I was utterly thrilled with our experience at the Seaview Hotel when they invited Richard and I to stay and to dine with them during our holiday to the Isle of Wight. I could really tell that customer experience came first and that they prioritised the comfort and joy of their guests. As always, all opinions I give during this PR review are genuine and honest.
I was surprised at how accessible the entire process was at the Seaview Hotel to say that they are contending with the gorgeous 1901 original building. They had really invested in making their space as inclusive as possible with signage, lifts, allergen free food options and ramps throughout. I will of course go into more detail throughout this review. The original red brick cladding at the front of the building gave an imposing, stunning view from the road; the visage instantly set you up to have a traditional British seaside experience with hospitality and guest comfort at the forefront of your stay.
There is a designated car park to the rear of the Seaview Hotel building but this is slightly tight to manoeuvre around in at times. We didn’t have a problem driving in but did find it easier to reverse through the entrance arch so we could drive out facing forwards. Within this hotel car park there are also a handful of electric car charging ports. Since the car park is slightly compact due to the historic nature of the building and surrounding seaside area, there is limited car parking. You can ring or email ahead to the reception to ask for a car parking space to be reserved for you if you have access requirements or a Blue Badge.
Otherwise, there are plentiful on street car parking spaces all down the road outside the main entrance to the hotel. These have a time restriction of 2 hours (no return) on most of the bays but this does mean that Blue Badge holders get unlimited time to park here if you display your badge correctly and use it according to instructions.
At the front of the hotel you can find these on street parking bays. This is on a hill with a slight incline that becomes slightly steeper the closer to the coast that you get. There were enough dropped curbs that I could cross with ease to meander down the hill to the sea.
Seaview offers a lot as a town beyond the stunning views of the Solent and sea. When Richard and I visited, Seaview itself was bustling and vibrant even as the summer months started to fade away. There were local shops to support and plenty of fantastic dining options, alongside the multi-rosette award winning food within the Seaview Hotel itself. It is also worth having a look at all of the local events and occasions that the town offers. I have seen everything from panoramic views of boat races to dog festivals and fun runs! Even if you don’t participate in these nautical sailing races, there is something so calming and mindful about watching boats and ships sail across the skyline.
If you enter the Seaview Hotel through the grand red and pale yellow main entrance (rather than through the rear car park entrance) then you will see there is a paved patio area outdoors. This would be ideal for visitors to sit in for coffee and cake during their seaside explorations in sunnier months. This main entrance has a ramp to go up the historic step and I had no problem going up this ramp in my manual wheelchair.
English weather is not always so predictable so it was nice to see that The Seaview Hotel has spaces where hotel guests or any of the public could come in and be seated regardless of the weather outside. There were beautiful views from the bay window with comfy arm chairs where you could sit and order a sandwich or an alcoholic drink. There was something calming about the hotel in general, as if you had stepped into an oasis where you could take a moment to truly pause and switch off amidst the exemplary customer service throughout the site visit.
There are various separate spaces in the Seaview Hotel where both guests of the hotel and the general public can relax. There is the cosy atrium area where you can order light bites, lunch or hot drinks; this also includes a lovely sofa area with cosy arm chairs. This sofa snug area could be slightly tight depending on the size of your mobility aid but there are so many other spaces to use if you do struggle. There is a room to the righthand side which is primarily used for evening dining as the Aquitania restraurant. We were seated here during our delicious evening meal – more on that later. This space was lit with mood lighting towards the later afternoon and was ideal if you wanted to dine or have a drink in a more formal setting. All of these separate spaces are situated along a level, wide corridor which also leads to a very clean public accessible toilet at the end of the hallway.
During the day, the most popular area to sit and eat was the same area that Richard and I were seated in for breakfast. This is named “The Bistro” and was a conservatory that had beautiful taupe coloured blinds over the glass roof panels; this allowed the room to stay at a comfortable temperature rather than than being excessively hot or cold during heatwaves/ cold spells in the UK. There was a gentle ramp into this area and plenty of tables on a level-access area. There was a very slight step to further tables deeper into this space but this was safely marked with black and yellow tape.
Specials were written on the board with some very decently priced offers and takeaways were also available if you were staying in the area and dying to get into your pyjamas!
The Pump Bar was also a really popular space both during the day and in the evening. They also served food, including having a wonderfully varied specials board. All of the other menus (excluding the specials an breakfast menus) were available to download online so those who are vision-impaired can zoom in on PDF documents to enlarge the text.
I loved the nautical theming in The Pump Bar and it had a fun and vibrant atmosphere starting even in the early afternoon. It was really nice to see locals and tourists alike all socialising and having a drink or food together. To get into this area there would usually be a small step but you can ask at reception (or email/ phone them to do this in advance) and they will place a wooden ramp down. This would work for any powered or manual wheelchair and you can get to the vast majority of tables in this bar area.
The Pump Bar was lovely as it felt very different from the rest of the rooms at the Seaview Hotel; it had a rustic, welcoming atmosphere and the decor really suited the coastal location. This room felt more informal and laidback – particularly ideal for a casual drink amongst friends in the evening.
The fantastic thing about all of these separate dining/ drinking/ socialising areas in the Seaview Hotel is that they were all along a wide, central corridor. This led down to the public accessible toilet near to the hotel’s car park. I never found a problem with this toilet being occupied or particularly busy with people entering this from outside the hotel. The toilet was really clean throughout the stay as well despite being openly accessible as a public space.
The doorway was really wide to get in and was not locked by a RADAR key since it was also a baby changing space. It wasn’t too heavy for me to open from a seated position in my manual wheelchair and it also opened wide enough for me to easily get in an out. There were plenty of grab rails around the toilet itself, including a drop-down grab rail which folded away for side transfers out of your wheelchair and onto the toilet. I could easily wheel my chair under the lowered sink and reach all of the taps and the paper towel dispenser.
There was a red emergency pull-cord which reached all the way to the ground for someone to pull in the event of a medical emergency or fall. I love it when spaces not only feel clean and adapted but they feel well-kept and safe; the pull cord definitely added to this.
The disabled toilet area was definitely big enough for a powered wheelchair user or a manual wheelchair user to turn their chair around and exit facing forwards. I much prefer this than the huge driving test of reversing into a corridor where you can’t see the people or obstacles in your way.
Once Richard and I got a feel for the Seaview Hotel through our little exploration, it was time to check in at reception. The staff here were really friendly and welcoming, even showing us to our bedroom early since they had already finalised the cleaning from the previous guest. We gave them our car registration plate since we had parked in our reserved car parking space in the small car park at the reverse of the hotel. We were told all about the essential details such as breakfast timings and our room number before the reception staff offered to show us to our room and help with any luggage if needed.
Our room was in an annexe to the rear of the building, very close to the car park so you would have no issue with luggage. The annexe doorway was level-access and perfectly wide enough for my wheelchair to fit through but it was heavy for a wheelchair user to hold open whilst mobilising. The staff did show us to our room though so I wouldn’t have struggled if I was travelling solo at that point.
To get to the accessible room, you wheel into a platform lift. The size of this was generous so you would be able to fit out larger powered chairs in here but not a mobility scooter. I found the buttons easy to reach and at a perfect wheelchair accessible height to press and hold. They also had a walkie-talkie there for safety in the event of the lift breaking down which I absolutely loved as you are in a separate building to where most people and staff are based and therefore would be unlikely to be overheard in the event of a lift breakdown.
You could alternatively climb a couple of flights of stairs, which did have handrails for support when mobilising. There was an evacuation sledge on our floor which was reassuring that I would be able to safely exit the building in the event of an emergency as a wheelchair user. The staff are also currently working on PEEP forms (personal emergency evacuation plans) for guests to fill in at check-in to ensure they are looked after by a dedicated member of staff who knows the help they need in the event of any emergency or evacuation. It was great to see that evacuation equipment very visibly present though in an unobstructive way.
Entering our bedroom, you could see the attention to detail that the Seaview Hotel had given when decorating the suite. The curtains were a beautiful pale blue floral pattern and the colour gave a subtle nod to the seafront location without running with an overt nautical theme. Otherwise, the room had a fairly neutral palette which gave a relaxing space for guests to decompress in after a day of walking/ wheeling down coastal paths or participating in local events or fayres.
The room had plenty of space for me to manoeuvre in with my manual wheelchair, particularly down the righthand side of the bed where I would usually sleep anyway. There is a red emergency pull cord on this side which is a really effective safety precaution. I have had a little natter with reception who assure me that the new red pull cord will definitely reach the floor and not be tied up by cleaning staff.
The bed was really large and very comfortable, with it being an ideal height for me to transfer into from my wheelchair. I could easily reach the plug sockets and all of the bedside items whilst remaining lying or seated in the bed – very handy for when I forget to plug my phone in to charge before bed! The telephone had a braille number 5 in the centre so those with vision loss could feel for the central button and dial reception or speak to friends.
I loved the thought that had gone into the vintage vanity desk (writing bureau) as I could even fit my manual wheelchair all the way into here and could do my makeup without having to transfer onto the floor or an uncomfortable bench. This vintage piece suited the historic nature of the hotel and elevated the room even more.
A particular treat was the fact that the room housed every amenity that I might need without having to go down to the front desk in the separate hotel building; there was an iron, an ironing board, a fan, a suitcase luggage rack and plenty of coat hangers to hang up easily creased garments. There was also a small fridge within the room which would be particularly handy if you had temperature controlled medications that needed to remain at a certain temperature.
There was a really handy tea and coffee making station with a French press coffee maker and biscuits. These felt like a very welcoming, homely touch and was perfect to allow us to relax after our explorations. At the base of the hill outside the Seaview Hotel was a bench overlooking the ocean and I had previously sat on there to read my book whilst Richard took our dog, Milo, down a nearby coastal pathway. A wheelchair user could explore a certain portion of the coastal path but it was slightly bumpy in areas so I opted for the tranquility of a good book by the beach – I was very ready for a cuppa!
It is also worth noting that all of the dining/ drinking areas of the hotel are very dog friendly and that four of the rooms are also dog friendly if you pre-book this with the team at reception.
Our ensuite bathroom included a little surprise I had never seen before in all of my years of accessibility audits and reviews; a TV within the shower! You would have to be standing and facing this but it was such a fun little addition to the bathroom to elevate the space and make it feel unique.
There were two plush dressing gowns on the inside of the bathroom door to wear as the evening drew in. Alongside these hooks, there were also wall-mounted hanging areas at seated and standing height to keep clothes off of the floor. These are such a thoughtful addition as wet rooms are designed to get just that – wet. This means that any clothing left on the floor could be at risk of getting damp so hanging hooks are a handy little addition.
The shower chair was ideal as it folded against the wall for those who prefer to shower whilst standing; there were arm rests to help you push up against these for transferring or grab rails throughout the room. There was also a rolled up non-slip mat to place within the shower. Again, this may not be needed by all guests who book this room but it is an amazing safety feature for those who may lose their footing whilst transferring or standing in the shower. This red pull cord again is being extended currently but it was great to see it present.
The shower head was removable from the wall-mounted bracket if you find that easier to use when taking a seated shower and the sink was very much at my height. The toilet had plenty of grab rails surrounding it, including one that folded up against the wall so allows for side transfers on and off of the toilet. The sanitary bin was within easy reach of a seated position on the toilet and I could easily reach things like toilet paper.
It was so nice to have an accessible space to rest and recuperate after our busy day. Richard and I were so busy during our time on the Isle of Wight and would love, as always, to give you recommendations for things to do beyond the days out I have detailed on my blog. Do pop an email across on disabledtravelwithgeorgina@gmail.com if you’d like any more details.
After our relaxing cup of French press fancy coffee, Richard and I decided to start getting ready for our evening at Aquitania, the restaurant within the hotel. We loved that we had options as to which space we preferred to dine at; we could have chosen The Pump Bar which was the nautical space that felt very much like stepping into a time machine and entering your favourite local pub in prosperous times or we could have also chosen the Bistro which was the shaded conservatory area where I will talk you through during our breakfast. All of the spaces had their distinct charms and each space would suit different groups of people for separate occasions. Since this was our final meal of our Isle of Wight holiday, Richard and I chose Aquitania since it was a more elevated space that gave a fine dining experience without feeling snobby or giving us the experience of being overlooked by staff members.
We took Milo (our dog) with us down to this space and the staff were so attentive of him, giving him treats and a water bowl while we dined and perused the menus. The menus for each space and the specific gluten-free menu are all available to download online in PDF format. This allows those who use screen readers or those who have visual impairments to enlarge text for easier reading.
We were served by Jake who was one of the waiting staff. He was absolutely ideal as a staff member; attentive without being overbearing and knowledgable without being dull. A real asset to the team! He asked whether I would like to remain in my wheelchair and have the seat removed from the table (I remained in my wheelchair) which was a perfect as many wheelchair users are ambulatory and would often like a choice in seating.
Richard started with some local beers while we were browsing our menu and we could definitely see the theme that the Seaview Hotel supported local cuisine and beverages, investing in high quality ingredients whilst also supporting small businesses and the local economy. The quality of the food was impeccable throughout our dining experience so I could definitely tell why they had won two AA rosettes over seven consecutive years. This is a huge achievement and a testament to the food being innovative enough that it felt like a fresh and well-rounded meal but also comfortable enough that the food would be popular with a range of peoples’ palettes and tastes.
Alongside our starter course, we ordered the bread basket to pop on the table. This comes with butter and we were particularly fond of the truffle parmesan flavour that ours was paired with; decadent and hearty. We both chose different options for starter; I chose the brie bite which was a deep-fried, crispy parcel of rich brie that was nestled on a fresh rocket salad, covered with walnuts and tomato chutney. This was really refreshing and a very generous size in terms of portion.
Richard in turn chose the special of the day; the pan-seared scallops. These were delicate and fresh, pairing well with the meaty unami of the black pudding and the tartness of the apple gel. Again, a beautifully presented and well-balanced meal.
Since we were at a coastal location, what could be more perfect than fresh seafood? We ordered some garlic crevettes which, admittedly, I didn’t even know what they were! They are giant prawns, cooked with the shell intact and served in this case with a rich, buttery garlic sauce. Absolutely ideal for the seafront location of the Seaview Hotel. This also gave the staff a chance to show their masterful hospitality skills as they brought a separate bowl to wash our hands with and very promptly removed the shells from the table. Throughout the meal, the staff were the perfect level of attentive without “hovering” over us. It was nice to see them interact with so many different customers as the Aquitania restaurant got busier and had a more bustling, busy atmosphere.
I loved the variety of the menu, including how there were a range of options for those who had dietary requirements such as vegans, vegetarians and those who are gluten free. The menu also clearly labelled all allergens so this could be an easy, safe experience for all. I would have loved to also see allergens labelled on the specials menu and perhaps a QR code to link to a PDF of the specials menu so those who have sight impairments can still read the text.
For our main course, I had my absolute favourite meal that I had eaten that week. I chose the egg noodle stir fry which you could top with crispy sesame tofu, salmon or confit duck leg. Duck is one of my favourite meats and this was cooked to perfection; it was still moist inside but had a seared crispy skin to give beautiful texture to the dish. The egg noodles were slightly on the spicy side and included pan choi and a sesame, honey, chilli and lime sauce. A very tasty dish and served in a generous portion size!
Richard’s choice of main meal was a twist on a traditional lamb roast dinner. This felt like an elevated, deconstructed version without losing the classic blend of homely flavours. The lamb loin was beautifully tender and melted in your mouth, perfectly paired with the rich confit potato. The minted jus added a savoury moisture to the dish alongside the hearty roasted carrot and broccoli. As always, the dish was masterfully presented; you could really see that all of the ingredients were of a very high quality and that the chef team cared very much about how their dish tasted alongside the presentation.
The portions were wonderful throughout our dining experience but we definitely squeezed in room for our dessert. I personally chose to continue a more savoury experience and ordered the cheese board. The cheese type varies depending on local availability and season but all of mine were truly delicious and a depth was added to the experience with the rich fruit cake slabs. This was really filling and i enjoyed each of the cheese choices.
Richard instead ordered a very sweet treat; the decadent white chocolate brownie which was paired with popcorn, a dark chocolate milkshake sauce and vanilla ice cream. Each of these things paired together surprisingly well and it felt reminiscent of a movie date night treat selection. This surprised me as a dish as it felt very much like an interactive experience – do you choose to drink the milkshake as a “shot” or pour it on your ice cream as a sauce? The culinary choice is yours and felt fun and exciting!
The decor in the Aquitania felt very opulent and reminiscent of the grandeur of the 1910s when famous starlets or wealthy aristocrats sailed on decadent ships in wondrous voyages. I liked that as the evening progressed there was a really nice atmosphere in here with a group of local friends catching up on how things had been, a multi-generational family dining together and another few couples of hotel guests on their date nights. A real variety of clientele and you could definitely see how each separate dining space of the Seaview Hotel was distinct and suited different groups.
We retired to The Pump Bar for a little drink before bed and it was so atmospheric; it definitely felt like a more rustic, jovial vibe with people dining or primarily just having a drink to catch up together. I tried “Mermaid Gin” for the first time which is produced locally on the island and there are a variety of flavours in stunning, mermaid-patterned bottles. The Bar Manager, Rocio, was an absolute joy to be around. She had a whole spectrum of knowledge about the local area and the drinks that the Seaview Hotel served. If you need drink recommendations then the staff were more than happy to help or just to chat about the things to do in the area that were wheelchair and dog-friendly. There were a few well-behaved pooches in this bar area which I loved!
As I mentioned earlier, all of these separate areas are right beside the public accessible toilet so I found it really easy to wheel to that if I ever needed it. The Pump Bar was bustling with so many people and had a really nice level of background noise. The nautical theming was really interesting and there were plenty of decorations to look at throughout the space. Despite this vibrant decor, the room had plenty of space between tables for a person to use a mobility aid. I wheeled down the small ramp to take a few pictures of the bar area at breakfast time when it was empty, so you could see how well-spaced out the tables were.
We had a really restful night of sleep back in our hotel room and woke up to pack and get ready, very sadly, for our long drive home. Luckily, we were able to have a really fortifying breakfast to set us up for the big journey. This was back in the central Bistro area which originally seemed to be a conservatory kind of space. There was a gently inclining ramp to enter this area from the main hotel corridor and also a grad rail at the side of this to help guests mobilise. The Seaview Hotel staff had kindly reserved Richard and I a table on the level-access area but there was a very small, well-marked, step to the upper area with more tables available if you could access this. When we booked the room, we just told them that I was a wheelchair user and detailed a few of my needs and they sorted everything else out on our behalf, including booking this accessible breakfast table so we didn’t have to worry about that small step.
The breakfast menu is currently being added to the links of downloadable menus so those with reduced vision can enlarge the PDF versions of these. There is not a specific additional gluten-free menu this time for breakfast but, if you ask, they are more than happy to substitute any of the bread items with a GF alternative. The waiting staff were really knowledgable about this. The Seaview Hotel team are also going to mark allergies and add labels to food items at the breakfast buffet.
This area had such a wonderful variety of choice; there were a few different cereals, small dishes of various jams, natural yoghurt, freshly cut fruit salad and some gorgeous mini croissants and pain au chocolat pastries. These were really light and clearly had been freshly cooked by the onsite catering team. All of this area was self-service and I didn’t struggle to wheel around on the smooth terrain but may have just had to ask for help to reach the containers of cereal at the back of the buffet area. However, the staff were so helpful that they wouldn’t hesitate to help me if I needed them.
Richard ordered the Eggs Royale which is poached eggs with salmon on a toasted English muffin. He also added a pot of Hollandaise sauce as he loves the creamy palette this adds to the dish, adding moisture to the freshness of the dish. The salmon was absolutely beautiful and you could again see the high quality ingredients that the Seaview Hotel utilised in their dishes, particularly as they are a coastal location.
I personally went more for the traditional route of the full English breakfast; the sausage was my particular favourite with the rich depth of the meat and again the high quality ingredients. There was plenty of food on my plate to be well-sustaining, especially when you add in the toast racks and the continental buffet of options. It felt very civilised to be dining in such a nice, airy space in the morning.
We sadly had to check out not long after finishing our leisurely breakfast but we had truly enjoyed our stay at the Seaview Hotel. The location was absolutely idyllic with it being literally two minutes wheel/ walk to the coast. Seaview itself was a bustling little town with lots to do, especially in peak tourist seasons, and had many seasonal events. The Isle of Wight itself has plenty of activities and sights for every age group and ability; it’s great that you can get to most places within a half an hour drive from the coast or the Seaview Hotel.
The opulent grandeur of the entrance definitely resonated with classic British seaside holidays and I certainly felt the attentive level of service matched this. Despite the age of the building, I ran into very few access problems throughout our holiday here and you could definitely tell that the staff had done their best with the historic nature of the building. There were ramps into all of the communal areas of the hotel and a large, clean public toilet within easy reach of all of these distinct spaces. Our room was accessible via the platform lift and was really spacious; the bathroom had clearly been well thought out and had all of the adaptations I need when I stay somewhere. The Seaview Hotel is also working on an Access Page online so you can see all of this information online prior to your stay.
I think it would be an ideal location for most group sizes and types; we saw groups of friends, couples and multi-generational adult families during our stay. I actually would also recommend the location to coach groups who may have one or two members with access requirements as I think they would cater really well to this size of group. The restaurant was truly spectacular and it felt like the culinary team had really put their heart into the dishes, using very high quality ingredients and presenting them beautifully. Even if I was staying elsewhere on the island, I would absolutely return to the restaurant as the food was just exemplary.
Thank you again to the team at the Seaview Hotel for looking after Richard and I so well during our stay. We will absolutely be visiting again when we return to the Isle of Wight.
