| check-in time: 4:00 pmcheck-out time: 11:00 am. set on the seafront overlooking sandown pier, this traditional hotel is an 11-minute walk from sandown train station and a mile from isle of wight zoo. the basic rooms (many with sea views) feature flat-screen tvs, as well as tea and coffeemaking facilities. amenities include free wifi in public areas, a classic restaurant and bar, a dance floor (with evening entertainment) and a game room with a dartboard, table tennis and a pool table
Heathrow Airport 2 hr 42
Mary Rose Museum (1 hr 12)
Museum for 16th-century Tudor warship, & King Henry VIII's favourite, built in 1510 & sunk in 1545. Isle of Wight Zoo (14 min)
Home of ITV's 'Tiger Island', with exotic animals, informative talks and 'meet the animals'. Robin Hill (18 min)
Family rides, tractor train, nature trails, falconry and events, plus a woodland tree house. The Garlic Farm (14 min)
Home-grown garlic, plus garlic-inspired products and fare in a specialist farm shop with restaurant. Spinnaker Tower (1 hr 6)
Landmark tower with an on-site cafe and a glass-floored platform overlooking Portsmouth harbour. Carisbrooke Castle (24 min)
Fine medieval castle and museum, where Charles I was imprisoned by Cromwell's Roundheads. Ventnor Botanic Garden (23 min)
An unusually warm climate for Britain allows sub tropical planting in these naturalistic gardens. Osborne (27 min)
Italian-inspired mansion amid lush gardens and filled with Victoria and Albert's former possessions. Shanklin Beach (9 min)
Scenic recreational beach offering cabanas & boat rentals, with a nearby esplanade of amusements. Isle of Wight Steam Railway (20 min)
Outfit preserving railway history via exhibits, train stations & rides on steam-powered locomotives. Dinosaur Isle (13 min)
Animatronic dinosaurs and 1000 of the island's best fossils in a pterodactyl-shaped building. Brading Roman Villa (7 min)
Excavated Roman courtyard villa with well-preserved mosaics and displays of finds from the site. Amazon World Zoo (10 min)
Conservation-minded venue with over 200 species including tropical birds and meerkats. Blackgang Chine (26 min)
Cowboys, pirates, dinosaurs and fairies in themed spaces, along with roller-coasters and rides. Shanklin Chine (9 min)
Leafy, wooded ravine with waterfalls and abundant wildlife, plus arts heritage centre. | 
