Shanklin, 1-5 Park Road50.630297,-1.173973(Show on Map)
6.3
Rated
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+5 Photos
+ 3 Photos3
Checkin - Checkout dates
1 Room2 Guests
Info
Summary of reviews
The Ocean View Hotel enjoys widespread acclaim for its fabulous location and stunning sea views, positioned advantageously on a clifftop near Shanklin beach. Its strategic placement allows for easy exploration of the Isle of Wight and provides scenic vistas from many of its rooms and balconies. The convenience extends to families, who benefit from its proximity to the beachfront lift and various attractions.
Mixed reviews characterize the breakfast and dinner services. Positives include tasty, well-cooked offerings with a decent selection and friendly service. However, the need for improvements is frequently mentioned, especially regarding limited options, chaotic meal times and restrictive timetables. Operational challenges, such as pre-ordering requirements and inconsistent quality, also impact the dining experiences.
The rooms at the hotel receive praise for their spaciousness and cleanliness, particularly those with sea views and comfortable beds. However, the decor is often described as dated and tired with issues like poor lighting, musty smells and noisy plumbing. Updating and consistent maintenance would greatly enhance the overall room experience.
Cleanliness generally fares well in reviews with many guests noting immaculate interiors and well-kept gardens. However, recurring issues like dirty carpets, stained sheets and unreliable housekeeping services suggest a need for better cleaning protocols.
The exceptional staff stands out as a highlight, frequently commended for their friendliness and helpfulness. The reception team, in particular, makes a great impression with their professionalism and eagerness to assist. Despite occasional staffing shortages, the team’s dedication significantly enhances the guest experience.
Wi-Fi service at the hotel is inconsistent with some guests finding stable connections in certain areas, whereas others report significant issues with room connectivity and signal reliability. This remains an area ripe for improvement.
The heated pool is a much-loved feature of the hotel. Guests appreciate the clean and family-friendly environment, although occasional cleanliness and maintenance issues are noted. For the most part, visitors enjoy a pleasant swimming experience.
Parking is a common point of contention with limited spaces and a small car park often proving challenging. Guests recommend refurbishing the parking areas to better accommodate vehicles, especially during peak times.
Families find the hotel to be accommodating and child-friendly with suitable facilities and comfortable family rooms. Though there are minor concerns about room size and game room conditions, the overall experience for families is positive.
In summary, Ocean View Hotel excels in location, staff service and providing scenic coastal views. Addressing the consistency in dining services, room updates, Wi-Fi reliability, cleanliness and parking challenges would undoubtedly elevate the guests' experiences even further.
Categories
Beach
Located on Park Road, this hotel offers direct beach access and stunning Solent views from its rooms. It features an indoor swimming pool and a family-friendly game room.
Parking
Ocean View Hotel offers parking, which is a valuable amenity for guests traveling by car. The convenience of on-site parking allows visitors to easily access and explore Shanklin.
Accessible
This hotel is equipped with facilities for disabled guests, including a lift serving all floors. Accessible features in some areas include higher level toilets, grab rails, and wheelchair accessibility.
Family
Pool
Heated Pool
Indoor Pool
Business
3 Star
Indoor Pool
Heated Pool
Room Types
Double RoomThis room features an en suite bathroom, a TV and tea/coffee making facilities.
Twin RoomThis room features an en suite bathroom, a TV and tea/coffee making facilities.
Single RoomThis room features an en suite bathroom, a TV and tea/coffee making facilities.
Triple RoomThis room features an en suite bathroom, a TV and tea/coffee making facilities.
Double Room with Sea ViewBoasting a sea view, this room also features an en suite bathroom, a TV and tea/coffee making facilities.
Twin Room with Sea ViewBoasting a sea view, this room also features an en suite bathroom, a TV and tea/coffee making facilities.
Triple Room with Sea ViewBoasting a sea view, this room also features an en suite bathroom, a TV and tea/coffee making facilities.
Family Room with Sea View (4 adults)Boasting a sea view, this room also features an en suite bathroom, a TV and tea/coffee making facilities.
Family RoomOffering free toiletries, this family room includes a private bathroom with a bath, a shower and a hairdryer. The family room offers a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a tea and coffee maker, a seating area, a wardrobe as well as sea views. The unit offers 3 beds.
Deluxe Double RoomProviding free toiletries, this double room includes a private bathroom with a bath, a shower and a hairdryer. The double room provides a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a tea and coffee maker, a seating area, a wardrobe as well as sea views. The unit offers 1 bed.
Deluxe Twin RoomProviding free toiletries, this twin room includes a private bathroom with a bath, a shower and a hairdryer. The twin room provides a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a tea and coffee maker, a seating area, a wardrobe as well as sea views. The unit offers 2 beds.
Deluxe Triple RoomFeaturing free toiletries, this triple room includes a private bathroom with a bath, a shower and a hairdryer. The triple room features a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a tea and coffee maker, a seating area, a wardrobe as well as sea views. The unit has 2 beds.
Family Room with TerraceProviding free toiletries, this family room includes a private bathroom with a bath, a shower and a hairdryer. This family room features a tea and coffee maker, a seating area, a flat-screen TV with cable channels and a patio. The unit offers 3 beds.
Guest Reviews
6.3
Rated
Review Summaries
Location
The Ocean View Hotel boasts an enviable location with spectacular sea views, perched on a clifftop that offers guests a breathtaking panorama of the surrounding coastal beauty. Perfectly situated, the hotel is just a stone's throw from Shanklin beach and within walking distance to both the charming old village and the more modern town center, providing easy access to a blend of history and contemporary amenities. Families find the proximity to the beachfront lift particularly convenient, offering straightforward access to the beach and its array of attractions.
Visitors appreciate the hotel's strategic placement, making it a convenient base for exploring the Isle of Wight and its numerous points of interest. The scenic views from the rooms and balconies are a highlight, allowing guests to soak in stunning vistas right from their accommodations. For those traveling with their own vehicles, the hotel's location simplifies driving to nearby attractions and ferries, enhancing the overall travel experience.
Despite minor critiques about the hilliness of the area, which may pose a challenge for some guests, the panoramic views and direct access to the beach make up for it. Overall, the Ocean View Hotel serves as a wonderful choice for those looking to enjoy the best of coastal beauty, convenience and comfort.
Breakfast
The breakfast experience at Ocean View Hotel received mixed feedback from guests. On the positive side, many praised the breakfast for being tasty, well-cooked and nicely presented with hearty and delicious continental and full English options. Some enjoyed the great atmosphere and the amazing view during breakfast, alongside the good selection and excellent service from friendly staff.
However, several guests noted areas needing improvement. Common criticisms included the breakfast timetable being too restrictive, often resulting in chaotic and busy mornings. There were frequent mentions of limited options with poor selections of fruits and other items. Some guests encountered issues with cleanliness and quality, reporting dirty cups and hard or cold food. The need for pre-ordering and long wait times also detracted from the experience for some guests.
Despite the array of hearty and enjoyable meals reported, the consistency and organization of the breakfast service at Ocean View Hotel left room for refinement.
Dinner
The dinner experience at Ocean View Hotel receives mixed reviews from guests. On the positive side, several guests praise the high quality of the food, describing dinners as very good, decent and in some cases, outstanding. The breakfast also has favorable mentions for being well-cooked. Staff, including the chef, are often noted as being helpful and consistently thanked for their service.
However, many guests find the dinner options and timings problematic. The dinner menu is described as limited, often sold out and repeating too frequently throughout the week. Some noted that the food was plain or lacked taste, while others found it inedible with complaints about watery soup and dry fish. The necessity to pre-order dinner by 9 a.m. and the single one-hour dinner slot are other common issues.
Logistical concerns also arise, such as poor restaurant management, chaotic meal times, no food availability at times and a lack of special dietary options, including halal. The dining room's morning chaos, along with the smell, has also been noted as deterrents. Dining service appeared to prioritize coach tour guests, leaving other guests struggling to book tables or facing disappointment and forced to eat elsewhere. Overall, while the helpful staff and occasional excellent meals are high points, the guest experience is often marred by operational challenges and inconsistent food quality.
Rooms
Ocean View Hotel offers a range of room experiences, showcasing both the positives and areas that need improvement. Guests consistently praise the spaciousness and cleanliness of many rooms with particular appreciation for those featuring sea views. Several reviews highlight comfortable beds, sizeable rooms and modern bathrooms as strong points. The balconies and excellent ocean views mentioned in some reviews create a memorable stay for many visitors.
However, a recurring theme is the dated and tired appearance of the rooms and furniture. Some rooms also suffer from poor lighting, lack of soundproofing and inadequate cleaning standards. Issues such as noisy plumbing, musty smells and inconsistent water temperature in the shower were noted. Facilities occasionally fell short of expectations with missing amenities and necessary upgrades mentioned by several guests.
Family rooms and suites varied in quality with some reviewers finding them spacious and well-located, while others were disappointed by the outdated decor and poor maintenance. Noise from adjacent rooms or external sources, such as the elevator, further detracted from the overall experience for some guests.
Overall, the hotel offers a mix of comfortable, clean and spacious accommodations with beautiful sea views, but there is a noticeable need for updates and consistent maintenance to ensure a uniformly pleasant experience.
Beds
The beds at Ocean View Hotel have garnered mixed reviews from guests. On the positive side, many visitors found the beds to be comfortable with clean bedding and spacious rooms contributing to a pleasant stay. Some guests specifically praised the double beds and mentioned that while they had clean linens and provided decent comfort, issues with bed quality frequently emerged.
However, a significant number of guests reported dissatisfaction with the beds, describing them as uncomfortable, old and worn out. Common complaints included small and narrow bed sizes, mattresses that were hard or lumpy and beds that creaked or moved around. There were also mentions of poor mattress quality, stained bed bases and occasionally dirty bedding. These negative aspects seemed to detract from the overall comfort and satisfaction for several visitors.
In summary, while some guests enjoyed a comfortable night's sleep, for many others, the beds at Ocean View Hotel fell short of expectations, indicating a need for improvement in bed quality and maintenance.
Cleanliness
The Ocean View Hotel has received mixed reviews regarding its cleanliness with an emphasis on both positive and negative aspects. Guests have highlighted that the hotel maintains an overall clean environment with many appreciating the immaculate interiors and well-kept gardens. There's frequent praise for rooms that are described as clean, spacious and equipped with sea views. The cleanliness of the towels and bathroom areas is often noted and many visitors found the hotel to be generally clean and welcoming.
However, several reviews point to recurring cleanliness issues that require attention. Some rooms were described as filthy with problems such as dirty carpets, stained sheets and moldy showers. Housekeeping services were criticized for being infrequent and unreliable with some guests noting that rooms were not serviced and old sheets remained outside for days. The state of common areas varied with comments about dirty hallways, staircases and even finger nails found on the bar floor.
There are mixed feelings about the dated décor with some appreciating the retro charm, while others feel that it contributes to a tired and worn-down appearance. Overall, while the Ocean View Hotel has many clean and well-maintained areas, there's a clear consensus that improvements in housekeeping consistency and attention to detail in room cleanliness are necessary.
Staff
The Ocean View Hotel has received numerous commendations for their exceptional staff, which plays a crucial role in ensuring a delightful guest experience. Guests have frequently highlighted the friendly, polite and helpful nature of the staff members. The reception team, in particular, has been noted for their professionalism and warm welcomes, often going the extra mile to assist guests. Many visitors found the restaurant and bar staff to be very accommodating and efficient, contributing to a pleasant dining experience.
However, there are mentions of occasional staffing shortages which have impacted service quality at times. Despite being overworked, the staff has generally maintained a positive and supportive attitude. Guests have appreciated the amazing efforts of certain individuals, including a lovely reservations manager and a notably friendly receptionist named Lily. In certain cases, specific staff members were highlighted for their continuous hard work and dedication.
The managerial staff received mixed reviews with some guests finding them responsive and helpful, while others reported unhelpful and unmotivated encounters. On balance, the consensus is that the staff’s friendliness and willingness to assist significantly enhance the overall stay at Ocean View Hotel. Even under pressure, the team’s dedication to customer service shines through, leaving a lasting positive impression on most visitors.
Wi-Fi
At the Ocean View Hotel, guests have had mixed experiences with the Wi-Fi service. While some highlighted that the Wi-Fi connection was stable and excellent in certain areas, many others pointed out significant issues. Positive feedback notes that the Wi-Fi is effective in the hotel’s reception area with occasional mentions of free Wi-Fi being available.
However, a recurring theme in the reviews is the lack of Wi-Fi in the rooms and public areas. Many guests expressed disappointment over the Wi-Fi being unstable, unreliable or completely non-existent in their rooms. Issues such as weak signals and frequent disconnections were commonly reported with some guests noting that the Wi-Fi would start working but then stop after a while. Despite these challenges, there were instances where an initial poor Wi-Fi connection eventually improved during the stay. Overall, while some guests found the Wi-Fi service acceptable, many others believe that significant improvements are needed to meet their expectations.
Pool
At the Ocean View Hotel, guests have shared mixed but mostly positive impressions of the pool facilities. Highlighting the beauty and warmth of the heated pool, many found it to be an excellent and enjoyable amenity, often describing it as lovely, great and first-class. The indoor heated swimming pool has also received praise for its cleanliness and being family-friendly with children particularly loving it.
However, some reviews noted areas requiring improvement. There were mentions of renovations needed for the pool area, occasional issues with cleanliness and times when the pool was closed without notice, which disappointed several guests. Additionally, a few reviews pointed out that the pool was sometimes closed for maintenance or incidents and that certain facilities could be updated for safety.
While some experienced disruptions, many appreciated the pool's good size and warmth, enjoying a pleasant swim and finding it never overly crowded. Overall, while there are some areas for enhancement, guests seem to have had a generally positive experience with the Ocean View Hotel's pool.
Parking
The parking situation at the Ocean View Hotel receives mixed reviews from guests with a significant emphasis on the limited availability and condition of the parking facilities. Many guests noted that the car park is small with only a few spaces and it could become quite challenging to find a parking spot, especially when the hotel is fully booked or during weekends. The condition of the car park was also mentioned with some guests suggesting it requires refurbishment.
While a number of reviews highlighted the difficulty in finding parking, both on-site and on surrounding streets, a few guests found the parking convenient and appreciated the availability of free parking, even though it was limited. However, the tight and restricted parking spaces and issues with coaches taking up multiple spots, added to the frustration for many visitors.
Guests with specific needs, such as disabled access, faced additional hurdles due to the lack of properly designated handicap parking spots. Street parking around the hotel was often cited as the only alternative when on-site parking was full. The overall sentiment suggests that while parking is available, it is often limited and can be a significant challenge for visitors.
Family
Ocean View Hotel provides a family-friendly atmosphere with ample amenities for children and adults alike. It is well-suited for families, especially those with kids who will certainly enjoy the swimming pool. Families consistenly appreciate the hotel's child-friendly environment and facilities. Some guests have highlighted the spaciousness of the family rooms and the presence of family-specific accommodations, describing them as warm and welcoming. On occasion, the pool may be occupied by local swimming lessons, which might cause some inconvenience. However, overall, the hotel’s efforts to cater to family needs stand out, evidenced by positive remarks about the staff’s understanding and kindness in addressing family concerns. While a handful of reviews mention disappointments with the family room size and the game room's conditions, most families have a great time, making it a recommended spot for a memorable stay with children.
3 Star
Ocean View Hotel presents a mixed bag of experiences largely pivoting around its three-star rating. While some patrons affirmed that the hotel meets the typical service level and amenities expected of a three-star establishment, others felt it fell short, particularly in room quality and overall professionalism.
One of the standout aspects frequently mentioned is the stunning views and the ideal location, which seem to provide guests with a memorable stay. The rooms, beds and hotel grounds have also received favorable comments, suggesting a certain level of comfort that aligns with guest expectations.
However, the hotel’s decor and furniture appear to be stuck in a bygone era with numerous reviews pointing out the outdated and tired feel of the place. Many suggest that the establishment needs updating and modernisation to truly reflect a three-star rating. The dining room decor seems to be a highlight amidst the dated surroundings, but that alone does not seem to compensate for other shortcomings.
Food quality has also been flagged as an area needing improvement with some guests deeming it unacceptable. The overall sentiment hints at better lodging options available within the same price range, suggesting that while Ocean View Hotel holds potential, it currently lags behind in certain aspects critical to ensuring a fully satisfactory guest experience.
Business
The Ocean View Hotel offers some amenities for business travelers, such as a business center and accessible meeting and conference rooms. However, guests have highlighted several issues that may affect the overall experience. While the WiFi is mentioned, there are no positive comments specifically addressing its reliability or speed. The booking process is often described as complex and unreliable with frequent errors in booking confirmations.
Rooms appear to be outdated and in need of renovations, particularly with old, potentially moldy windows. The overall service is hampered by a lack of staff and efficient management, which can lead to slower service. Guests have not found the hotel particularly accommodating for business stays and business amenities have been described as just okay with limited options available.
Accessible
Ocean View Hotel has a mixed reputation when it comes to accessibility for guests with disabilities. On the plus side, the hotel boasts plenty of disabled parking and a lift that conveniently connects the hotel to the promenade opposite the seafront. Many guests found the lift to be notably convenient and appreciated the accommodations made for wheelchair accessibility. The rooms themselves were said to be easily accessible, making it a suitable choice for those needing such facilities.
However, there were several mentions of challenges and limitations in accessibility. Guests noted difficulties for those with mobility issues, stating that some parts of the hotel were hard to reach and lacked proper ramps for wheelchairs. There were specific complaints regarding the stairs being hot and cramped, which posed problems for elderly or disabled guests. Additionally, while the pool is advertised as available to hotel guests, it is often occupied by local swimming lessons, which can be inconvenient.
Overall, while the hotel has made some efforts to provide accessible facilities and is located in an accessible area, it falls short in several key areas, particularly for those with significant mobility concerns.
Heated Pool
Ocean View Hotel features a heated swimming pool that has generally received positive feedback from guests. The pool is often described as warm, nicely heated and lovely, providing a comfortable swimming experience. Families particularly appreciate the clean and inviting environment, making it a hit with kids. An indoor setting allows for year-round enjoyment regardless of the weather. While the pool's heating is a highlight, there was a notable instance where the pool was closed, which disappointed some guests who had specifically chosen the hotel for this amenity. Overall, the heated pool at Ocean View Hotel is a valued feature, especially for those seeking a pleasant and warm swim.
Indoor Pool
The indoor pool at Ocean View Hotel has received mixed reviews from guests. Many visitors appreciated the facility, noting its good size and commendable cleanliness. Frequent descriptions like nice indoor pool, excellent indoor pool and lovely heated indoor pool convey a generally positive impression of the space. Guests often found the pool to be a nice addition to their stay with the heated feature being an appreciated bonus.
However, there were notable concerns about the pool's maintenance and accessibility. Some reviewers mentioned that the pool area could use more cleaning and updating and a few found the indoor pool maintained poorly. In terms of availability, several guests expressed disappointment that the pool was closed during their visit or occupied by local swimming lessons, making it inaccessible despite being advertised as available to guests.
Overall, while the indoor pool is well-received for its size and heated water, the hotel's management may need to address maintenance and scheduling issues to enhance the guest experience.
FAQ
Yes, Ocean View Hotel has pool(s) that belong to one or more of the following categories: Heated Pool, Indoor Pool.
No, a spa isn't available at Ocean View Hotel.
No, Ocean View Hotel doesn't allow dogs.
Yes, parking facilities are available at Ocean View Hotel.
