Solent Live Cam

Isle of Wight offers a wide variety of accommodation suitable for both short breaks and weekly holidays, catering for everybody, including Groups, Families and Individuals. When planning your holiday on the Isle of Wight, make sure you take the opportunity to VisitShanklin where you will find the ideal choice of accommodation to suit your needs. Whether you require a Hotel, Bed & Breakfast, Self-catering or Caravan and Camp site then Shanklin IOW is the place for you.

Isle of Wight's Restaurants, Bistro's, Cafe's and Pubs all provide a wide and varied choice of Food and Drink to cater for all tastes. From Take-away to Fine Dining, you can make the selection of your choice. Shanklin and the Isle of Wight offers a full range of attractions for all weathers and to match every taste. From the Beach to the Theatre, the "Shanklin Old Village" to Shanklin Chine and Amusements to Mini-golf and Pitch & Putt, the choice is so varied. Here you will be able to establish where to stay, what to do, and how best to enjoy your Isle of Wight holiday.

Hotel, Guest House and Self Catering holidays are the stock in trade of Shanklin Hotel and Accommodation Association, and Shanklin is a typically English seaside resort, where you can enjoy all the traditions of a Great British Holiday, and yet still have the whole Island, 70% of which is an area of outstanding natural beauty, to explore at your leisure. The Swiss Cottage is a comfortable and attractive non-smoking establishment, under the personal supervision of the resident proprietors, Keith and Christine Beckett.

For those who wish to have the freedom to eat out in Pubs, Restaurants or Bistro's of their choice there are a number of Hotels and Guest Houses where guests can book just Bed & Breakfast. All Shanklin Hotels are members of Shanklin Hotel and Accommodation Association and are graded regularly by the relevant Tourism authorities. There are numerous sizes from Small 5 - 20 bedroom Hotels to much larger 20 - 40 bedroom Hotels and even some very large Hotels with up to 100 Bedrooms. Almost all are independant, and family owned and run. Shanklin offers a number of Camping and Caravan sites for those who wish to have the informality of this type of accommodation for their holiday. These quality sites are varied and offer a considerable choice of facilities geared to this market.

Isle of Wight offers many different types of accommodation for school or group holidays, day camps, training days, meetings and community events. A great many holidaymakers like to book a self-catering holiday these days and Shanklin offers a wide spectrum of Houses, Flats, Apartments, Mobile Homes and Villas specifically for this market. Generally offered with all modern conveviences this element of accommodation has grown in popularity over the years for those who do not need to be pampered and wish to holiday to their own timetable.

The Esplanade Hotel Cafe-Bar and Restaurant is an ideal venue for traditional breakfasts, morning coffee, lunches, cream teas and relaxing evening meals. Our beach facing restaurant patio is a favourite spot to relax with a long cool drink, and the wonderful views from Shanklin across Sandown bay towards the white cliffs of Culver Down are simply stunning.

The Isle of Wight and Shanklin has many tourist attractions for vistors and residents alike. We have split the tourist attractions into those within Shanklin and those found around the Isle of Wight as well as indoor and outdoor attractions. The Isle of Wight has the greatest number of tourist attractions per square mile in the whole of the country. Although Shanklin is not a vast area it has a number of attractions visited by many and forming an important part of their holiday.

Throughout the year there is always something happening in and around Solent. With events and entertainment from theatre, music, fun days, carnivals and exhibitions. There is a wealth of local information here including information on how to get to the island via the various ferry companies and how best to travel around the Isle of Wight.

The Isle of Wight is served by three Ferry companies Red Funnel, Wightlink and Hovertravel that between them offer 3 high-speed and 3 car ferries from Portsmouth (Southsea), Lymington and Southampton. The ferry trip is a great way to start your holiday, as you are travelling across The Solent one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. There is always something to see, yachts, luxury liners, huge oil tankers, container vessels and Navy warships.

Island Line operates the eight and half miles of passenger railway on the Isle of Wight serving the Island towns of Ryde, Brading, Sandown, Lake and Shanklin. The Ryde Pier Head station connects with the Wightlink FastCat service from Portsmouth and the Ryde Esplanade station with Hovertravel's Southsea service.