Six-key beachfront bolthole, The Terrace Rooms & Wine, effortlessly fuses boutique charm with understated luxury.
Originally Ventnor Bay’s distinguished St Augustine Villa, erected in the 1840s as a home for the local rector, it has been a guest house for over 150 years.
Owners Tom and Ashley Fahey lovingly restored the property in 2021, opening The Terrace Rooms & Wine the following year – a second venture under The Terrace brand, also home to popular dining gem, The Terrace Yarmouth.
Embracing a hedonistic focus on destination wine, design and barista coffee, the guest house boasts a wine boutique, a tasting room rich in Isle of Wight produce and an off-season dining destination, all situated on the Ventnor shores. Original features including the fireplaces and the Italianate turrets – which inspired Prince Albert’s designs for Osborne House, Queen Victoria’s beloved oasis in East Cowes – are thoughtfully paired with custom-made wood panelling and Victorian-inspired tiling, betwixt a peppering of contemporary art and muted hues that reflect the natural surroundings.
Each boudoir – some exhibiting dusty rose hues and marble detailing – encapsulates island charm, with many boasting unparalleled and panoramic views of Ventnor Harbour, Bay and Cascade gardens, whilst the sizable annex room also welcomes four-legged friends and families travelling together.
Set beside Ventnor’s golden shingle beach, The Terrace Rooms & Wine’s atmospheric wine cave is adorned with deep green walls encompassing some 800 bottles, whilst its grand table hewn from a single slice of oak provides the ideal zone for guests’ five-course presentations, changing weekly. Meanwhile, four-course truffle-fueled breakfasts are served in the property’s glass pergola offering an enchanting morning delight.
On the weekends, The Terrace Rooms & Wine hosts Friday Wine Room DInners – an intimate dinner in the wine room where Tom cooks for up to 14 guests using only Isle of Wight Produce. Only 2% of products used are not from the Isle of Wight – sugar, salt, neutral oil and some vinegar. Everything else is locally sourced, including citrus, sichuan pepper, ginger and eucalyptus. Prices from £80 for dinner with an optional £50 wine pairing.
A charmful idyll, Ventnor has garnered popularity as a foodie hotspot in recent years, home to copious renowned culinary names, elevating the region’s main beach promenade to new and delicious heights.
On the weekends, The Terrace Rooms & Wine hosts Friday Wine Room DInners – an intimate dinner in the wine room where Tom cooks for up to 14 guests using only Isle of Wight Produce. Only 2% of products used are not from the Isle of Wight – sugar, salt, neutral oil and some vinegar. Everything else is locally sourced, including citrus, sichuan pepper, ginger and eucalyptus. Prices from £80 for dinner with an optional £50 wine pairing.
This winter, the coveted retreat is launching a limited series of two-day Wine Immersion courses, distinctly tailoring the food to the wine. As part of an indulgent stay at the property, groups will expand their knowledge of wine and gastronomic pairing through a tasting extravaganza with Top 20 UK Sommelier and Chef and former food critic, owner Tom Fahey. Eliminating unnecessary detail, the bespoke courses dive into the heart of what guests truly wish to discover, preceding tranquil walks on the unparalleled frosted landscape. The accompanying food menu will be updated weekly to suit the chosen wines and using almost all local ingredients, as some flavours in wine are tropical or very Mediterranean, so they will be using some items like banana, mango, pineapple and olives.
Sample dishes include:
- Roast Carisbrooke Venison with cherry, blue cheese, mushroom & beetroot condiment paired with Pinot noir.
- Roast Isle of Wight dairy beef, blackcurrant, eucalyptus, pumpkin seed and padron pepper condiment with coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Island goats cheese, elderflower-pickled asparagus, salted gooseberry & apple condiment with barrel fermented NZ sauvignon blanc.