Stay a while on the Isle: rediscover

STAY A WHILE ON THE ISLE

Amid a rediscovery of the beauty of home shores – especially those of the Island – our hospitality industry is full of energy and ready to welcome visitors and property owners alike to seize the joys and opportunities of staycationing.

Award-winning Tapnell Farm is the perfect family-friendly holiday destination for a staycation, for tourists and islanders alike. With unrivalled views coast and countryside views, Tapnell Farm is home to award-winning accommodation, attractions – including the Island’s only Aqua Park and Football Golf course – and a family (and dog) friendly restaurant, The Cow. From luxury glamping - eco pods, wood cabins, safari tents and modulogs – to geodesic domes, farm cottages and Tapnell Manor, all accommodation is created with comfort and relaxation in mind. Guests can also enjoy use of outdoor pizza ovens and fresh eggs from their free-range chickens! Tapnell has a wide range of exciting attractions. Meet farmyard friends including miniature donkeys, pigs and alpacas or head to the Wallaby Walkabout to see the friendly wallabies and cheeky meerkats. Explore the straw barn, whizz down the zip wire or get bouncy on the trampolines and giant jumping pillows! Kids of all ages love the pedal karts, mini golf and football shoot-out area. The awesome Aqua Park is the Isle of Wight’s bounciest and best attraction. It will have you splashing, sliding and laughing all the way round the 20 obstacles, with giant free-fall slides and fun elements to explore. Whatever you choose, Tapnell Farm is the Island’s perfect place to reset and rewild.

Visit tapnellfarm.com

There are few hotels on the Island with as much heritage as the Seaview Hotel. If you’re looking for a few days away by the sea, with a distinct ocean-going theme, then this is the hotel for you. The airy front restaurant pays homage to The Aquitania – known as ‘The ship beautiful’ – featuring a dazzle camouflage wall alongside images of the jet-set. Dishes follow a Modern British style, often with an Isle of Wight twist. A chef’s favourite is the Mussel Tortellini and Lobster Bisque served with a Tarragon Cream – a taste of the Wight. In the heart of the hotel is The Pump Bar and Grill. Expect to find freshly cooked fish of the day, crispy fish and chips, beef burgers and delicious vegetarian dishes. The Seaview Hotel’s dine and stay offer is only open to Island residents during the winter months, offering a threecourse set meal with bed and breakfast for just £179pp. Add another night with breakfast for only £105pp. Relaxing and romantic walks along the beach abound, with strolls along the pebbles to Ryde or an exciting ramble along Seagrove Bay and the picturesque Priory Bay towards St Helens.

Call 01983 612711 or visit seaviewhotel.co.uk Swysh Holidays successfully offers a fully managed service to the owners of luxury selfcatering properties both on the Isle of Wight and in Sandbanks, Dorset. They are looking for more contemporary properties to join their ‘Swysh List’! Swysh has a broad portfolio of properties from flats to country houses. All are luxury stays and all complement the Sywsh List. By joining a smaller, more proactive Island-based company owners can achieve more income and a more tailored and personal approach and guests receive a more personalised service and a better holiday experience. Seagrass is an example of one of their luxury stays – a bright, spacious architect-designed family holiday home that enjoys superb views of the English Channel from an elevated position in Ventnor. Step into the open-plan living, kitchen and dining space and you’re immediately struck by a breath-taking 180-degree sea view.

There are two modern bedrooms with picture windows and two stylish bathrooms. Once outside there are three outdoor spaces to choose from; the private, seafacing, landscaped garden with BBQ patio – enclosed and safe for children and pets – a separate G&T terrace, or the decking which extends from the living room, facing south for day-long sunshine. Ideal for dog owners, families and couples!

Call 07407 645317 or visit swysh.co.uk

Following an unprecedented level of bookings in 2021, top holiday lettings company, Island Holiday Homes, already has a high volume of ‘staycation’ bookings confirmed for 2022, and the staycation market looks set to remain healthy for the foreseeable future. “With this season’s demand, occupancy and revenue exceeding that of all previous years, the enhanced prosperity enjoyed by our client hosts has in turn increased the prosperity of Island Holiday Homes and the positioning of our business to invest further in resources to heighten service delivery of its Isle of Wight based operation both now and for the future,” says Matthew White, who runs Island Holiday Homes with Terry Payne and their experienced, friendly and approachable Island-based team of Kerry Sims, Ali Bache and Donna Allen. Island Holiday Homes, a part of Hose Rhodes Dickson Estate Agents, can provide you and your guests with the highest level of service throughout the entire process of the booking and stay. ‘Pain points’ such as changeovers, check ins and check outs, and linen management can all be managed by Island Holiday Homes, along with cleaning and sanitising to the level required under Covid best practices. They also have an Islandbased accounts team, and a 24-hour emergency repairs call-out team. Booking management remains safe and secure via industry-leading software Supercontrol, a UK founded and based company, which continually develops its software to meet the everchanging needs of its clients and their clients’ hosts and guests. Your property’s route to the market continues to be achieved by listing on the high-profile booking channels such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Cottages. com and Tripadvisor.co.uk, to name just a few, all of which is carefully coordinated by Matthew’s team. “Marketing and presentation within a highly competitive market remains key, and well-composed photographs, together with internal video tours, aerial drone footage and inspiring descriptions of both the property and the destination are essential,” adds Matthew.

In 2021 Island Holiday Homes partnered with Beyond Pricing, a yield management tool that optimises the rates for your property each night of the year, with the ultimate goal to achieve maximum annual revenue and occupancy for your holiday home. “Our goal is ‘happy guests’ and ‘happy hosts’,” says Matthew.

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