Beachfront
setting overlooking picturesque Sandown Bay
Free, full English
cooked-to-order breakfast
Live evening
entertainment and dance floor
Furnished front
deck overlooking the sea
Clean and
contemporary bathrooms
Free Wi-Fi and on-site
parking
Dated and
tired-looking interiors
Some rooms have drab views
The 39-room Marina Bay Hotel is a family-run, budget hotel with an excellent position overlooking the picturesque beach of Sandown Bay. Interiors are a bit dated in places, but rooms are clean, with modern bedding and adequate amenities; some offer sea views. There is live evening entertainment and a full English breakfast, Wi-Fi, and on-site parking are all free of charge. Rates are usually competitive given the beachfront location, though travelers may also want to consider the Tarvic 2 and the Wight Montrene.
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Scene
Family-run beachfront hotel with dated interiors and sea views
The family-run Marina Bay Hotel was first opened to receive visitors as a beach hotel several decades ago and it's hard not to wonder if there's been much in the way of modernization since then. First impressions are underwhelming with a drab '70s-style facade and plain whitewashed finish. Inside, the lobby feels particularly dated with salmon-pink furnishings and generally lackluster decor. While blue carpeted hallways are scuffed and plain the hotel opens out to a bright and roomy space with a dance floor and small stage; also, out front a wood deck with picnic tables overlooks the beachfront road and the sea beyond. Though not to everyone's taste, this family-run hotel is still popular with visiting coach parties and vacationing couples of the slightly older variety.
Location
Excellent beachfront location overlooking the yellow sands of Sandown Bay
The Marina Bay Hotel stands on the beachfront esplanade overlooking the yellow sands of Sandown Bay in the southeast of the Isle of Wight. The seafront walk traces the beach from the neighboring towns of Shanklin to Yaverland and passes plenty of pubs, cafes, and restaurants as well as cliff-top paths. Dinosaur Isle -- Britain's first purpose built dinosaur museum -- is 15 minutes' walk from the hotel while the Isle of Wight Zoo is just 10 minutes away on foot. It's just under a half-hour drive to Sandown from the island's northern ferry terminal in East Cowes, with connections to and from Southampton. Alternatively bus services connect via Newport and take around an hour and 15 minutes.
Rooms
Basic rooms with free Wi-Fi and clean contemporary bathrooms
The hotel has 39 rooms, all of which are simply decorated with white walls, basic modern furnishings, and damask-style patterned fabrics. Free Wi-Fi extends to all rooms while tea/coffee facilities and flat-screen TVs come as standard. Renovated bathrooms are clean and contemporary with wall-mounted hairdryers and walk-in showers though toiletries are little beyond a bar of soap. While some rooms have pleasant sea views overlooking the front of the hotel, others look out onto drab buildings.
Features
Free full English breakfast and live evening entertainment
A full English cooked-to-order breakfast is served every morning and included in the price -- though the service finishes on the early side. The hotel also has a restaurant serving local favorites, together with a lounge bar and live entertainment every evening from a small stage. Drinks can also be taken out on to the front deck overlooking the pretty beach. Drivers have access to free parking on-site and free Wi-Fi is also available throughout.
