The Aqua in Isle of Wight

The Aqua is now luxury apartments, ive stayed here for the past 3 months while working on the island. I found that the owners are just as lovely as the apartments are. This is a great location and would highly recommend a stay at The Aqua to anyone visiting Shanklin.

This is no longer a hotel or restaurant the property has been sold and has new owners. There is no information about what this property will be in the future.

Used a number of times over the years for lunch and evening meal. Today one side of the steps was " closed for refurbishment". My wife and walked up the other side. One table on the right had men sitting at it and the other side had 2 ladies sitting at a table. One man asked us what we wanted as they were closed I said sorry as not aware the place was closed. At this point the man became very rude and aggressive. " Could we not read". " I am working f.....ing hard "" can you not see it".. I asked him politely not to be so rude but he continued to be abusive to my wife and myself. I assume this man was the owner, not sure, If that is the case then he will find it difficult to attract customers to his Hotel in the future with the short term behaviour he showed to us. Such a shame this used to be such a lovely hotel with excellent staff. M thomas

I liked this place very much and ate there several times. Unfortunately, the building has now been sold, and the restaurant has closed.

After reading the reviews, we’ve decided to pre-book a table (via email) Staff are polite and welcoming on arrival , we had pre drinks before our table was available, I was surprised that the hotel never had cocktails on the drinks menu so maybe something that’s can be considered in the future. dinner Menu was comprehensive with some traditional English dishes to choose from, overall we had a pleasant evening meal and the staff remained attentive throughout the evening and we had a enjoyable evening.

It is such a shame that this Restaurant can only open on Friday and Saturday evenings at the present time due to staff shortages following the Covid enforced closure. The chef apparently who has been there over forty years was forced to find work elsewhere during the closure and is now only available for the above two nights. We ate there on the two nights and the food was excellent and reasonably priced. The two young waitresses were extremely pleasant and efficient and we had two very enjoyable evenings there.

Visited the Aqua again, having eaten here in 2021. The food is excellent, with a good selection on the menu. Staff are very welcoming and friendly. Having visited most of the restaurants in Shanklin, this is one of the best and I would highly recommend it to other visitors to Shanklin.

They have a pool table which is already a 5 star from me Good food Excellent service! Very friendly All you do, Walk in get chips (which are a 10) Play some pool, eat some food. And come back in the next 24 hours. Very clean and well looked after WOULD RECOMMEND!! 👍🏼

I stayed for one night whilst visiting the island for a friend's birthday. The Aqua is beautifully situated with lovely views. It was such a lovely welcome from the lady on reception - she was most helpful in helping me sort out my car and finding the best place for me to park. She also took time to check that I had managed to find a spot for my car when I saw her again later in the evening. The room was very clean and perfect for my one night stay. The staff throughout the hotel were very friendly and I would be more than happy to return to the Aqua on future visits to the island.

I have just got home from a 3 night stay at the aqua The hotel rooms are homely very clean and quiet. The breakfast wasn't the best but adequate.the staff I came across where all very polite and friendly especially the lady's in the restaurant for the breakfast. There was daily housekeeping.i had to ask for a different pillow because the original one in the room was solid and I didn't sleep well the first night. But Neil on bar /reception changed it with no issues. The bed was solid as concrete so I ended up sleeping on the duvet and using the blanket for sleeping. Apart from the bed a great little hotel

What a find, this is a little gem, super friendly staff, lovely relaxing atmosphere and absolutely spotless!! Definitely worth a visit and over looking the sea front…highly recommended

This hotel is just the cleanest hotel I have ever stayed in. The staff are fantastic and nothing is too much trouble from booking - arrival - check in. The owner James Blamchett came to look at our television that we could not get it to work. We came back from a day out and a new television was on the wall - he had gone into Newport to purchase a new one. A great hotel right on the front. The only small problem is they don’t have a car park but if you cannot get on the front you can park in a nearby car park and it really is not a problem Will be back

We had dinner on Saturday night it was perfect and tge waitress was great. Such a shame that didn’t have the staff to open on other evenings.

We always visit here for a few drinks when we visit Shanklin, it’s in a beautiful location overlooking the esplanade, very welcoming and friendly. Clean and tidy. Reasonably priced drinks. We love the atmosphere and sitting out on the decking enjoying the sunshine is wonderful. Thank you Aqua.

We have just returned from a few days away, staying at the Aqua hotel. It was a great break and the hotel was a lovely place to stay! The staff were all welcoming and they all went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed. We ate at their restaurant and had a great experience. We had to book at time so that the bookings were staggered, which was no problem at all. The food was lovely and cooked very well. Unfortunately a rude customer ruined the evening by behaving in a disgusting manner towards the staff at the hotel after dining in the restaurant. The staff dealt with the situation in a very professional manner and I believe there was no need for the customer’s outburst and was actually embarrassing for them as everybody could hear their aggressive manner towards the staff member/s. Anyway, apart from that, which was dealt with very well by staff, we had an amazing stay at the hotel and a great experience of the restaurant. Definitely recommend! It has an amazing view as a bonus too! We will be back again next year.

Myself and my partner wanted to treat his parents to a lovely meal. This restaurants website looked a bit upmarket and perfect for the treat we wanted to surprise his parents with. A long story short, we asked to push the table back by 30mins, we were told this was not feasible due to being so busy. The whole time we were there, only 4 tables were booked out of around 15.. so not busy at all. Also, my steak was very over done, was sent back and was promised a new one in 5 minutes. My meal never made an appearance and my partner and family had finished their meals, so I asked the waitress to please forget about my meal and take it off the bill. My partner asked to speak to the manager about this and it resulted in the manager who was incredibly unprofessional and rude wanting to address the issue at the table to which my partner refused, due to the other customers having their own meals. The manager argued with my partner who was trying to address the situation privately away from his parents. Due to my partner wanting to address the poor service and poor experience, we did ask for this to be reflected in our bill. The manager even rang the police on my partner, who refused to deal with the situation as the customer (my partner) was not being aggressive and they recommended it should be resolved in house.. just as my partner was trying to achieve. I have honestly never experienced such awful customer service in my life and it really ruined my night knowing that the police was called on us. Absolutely ridiculous! Shame the manager has no clue about hospitality or customer service. Do not waste your time going here, there are far more other nice places to eat in Shanklin.

Really really bad food. Cold. Cold service too. If you want somewhere nice to go don’t go here. Overpriced too

Bedroom needed updating Not enough electrical sockets Most people would prefer a king size bed Outside seating excellent as you cannot smoke or vape there

Just had a 3 night stay here with family and friends - very friendly staff throughout our stay, room was clean and plenty of space well laid out (19). Bed was very comfortable. Breakfast was tasty and plentiful. Great location everything in easy walking distance....

We had such a bad experience at this restaurant. My husband’s steak was very overdone & it’s quite pricey so we expected it to be perfect. We politely spoke to the manager about this & he was very unprofessional & aggressive towards us. I felt...

1 - Can’t play pool after 10 o’clock 2 - Bar shuts at 10.30pm 3 - Smokers are not allowed to smoke anywhere on the site, Even on the large open air patio. They have to leave premises and walk down the road. Even when...

We always visit The Aqua for a coffee when we visit the island. We dropped in this afternoon for a coffee and also ordered some mulled wine & mince pies. The Aqua is dog friendly and they kindly provided fresh water and a treat for...

We were struggling to find a suitable venue to hold a reception after my Dads funeral and contacted the Aqua after a recommendation from a family friend. They were fantastic, nothing was too much trouble and on the day the owners and staff were attentive...

We have to eat at the Aqua on each of our 3 visits to IoW per year. Dinner and/or Cream tea - always excellent food, service, and peaceful . Best wishes for a great Christmas to Annette, James and all their staff !

During our one-week holidays in Shanklin, we decided to have a dinner every day at a different place. "The Aqua" was a completely random choice that appeared on our way during an evening walk along the beach. We didn't expect much from the hotel restaurant,...

The first impression of this place was very good as the service was excellent but during the course of the evening that service dropped off a cliff. The fish and chips were well presented but the key lime pie was just odd. Not unpleasant but...

Place was nearly empty on a Saturday night, so we should have known. The reviews where ok & we booked. Menu was limited & some items sold out, it was Saturday Night! Food was very Hungry Horse although all edible & the wine low end...

On 23rd October we visited The Aqua to celebrate my friends grandson Charlie's 18th Birthday. Staff at the Aqua had gone the extra mile and had decorated our table beautifully with 18th Birthday balloons and other sparkly table decs. There were fourteen of us for...

What an excellent lunch the staff pulled out all the stops for my sons 18th birthday. This is his favourite restaurant, the service was top notch and the food was delicious as always. Thank you for everything.

We hadn't planned to eat at the Aqua but on our arrival the restaurant we'd planned to visit was closed on Tuesdays. Nextdoor they'd had issues with the chef so were also closed. This led us to the Aqua - who luckily had a table...

we had friends come over from the mainland so decided to go out last nigh and booked the aqia. from entering the hotel it was very good service, very pleasant and helpful staff ,we had a lovely table in the window although the weather was...

Because of the terrible food in our hotel we found The Aqua on the Esplanade and the service and food were excellent We went there the remaining nights we had in Shanklin

We always get dragged in here by Henry our dog, think it's the Markie treat that wins him over. Even in this world where Covid still lingers The Aqua get it right with their outdoor seating area. Offering coffees, cream tea, lunch, wide choice of...

I’m glad we booked dinner at The Aqua for one of our nights in Shanklin, it was a faultless evening, we started with a drink on the terrace and then went inside for dinner, both our starters and main courses were lovely, I had the...

This was definitely the best curry I've ever eaten outside of an Indian restaurant. My partner said his fish & chips were excellent too. Friendly service, tables well spaced out, reasonable prices. Highly recommended.

We knew that the food would be good as we were only able to book once in 5 days of staying on the island. So it didn't disappoint, food was fresh and served by very helpful and pleasant staff.

We had the Goan cod curry. Cod was very tasty as was the rice and chutney. All complimented each other. Banofee pie was a huge slice, glad we shared. It was one of the best I've tasted. Staff were lovely. Very welcoming. All masked. Such...

First of all.. the staff were amazing. So friendly and attentive and they made us feel welcome. Why the lower score, simply the food was ok rather than great or outstanding. This may be our fault for ordering the wrong meal for us that night....

We have visited a couple of times during our holiday, The staff were friendly and professional, Pimms was so refreshing and the food was well worth the price! Freshly cooked. Lots of shade under a parasol and sun if needed. I highly recommend. May need...

Have been to Aqua many many times and always received good service! We dropped in this morning for coffee’s on the patio; it was absolutely lovely sitting in the sun looking out across the sea. The service was friendly as always and the prices are...

We were very grateful to the wonderful staff of this amazing restaurant for fitting us in when we were having problems finding somewhere to eat during our recent stay in Shanklin. The food was amazing and made using fresh produce. The staff are very professional...

My wife phoned the Aqua 2 weeks ago.to book a table for the 5th Sept and was told she could only book one week in advance. Phoned again yesterday (31/8) to be told to phone on the 1st Sept which she duly did. The call...

Good food, the fish pie was delicious The steak was tasty and the chips were amazing. The service was nice too.

Visited on 21 August. Turned up without a booking but they managed to fit us in despite clearly having fairly full reservation book. The staff who served us were genuinely friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our food which was excellent. We also noticed excellent service...

Lovely restaurant with very friendly staff, the food was amazing will definitely be back again, highly recommend this restaurant

We arrived to an empty restaurant and sat down. We waited for at least 5 minutes and we’re not served despite at least two waitresses standing in the doorway, not even an acknowledgement. We went next door to a busy restaurant and were served immediately....

Visited the Aqua on a Wednesday evening booked in advance we had a great view of the sea and beyond.The food was fantastic from the Crab Starters and Arancini to the Seafood Pasta and Dover Sole,great wine choice and desserts,staff very friendly and helpful

’m so glad I had pre booked. Everywhere was so busy. Also last orders are 7.30pm. A classy restaurant with lovely views over the sea front. Lovely food , beautifully presented which made an early but very nice evening.

We stopped here for lunch. Food was ok, but no better than that. I ordered a chilli chicken wrap which was dry and we had a pizza which was so greasy. It tasted like a frozen pizza. Staff were friendly enough. Very little atmosphere here....

We stayed for a week at the Aqua and were lucky enough to try several dishes in the restaurant and bar. All were plentiful and tasty, but the chicken parmigiana was the highlight for me - so delicious that I ordered it again another day....

Called in for a beer and a light lunch and was greeted by Helen who was so friendly and welcoming.My wife had the quiche and i had the crab which were both very nice,felt very COVID safe as your still asked (not told) to wear...

I cannot speak highly enough of Aqua. We have been in Shanklin a week and we have had morning coffees and afternoon drinks then this evening we had a fantastic evening meal ! It was my parents golden wedding anniversary and although this was only...

I can’t speak highly of this place. The restaurant was clean, modern, with welcoming friendly staff. The food is very tasty and done in a very ‘cheffy’ way. I had the Goan Cod which was delicious, in fact all the food I saw that came...

Booked in advance and had the most incredible dinner at the Aqua. This was the best meal we had during on stay on the Isle of Wight. Our waitress (Laura) was excellent and attentive as was Neil who served our drinks. Food was of a...

We booked an early table , we hadn’t been to the Aqua before Greeted by the proprietor ( lovely lady) seated and served pre dinner drinks great choice We were then taken to our table , cool restaurant, nice ambiance . Menu was great a...

Visited for a drink last week and the woman who served us spoke down at us and made us feel very unwelcome. Returned for a drink today and was pounced on before we could get up the steps to be told they were full. There...

My wife and I had a delicious meal @ The Aqua, l had the lemon sole and my wife had the pork fillet, both meals were excellent. The menu is extensive, the best of any restaurants in Shanklin. The staff are very friendly and attentive....

Recently visited for evening dinner. We can honestly say the food and service was the best we had received during our stay on The Island and eating at a variety of places. A completely different standard to anything else. A particular highlight was their bar...

The food was excellent and the menu varied with specials of the day. The staff are friendly. Ask if you can have a window table

There is an old saying’ don’t spoil the ship for a halfpenny of tar’ . We both enjoyed a very tasty meal here last night, served up by the friendly attentive Lara. Cannot fault the meal or service but all this good work was let...

Superb food. Great service. Beautiful views. Well worth a visit if you are staying in the Isle of Wight. Starters were crab ramekin and king prawn respectively which we both loved. Main course of curried cod and my liver with mashed potatoes was delicious. Wine...

Whenever we come to the island we visit the Aqua, and again this time we are not disappointed. From start to finish the whole experience is wonderful, and we felt very Covid safe, they are constantly cleaning down tables and chairs, yes you may have...

With other local restaurants not taking bookings, we managed to get two tables of 4 and were pleasantly surprised at the really nice inside restaurant area.Service was excellent and we were grateful for other diners coming in to slow down the very efficient and friendly...

We stayed at The Aqua for 7 nights, and it exceeded our expectations. We had dinner at the in-house restaurant every night and found the standard of the food very high with a lovely selection of wines. We were very impressed by Laura and her...

Had a great evening meal. We were given a table overlooking the sea which was great. We had Goan cod which was nicely presented and very tasty, followed by cheese and biscuits. Staff were busy but friendly. Had a lovely evening.

Absolutely appalling service from the staff. We couldn't even stay. We queued up twice, only to be completely ignored by the two waiting staff, not even a hello, or I'll be with you soon, just completely ignored. The third time we came back and the...

Had our first meal of our holiday here . My wife had crab and lobster ravioli and I had cod. Our meals were excellent and so were the desserts . On getting the bill I was surprised how reasonable the price was . I would...

Three local ladies looking for a good lunch and a glass of wine on the seafront, and we certainly found that at the Aqua. The food was beautifully prepared and very tasty. They were busy but service attentive and a warm welcome. Recommended.

We had booked a meal at the Brasserie restaurant in the Aqua hotel. The restaurant its self was very nice with views over the sea. We started with the pan fried king prawns on toast and the butternut squash soup. For mains we had the...

Wow! Every bit of our meal was incredible, this was one of our favourite places to eat in the area. Great sea views, and friendly staff too. It's a little dated - could do with some modernisation, but don't let that put you off eating...

Really delicious food and great service, a lovely spot by the sea, we managed to get a table without booking which was lovely. Would 100% recommend it, good wine list too.

We enjoyed a wonderful meal at The Aqua on our last night on the Isle of Wight. I had the lobster ravioli and it was quite possibly one of the best meals I’ve ever had. My husband had the sea bass and again was very...

A wonderful beachfront restaurant, We had a table inside by the window overlooking the sea, but you can also sit outside. The service was brilliant and the food was amazing. The place is nice and modern and very clean. Would recommend this place without hesitation.

We had Sunday lunch at the Aqua. The staff were very friendly and helpful, we felt totally safe, with tables separated and cleaned before we were seated. They catered for my husband who has to have gluten free and nothing was too much trouble. The...

5 of us had a short cycling break & chose The Aqua as our base. Prior to the trip, Annette & James were very helpful in assisting myself so everything would go smoothly We were not disappointed. The hotel was lovely . 4 of us...

Booked in three generations family Sunday lunch. Very clean almost sterile environment but once seated the menu, service and food were excellent.

We ate here due to the good reviews.The sea bass was delicious so that was good.My husband was very disappointed withe seafood pasta that was mostly salmon.The Chablis white wine was served tepid and we had to ask for it to be chilled safe to say it was only just cold by the end of the meal.Decor all a bit dated too so don’t think we will be dining there again.

I find this restaurant the cleanest and nicest food in Shanklin. The staff are pleasant. The menu has lots of choice . The attention to detail is excellent .

This place looks to be a cut above, when comparing its website menu to other eateries in Shanklin. And so it proved – very nicely decorated and laid out inside and with an interesting and varied menu. Our starters were good and our mains better – I went for the sole and my wife had the fish pie. Both were of a very high quality and very tasty. Service was good and Covid compliance was fine too.However, the place lets itself down with its wine list, which I would describe as supermarket standards. When we eat in a restaurant as good as this, we want to have wine that is just as enterprising and original as the food. Lindeman’s Bin 65, which we ended up plumping for is perfectly nice, but I can buy it in Tesco. Where are the verdejos, the terrets and the vermentinos that great fish screams out for?It wouldn’t stop us coming again though.

Loved it here great food.good service.friendly staff.and fantastic veiws.what more could you want.not forgetting a nice cold beer.

The service is always good at the Aqua and the food never lets you down. Beautiful views over Shanklin beach.

Felt safe & very welcome here. COVID measures high. Very clean, well presented restaurant. Great menu- not huge which is a good for us! Still a great choice including vegetarian options. We were given a little complimentary plate of warm cheese straws . The food was gorgeous. Hot & freshly cooked, delicious! We cleared our plates! We will definitely return here on our next holiday on the IOW.

We had a really nice dinner here. Lovely venue and great atmosphere, friendly staff and delicious food, my fish pie was incredible! We would definitely return and recommend.

We had a pleasant meal. The food was very good, but slightly lacked ambience. Service was good and quick without being rushed. Oddly the kitchen closed at 9pm which seemed early. Pricing reflected the standard of food. Location is nice, being on the seafront.

Popped in for morning coffee on a Sunday morning. Dreadful. Perhaps their focus was elsewhere.Enough said.

I really wanted a crab bap and found one here!! Absolutely lovely and as you can see from the picture it was packed full!!Food and drink was lovely with a great view. Service was fast and friendly. The facilities inside were clean too. We didn’t stay here but from what I saw I’d be happy to in the future.

Pop in for a lunch, was fabulous, so came back for breakfast the next day, Must say the breakfast was as lovely as the lunch the previous day Lovely friendly staff, nice atmosphere and very comfortable. Will defiantly be back

We had a delicious lunch. There is plenty of inside and outside sitting is available. Friendly staff. Wry clean and maintained place by the sea. I will visit again. Try prawn wrap.

We had a very pleasant dinner at the Aqua on a Wednesday night. The staff were very friendly and chatty, and we felt welcomed from the moment we arrived. There is good choice on the menu and the food we ordered was prompt (if a little too prompt) and delicious - we had the arancini to start, followed by pan fried chicken and lobster ravioli. It felt like quality, homecooked food. The restaurant itself needed a little something just to give it more atmosphere - maybe lower lighting, or some plants dotted around. It just felt slightly sterile, although that might be personal choice as we were the youngest guests in there by a couple of decades. We still really enjoyed our meal and our chat with the waitress from Middlesex.

The restaurant in this hotel (The Brasserie) is open to non-residents, however it's popular so well worth booking. It has a lovely view of the sea through its large windows. The staff are very friendly and the food is excellent.

Great food- tasty. Felt Covid secure, all measures in place. Dog friendly outside. Great view of the sea.

The food. service, atmosphere, the staff are all first class, dined here several times during my stay at the AQUA (which is also first class hotel) . My favorite was the pork on mustard seed mash if it's on the menu when you visit try it you will not be disappointed

Four of us went here for dinner to celebrate a wedding anniversary and they had the decorated the table, a nice touch. We had a delicious meal and I would highly recommend the spinach and mushroom tagliatelle. The creme brulee was fabulous. Our waitress was excellent. You need to book

Looking for a place for lunch, Mrs Moose and I chose the Aqua, as the neighbouring places did seem busy. We were readily welcomed at the Aqua, and quickly shown to our table. Good COVID precautions were in place. I went for the beefburger, while Mrs Moose went for the fish pie. The pie was a sizable portion which defeated Mrs Moose, but it was very tasty. The burger was also very good.

You would have to very unlucky or very picky not to enjoy a meal here. The staff are very good - attentive and friendly but not obsequious The food is excellent and reasonably priced The overall experienced is first class

Four of us enjoyed a meal here. Most of the other diners appeared to be staying in the hotel so I was glad that we booked. The food was excellent with obviously good quality ingredients. Service was good and it is a lovely setting. It also looks like a great place to stay!

A lovely first night in Shanklin. COVID restrictions were observed and worked exceedingly well. Food was amazing, the fish pie was love and had lots of big chunks of fish and prawns. Desserts great too. Everything came quickly and was piping hot. We had some fussy eaters in our party but their needs were met with no problem. Extensive wine list. Beautiful view. Would recommend you try it.

We had two meals here. Both were very good and the staff were friendly and helpful. It is a bright modern restaurant. Essential to book.

Well exactly wow this place is a must to go for food and welcome right from the start with the welcome and how at home we were made to feel service was excellent and friendly and food well couldn’t fault it thank you so much for such a nice enjoyable meal and friendly staff .In this climate COVID-19 the service was brilliant we felt safe and relaxed we will definitely be returning before we leave Isle of Wight (oh we had to book as well )

arranged a Birthday Meal here for my partner, when we were taken from the lounge to the restaurant the table was decorated with a birthday sash and steamer which was very thoughtful ,as for the Meal it was excellent and we could not fault it, staff friendly and pleasing , lovely evening and would definitely return