Isle of Wight Holiday Hotels in the British Isles

Map of the Isle of Wight copyright © 2011 John Moss, Papillon Graphics

The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest of the British islands, located in the English Channel, just a few miles off the south coast of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by The Solent strait. The Island is known for its natural beauty, its sailing regattas at Cowes, and its other main holiday resorts like Sandown, Shanklin, Yarmouth and Ventnor, which have been popular vacation destinations since Victorian times. These resorts offer an abundance of hotels, B&Bs, Guest Houses and other accommodation for visitors to the island.

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The Isle of Wight is easily accessible from Southsea in Hampshire by hovercraft. Several ferry services operate across the Solent: from Southampton to Cowes, Portsmouth to Ryde and to Fishbourne, and from Lymington to Yarmouth.
Queen Victoria made Osborne House on the Isle of Wight her summer home for many years and, as a result, it became a major holiday resort for fashionable Victorians including Alfred Lord Tennyson, Julia Margaret Cameron, Charles Dickens (who wrote much of David Copperfield there) and several members of European royalty.
Being one of the most southerly parts of the UK, the Isle of Wight has a milder sub-climate than most other areas, which makes it a popular holiday destination, particularly the resorts in the south east of the island. It also has a longer growing season than most other areas in the UK.
The heritage of the island is a major asset, which has for many years kept its economy going. Holidays focused on natural heritage, including both wildlife and geology, are becoming a growing alternative to the traditional British seaside holiday.