Bonchurch Manor, Isle of Wight

Three years ago Shuba Rao decided to up sticks from north London with husband Mark and two kids, and take on a rundown B&B in the sleepy village of Bonchurch.

"It was a toss up between San Francisco and the Isle of Wight," says Shuba Rao. Three years after she upped sticks from north London with husband Mark and two kids, she still looks a little shell-shocked that they ended up in the sleepy village of Bonchurch and not California. Just to add to the challenge, they decided to take on a rundown B&B.

Bonchurch Manor is a solid, good-looking Victorian house with sea views, but when Shuba and Mark moved in the inside was a "vision of pink and swirls". They set about transforming it, stripping out the carpets to reveal pitch pine floors in perfect nick, repainting in neutral tones and adding Indian wallhangings and wood carvings. You get the impression it's been an uphill struggle. "Forget John Cleese and Manuel," Shuba writes in her blog, "It is more like Goodness Gracious Me crossed with Peter Sellers's The Party." Which is why I feel bad putting a dampner on their efforts. But it has to be said - Bonchurch Manor is not going to win any style awards. Despite the revamp, the bedrooms still look dated.

What turned our so-so stay into a worthwhile visit was the restaurant. With its menu of south Indian dishes and amazingly good value wine list, The Tiffin Room would definitely win plaudits in London; on the Isle of Wight, where cream teas outnumber vegetable pakoras by about 1,000 to one, it's a revelation. My masala dosa starter was light and perfectly cooked. A sea bass filet came with a generous coconut, tamarind and coriander sauce.

The next day, we discovered that this corner of the island is a bit of a gourmet enclave. Just down the road from the B&B is the elegant Pond Cafe, sister restaurant to The Hamborough, a chic hotel in nearby Ventnor, both part of the "new Wight". Perhaps cream teas are on the wane after all.

· £40-£55pp pn, B&B, 01983 852868, bonchurchmanor.com.

Flagship hostel opens

It's out with soggy socks drying on radiators and in with Internet access, a bistro and en-suite rooms. Edinburgh Central, the Scottish Youth Hostels Association's flagship property, opened this week. Housed in a former office building, it offers 300 beds starting at £15pp per night. syha.org.uk.

The GuardianTramp

Related Content

Article image
North House, Cowes, Isle of Wight: hotel review
Informal, tasteful (only slightly nautical decor), with cracking views over the Solent and a great restaurant to boot, this island townhouse stay won’t disappoint

Joanne O'Connor

24, Nov, 2017 @10:00 AM

Article image
The Isle of Wight … kids dig it
With buckets, spades, farm animals and dinosaur remains, a short break on the Isle of Wight is a predictable hit with kids, but there are unexpected delights for grown-ups, too

Isabel Choat

13, May, 2017 @10:00 AM

Article image
Isle of Wight: walking with dinosaurs

A dinosaur hunting weekend on the Isle of Wight turns up more fossils than you can poke a pickaxe at, says Dixe Wills

Dixe Wills

13, Nov, 2010 @12:05 AM

Article image
The Hambrough, Ventnor, Isle of Wight

A double-fronted seaside villa overlooking the Safe Haven harbour and a sandy beach in Ventnor.

Sally Shalam

10, Jun, 2006 @3:17 PM

Article image
Cosy up in a tiny holiday home on the Isle of Wight
A glamping offshoot of the growing tiny house movement, this rural cabin has plenty of charm but there’s one mod con our writer can’t live without

Rachel Dixon

12, May, 2018 @9:00 AM

Article image
Let’s go to … Ventnor, Isle of Wight
Get your festival gear on and enjoy live music from March to August, or just enjoy the revamped arts and dining scene in this sheltered seaside haven

Rachel Dixon

24, Feb, 2015 @11:00 AM

Article image
Crake Trees Manor, Cumbria

There's been a quiet revolution on the B&B front in the past few years.

Sally Shalam

25, Feb, 2006 @4:17 PM

Article image
Take the kids to … Blackgang Chine, Isle of Wight
As the UK’s oldest theme park gears up for its 175th birthday celebrations, our writer enjoys the timeless and gentle appeal of its themed lands

Joanne O'Connor

09, Apr, 2018 @9:30 AM

Article image
Northcote Manor, Blackburn

This Lancashire restaurant with rooms not only has one Michelin star but also serves cuisine de terroir - local dishes based on regional ingredients.

Sally Shalam

25, Mar, 2006 @4:17 PM

Article image
My eagle-eyed winter wander around the Isle of Wight
The island isn’t only for summer holidays: the colder months are perfect for birding and walks along trails that will form part of the England Coast Path

Sarah Baxter

28, Feb, 2020 @11:00 AM