For those who’re searching for a luxurious resort on the Isle of Wight, you’ll be able to hardly do higher than one which has had the royal seal of approval – however what in the event you’re visiting The Royal Lodge Ventnor with children?
overview keep*
The four-star resort, within the south of the Isle of Wight, has counted Empress Elisabeth of Austria amongst its friends, together with Charles Dickens, whereas Queen Victoria was a fan of The Royal’s afternoon tea, which has been served right here for over 180 years.
However in the event you’re picturing a proper, quite stuffy place to remain, assume once more. With an outside pool, welcoming employees and a kids’s menu within the restaurant, there’s loads to tempt households to The Royal Lodge Ventnor with children.
The Royal Lodge Ventnor: Important Statistics
There’s been a resort on this website for nearly 200 years, since an inn was constructed within the 1830s, when it was referred to as the Ventnor Lodge.
Since renamed The Royal Lodge, right this moment it has 51 bedrooms, together with household rooms in addition to numerous double rooms and a few singles, all individually styled and a few with views out throughout the gardens to the ocean.
Some rooms are additionally dog-friendly, whereas many are accessible (though there are steps to some areas of resort, so it’s price checking the specifics in the event you want).
There’s a restaurant within the resort with dinner, mattress and breakfast packages on supply, in addition to B&B, plus afternoon tea and a bar.
You’ll additionally discover free parking on the resort with a small automobile park reverse the principle entrance and one other barely bigger automobile park a couple of minutes stroll away up the hill which additionally has EV charging factors.
The resort can be strolling distance from Ventnor Seaside, Ventnor Botanic Backyard and from Ventnor itself, whereas it’s a simple drive from lots of the island’s points of interest – the donkey sanctuary is simply round 10 minutes away by automobile, Wildheart Animal Sanctuary in Yaverland is 20-Half-hour, and even the Needles on the island’s western tip are solely round 40 minutes away.
Try my decide of one of the best issues to do on the Isle of Wight with children
The Royal Lodge Ventnor with children: overview
Escaping the most well liked day of the yr in London, The Royal Lodge was our base for a brief break on the Isle of Wight, solely round half an hour from the Purple Funnel ferry port in East Cowes.
And after my automobile’s air-con determined to interrupt down part-way by means of our journey, a spot of luxurious felt very properly deserved certainly.
The out of doors tables had been full of individuals having fun with a day tea, sipping a chilly drink, or simply chatting within the shade with household and buddies. Whereas the resort’s heritage is distinctly grand, the ambiance right this moment is much extra relaxed – this isn’t someplace the place households are seen and never heard.
The out of doors pool, for instance, has no restrictions on when children can swim, in contrast to loads of different resorts we’ve encountered. It’s additionally heated, though with temperatures hovering above 30C, it felt deliciously cool – flip up early to seize one of many comfortable loungers beneath an umbrella, though I didn’t wrestle to search out a few chairs and a shady nook.
In any other case, the resort manages to steadiness conventional model with a heat welcome – employees had been at all times well mannered and pleasant, however with out being too formal, and overhearing a number of conversations within the restaurant, it was apparent they’d shortly acquired to know any regulars.
The meals itself was scrumptious, with loads of domestically sourced components, a separate menu for vegetarians and vegans, in addition to a kids’s menu for youthful ones.
At 14, my daughter was very removed from the youngest visitor staying and way more within the mocktails to go along with her personal dinner – impressively, there was already a be aware of her dietary necessities available and employees had checked forward so they may spotlight something that wasn’t appropriate.
High tip: if the mango souffle is on the menu, order it quick, it was completely scrumptious. My solely remorse was feeling too full the subsequent morning to work my approach by means of extra of the cooked objects on the breakfast menu – you’ll be able to order from each the continental and cooked menus, with cereal accessible to assist your self to.
Together with classics like a full English (and veggie model), or smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, area mushrooms on sourdough with a truffle mayo had been a temptingly decadent begin to the day. There are additionally lighter choices together with toast, pastries, fruit and a greek yoghurt pot with compote and granola.
Our room featured the identical balancing act of consolation and conventional model: vastly comfy beds, a dressing desk and correct wardrobe, plus little sachets of oat milk alongside the tea, espresso, biscuits and complimentary water (recent milk was additionally accessible on request).
Within the toilet, you’ll discover a set of Period toiletries – white tea and jasmine perfume – and loads of fluffy white towels.
With new house owners in 2024, there are plans to refurbish and improve a number of the rooms and some modernising touches would undoubtedly be a bonus – there aren’t any plugs by the mattress, for instance, which has grow to be pretty normal lately.
There’s additionally no air-con, though we had a powerful fan, mixed with a sash window you would really open, which stored us cool even within the heatwave.
However the conventional allure is unquestionably an enormous a part of the resort’s attraction, so whereas I wouldn’t say no to USB sockets, I can’t assist hoping that doesn’t vanish solely.
Charles Dickens would agree. Visiting within the late 1830s, across the time Oliver Twist was printed, he shortly turned a fan of each the resort and the island, saying: “I feel it’s the prettiest place I ever noticed, in my life, both at residence or overseas.”
Try my information to the Isle of Wight with children for extra concepts for households, in addition to one of the best seashores on the Isle of Wight and my decide of one of the best issues to do on the Isle of Wight with children
Disclosure: My keep was free for the needs of overview, courtesy of the resort and Go to Isle of Wight – all opinions on staying at The Royal Lodge Ventnor with children are my very own (and my daughter’s)
Photographs copyright MummyTravels
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