3 Day Tour – Itinerary one

A warm and pleasant welcome by the hotel owner invites you in to the perfectly acceptable, whilst not luxurious and not basic in equal measure, Villa Mentone

I was firstly taken aback and then soon overcome with relaxation and acceptance when the owner spoke to me using my first name. A rarity in the hospitality industry, especially when clearly visiting for work purposes, but a welcome diversion from the hotel ‘norm’ for me…..just as long as its not yet another addition to the growing list of changes in the world of ‘new normal’!

Staying alone, I booked a single room, which was the only one available anyhow at short notice…..sadly no sea view but a new shower unit, tea and coffee making facilities, ample charging points and access to YouTube on the tv was more than enough for me

The outside areas are small but idyllic and offer stunning clifftop views of the bay. I walked to the town centre for some room ‘essentials’ and this took 10 minutes, with plenty of local independent shops, restaurants and two large supermarkets.

It is sad yet totally understandable that the Villa Mentone do not accept coach bookings anymore….coach parties and private bookings really can be worlds apart and if a hotel doesn’t ‘need’ coach group custom, I admire and envy any establishment who takes a blanket approach against such custom. it is clear to see right away as soon as you check in with the amazing views to the right of reception, why this hotel enjoys plentiful custom all year round.

Ive seldom enjoyed breakfast with such a stunning view, perhaps not since visits to Bali and Singapore; which is quite a claim. The sun was rising quite majestically at 08.00 overt the horizon which did help I suppose! I was a little surprised at having my request for poached eggs declined, something Ive only ever encountered once at a rather grotty cumbrian guest house, but I bowed down to the alternative offer of scrambled eggs and was far from disappointed; deliciously fluffy and silky for a great start to the day.

Although the Villa Mentone doesn’t serve groups travelling by coach, this hotel appears to be great value for large family groups, couples or lonesome travellers like me!

Cost:

Single Rooms from: £50-£70

Sea View rooms from: £140 – £190

FoodTravelMusicLove.com Rating 7/10

This attraction will not be to everyones taste and neither should it necessarily be; I like the subjective nature of places of interest and tourist attractions which appeal to all types of visitor.

I have 20 years of coach and bus experience so one would assume I’d take great interest personally in a museum such as this. In fact, I try and put aside any personal feelings and look at things objectively which is what I did at the Isle of Wight Bus Museum

There are ample parking spaces, with the museum sharing the site with an operational bus company with 20 plus vehicles, so you can imagine the size required. The entrance is completely free although they do try and push a £5 brochure on you on arrival. I have no problem with this at all; these places rely on any form of income to survive and presumably they offer the museum as a free attraction in lieu of potential donations, brochure sales and snack shop purchases. At whatever level and style of business, speculate to accumulate is generally the key.

There are all ages of bus and coach on display and the oldest I saw was over 85 years old. Even if you have no interest in the industry or particularly the history of such vehicles, you cant help but be drawn in to a bit of nostalgia and just visualising the thousands of passengers who stepped aboard all these carriages over so many decades.

If it wasn’t for fantastic venues like this, they would end their lives prematurely on the scrap heap which would be tantamount to sacrilege

There is a lovely shop at the end of the tour with numerous collectibles and gifts as well as the snack shop. Like many other indoor attractions, they have suffered at the hands of Covid and there were sections that I couldn’t see, so if anything the museum was better than what I am able to review

Cost:

FREE (Donations welcome)

FoodTravelMusicLove.com Rating 8/10

On arrival I instantly took note of the large car park, with ample overflow in an adjacent field, as well as space for 4/5 coaches.

There aren’t many age groups or demographics amongst us who don’t enjoy a bit steam related nostalgia, surely? This was an experience I’ve enjoyed at many steam train attractions across the UK, BUT I do try my best not to make comparisons with like for like attractions.

The whole feel from purchasing your ticket at the small ticket box to boarding the train in your own compartment and strolling through the wonderful ‘Train Story’ indoor museum area felt incredibly authentic. From the decor to the dress code of guards and signalmen (signal people I should say, its 2020 after all!), everything feels like you could be travelling in the 60’s. Again Covid had its part to play but apart from a few hand washes and wearing of masks for those that are able to when indoors, the whole experience was barely affected.

The station I boarded at, Havenstreet, is nicely placed in the middle of the line, so the journey pleasantly takes you to one end of the line, back past Havenstreet to the other end and then you return to the middle, taking around an hour in total.

I didn’t get a chance to sample the tea room / cafe but it looked very busy which is a good sign most of the time. There was a lovely nature trail and a large field which is great for letting the kids run off steam….I couldn’t wait to get that line in somewhere 😏. They also hire a field out for falconry displays which are free to watch (included within the entrance / train fee) and then you have the option of one to one time with the birds at extra cost I believe.

Value for money, authenticity, sincerity and nostalgia makes for a fantastic attraction; and this it certainly is.

Cost:

Adult £13.50

Child £6.50

GROUP DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE

FoodTravelMusicLove.com Rating 9/10

I did my best to hold back my frustration within the video itinerary at the lack of clarity the Garlic Farm appear to provide with their group booking offerings.

The website clearly states that they welcome group visits to the farm and that they offer a range of packages to groups of 15 or more. When I contacted them they then explained that they are not geared up for coach groups…..now, call me cynical, but unless a private jet is arranged to land at the farm or 5 families decide to all drive and meet there to make one group, its fairly obvious that most groups would simply ‘need’ to travel by coach. They even have a section on their own site again, advising coach groups to call ahead first to make prior arrangements for access.

I am not a fan of any type of misinformation especially when provided to an unknowing public. Many group organisers use attraction websites as a tool to create inspiration and they will be disappointed if they plan on a coach trip here sadly.

I visited in person without the camera and felt the atmosphere and general feel of the place to be very pleasant and the restaurant area was very busy which shows popularity at a difficult time for all businesses.

As a lunch stop in a car or to purchase the products in the lovely shop, I would recommend the Garlic Farm (I haven’t eaten there myself). I purchased a Hot Garlic Pickle which I reviewed in the video and really enjoyed. The product quality is reflected in the rating below

Cost:

FREE to enter

FoodTravelMusicLove.com Rating 5/10

Once operating as an open chilli ‘farm’ where you could walk around and see all the produce flowering to beautiful fruition, the business has now reverted to a large shop full of a wide assortment of chilli related products. I understand the need to do these things and I believe it has been this way for a number of years, however its a bit of a shame as well as its nice to see anything growing from seed to sauce

I will remain objective again as anyone who knows me and my brand knows how much I love my spice everyday. Chllis are fantastically good for your soul and feel good factor and contain many other nutrient health benefits. The product range was sadly around 30% when I visited and they had an ‘out of date’ sale on; another sign of the covid pandemic ruining business stocks across the country. Having said that it was nice to see them open at all, many businesses haven’t survived to tell the tale of unused stock.

I purchased a peanut butter, bbq sauce and a ridiculously hot and highly unpleasant sauce which are reviewed in my accompanying video itinerary. I will be back in a few weeks to sample a couple of other products as well as I’m hoping the stock levels and range may have improved by then.

The store is on a little industrial estate setup which also housed a teddy bear shop, a ‘cafe on a bus’ and a large gift store, so you could easily spend a few hours on the site. Its just off the main road to Shanklin as well which makes for easy orienteering.

I have tried to rate the store based on the current climate being taken in to account. All in all I really enjoyed the experience of being surrounded by chillis, pastes, sauces, dips, marinades and…peanut butter; I will definitively be returning and would recommend anyone who likes the heat to visit.

Cost:

FREE to enter

FoodTravelMusicLove.com Rating 8/10

I made no secret of the fact that I adored this attraction in the video itinerary. It’s full of so much charm with its sweet shop and working factory (out of action at present due to Covid), glass making demonstrations, plenty of outside seating areas and the best yet scariest part, the chairlift to the beach.

The views as you meander over the treetops are revealed in super slow motion whilst sat in a rickety yet charming old chairlift. The views being that of untouched coastline either side of you and the intriguing yet sadly somewhat distant sight of the Needles. I say sadly, as I had hoped the attraction was nearer to the actual rock formation famously known as ‘the needles’. I should point out though that boat trips were leaving regularly for anyone wishing to get up close and personal to the rocks.

I personally decided to catch my breath after the cliffside descent of the chairlift and disembarked to commence a peaceful stroll along the pebbles where you can zoom in and get adequate shots of the needles. You can also look back at the chairlift making its climb aside the cliff and wonder what you were thinking going down in the first place!

For all age groups, the availability of a white knuckle ride (a chairlift for those less scared amongst us), a peaceful beach, a historic natural landmark and an abundance of shops and live demonstrations, I consider this to be a fantastic attraction and must see whilst on the Isle of Wight

Cost:

FREE to enter

Chairlift £6 Return

FoodTravelMusicLove.com Rating 9/10

I couldn’t help but miss my little one when walking the tiny streets and towns in the lovely model village. I’m not sure she’s ever seen such an attraction before; these miniature delights dont seem to be as readily available as they appeared to be in my childhood. Or maybe I just saw them on holidays and the memories stuck with me.

Many clever little mock games and sports are taking place as you slowly watch, listen and muse your way through a good sized site full of shops, churches, schools and transport variations. A fantastic stop for groups and families in my opinion and especially if visited as part of a longer period with the village of Godshill.

I visited the Godshill Cider shop and picked up a couple of delightful products at reasonable prices, both reviewed on the video itinerary. There are also numerous tea rooms, pubs and cafes in the village so if you take in a bite to eat and a cold drink as well, I would suggest 3-4 hours allocation to visit these wonderful villages; the real life village and the model village!

There is a free car park with plenty of spaces and coach parking available too although you need to reserve a spot beforehand

Cost:

Adult £5.95

Child £5.25

GROUP RATES AVAILABLE

Parking:

Free and ample car parking

Coaches need to pre book

Accessibility:

All level ground and ramps appeared to be available

FoodTravelMusicLove.com Rating 9/10