Altavia Hotel

The breakfast was excellent - as long as you liked the full English - couldn't fault it. The cereal options were a bit basic - cornflakes or Weetabix, we didn't use these so couldn't comment further as to whether we could state a preference for anything else. Breakfast, was hot, fresh and had a ready supply of toast. The staff were very friendly. John (the owner?), as other people have stated in the comments could seem a bit terse/abrupt, but I didn't have a problem with his manner - once you knew what to expect and took him as you found him, he was a lovely man and was happy to help. I asked for an additional pillow and found we all had one by the time we got back that evening. The room was, rustic/quirky. I personally didn't have a problem with it and would be happy to stay again - it all depends on your expectations, some people may find it too basic, but I thought it was fine. The bed was very comfortable, plenty of space in the room and lots of storage in our room: a wardrobe, chest of drawers and a three drawer bedside table - more than when I've stayed at 4 star hotels! Close to beach and high street and other attractions to just a short drive away. The car-park was also a bonus!

The shower wasn't very powerful and not too stable - usable, but could have been better.

Excellent breakfast nicely presented - staff very friendly and efficient - very obliging - grandson loved the eggs !

Nothing not to like - exactly the opposite in fact. Tired children offered very welcome ice lolly on arrival and the fish in the entrance hall provided lots of interest to us all - Nanny and 3 grandchildren 10,3,6 years of age. Spacious bedrooms and run of the house and great garden with trampoline - indoor skittles and chess also. Fabulous shower and comfortable clean beds and plenty of towels etc. Very pleasant and informative host - a real pleasure all round. Very close to lovely beach and good shopping and bus service.

John the owner of hotel very helpful and friendly (our tv in room didn’t have remote control so he went and bought and had installed a new tv the following morning). cooked breakfast was right portion size and cooked well. hotel lounge/tv room great! in rear garden there is x2 person swing chair and large trampoline which my son used everyday and made friends with other children staying at hotel. always had a parking space in hotel car park and John would move his vehicle if needed. sandy beach, restaurants, shops, amusement pier all within 5-10min walk

the decor throughout, room facilities and furniture needs updating. communal staircases and room carpets to be replaced.

John was an incredibly gracious and attentive host. I fell asleep to the sound of waves and woke to the sound of chirping birds. what a hidden gem! breakfast was filling and delicious. this is a basic but comfortable and good value hotel and we will be staying there again in the future. location was also perfect near downtown Sandown and the beach.

The welcoming we received. John is an amazing host!! He let us chose the room as we arrived at a quiet time. He taped my broken car back light after advising it was vulnerable to rain, how kind is that???!! I had to leave a day earlier and he refunded my extra night with no problems at all. Breakfast was also good though not much variety, mostly English breakfast on white toasts or butter and jam, tea, coffee,oj. The location is good, three minutes from the beach, high Street and pier yet very quiet. Lovely garden. Lots of activities for children in the area. Nice TV room and play room included pool 🎱. Very comfy beds!!overall I and my two kids had a great stay and would recommend it.

The hotel is good enough, only would require a good refurbishment as it's quite old and stuck in the 40/50s. Also doesn't have WiFi.

As a family of 5 we had a lovely stay. John, the owner made us feel very welcome and went beyond expectations to make our stay very comfortable. He was very good with our three children. We had a nice family room on the ground floor, although the water temperature was a little hit and miss in the shower. The vegetarian English breakfast was nice and for our little one there were conflakes too. The hotel is dated but was perfect for us as a family and also with our friends. The garden is very nice and was great for the kids to run around. The beach is so close, jus a few minutes down the hill.

Was just up the road from all the entertainment in town, breakfast was spot on, staff we're very helpful and happy to help, nice location had sea view room. Come and go when you want and parking on site.

Great location - literally 3 - 4 mins walk from beach, shops and restaurants, but in a peaceful area. Slept well in comfortable beds with a sea view room looking out over a large patio and garden area. Lovely breakfast served by friendly staff. John the owner was very welcoming and even gave us a lift into Shanklin on our first night to save us having to get a taxi. He point blank refused to take any money from us for the lift.

The property was dated but clean and comfortable

John, the owner made us feel welcome at the hotel and was always available in case of need. The hotel has an excellent location. Breakfast was served efficiently each morning. This is a great hotel for families.

The hotel decor is a little dated but we knew this at the time of booking from other reviews, personally it didn’t bother us. John gave us a choice of rooms when we checked in and our rooms were well presented so we enjoyed our stay at the hotel

Friendly staff treated us like family rather than clients

Limited but understandable bar options. No covered smoking area or ashtray.