And need to post my findings.
Have been to see two hotels on the island. Ventured all the way over to Freshwater Bay, much to Mrs Oi_M's disgust, some of the roads are a bit bumpy. Freshwater Bay has the Farringford Hotel there.
Very nice hotel, nice grounds, reasonably large putting green/ helipad but as stickjames said in an earlier post, it is surrounded by tall trees on all sides of the landing site.
Second place which looked more suitable is the Ventnor Towers Best Western Hotel, they have a designated Helipad and while talking to the owners, they showed me a photo of an AS355 on the helipad from the previous week. They are shortly gutting the grounds a bit more and taking out some of the bushes. The hotel is on the side of a hill but the helipad and gardens are at the bottom. I had a walk around there and took plenty of photos.
There is probably room for at least four helis.
On to availability, the Ventnor Towers is pretty much booked up for August Bank Holiday and you're right Catwoman, all those kids running round.
I enquired about the 30th JUne and 1st July and they are currently reasonably free. This is the same weekend that the Vintage Aircraft Club are at Sandown on their summer camp. Also, just after the longest day gives good amount of daylight, although Sandown and Bembridge Towers close at 1800hrs.
Prices at Ventnor are £125 per person in a standard room or £145 per person in a superior rooom. This includes 3 course dinner plus coffee, accomodation, full english breakfast and VAT.
Two nights dinner, bed and breakfast at the Farrinford at Freshwater is £385 per room for the above weekend. Didn't have chance to speak to anyone as they were getting ready for a dinner.
How does that sound to people?? Who prefers where, and who wants to fly down and in what and does that weekend sound OK.
Too many questions in one sentence.
Did enquire about the Priory Bay but past Easter they wouldn't close a hole on the Par 3 course so its the helipad only. The Swainston Manor didn't look open when I went in .
So where is the Idiots Guide to posting photos located on the forum or could someone help, by PM please, save clogging up the thread.
Thanks for doing all that research into our IoW trip
Actually, the Ventnor sounds perfect Prices are good too.
The landing area sounds okay too And seeing as we will have our very own "expert" marshaller on-hand (again) then everyone will feel safe and sound
As for dates - end of June beginning of July looks a good bet Also, the fact that the Vintage Aircraft Club are on the island as well gives an extra added flavour to the weekend.
In the photo from the top of the putting course, the cottage at the far side of the helipad at Ventnor Towers will shortly be part of the hotel.
Having walked around the helipad area I believe there is probably room for three helis on the pad area, at least one in the space on the other side of the pad.
Some of the bushes are to be removed in the near future so it should open the space up. They probably would close the putting course while there in case of stray golf balls. The circle to the right of the H is hole 1 of the putting course.
If you put in the postcode PO38 1QT into Google Earth it takes you straight to the hotel.
Note in the photos in the white slate has been removed from the H and the circle. Will be renewed soon.
As stickjames mentioned before the Farringford is surrounded by tall trees so I guess it would need a steep approach. There is a Par 3 golf course adjacent to the landing area. The landing area is also the putting green.
Having spent a lot of time on the island in the last nine years i would say Ventnor is probably the best option. There is more to do in the centre and east of the island than in the west.
Am currently looking at transportation ideas, the island has an excellent bus network.
It would be good to get this off the ground ( excuse the pun).
I'm over on the island in just under two weeks time for my mother in laws birthday . If we can get an idea of availability then I could pop along to the hotel and check their availability.
If the Ventnor Towers looks best I will take some updated photos. They should have replaced the slate in the "H".
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Prices are good too.
Also, the fact that the Vintage Aircraft Club are on the island as well gives an extra added flavour to the weekend.
