5 /5 Marty Hardy: My partner and I just had a wonderful 5 night stay at the Clifton hotel, and we couldnt have wished for a better experience.
The hotels location is perfect, just a few minutes walk from the beach; its also about 10 minutes walk from the nearest bus stop, so non-drivers can easily get around the island with the very reliable public transport. Its also very close to High Street and Regent Street, which are full of gift shops, charity shops, local small businesses, etc.
The exterior and the interior are both lovely: the exterior garden is very pretty to sit in, and the decor of the interior is cozy and very homely.
The staff was brilliant, all kind and friendly; originally we were only staying for 3 nights, but we were enjoying our stay and our time on the island so much that we ended up asking to extend! Additionally, on the morning of our departure we had to leave very early, before breakfast, and the staff offered some snacks for the road (a couple of drinks, crisps and fresh fruit) since wed be missing breakfast.
The hotel also boasts a small selection of classic boardgames for guests to play with (Risk, Monopoly, Cluedo, and about a dozen others), as well as a large bookshelfs worth of books to swap or borrow!
The room was clean, tidy and cozy. It had an ensuite bathroom as well as a TV, hair dryer, various plug outlets, a ceiling fan (helpful for the hot summer!). My only constructive criticism would be that perhaps blackout curtains might work better for the room - since its summer, the sunrise is around 5am, and it woke us up a couple of times. But other than that, it was a fantastic stay.
I dont personally eat breakfast, so I only had a waffle on one of the mornings though I struggled to finish it. However, my partner who did eat the breakfast every morning said it was really good! Tea and coffee were available, plus a selection of fruits, yogurt, granola, cereals etc as well as cooked breakfast options (made upon order).
I would recommend this hotel to anyone wishing to stay on the Isle of Wight, and I hope to return for a future summer!