Stay by the sea on the Isle of Wight

With the summer holidays upon us, there’s no better place to be than by the sea. Whether you’re looking for a coastal cottage, a clifftop campsite or a seaside holiday lodge just a short sprint down to those crisp blue waves, our handy guide has plenty of ideas.

Arranged on a clifftop (sufficiently far back from the edge, of course) is Whitecliff Bay, a coastal holiday park offering everything from archery and crazy golf in the daytime to live acts and performances once the sun goes down. Depending on whether you book yourself into a lodge, caravan or chalet, you might get some shimmery sea glimpses from your accommodation windows.

For those who find the waters of the British seaside a bit on the chilly side there are places to stay with their own sufficiently steamy hot tubs too (try The Rockstar lodge for instance). Overlooked by the chalky cliffs of Culver, the shoreline is just a short shuffle down the hill and makes a great spot for the family to rub in that Factor 50 and soak up the seaside rays.

Supposedly one of the Island’s oldest pubs (dating back to the 18th century), The Buddle Inn is filled to the rafters with character, charm and apparently the odd ghost too. Tucked down a quiet lane in the former smuggling village of Niton (once famous for its locally-caught crabs) it makes a superb seaside base for walks to St. Catherine’s lofty lighthouse or the quaint bay at Castlehaven with its rustic beachfront cafés.

Back at the Buddle though, guests will find a range of recently revamped boutique rooms designed with comfort and style in mind. Once you’ve settled in and unpacked your bags, just head downstairs to the bar when it’s time for your evening meal. Here, menu options include the ribeye steak with duck fat potatoes, the burger with smoked cheese béchamel or The Buddle Fish Pie made up of smoked fish, tarragon, spinach and lemon sauce.

Over in the West Wight hamlet of Newbridge, set amongst lush undulating countryside and with panoramic views over the ships in the Solent, you’ll find The Orchards. Visitors to this award-winning holiday park can manoeuvre their campervans or hammer their tent pegs into one of the site’s many grassy pitches. Alternatively, a fleet of bright and welcoming caravans awaits (each sleeping between four and six guests) – an option especially popular with the youngest visitors.

From The Orchards, a ten-minute drive to the west will bring you to the nautical harbour town of Yarmouth, where you can sample ice creams on the pier or cross over the river to explore the dunes of Sandhard Beach. Setting coordinates southwards instead will take you to the rugged coastline that flanks the Military Road, where the waves of The Channel are known to make excellent conditions for surfing.

If you’re looking for something a tad fancier but equally as nautical, try The Seaview Hotel on the Island’s eastern shore. Located in the upmarket sailing village of Seaview (from where it takes its name), you’ll be close to sailing clubs, coastal walks and a selection of salt-kissed swimming beaches, including Seagrove Bay which has its own pop-up barista bar at this time of year.

Check-in options at The Seaview Hotel include crisp and comfy standard rooms, an apartment suite (if you fancy splashing out) and an assortment of superior rooms with views out over the calm blue seas below. If you’re starting to feel peckish, you can take a seat in the ground floor Aquitania restaurant – winner of 2 AA Rosettes – for a modern assortment of dishes atop the whitest of tablecloths and with the sparkliest of silverware.

Down on the Esplanade at Ventnor, amongst the brightly coloured deckchairs and circling seagulls, is Villa Amanti – an elegant sandy-coloured Victorian villa which wouldn’t look out of place in Tuscany. Behind its row of welcoming palm trees, guests will discover a spick and span beachfront apartment, conveniently set on the building’s ground floor.

Aside from the restful interiors and shipshape facilities, the pièce de résistance of this two-bedroom apartment has to be its compact front patio, which looks out across the shingly beach of Ventnor and onto the deep blue waters beyond. Providing a prime lookout point, from here you’ll also be able to spot local fishing vessels gliding back into harbour, or catch sight of the cross-Channel ferries sailing over to the French coast. Managed by Island Holiday Homes, this elegant seaside bolt-hole makes the perfect base for trips to the leafy village of Bonchurch (once visited by Charles Dickens) or the calm waters of Steephill Cove.

Shifting from the starboard side of the Island to port, if rustic charm is top of your agenda, then you can’t go wrong with a getaway to Little Halt – a 17th-century thatched cottage in the coastal town of Freshwater. Set overlooking Pound Green, this Grade II listed stone house boasts grassy lawns, a secluded terrace and more period features than you could shake an oar at.

While it might be tricky to tear yourself away from the charm of Little Halt, a two-minute drive (or a swift twenty-minute stroll) will bring you to the tranquillity of Freshwater Bay, where you can pick up all your nautical knick-knacks at the Freshwater Bay Trading Co. and (if it’s a Friday or Sunday evening) sample a wood-fired pizza on the shore, fresh from the oven of the vintage Wight Wood Pizza van.