England's largest island, almost kissing the coast of Hampshire, has been a favourite holiday destination for centuries. Blessed with wonderful beaches, grand Victorian architecture, and a world-renowned music festival, there's something here for everyone. The Royal Hotel in Ventnor is much the same - a 150 year-old historic jewel offering fifty-three individually furnished rooms, along with old-fashioned service, splendid period décor, an award-winning restaurant, lush sub-tropical gardens and a terrific sea views.
Before newly-weds Will and Kate made their home here, the Welsh island of Anglsey nestling over the Menai Straight, already enjoyed a touch of class, thanks to the Tre-Ysgawen Hotel. Found on the island's most picturesque east coast and approached via a long private driveway cut through secluded woodland, the stone Victorian building, constructed in 1882, is grand yet welcoming and has been sympathetically extended to include a luxury spa that's widely regarded as the finest in North Wales. The perfect spot for bracing outdoor pursuits, followed by plenty of indoor pampering.
Since Bonnie Prince Charlie fled here from the English, after the Jacobite Rising of 1745, countless visitors have done the same, and the island's sparkling lochs, majestic mountains and swooning seascapes have long since made it Scotland's third most popular attraction. Toravaig House encapsulates all that's best about the island. Renovated by a determined couple with a blissful vision, the nine-room hotel opened in 2004 to immediate acclaim for quality, service, truly innovative cuisine created from local produce, and perhaps uniquely, the chance to sail out with the owners on their own 42' yacht – the perfect way to explore this glorious part of the world.
A luxury hotel occupying a Georgian gem of a building in the heart of Guernsey's main town, St. Peter's Port. As the name suggests, this grand residence was originally the home of the island's Governor but has been open to guest as a hotel for the past 150 years. Today OGH, as it's affectionately know by the locals, has lost nothing of it's grandeur and old-fashioned style, with sixty-three elegant rooms, and afternoon tea served daily on the terrace over looking the bay – just as the governor would have expected.
Jersey may have gained an unfair reputation as a fusty tax haven for the retired rich, so it's fortunate that The Club Hotel & Spa is here to set the record straight. This super-cool residence in the capital, St. Helier, could be best described as a ‘luxurious contemporary boutique town-house'. Decor aims straight for a sophisticated modern ‘wow' factor, the spa offers indoor and outdoor pools, and the attending Bohemia restaurant enjoys the highest Michelin-Star rating on the island. An impressive package, immaculately wrapped.
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