Cheapest price for one week for a family of four at St Helen's Coastal Resort in August 2021
- £2887 for a 'superior lodge' with hot tub. The cheapest caravan was £1665 for a week.
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St Helen's Coastal Resort has an outdoor swimming pool
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3. The Bay, Colwell (indoor swimming pool, hot tubs)
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 discount on the ferry crossing with your booking.
Price for a week in a lodge at The Bay, Colwell in August 2021:
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 discount on the ferry crossing with your booking.
Price for a week in a lodge at The Bay, Colwell in August 2021:
- £1396 for a family of four in a premium cottage. A lodge/cottage with a hot tub was £1879.
4. Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park (Indoor and outdoor pools, beachside, hot tubs - good for families)
**Special offer: 10% off with discount code AWAY10. Valid until December 2020**
Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park used to just offer caravans, glamping and camping, but they've added some 'luxury' and 'superior' lodges. My hunch is that they're proving popular as we found very little availability for the luxury options when we searched.
The poshest self catering lodges have hot tubs and three bedrooms, but they also have a quirkily decorated option called Indulgent Rockstar which are a step up from a caravan (these 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 half a dozen parks around the UK. It 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.
Price for a week in a lodge for a family of four at Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park in August 2021:
The poshest self catering lodges have hot tubs and three bedrooms, but they also have a quirkily decorated option called Indulgent Rockstar which are a step up from a caravan (these 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 half a dozen parks around the UK. It 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.
Price for a week in a lodge for a family of four at Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park in August 2021:
- £1863 for a luxury Tribeca lodge with a hot tub (sleeps 5). Value caravans start at about £1100.
5. The Lakes, Rookley (indoor swimming pool, hot tubs)
The Lakes, Rookley was formerly known as Rookley Country Park before it was bought by Aria Resorts and renamed in 2019. Historic reviews aren't as good as West Bay Club/West Bay Cottages or 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 2018 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 ferry discount when you book.
Price for a week in a lodge at The Lakes, Rookley in August 2021:
They've got a mix of self catering caravans, cottages and 'lakehouses'. Some of the properties were new in 2018 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 ferry discount when you book.
Price for a week in a lodge at The Lakes, Rookley in August 2021:
- £1661 for a family of four in a Lakehouse or £1791 for a cottage with a hot tub. There were caravans starting from £1074.
6. Landguard Holiday Park (indoor swimming pool, hot tubs, kids activities - good for families)
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.
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 2020:
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 2020:
- £1309 for a family of four in a Hemlock Lodge or £2099 for a Larch lodge with a hot tub. A week in a caravan is much cheaper (from £889 when we checked).
7. West Bay Cottages (indoor swimming pool, exercise classes, kids activities - good for families)
West Bay Cottages (previously called West Bay Club) is another option for families looking for a posh self catering lodge with access to a swimming pool. 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.
Onsite, there’s an indoor swimming pool which is included in your stay. Other activities are run by the adjacent country club and you have to pay extra for those (it was an extra £150 for a 3 bed property when I checked).
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 (Colwell Bay is nearest).
You can also contact them to help with booking the Isle of Wight ferry. Accommodation providers usually get the best prices and can save you quite a bit.
Reviews are outstanding, averaging 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor when I checked. It's worth noting that West Bay Club used to include a lot of kids activities as part of your holiday, but these are now run separately (hence the name change).
Cheapest price for one week at West Bay Cottages in August 2021:
Onsite, there’s an indoor swimming pool which is included in your stay. Other activities are run by the adjacent country club and you have to pay extra for those (it was an extra £150 for a 3 bed property when I checked).
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 (Colwell Bay is nearest).
You can also contact them to help with booking the Isle of Wight ferry. Accommodation providers usually get the best prices and can save you quite a bit.
Reviews are outstanding, averaging 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor when I checked. It's worth noting that West Bay Club used to include a lot of kids activities as part of your holiday, but these are now run separately (hence the name change).
Cheapest price for one week at West Bay Cottages in August 2021:
- 4 person bungalow for £1454
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) or Whitecliff Bay 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 with a swimming pool and want to be in the sleepy West Wight, I'd choose West Bay Cottages.
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 2021. We carried out searches in September 2020. 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.
