The Fountain Inn in Isle of Wight

Top quality service, fantastic staff

The Fountain is an old building on Cowes High Street and has the RedJet ferry terminal behind the building. So convenient for the ferry, for shops, other pubs, and coastal walks. Also has a bus stop less than five minutes walk away. We have stayed there three or four times and we have always enjoyed our stays. The rooms are comfortable and cosy. The food is great with veggie and vegan options. The bar is cosy, and is dog friendly. The beers usually include two or three real ales. On top of that, the staff are friendly too.

Good food with varid selection on menu and excellent service from Nicki, Andy for ferry terminal and close to shops, very central

Went in for a few drinks. All pretty average as pubs go. The atmosphere was okay. the service was okay.

Central location for a bite to eat or a drink but felt service was a little slow and the co edition was a little tired

Really central, amazing atmosphere, live music, amazing food and bar, on the seafront, overall amazing experience with the most kind staff

I was eat in there .. and after i see the fork and knife make me really vomit feeling. I order a cheese burger , the meat was over cooked , alice of cheese was put just on a top of a hot meat , and the burger bread was cold ( cheese even was melted) In a room was comfortable bed, bad next to the window i almost need to walk on my knees to not hurt my head on top i am 180CM tall i was there from 18.10 until 24.10. Very very disapointed. For that prize.. At least the staff was kind and polite, but as a hotel i don't know..very disapointed . And i don't lool for luxury hotels. I'm commimg in Cowes to see my doughter...

Lovely friendly place cater well for dogs and the food was amazing

This lovely place was warm , welcoming & very welcome after our group had explored the town , the food was excellent, plentiful & value for money . The visit would have been worth it just to meet Nicky our lovely waitress who moved tables & chairs to seat 16 of us together for lunch . Nicky was exceptionally welcoming , kind & chatty . We are now planning our next trip there near Xmas . FANTASTIC! Thank you .

Stayed for a long weekend. Lovely superior double room, a king bed by the way. Breakfast was superb, Nicky was so helpful, an absolute delight and took an interest in us and our plans for the day. Also enjoyed our evening meals. Staff were all lovely. Couldn't really fault anything other than couldn't work the shower in our room, but that could have been me! Would definitely stay again. Thank you all at the Fountain, Cowes.

We have eaten in a number of pub/restaurants in Cowes but have found the fountain inn the best. Quality food, reasonably priced and excellent service . I had the gammon steak with skin on fries , it came with peas , egg and grilled pineapple. The gammon steak was cooked perfectly. My husband had the steak and ale pie with fries and vegetables. He asked for extra gravy as he never has enough which was brought immediately and all was delicious. It is incredibly dog friendly and has an extensive doggy menu! Our dog had the pigs in blankets which he devoured!!! He was also bought a basket with fresh water and a blanket. Service was very good and the waitress was very attentive. We will definitely be returning.

Absolutely amazing, food was amazing and Andy and Nicola couldn't do enough to help accommodate us ( 2 families, 4 children with Autism and 2 dogs). They went above and beyond to make our children comfortable and us parents at ease. Highly recommend!!

We stayed here for a few nights with the dog in tow and found this place to be brilliant. Andrew and the team run great ship and we had a lovely stay. Nothing was too much trouble for them and they looked after us and the pooch brilliantly, the place being VERY dog friendly and intuitively set up as such. The room was compact but clean, pleasantly decorated and decently equipped with a lovely harbour view and the bed was very comfortable. We had breakfast one morning and dinner a couple of times and everything was superb quality. Add to that a comfortable bar with good, fresh beer. Greene King can rest easy as the brand is being well looked after here.

This place is, by a very wide margin, the worst place I have ever stayed, including hostels when I was a student. 1. The room was dirty, the lino bathroom floor extremely sticky and the communal areas haven’t been touched in 30 years. 2. The room stank of sewage/urine 3. It was extremely, extremely noisy until well after 1am and it was therefore impossible to sleep. If absolutely everything else in Cowes is booked, you can’t find a boat to sleep on and you don’t have a tent, my advice would be to save the money and get a better nights sleep staying under a bridge.

Fantastic traditional Victorian pub right on the seafront in Cowes. Lovely traditional pub atmosphere and decor, friendly and helpful staff, good sized rooms and beds, close to everything in Cowes. Highly recommended.

visited for lunch and breakfast. Food very good. Friendly service and amazing place to take your dog

Found this gem of a pub, had the seabass was amazing, starters were cooked perfectly. Very friendly staff. Definitely visiting again before we leave the island

Went to the Fountain Inn yesterday ordered a meal. Over half an hour later asked where the meal was, they went to check and came out with our food. Then had to wait for cutlery, the food was look warm. Me friend said he should have gone to help them, as he is a professional chef. The meal was sausage and mash x2 1 soup and 1 salmon. They didn't even ask how the meal was, they dint seem to care or couldn't be bothered

Rooms are slightly tired but perfect location for Cowes.

Excellent food. Bed very comfy. Close to everything

Once again I've just had a great stay at the Fountain in Cowes. Thank you Nicola, Andrew, Nicky, Mark and the rest of the staff. You are all wonderful. See you again soon...

Stayed at the hotel for one night. Bedroom good size with a double bed. The bathroom could is very tight with a walk in shower. The bedroom furniture is a bit dated and could do with modernisation. However I would stay again. Television was an average size and had Freeview channels. Had a kettle with free tea bags, coffee, biscuits etc. There is no hotel car parking or EV charging available which was a shame. There is car parking options at car parks within the town at an average of £7 per night. The restaurant is located next to the bar area. The bar area is nice with a good selection of drinks. There is an outdoor seating area which overlooks the water. The breakfast is a good selection choice of hot & cold food. The free internet at the hotel is very good on the signal strength. All the staff were very helpful and friendly. The hotel / pub is located on the High Street and does get noisy on the evenings. It’s a shame the windows are not double/triple glazed as the noise gets into the rooms from outside.

Over the last few years we have taken to making the Fountain a regular stop when on holiday in IOW. We cannot recommend it enough, the food is always excellent and very reasonably priced. Staff are always friendly and happy to help. They are also so welcoming to dogs, offering bowls of water and even a pile of dog beds to choose from near the bar! When the weather is nice it’s great to sit out the back and watch the ferries and boats on the water.

What a great little Hotel!! Number one, the Staff, Andrew, Nicola, Nickie, Lisa and Will were amazing and so helpful in every way! nothing too much trouble. We had a lovely room, (number 1,) very comfortable and spacious. Fresh towels almost every day and super comfy bed!. Breakfast was served by Lisa for our first couple of days then Nickie was back. Best service ever from them both! Breakfast was perfect. with, lots of variety. I just can't say how enjoyable this little break was ❤️

Recently stayed here for 2 nights. Room was comfortable with all amenities. The breakfast was nicely presented very tasty and hot. The staff were brilliant and very accommodating. Had dinner there one night and again was very nice. Great location for the centre of town and right near the Red Jet Terminal from Southampton. Outdoor garden overlooking the sea. Definitely recommend and would return👍.

Wonderfully welcoming hotel with excellent restaurant Great location, friendly team delicious food and cosy room. Had a great stay here for a course - nothing was too much trouble and everything worked perfectly. Supper was enhanced by meeting Katelyn, who is working there while studying for A- levels and will take up a place at Cambridge who have offered her an unconditional place. A hugely impressive individual who is clearly destined for success.

Sunday lunch done properly wow , everything tasted lovely wasn't cheap processed meat . Apple crumble tart was lovely with clotted cream ice cream . Lovely venue on a nice sunny day

Ordered the sharing camambert with chicken, it took over an hour to come out and when it did the chicken was burnt and inedible.

Such a warm welcome on arrival. Nothing too much trouble. Front of house to waitering staff just perfect. Food was of high quality, home cooked, deliciously prepared. Pub also dog friendly which was a welcome treat and even he got treated like a prince. Great location won west Cowes, will use again and again.

Absolutely perfect dog haven! Lovely room, location, food and the staff were exceptional. Cowes has 64 places to have a drink (so I’m told). Absolutely incredible find.

Quirky pub and hotel. Rooms comfy. Food really good. Staff couldn't be more helpful.

Nice pub, good atmosphere, some of the worst bar service I've ever had.

What a wonderful Inn in Cowes with an excellent range of food and drinks. The staff are wonderfully friendly and helpful. A great place to visit with some great vegan options. (Even Gluten Free and vegan if you ask). Well worth a visit any time of the year. Thank you all.

Always a great place to chill when you've missed the ferry, if you're hungry the menu is good and varied.

Great bar the food is nice , the coffee and the crafted beer are out of this word , the bar man is nice , great hospitable and friendly staff

My husband and I stayed here back in July of this year as part of our honeymoon celebrations. We were instantly welcomed by friendly and approachable staff that made us feel relaxed. We slept very well in our room. The food at dinner and breakfast was very tasty. Our stay was very pleasant. Staff had expert knowledge of the island and were able to help us navigate and explore areas of interest - this was really helpful as we’d not been to the Isle of Wight before. We have already and would continue to recommend The Fountain Inn to friends and relatives. Thank you!

Centrally located with bars restaurants and shops nearby. Waterfront location Breakfast is excellent with plenty chose from. Dog friendly with the ferry terminal just outside

Great location situated right were you catch the Red Jet Ferries , Nice bar food menu and dog friendly with there own Dog Food menu including Ice, Creme. The only issue here was the beer quality wasn't great, Draft peroni didn't taste like peroni even after it was changed. All in All not bad priced and decent food.

Had breakfast this morning at the Fountain. The food was absolutely fantastic and the staff were brilliant. Best breakfast I’ve had in a very long time!!!

We stopped in for late lunch and it was delicious. Staff were wonderfully friendly and helpful. Great outside seating area.

Pleasant enough environment, staff were fine, dog friendly. But we were disappointed to find at 8pm they'd sold out of several choices on the menu. What we had was okay.

We have used this place since the 90s and we had our local friends group there for Christmas Dinner here 2022. My husband had a message pop up advertising £25 for 2 drink & 2 meals and urged us to go down. I urged him to phone and check, was told 'yes I'm sure that's everything on the menue' booked tonight (wed) and went down. Was taken to the outside (slightly outdated) dining room for the meal despite offering the bar area, reason we did that was because waitress was already muttering 'can't do 6 things at once' in front of us. We sat and when someone (not waitress) asked our order we ordered drinks and asked if everything was actually on the 2 for £25 deal (again) server said he would check. Server came back with a word document with what was/wasn't on deal not massively impressive given the FB promo. We felt a bit embarrassed at this point as he'd been gone a while. Ordered 2 beyond burgers checked fries were on the menu as all the word doc. said was 'beyond burger' and previously its come with different chips due to no meat contamination. 45mins later food came (this is a 1/2 empty room I can't call it a restaurant). Waitress literally dropped plates and shot off. I flagged her to ask for another drink, she left and we looked at burgers that looked quite greasy and had cheese on. Bearing in mind we have ordered and had these burgers before which are advertised as vegan we were surprised at cheese. Couldn't check menu as we were just shown a hasty word doc. When the waitress returned with drinks we asked her what these burgers were, she came back saying meat; we asked to cancel order as expecting vegan. Male server came back v defensive and quite patronising 'they are meant to look like meat it's veggie hence the cheese vegetarians can eat cheese'. Then went. At this point we were both embarrassed and upset; hadn't been asked if we needed any extra sauces/sides. Had to wait a further 5 mins before someone else appeared to say we would just pay for drinks and leave food. £23 spent for drinks and poor service. As we left the restaurant the glass collector who took our plates was very verbal into the kitchen'look they've not touched it' and the male server was seemingly angry when we went to the bar to pay for drinks. The barman that served was very polite which shows its not all lost but the service was poor and its put us off as locals which is a real shame.

100% RECOMMEND! Dog Friendly is an understatement! - We usually stay here every August Bank Holiday for 4 nights - we come back every year! The food is great and menu has a lot of variety. They even have a food menu for dogs! Which is very good value! Rooms, food and drink very reasonably priced! I’m the bar area there are dog beds and bowls which made my puppy fee right at home! She had a sausage for breakfast every morning and even a roast dinner on Sunday! I can never fault this place - and the landlords Andrew and Nicola can’t do enough for you - they are so attentive and always make our stay comical.

Great service , amazing food , even the dogs had their own menu 🐕. Many thanks to all the staff at the Fountain and the lovely lady chef . You are all a credit to Greene King .

Wonderful Sunday lunch. Friendly staff. Unhurried. Great time. Nothing was too much trouble. Disabled friendly.

Excellent food , starter and main were first class. We visited during Cowes Week and luckily found room here for a late lunch. We were not disappointed. The service was very good - even outside.Staff were friendly, efficient and helpful.Good value for money as well considering peak season and location. Will definitely visit again.

Don't go just because it was Cowes week they lied to me, firstly telling me the kitchen was too busy then that they did not serve food in the bar only in the restaurant!!

Lovely place with good food. We had steaks for lunch and a special doggy dinner for our Labrador, the steaks were great and cooked just right, the service is very friendly and very welcoming to dogs. Reasonable prices love it

A very friendly welcome, lots to choose from and reasonably priced food. Looked after very well by Nicki who was knowledgeable and attentive. Food arrived quickly. Good sized portions too full on this occasion to sample the desserts

My wife and I spent a relaxing two night stay here and found the Fountain Inn to be excellent. We received an exceptionally warm welcome on our arrival and this warm and friendly atmosphere prevailed throughout our stay from all the staff. Nothing was too much trouble for them and they worked their socks off to make our stay a pleasant one. The food and service in the Restaurant was excellent, plentiful and very good value. If you want excellent value for money and exceptionally friendly service then you will not be disappointed.

We only "brunched" there but the food was very good. The chap running the Pub was charismatic and added to the experience. Service was ok and friendly albeit slightly slow on the basis we were only having a snack. Well worth a stop-off.

A Greene King pub & inn near the harbour and Red Funnel Red jet ferry service in Cowes. We had dinner in the restaurant but you can also eat in the bar. Both areas had a cosy feel to them. The staff were friendly and helpful, there was a decent menu choice (including vegetarian options), service was prompt and the food was good. The member of staff looking after the dining room saw us looking at leaflets for attractions on the island and offered assistance with any questions we might have... you would not get that kind of service in London!

We visited here over the New Year, and what a great place to eat, drink enjoy the Entertainment. The staff are so friendly and the manager couldn't do enough for us. We had food in the bar on two occasions and it was so nice...

Visited here yesterday for my mum’s birthday lunch, with our dog and 6 month old grandson. We had a fabulous doggy and human welcome, our waitress was spot on looking after us. Food was tasty and the hotest I’ve had in a long time. Definitely...

Owner was lovely, the food catered for allergies (provided an ipad with allergy selections on!), wait staff friendly. Very relaxed, fun atmosphere. Bar snacks were lovely too. Extremely dog friendly, with a dog food menu, beds and bowls so they can enjoy the experience with...

Visited twice during a weeks trip as the food and staff were great, portions were leaned towards large but quality was not lost. Dog and allergy friendly and the staff were wonderful and extremely welcoming. Overall would visit again and will be on our next...

Great food and great service. was happy i was able to use my staff discount when paying. great vibes amazing staff special thanks to our waiter who was very nice and polite. great chats as well. if in cowes again will cey ome back

My husband and I came over to stay in cowes for the weekend to celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary. The fountain made our stay such a pleasure. The management could not do enough to be so kind and helpful. Even putting a bottle of preseco...

We enjoyed our Sunday roast - Dad said the beef was delicious and I ordered the Vegetarian option - mushroom and stilton wellington which was a nice change as often nowadays you can only get vegan food. Our dog enjoyed his Sunday dinner chosen off...

Good location, especially when our guests were leaving on the nearby Red Jet. Good old building, nicely decorated and a popular pub. Sunday lunch was good - nicely pink roast beef and al dente veg, although the roast spuds were poor - no crunchy coating...

I was with my wife and our friends and we ordered food. When it came the scampi was cold and the fish and chips were below average. My friends gammon was good as was my hunters chicken. We would have visited more than once during...

Called in with 6 adults and two dogs and decided to eat as a last minute decision. Staff were very helpful and accommodating. Great to see a pub being so dog friendly and really passionate about allowing 4 legged friends in any area. Even had...

Myself and my aunt visited last week I have never known such a lovely friendly atmosphere could have spent all day there and nicki the waitress was so lovely even rememberd what drinks and food we liked would definitely recommend and will definitely return

Stopped in the Fountain Inn for a quick drink after spending a day on the mainland. The place has a really nice atmosphere and the staff were welcoming. I was served by Luke at the bar whos customer service was excellent. I will definitely return

Has a great beer garden which catches the sun all afternoon and in to the evening! However they have an awning which they open out when the sun shines & totally covers 90% of the beer garden! When you ask to close it up you...

Stopped off on Cowes and found this pub for lunch. Pleasant staff and both the beef and chicken pies were excellent. Well worth a visit.

Used it for a “pub lunch” sitting outside. Had the speciality chicken pie, served with gravy and veg. It was thoroughly delicious. Generous portion size and attentive servers. Recommend if you’re in Cowes looking for a meal.

Was a sunny day and so was nice to sit outside. There was a notice saying wait on food was 45mins which was useful to know, came in 20mins which was a bonus. Staff friendly. Fish and chips was not as good as other places,...

We came across this lovely place whilst waiting for our Redjet trip across the water. The outside space, with shade, attracted us, and was welcome during a very hot day. Once inside the outside space, though, we explored inside the pub. Masses of tables nicely...

Friendly helpful staff ,especially Nicky . Hearty meals and great service from all the staff .Lovely to be served by happy people who like their jobs .A welcome change since the pandemic

Made very welcome as a family with a young baby amongst us. Food and beer was good and staff were outstanding and helpful

Amazing place nice outdoor seating area..food looked really nice .staff and manager very friendly..best bit they do dog food menu's which I've never seen before..really nice place ...... defiantly fo back .

Excellent food and service at this sea shore pub restaurant. Nikki the waitress was especially good, knew the menu, was affable and pleasant....all around a v.good experience. Recommended.

£3.30 for a soda and lime. It is cheaper to go for booze. not good. Food has to be eaten in an awful room at the rear. This used to be a great pub. Sadly no longer.

Popped in on the off chance,table for 7 disabled access and young children ...no pressure there, everything was taking in there stride the service was phenomenal and the food was amazing....well worth the trip

Had dinner at The Fountain. It has the standard Greene King menu, but it was well cooked, well portioned, and served by friendly staff. My compliments to Andy and his team.

First time visit, waitress Nicki couldn’t have been more helpful even though she was clearly busy. Great food and service.

Went here for a lovely meal and a few drinks with my Sister, brother in law and partner on Saturday night. Fantastic food and service, great drinks, and wonderful atmosphere. Will be making it our regular. 5 stars.

Popped in with my friend. The food was great, great selection on the menu. And the lady who served us was fantastic. I would definitely recommend. Lovely spot.

We had just arrived in Cowes and popped in for lunch. We had a warm welcome and were directed to a table in the restaurant. Nicki our waitress was lovely, clearly knew her role and the regulars who came in - you wouldn't have guessed...

Great food, welcoming atmosphere, and everything in-between. Will be visiting again and again! Thank you!

Came here for a quick coffee and a slice of cake. Ended up staying a lot longer as they were so friendly and inviting. We had two small dogs with us, they were given their own menu (see pictures) along with doggie beds and fresh...

Nicki was incredibly kind and really helpful with all the kids. Food was good and we had a nice time.

Nicki and colleagues in the restaurant were amazing. so friendly and nothing too much trouble! The menu is comprehensive and offers everything you could want. Charley (our dog) was given a blanket to sit on and water straight away. They offer a doggy menu which...

Meal was tasty Lovely friendly staff :) steaks were very tasty. Great location to eat. We had a lovely server called Jodie, who was so lovely and very attentive.

Lovely friendly staff :) burgers were very tasty. Great location to eat whilst waiting for red jet. Thankyou Nicki for great service xx

This evening I ate the worst fish and chips I think I’ve ever eaten in my entire life. The fish was cane in a very dark brown batter i.e. massively overcooked, and the fish flesh tasted like meat it was so tough. It is now...

We had a lovely server called Nicki, who was so lovely and very attentive. And the food was so delicious! Will be bringing my family and friends back here :)

The menu is terrific but the cooking is not quite up to it! Our dinner was just disappointing, though nothing awful about it.

Comfortable interior, convenient location, excellent food and lovely staff. Would recommend to anyone in a large party or with children as the venue and staff were very accommodating

We visited for the weekend, travelling on the Red Jet and stayed a night. Perfectly located!!! There was scaffolding up and the hotel was clearly undergoing a revamp. The room was shabby, with dated décor (dark, overly full chintzy curtains were too much for small...

Outside, the scaffolding was a bit off putting, but don't let it. Inside awaits a warm welcome, with attentive staff and excellent food. The staff checked we had everything we needed, but weren't overbearing. The mushroom pie was tasty and the portion was filling -...

Food was well below par. Soggy batter and chewy cod. Not allowed to eat a bar meal in the empty bar. Doesn’t deserve even 1 star. Could be a lovely pub but fairly quite so not a popular one compared to other bars in the...

We had a wonderful meal and were served by Jodie and Michael who were friendly and very efficient. Our dog was made welcome and fussed over. A great visit, thank you. Tip When we arrived it looked as though all the tables were reserved but...

Lovely place to eat. Popped in for lunch and had a lovely meal. Nikki was very welcoming and helpful. Fantastic service and very kind. Highly recommend. Good price of food. Clean and tidy separate restaurant area.

Fantastic place to visit with a great atmosphere and exceptional service. Staff are always super friendly, especially Emily and Gemma who always get the job done whilst enjoying themselves at the same time.

We had lunch today and it was really lovely. Nicki who looked after us was so friendly and very attentive to everything. The food was really nice, specially the fries were so tasty. Thank you very much Nicky.

Cheap and cheerful. But great value for what it was. Food good quality and great staff. The mussels I had was great value and far better than another restaurant I went to earlier in the week that was twice the price

My partner and I initially popped in for a coffee which was really nice as we sat in the sunshine at the rear of the hotel in the outside space. It overlooked the marina which was a lovely view. We went back a few days...

We stayed here with our dog and really enjoyed our stay. Lovely big room , very welcoming and they allow dogs to stay. Nothing was too much trouble and I cannot fault the staff here. Excellent location on the high street with a car park...