Is this the last word Dry January staycation resort? Or the right spot for the brand new development of ‘dry tripping’, the place margaritas are swapped for mocktails?
With not a single drop of alcohol on the premises, it is definitely simpler to withstand consuming temptations and to fight peer strain at Somerton Lodge.
Then there may be the gorgeous countryside setting, close to the seaside in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight.
And rated ‘wonderful’ on Hotels.com, 18-room Somerton Lodge seems to be a good selection for the sober – or sober-curious – traveller.
Owner John Elford is in long-term restoration for alcohol dependancy and has been sober for 20 years. He instructed MailOnline Travel that there isn’t any alcohol offered on the premises – and that this set-up has confirmed to be successful amongst visitors.
Somerton Lodge (pictured) in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight is totally alcohol-free
He described the lodge firstly as ‘a haven for individuals in restoration from dependancy’ that provides a ‘protected’ and ‘temptation-free’ vacation surroundings with out ‘the strain of individuals consuming and asking why you aren’t’.
But in addition to interesting to sober visitors, Mr Elford was stunned to obtain common visitors who ‘have by no means had any problem with alcohol’ however need a quiet venue with no drunken rowdiness or battle with different visitors.
‘Overall visitors love the quiet, they love the sensation of security and that they’ll absolutely chill out,’ he added.
Facilities on the lodge embrace a library, backyard (pictured), parking, snack bar and restaurant serving a full breakfast every morning
Owner John Elford (above) is in long-term restoration for alcohol dependancy and has been sober for 20 years
Mr Elford stated that whereas most individuals are in search of an alcohol-free surroundings and ‘adore it’, there was the odd visitor who has not learn the resort data and is ‘grumpy to find we don’t serve booze’.
Mr Elford added: ‘But in that case, there are many lovely pubs within the native village.
‘Very sometimes, after visitors have left and we’re servicing the room, we could discover some bottles or cans within the bin. We are okay with this and we don’t police individuals.
‘If they purchased booze again to drink in one of many public areas, then we must ask them to cease. But if they’re respectful of different visitors then it isn’t an issue.’
Recent evaluations on Hotels.com describe Somerton Lodge as ‘a lovely Victorian constructing’ with a ‘nice breakfast, nice rooms, beautiful communal lounge and pleasant and useful proprietors’.
A double room just like the one seen above prices £58 per evening in January, based on a current search on Hotels.com
Guest evaluations reward the ‘nice breakfast’ served on the resort restaurant, pictured
Scoring it an ‘distinctive’ 10/10, ‘Joanne’ wrote: ‘ Our room was very clear and [the] beds [were] very clear and comfy. Manager was very pleasant.’
Former visitor ‘Sue’ described her keep as ‘wonderful’, including that she had a ‘beautiful single room’.
In one other 10/10 assessment, ‘Alan’ praised the proprietor’s information of the island and stated they ‘would positively return there’.
If visitors do fancy a tipple, Shanklin (above) affords a wide range of pubs and eating places
The lodge is open to all, however Mr Elford stated it’s ‘a haven for individuals in restoration from dependancy’. Pictured: A view in the direction of Shanklin
The 18-room guesthouse is ‘completely located’ close to Shanklin Beach (pictured), based on a visitor assessment on Hotels.com
Mr Elford is now launching a second undertaking – a world neighborhood of journey brokers providing ‘sober and protected locations’.
The undertaking, referred to as the Association of International Recovery Tourism (AoIRT), is now open to hitch and has already attracted members around the globe – from the U.S to Mexico, Ghana, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Prices for a double room at Somerton Lodge in January begin at simply £58 per evening. Facilities on the lodge embrace a library, backyard, parking, snack bar and restaurant serving a full breakfast every morning.