Ready to discover a truly unforgettable escape? With beaches to rival the Balearics, a burgeoning wellness scene that is really starting to make waves and a smorgasbord of amazing restaurants, the Isle of Wight is only an hour’s ferry ride away from the South Coast. It is fast becoming the place to visit this summer, the IOW music festival aside!
Isle of Wight has an almost Mediterranean quality – the island, and in particular Ventnor, has its very own micro-climate and is one of the warmest places in the UK. The great outdoors is definitely a strong reason to visit the island, from beautiful beaches to the stunning Ventnor Botanical Garden.
From nature and gastronomy to chocolate-box cottages in quaint villages and lots of royal history, it wouldn’t be remiss to say there’s really something for everyone on the Isle of Wight. However, having discovered that the island is having a real wellness moment, it felt like the right time to explore this side of the island.
From immersive gong baths and cold lake swimming to delicious food, indulgent facials and Finnish-inspired saunas, if you are looking for a wellness destination, here’s why the Isle of Wight should be your next UK trip this summer.
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How to get to the Isle of Wight
We hopped on a Red Funnel ferry from Southampton to East Cowes. Within a couple of minutes of parking our car, we were headed up to enjoy the premium Signature Lounge which offers a quiet, relaxing space with enhanced WiFi and panoramic views. Guests can also take advantage of complimentary snacks and beverages, making a lovely way to start your Isle of Wight adventure.
Where to stay on the Isle of Wight
With incredible views over Ventnor Bay from every window, beautifully comfortable bedrooms and a relaxed boutique feel, The Hambrough is the perfect place to slow down, switch off and recharge by the sea.
One of the most relaxing things to do was to take in the sea views from this beautifully converted Victorian villa before retreating to our cosy room with its high ceilings, sea-view bay windows and balcony (with a cute little table and chairs, perfect for our morning coffee break).
The bathroom was surprisingly big and had a bath tub tucked away in the corner and a walk-in rainfall shower complete with Molton Brown products. All rooms have minibars, Nespresso machines and robes. The room we stayed in was spacious and light.
Whilst the hotel doesn’t have an on-site restaurant, they can provide guests with an afternoon tea, a meze platter of local meats and cheeses, which was absolutely delicious. Barbara, one of the hotel owners, made every effort to provide an incredible platter filled with local cheeses, served alongside cornichons, locally-made bread and crackers, grapes and more.
I do love a good hotel breakfast, and the breakfast at the Hambrough was hands down one of the best I have had in a long while. The local sausages were really tasty, and the options that guests could choose from were impressive.
Where to eat on the Isle of Wight
Smoking Lobster, Ventnor
One of the island’s top restaurants, the Smoking Lobster was also one of the most recommended to me whilst planning my trip to the Isle of Wight. Their flagship restaurant was based a few moments away from my Ventnor hotel, although they do have a sister restaurant on the other side of the island in Cowes.
Located on Ventnor beach, the restaurant’s interiors are inspired by the island’s coastal surroundings, complete with weathered wooden floors, wicker lighting, muted pastel tones and paintings by local artists. The open kitchen made for some serious culinary theatre, and it was great to see the brigade at work.
Diners can choose between a curated selection of small sharing plates or to enjoy one small plate as a starter and a larger plate for a main. From Bao Buns to Tempura Tenderstem Broccoli, there were no dishes on the menu that we could happily forsake, so the deliberation of what to choose was swiftly remedied with the option of a tasting menu or Omakase, which is essentially the chef’s selection.
We started our Smoking Lobster culinary journey with a Lo Bak Go, a Chinese turnip cake with the most delicious quail egg and sweet soy. This was such an interesting dish with the richness of the quail egg’s yolk elevating the turnip cake.
The Isle of Wight is renowned for both garlic and tomato, so it was great to see a tomato carpaccio with a very refreshing ponzo tomato consomme paired with the most beautifully seared Yellowfin Tuna Tataki.
Dish 3 was one that was so exclusivethat it wasn’t even on the menu – a steamed sea bass in a black bean sauce with sauted veg. Simple, but expertly executed. Umami-packed, the fish was flaky and light. Accompanied by a seriously good gin and tonic (with the island’s very own Mermaid gin), the second fish dish was a great addition to the tasting menu.
The fish dishes continued with an amazing yuzu miso black cod with punchy pickled rice and white kimchi topped with a lotus crisp. The velvety, melt-in-the-mouth cod was perfectly matched with the zesty pickled rice – an absolute triumph!
Whilst it was slightly sad to say goodbye to the fish, the prospect of the meat dishes was tantalising, and as a fan of lamb, the next dish was another masterclass in flavours. Pan-roasted, the lamb loin came with a rosemary and black bean sauce and was served with nasu dengaku. You could really taste the eggplant which was delicately tender.
The last savoury dish of the tasting menu was a tender seared beef ribeye tataki, paired with a ponzu butter noisette and a truffle emulsion. From the rich nutty flavours of the ponzu buerre noisette to the smoky seared beef, this was one unforgettable dish!
As a coeliac, the restaurant made every effort to adapt dishes to make sure that they were gluten free and very kindly whipped up a gluten-free dessert for me there and then – a caramalised apple tart with poached apple, accompanied by a plum-infused sake – the perfect way to end an incredible meal!
The Smoking Lobster have brilliantly designed a menu that is full of local island produce, especially seafood, reimagined through an Asian-fusion lens. It’s an absolute must when visiting the island, offering a gastronomic experience to remember.
Mushi At The Rex, Ventnor
Our Asian fusion culinary adventure continued with Mushi At The Rex, also in Ventnor. They only opened their doors last year, and the owners were previously running a restaurant on Sark in the Channel Islands.
The Mushi part of the name is a fusion of the owners’ names, and Rex pays homage to the building that once housed the town’s beloved Rex Cinema, as well as a playful reference to the Isle of Wight’s dinosaur legacy. Fun fact, the Isle of Wight is one of the UK’s richest dinosaur fossil sites! The restaurant is housed in an elegant Art Deco white building that overlooks the sea from the clifftop.
A friendly and efficient service, it’s EuroAsian fine dining in a relaxed and welcoming setting. Co-owner Shaima was so sweet and warm whilst husband Munna cooked up a cacophony of amazing dishes in the kitchen.
Diners can opt for some nibbles like panko breaded king prawns or crispy green bean fritters, but we decided to go straight to the starters and opted for a gorgeous crab fritter dish served with a smoked paprika rose sauce. We also shared a prawn and smoked salmon tartare which was filled with flavour and came with homemade guacamole.
Seafood (unsurprisingly) was the key theme throughout. I saw that there was an Asian-infused seafood bowl on the menu, I couldn’t resist. When Shaima delivered the dish to our table, I knew I had made the right decision as it was chock full of local delicacies like prawn, mussels, squid, sea bass and crab meat in the most amazingly fragrant coconut-infused sauce. Absolutely outstanding!
Whilst there’s lots of seafood on the menu, diners can also opt for dishes like slow-cooked beef, a honey-glazed chicken and a fabulous butternut squash curry.
The end of the meal came far too soon and in the shape of a sweet treat – a banana fritter with vanilla ice cream and maple syrup. This was a fantastic meal and Chef Munna delivered every dish with precision that really packed a punch with flavour, presentation and texture.
Another great Ventnor restaurant to add to your ever-growing list of Isle of Wight restaurants to visit!
Best Wellness Experiences on the Isle of Wight
Indulge in a facial at Liz Earle, Ryde
Every skincare enthusiast will already be familiar with one of the beauty world’s most iconic products, Liz Earle’s much loved Cleanse & Polish cleanser. What many people may not realise, however, is that the origins of the celebrated British beauty brand are rooted on the Isle of Wight.
With wellness forming the heart of my island escape, a visit to the Liz Earle flagship store in Ryde was firmly at the top of my itinerary. The space itself felt calm and inviting, filled with the brand’s most sought after products and carrying the instantly recognisable botanical scent that has become synonymous with Liz Earle.
I was treated to the Signature Facial, a deeply indulgent 90-minute treatment tailored entirely to the individual needs of my skin. Escorted into a tranquil therapy room, complete with a heated treatment bed and softly soothing interiors, I immediately felt myself begin to unwind.
As someone who is rarely able to switch off completely, the experience proved to be a rare moment of total calm. Although I had initially been torn between booking a facial or a massage, the Signature Facial combined the best of both worlds, incorporating not only a blissful neck and shoulder massage, but also an invigorating scalp massage that left me feeling entirely restored.
My therapist carried out a detailed skin analysis before guiding me through the treatment itself, offering thoughtful skincare advice along the way. From the luxurious double cleanse using the brand’s cult favourite Cleanse & Polish to the intensely soothing mask applied while I enjoyed an arm massage, every element felt carefully considered and deeply restorative.
Particularly memorable was the gentle steam treatment, which left my skin looking noticeably brighter and refreshed, alongside the sculpting lymphatic inspired facial massage that gave my complexion a beautifully lifted appearance. Without question, it was one of the finest facials I have experienced and a true highlight of my Isle of Wight wellness retreat.
For those seeking a restorative treatment while visiting the island, Liz Earle’s Ryde flagship is a destination in itself. Alongside its extensive facial offering, the store also offers a selection of massages and wellness experiences, including the aptly named Wind Down Experience, a top to toe ritual designed to encourage deep relaxation and restful sleep. Combining meditative grounding techniques, hot stone massage and a warm gua sha facial ritual, it is the ultimate antidote to modern day stress.
Take a stroll around the Botanical Garden
A stroll through the enchanting surroundings of the Isle of Wight’s celebrated Botanical Garden offers more than simple escape; it is a restorative experience for both body and soul. Spanning 22 exquisite acres, the gardens showcase more than 30,000 rare and exotic plant species, flourishing in one of Britain’s most remarkable microclimates.
Beyond the gardens themselves, guests can immerse themselves in a wellness programme featuring Tai Chi, Pilates, burlesque and an array of yoga practices. Framed by subtropical palms, ancient olives and majestic cork oaks, the setting feels worlds away from everyday life, tranquil, atmospheric and quietly indulgent.
For a more deeply meditative experience, visitors may choose to partake in a gong bath, an immersive full body sound therapy designed to calm the mind and restore balance through the resonant tones of gongs, crystal bowls, chimes and percussion. It is a rare opportunity to surrender completely to the soothing rhythms of nature and sound.
Take a dip at SloMo
For a Scandinavian inspired wellness experience on the Isle of Wight, SloMo is the place to visit. With two island locations, the beautifully designed wellness space effortlessly combines laid back Nordic style with contemporary lakeside luxury. Its wood fired saunas overlook the water, offering spectacular views across the surrounding landscape.
Created by DJ and Bestival founder Rob da Bank and his wife Josie, SloMo has helped redefine the island’s wellness scene. Set within Tapnell Farm, the site also features a padel court and floating aqua park, creating a distinctly modern take on countryside escape.
In the name of wellness, I opted to forgo the aqua park in favour of a more restorative experience, alternating between ice baths, surprisingly manageable once you surrender to the initial shock, the saunas and one of the striking bright orange Dutch made hot tubs.
With the lake only steps away, there was ultimately no avoiding the lure of cold water swimming. On my third tentative attempt at easing myself in, I finally committed to a brief swim and, dear reader, it was absolutely freezing. Nevertheless, the exhilaration afterwards made it entirely worthwhile, even if I did make a rather frantic dash back to the warmth of the hot tub immediately afterwards.
Equal parts invigorating and deeply restorative, SloMo offers a contemporary wellness experience that feels perfectly suited to the Isle of Wight’s slower, more soulful pace of life.
For those seeking a slower rhythm and a chance to truly switch off, the Isle of Wight offers an effortlessly restorative escape. Just a short ferry ride from the mainland, the island feels a world away, but its gentle pace, abundance of nature and connection to the elements encourage a sense of calm that is increasingly rare to find, making it a truly compelling destination for a wellness-focused staycation.
Photo Credit: Emma Harrison, Red Funnel Ferries, Visit Isle of Wight and Unsplash.
