Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Montagu Arms Hotel
The gnarled old ivy clinging to the brick walls of this
roadside inn tells you right away what to expect inside. In the heart of Beaulieu vil-
lage, this hotel has an interesting history: The garden walls were constructed with
stones salvaged from Beaulieu Abbey after it was demolished by Henry VIII. The
hexagonal column supporting a fountain in the hotel's central courtyard is one of six
salvaged, according to legend, from the ruined abbey's nave. Bedrooms—individually
decorated in the lavish, English-country-house tradition—come in a range of shapes
and sizes, and some contain a traditional four-poster bed.
Palace Lane, Beaulieu, Hampshire SO42 7ZL. www.montaguarmshotel.co.uk.
&
01590/624467.
Fax
01590/612188. 22 units. £148-£238 double; £208-£348 suite. Extra person £35. Rates include English
breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking.
Amenities:
2 restaurants; 2 bars; use of nearby health club &
spa; room service.
In room:
TV, hair dryer.
7
THE ISLE OF WIGHT
91 miles SW of London; 4 miles S of Southampton
A trip to the Isle of Wight is like stepping back in time. This diamond-shaped island
at the mouth of the Solent measures just 13 miles from Cowes in the north to St.
Catherine's Point in the south, and 23 miles from Alum Bay in the west to the east-
ernmost point, near Bembridge. It is known for its family-friendly, sandy
beaches
and its ports, long favored by the yachting set.
The island has attracted such literary figures as Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and
Charles Dickens. Tennyson wrote his poem “Crossing the Bar” en route across the
Solent from Lymington to
Yarmouth.
Queen Victoria lived (and died) on the island,
making her home at
Osborne House.
More recently, Jimi Hendrix headlined the
iconic 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, just 3 weeks before his death.
GETTING THERE
Efficient car and passenger ferries link the Isle of Wight with
Portsmouth, Southampton, and Lymington, on the edge of the New Forest.
Red Funnel
(
&
0844/844-9988;
www.redfunnel.co.uk) operates between 12
and 18 daily vehicle ferry services from Southampton to East Cowes; the trip takes
around 1 hour. Car fares include up to six passengers, and are priced according to
season and demand. Off season, look for deals that might go as low as £50 for the
round-trip; in summer, fares of £150-plus aren't unusual. A quicker option is the Red
Jet, a high-speed, passenger-only catamaran operating from Southampton's Town
Quay and going to West Cowes; the trip takes 25 minutes. Fares vary slightly by
season, but expect a round-trip fare to cost around £23 for adults, £15 for seniors,
and £11 for children 5 to 15. Off-peak fares are a little lower.
Wightlink
(
&
0871/376-1000;
www.wightlink.co.uk) operates three routes. A
passenger-only catamaran connects Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde, taking 20 min-
utes and costing £21 for adults, £16 seniors, and £11 for children, round-trip stan-
dard return. Daytime departures are every 30 minutes in summer and every hour in
winter. Ferries also connect Portsmouth with Fishbourne (40 min.), and Lymington
with Yarmouth (35 min.), in West Wight. The latter two routes can accommodate
cars, too. You might be able to secure a winter Super Saver fare for under £40 for a
car and four passengers; in high summer, fares can cost quadruple that or more.
Hovertravel
(
&
01983/811000;
www.hovertravel.co.uk) provides the quickest
route across the Solent, connecting Southsea with Ryde by hovercraft (for foot pas-
sengers only) in around 10 minutes. Standard adult round-trip tickets cost £20, £11
for seniors, and £10 for children 5 to 15. “Flights” depart hourly for much of the day.
