The Retreat
3741St Helens / Sleeps 4 (no children under 6)
7 Nights from £800
The location of attractions is intended only as a guide. Distances are 'as the crow flies'.
Nearest pub
The Pilot Boat Inn (½ mile)
Situated on Bembridge Harbour, pay a visit to this unusual inn which looks like a boat (you need to see it for yourself!). A friendly welcome awaits along with an open fire in winter and outside seating in summer. Children are welcome and there is a kids menu available. Dogs are also made welcome. There are two sunny terraces at the back and bench seating at the front.
June 2017
Quirky Building
It is actually built in the shape of a boat which is quite cool. There's a bit of seating outside but mostly inside, although it's quite small so there aren't that many tables. Menu is limited but that's not necessarily a bad thing as food is freshly cooked to order.
Nearest beach
St Helens Beach (¼ mile)
The beach is a fairly flat area of sand and pebbles with rock pools at the far end. St Helens Old Church ruin stands proudly in front of you when you enter the pay and display car park with single file parking and overspill parking availabile a few hundred yards away. There's a cafe but this is only open during the busier months. Dogs are allowed on the beach year round. There is no lifeguard cover.
Nearest walk
Bembridge Village Stroll (½ mile)
A two mile meander around the village of Bembridge, taking in the historic windmill and, if the tide is out Bembridge beach. The route takes in the Lifeboat station on the beach which opens to the public during the summer holidays. The route starts and finishes at the Pilot Boat Public House, ideal for refreshments.
Nearest town
St Helens (¾ mile)
A little village near the water where you can sit and watch cricket on the village green, glass of wine almost obligatory. It's across the harbour from Bembridge on the far eastern edge of the island and it has its own little shingly beach, watched over by a shipping landmark in the form of an ancient church. It's a particularly good place for rockpools and dog walks.
Also nearby
The Old Village Inn (¾ mile)
This pub is slap bang in the middle of Bembridge village and is popular with locals and visitors alike. Parking is fine on the roads nearby. The menu is created using food locally sourced in the village so expect seasonal, fresh produce. Specials change daily and include fish fresh from the local harbour. A pizza oven is the latest addition so freshly made pizza is also on the menu.
August 2021
Old Village Inn
We visited this pub on our first night in Bembridge after booking in advance. Very friendly staff, child friendly menu, well located
July 2021
OVI
Staff really nice food is excellent but book in advance as it can get really busy
Mrs English December 2019
Friendly local
Great friendly pub. Went a couple of times and the food was great, the staff were welcoming and the quiz was great fun. Really enjoyed our nights here and wish this was my local.
April 2019
Friendly, welcoming, something for everyone.
Fabulous find in the village centre. Wide and varied menu, catering for most dietary needs. Staff are incredible. We ate here twice in a row, but I have no doubt that if you were in the area for a week you wouldn't run out of options.
June 2017
Traditional village pub
I like it here. It's casual, frequented by locals (usually a good sign) and the food is pretty good for a village pub. The meat is from the local butchers and highly recommended.
Seaview Village Community Shop (1 ¾ miles)
A recently opened community shop offering local produce, newspapers, fresh fruit, veg and milk. It's ideally situated in the middle of Seaview and a great place to stock up. They are only open mornings until Easter and then will extend to all day until October.
February 2020
Wonderful.
Great selection. Lovely staff.
Mr Butler September 2019
Great choice
This shop was open at 2 set times during the day, and we were pleased to see it was open until 18.30 when we stayed in Sept. They have a great choice of local produce including dairy items, the milk and Greek yogurt we had was delicious. The fruit was fresh and good quality, plus on sale were various dry goods and newspapers. A great selection of items. We will use the shop again if we return to Seaview.
Ms Arnell February 2018
Great Little Local Shop
A new community shop recently opened in the heart of the village. It offers fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, bread and other local produce. This is the perfect place to get provisions in Seaview and saves a trip to the supermarket in the car.
Seaview to Ryde Walk (1 ¾ miles)
Park your car anywhere on the Esplanade at Seaview and walk past the Boathouse pub with the sea on your right. You will pass rows of beach huts, woodland and into Puckpool Park. The sea views are stunning across the Solent to the mainland and the park itself is a gem. The path hugs the coast all the way around to Ryde, past Appley beach with its gothic tower and into the town. You'll find lots of places to eat and drink en-route, the path is even and flat so suitable for pushchairs. Dogs are allowed on the footpaths but restricted on the beach so do check the signs. The return walk is approx 2 miles depending how far into Ryde you walk and the best return route is back the way you came.
Mr Reeve September 2020
Nice Walk
It is a nice walk along the coast from Seaview to Ryde. There are a couple of park cafes on the way and some nice coffee shops in Ryde.
Mr Cox September 2020
Excellent pushchair friendly walk
A lovely walk from the doorstep, although you may need to walk via Bluett Road in Seaview at high tide! There are a couple of cafes in Puckpool to take a rest and refreshments.
Mr Butler September 2019
Enjoyable walk
With the sea to look at and all the activity on it along the way it is a very enjoyable walk. When the tide is out you can shorten the walk by cutting across the beaches. If you walk along the paths you will pass a small nature reserve which can be visited by all, a couple of pubs, The Boathouse looked good, a cafe which we went in called The Dell and recreations. The area named Appley has a Coastal Foley and woods to walk through. The beach at Ryde is large and sandy, and Ryde has many places for refreshments after your walk. You can continue your walk along the pier, which is free for pedestrians. We estimated the distance to be a little over 2 miles, we took our time and enjoyed the views.
Bembridge (1 mile)
The most easterly point of the island, this friendly town is full of beaches that are dog-friendly year-round with pubs to stop in when you've had your fill of fresh sea air. There's lots of places to eat as well as shops for local ingredients to make the most of your self-catering stay.
Mrs English December 2019
Everything you need.
Lots of great places to eat, in particular we enjoyed Lockslane. Lots of shops, no need to ever leave the town. All in a short distance. Great atmosphere here, very friendly
Ms Arnell July 2017
Lovely village
The centre of the village is where you'll find the majority of the shops including some decent cafes, a fish monger, great butcher (Woodfords) and a lovely bakery. It is like going back in time; in a good way.
Lily's Cafe (1 ¾ miles)
An Artisan coffee shop in the heart of Seaview just a short stroll away from the seafront. Enjoy homemade cakes, biscuits, panninis, salads and quiche. Pop in for a well earned snack if you are walking around the coast or spending the day of the beach.
July 2021
Great coffee
Lovely service, excellent coffee, fun cafe.
Mrs Thiebaut October 2019
Lily’s cafe
Delicious open wraps
Ms Brown June 2019
Perfect for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea
A proper local cafe that is open year round.
October 2018
Laughably Expensive
The owners have squashed in as much furniture and bric-a-brac as possible which makes for an uncomfortably 'cosy' ambience.
Although the fayre is good, it's not exceptional, the wait is long and the organisation is questionable. The prices charged would give one the impression that everything is gold plated. More realistic prices would lead to greater footfall and higher profits but then they'd have to get rid of some of the 'stuff' crammed in there and they'd have to organise themselves more effectively.
May 2017
Lovely spot
Located on the High Street, this eclectic cafe serves good coffee and a great variety of snacks and cakes baked fresh daily. It's a bit of a tardis and looks small from the outside but there's loads of seating to the rear.
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