Cowes Maritime Museum
This museum situated in Cowes Library incorporates all aspects of local maritime activity from shipbuilding to sailing.
YHA Isle of Wight Totland
Totland Bay, Isle of Wight, PO39 0HDOverview
Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, YHA Isle of Wight Totland has the best of both worlds - a seaside village location with many beautiful walking spots, but with Newport, the bustling Island Capital, just a 20-minute drive away. This makes it an ideal spot from which to explore the island.
You cannot visit the Isle of Wight and not see the iconic Needles – a series of chalk stacks which protrude into the sea. The view from the chalky cliffs is amazing!
The beaches and villages all have pubs, cafes, coffee shops and restaurants, for guests to grab a bite to eat and relax after a day’s exploring the beautiful area.
Why guests love YHA Isle of Wight Totland
Accommodation at YHA Isle of Wight Totland
Bed in a shared room
Dorm rooms have multiple beds and are shared with other people who may not be travelling together. They are usually more affordable than private rooms as you'll be booking a bed rather than the whole room.
A typical shared dorm room includes bunk beds, a reading light and a storage cupboard for each guest.
Children aged between 12 and 15 can stay in dorm rooms as long as an adult of the same gender accompanies them.
Shared shower and toilet facilities are located near to the room. None of our dorm rooms have en-suite facilities.
Private rooms
Want some privacy? With a private room, you'll be booking the whole room for your stay.
Private rooms typically include a storage cupboard and reading light for each bed, plus a wash hand basin.
Shared shower and toilet facilities are located near to the room.
Private en-suite rooms
For added privacy, relax with your family, friends or by yourself in a private en-suite room.
Private en-suite rooms typically include a storage cupboard and reading light for each bed, plus shower and toilet facilities solely for the people in your room.
Hire the whole place
Planning an overdue get-together or celebrating a birthday/anniversary? Looking for a base for your group's next adventure? Make your special occasion extra special with YHA Exclusive Hire.
You can hire the whole building at YHA Isle of Wight Totland and, with sole use of the property, come and go as you please. This property enjoys a seaside location close to three beaches, ideal for quiet country and coastal walks. Good ferry and bus access make it a great base for exploring the island. Dogs are welcome too!
Food and drink at YHA Isle of Wight Totland
Things to do around YHA Isle of Wight Totland
Blackgang Chine Theme Park
Blackgang Chine is an eccentric mix of exciting rides, goblins and fairies, dinosaurs and nursery rhyme characters designed to appeal to the child in all of us.
Climbing in Totland Bay
There are various indoor and outdoor climbing walls in close proximity to the Youth Hostel. For something a little different, why not try tree climbing?
Walking and Rambling in Totland
The hostel is surrounded by National Trust land and footpaths galore. Footpaths go north to Yarmouth, south to Lord Alfred Tennyson's Monument on the Tennyson Trail, east to Freshwater Bay and west
Mountain Biking in Totland
The Isle of Wight is heaven for cycling, both on and off road.
Watersports in Totland
Totland Bay and Freshwater Bay provide surfing, kayaking, paddleboarding and coasteering. Colwell Bay is great for kite surfing and at Compton Bay you can go surfing.
Alum Bay & the Needles
This iconic British landmark – The Needles Rocks & Lighthouse are next to Alum Bay with its coloured sands in the cliffs. More details from The Needles website.
The Needles
You can't go to the Isle of Wight and not see the iconic Needles - a series of chalk stacks which protrude into the sea. At the top of the cliff, on the headland, is the Old Battery and New Batt
Fort Victoria Country Park
One of the best vantage points for watching boats, the park has an aquarium & a reptilarium, history of the Sea museum, model railway, and observatory & planetarium. Visit the Fort's&n
Carisbrooke Castle
A wonderfully preserved castle, known as the place where King Charles I was imprisoned. Don't miss the wonderful Princess Beatrice Garden. There are also regular tournaments and jousts, as w
Dinosaur Farm
3 miles Good, old-fashioned hands on museum. Activities include 3D dinosaur jigsaws, a fossil sandpit and dinosaur rubbings. Visit the website
Osborne House
Visit the royal seaside palace where Queen Victoria lived. Admire the State Rooms and look into the Family Rooms.
Ventnor Botanical Gardens
Protected from the wind by the chalk downs, it's a great place to learn more about plants. Don't miss the herb, palm and rock gardens. Visit the website
Godshill village
A pretty and popular old village with thatched cottages tea-gardens galore. There's also a model village, a small toy museum and Cider Barn. Visit the website
Cycling in Totland
There are plenty of good cycle routes marked on the island. Cycle around the island in a day or two or even three or four.
Yarmouth Harbour
3 miles A lovely seaside harbour, great for boat watching and all things nautical, with cafes and restaurants to while away the day. Visit the website
Totland Bay beach
Great for anyone who enjoys a quiet relaxing time on the beach or wants an easy walk along the promenade to Colwell Bay. Visit the website
Isle of Wight Pearl
Isle of Wight Pearl is not only home to an unmissable collection of pearl jewellery – but there are spectacular cliff-top views over the English Channel, a butterfly meadow, and a café where you can e
Hostel facilities
- Ambulant accessible
- BBQ area
- Breakfast
- Classroom(s)
- Coach parking nearby
- Contactless payments
- Cycle store
- Dining room
- Evening meals
- Free on-street parking
- Free parking on premises
- Full mobile coverage
- Games
- Garden/grounds
- Group meals
- Library
- Licensed bar
- Luggage store
- Medium garden/grounds
- Meeting rooms
- Minibus parking nearby
- Minibus parking on premises
- Near bus stop
- Near ferry port
- Outdoor seating
- Packed lunch
- Sea view
- Self-catering kitchen
- Shared drying room
- Shared laundry room
- Shared lounge
- Shared TV
- Sole use
- WiFi
Hostel need to know
Reception opening hours: From 07:00 - 10:00 and 17: 00 - 21:00.
Food and drink: Breakfast is served to guests daily from 08:00 - 09:00. Evening meals are also available from 18:00 - 19:00, with pizzas also served until 21:00.
Self-catering: Guests have access to a self-catering kitchen.
Transport: A ferry is required to travel to the Isle of Wight. The nearest ferry is Lymington (New Forest) – Yarmouth and is a 30min crossing. Yarmouth Town is 3 miles from the hostel.
Parking: There is a gravel carpark outside the hostel with space for 8 cars which is free to guests. Free street parking is also available opposite our building for one large coach or 3 minibuses or 6 extra cars.
WiFi: Free WiFi is available in shared social spaces and all our rooms.
Dogs: Dogs are permitted at YHA Isle of Wight Totland when hiring the whole hostel through YHA Exclusive Hire. Add up to 4 dogs to your booking in the checkout. Assistance dogs are welcome - please notify us at the time of booking.
YHA School Trips
YHA Isle of Wight Totland has great access to gorgeous beaches, walking routes and top coastal attractions. If you're planning a self-led school trip, there’s a wealth of interesting things to do nearby.
Free Wi-Fi is available to keep school groups connected, and there’s a room available to use for studying or meetings. We’ve got board games, TV and a well-stocked library too.
Book your YHA School Trip.
Volunteering
YHA Isle of Wight Totland currently hasa vacancy for a volunteer gardener. For more information, email [email protected].
History
Built in 1862 as a private house, this Isle of Wight property traded as 'Hurst Hill Hotel' from the 1960s. It was purchased by YHA in 1975 and opened by Lord Mountbatten. In 2012, YHA Totland became an Enterprise hostel. Its classroom was added in 2016, with three new en-suite bedrooms folowing in 2020. A further six en-suite bedrooms were added in 2022.
Meet the team
We are a small team here on the Isle of Wight - usually four of us: Bob, Ed, Jen and Felix. We do everything here, looking after you from when you book, when you arrive, to answering any of your questions at reception. We provide cooked breakfasts, packed lunches for you to take with you on picnics, evening meals for you to come back to at the end of a busy day. To cap off a perfect day, we’ll serve you a night cap or two from our bar, the 'Mermaid Bar'.
Managers recommends: Our traditional seaside desserts, Banana Splits and Knickerbockerglories are the best! Our Gin Bar, with over 100 gins is pretty cool - we like to call it our 'Ginporium'.
