Pinkmead Estate and Vineyard near Newport on the Isle of Wight offers guests much more than luxurious accommodation. In a scenic idyll, the river lapping at the bank forms a boundary of the estate that becomes your retreat.
Location, Location, Location is pivotal to finding happiness on your holiday and at Pinkmead Estate and Vineyard, the setting is perfection. Like a scene from Swallows and Amazons, willow trees blow in the wind alongside a majestic river busy with yachts.
You reach Pinkmead Estate after driving down a rustic unpaved track through a farm and two privacy gates, so it is advisable not to enter in a low sportscar. After the second gate, you enter a world of complete privacy whilst catching sight of the buildings in their idyllic setting.
Accommodation
Our base of operations was a beautiful bungalow, which is entered via a large porch where you can leave your footwear, jackets and dog leads. From here are some large double doors that lead into the impressive hall, off of which are all the rooms.
The main house comprises three large bedrooms, all furnished immaculately, with the master having a decedent roll-top bath, allowing you to soak, relax and enjoy beautiful views out the window.
Six people can be accommodated, and all have space to unwind comfortably. The house has top-quality appliances like the Kitchenaid kettle, Mixer and toaster. A Sonos music system can fill the building with sound, or if you want to watch TV or a film, each room has a large flatscreen TV.
The Dining room is a vast area which accommodates a cosy seating snug where guests can relax and watch films through a digital projector. Glass sliding doors are on either end of the room, and full-length windows give you a sublime vista framed like a painting—a special room to spend many hours in, not only for dining.
The kitchen has everything you require to prepare meals throughout your stay, but if you wish to bring your chef or have caters attend to your dining, there is a separate Kitchen Garden Annexe, a self-contained building with a bedroom and luxury bathroom. It makes the perfect accommodation for teenagers who want their own space.
Where a hotel has a Concierge, the Pinkmead Estate has an Estate Manager who is available 24/7 by phone and email. They also set up a WhatsApp group for you before your stay, providing information on how to turn on the outside sauna, use the electric blinds and much more. Using technology to help the guests, a QR code links you to a download with extensive information about the estate.
You can find a list of all the treatments available and book. When you book your stay at Pinkmead Estate, you can choose a range of wellness packages in advance.
Pinkmead Estate is unlike other Wellness retreats; it is a home where the Spa experience comes to you. Guests can have a wide range of health treatments without leaving the house. Laura, a Massage Therapist, visited the estate and set her table up in the Kitchen Garden annexe.
She made it into a stylish treatment room with mood music and lighting. Lying on the table, I looked at the stunning view of the grounds and the Medina River with birds going about their day. I have never been to a Spa with the view that Pinkmead Estate provides.
On the estate, there is a Yoga Studio opposite the main house’s front door, and it provides a sanctuary to find yourself, stretch, meditate, exercise, or even write a song using the piano inside.
The Boathouse is where you find equipment to get you on the river, kayaks, standup paddleboards, or you could bring your boat and use the estate’s slipway and pontoon onto the river Medina.
If the weather is good and you want to dine alfresco, many options exist, including a bespoke wood-burning pizza oven and top-of-the-range Charcoal BBQ.
Travel Pinkmead Estate on the electric golf buggy they provide and named Eddie. She can seat four passengers with a 2+2 flipper seat. You can only use Eddie within the grounds and don’t forget to put her on charge after use. You can use the Pendleton bicycles in the signature estate colours for a more active transport solution.
As its name suggests, the Pinkmead Estate and Vineyard has a Vineyard next to the estate grounds, and guests can take a tour. The vineyard aims to produce organic and bio-dynamic wines that embrace the area’s environment and help support the biodiversity and ecosystem of the estate.
English Sparkling, White and Rose are made at the vineyard and with their ideology of sustainability, they take the pressed grape skins as a bi-product in skincare manufacture.
Wildlife and nature is a delight. I must have seen about twenty different species of birds, including Heron and Birds of Prey. You can spend a day just watching the river and wildlife. I found it a fantastic spot to meditate, taking in the energy from the natural surroundings.
A luxury for me is Pinkmead Estate, which allows dogs and provides owners with all the support they need for their loved ones. They have Dog beds, dog bowls for food and water and a lifesaver of an outside water supply linked to hot and cold.
I took my three-year-old Springer Spaniel, who was like Charlie in the Chocolate Factory. The twenty-four acres lie directly aside the Medina, providing a massive natural playground with mud flats, water, and a vast expanse of trees and grass.
There are so many things to do on the Pinkmead Estate that you may want to spend your entire stay within the grounds, but if you venture away from the restfulness, the Isle of Wight has plenty to offer all ages.
Things to do on the Isle of Wight
There are some interesting places to visit close to Pinkmead Estate. Osbourne House is the beloved home of Queen Victoria, who spent months at the estate every year. It is a short distance from Pinkmead Estate, and you can spend the whole day walking the ground, the private beach and the house.
The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary near Ventnor is free to enter, and you can get close to over one hundred rescued donkeys. They have a restaurant on site, activities for children, and several walking routes.
Getting There
We travelled via Wightlink car ferry from Portsmouth to Fishbourne, which takes 35 minutes and is a scenic crossing. You leave Old Portsmouth, a mix of historic buildings and ultra-modern technology, where Sir Ben Ainsley has his production company for professional racing yachts. Gunwharf Quays shopping area is shown in all its glory, as is the Millenium Tower, and you can see the Royal Navy warships in the harbour.
During the crossing, we took our dogs to the dedicated pet area where you can walk them around without upsetting other passengers. Onboard is a cafe serving drinks and hot and cold food. Fantastic views along the Solent as far as the Needles can be seen, and then you can look towards your destination and the shoreline of the Isle of Wight. You will always have a Bon Voyage.
If you want to learn more about the Pinkmead Estate and Vineyard, please visit https://pinkmeadestate.co.uk.
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