Bonchurch
Travel Guide
![Located on the Isle of Wight UK. Lovely day out. Ventnor Botanic Garden is a botanic garden located in Ventnor, Isle of Wight. It was founded in 1970, by Sir Harold Hillier, and donated to the Isle of Wight Council. The garden is free to visit, except for parking charges. Its collection comprises worldwide temperate and subtropical trees and shrubs organised by region. These grow in the open air, the location favoured by the moist and sheltered microclimate of the south-facing Undercliff landslip area on the Isle of Wight coast. The garden is on the site of the Royal National Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, a sanatorium that was established there to exploit the same mild climate. Founded by Arthur Hill Hassall and opened in 1869 as the National Cottage Hospital for Consumption and Diseases of the Chest, it offered 130 separate south-facing bedrooms for its patients. The hospital was closed in 1964, made obsolete by drug treatment of tuberculosis, and demolished in 1969.[1] In 1970, the site was initially redeveloped as the Steephill Pleasure Gardens before Sir Harold Hillier's involvement in its more extensive development as a botanical garden. Despite the generally mild weather, plants had to be carefully selected to tolerate the shallow alkaline soil and salt winds, and the garden suffered serious damage in the unusually hard winter of 1986/7, the Great Storm of 1987 and another major storm of January 1990. The garden is still owned and managed by the Isle of Wight Council, and continues to develop with numerous new features. The current curator of the garden is Simon Goodenough. The garden is located on the A3055 road, has a large car park, and public transport is provided by buses on Southern Vectis' route 6 and Wightbus' route 16. In September 2008, a woman died after eating Amanita phalloides (death cap) fungi that a relative had picked in the vicinity of the gardens.[2] Police briefly closed the gardens during the investigation, but did not believe the death to be suspicious. A common UK species, death caps are not cultivated at the garden, and those picked appear to have been growing wild on the site.](https://images.trvl-media.com/place/182459/31b1b18d-2235-4bfd-9519-2fb3c781cc44.jpg?impolicy=fcrop&w=1040&h=580&q=mediumHigh)
Visit Bonchurch
Royal Maritime Hotel
We managed to park outside which was great very useful. We got there a little bit early but Diane at the reception desk was fantastic. We got all booked in up in the room off to adventure in the Docklands. The room was lovely and tidy. Very neat everything that you needed very warm had to open the ...
Reviewed on 2026/1/30
The Langstone Quays
All 100%
Reviewed on 2026/2/2
ibis Portsmouth Centre
great location, my son is in uni halls greetham street, Portsmnouth can be tricky to park, and is in walking distance for the shops, there is onsite parking, only 2 small disabled bays, but managed to park both nights
Reviewed on 2026/1/25
Mill Rythe Coastal Village
Lodge was spotless when arrived. Went to Guest services to report problem with boiler not working. Before I had driven back maintenance staff had attended and rectified problem.
Reviewed on 2026/1/29
Gunwharf Quays Apartments
Nice place, price convenient, well located, some ítems degraded
Reviewed on 2025/12/3
Pinnacle Suites
The room was clean, with modern/quirky tech features. The staff were very friendly and accommodating to our needs, providing a place to store our luggage after the check out time. The hotel is in a good location for the Redjet passenger ferry and the high street with bars and restaurants. It is also ...
Reviewed on 2025/11/3
Popular places to visit
Ventnor Beach
If a restful vacation is part of your travel plans, Ventnor Beach might be the perfect place to seek out during your trip to Ventnor. Wander the gardens and seaside in this quaint area.
Steephill Cove Beach
Why not spend a lazy afternoon at Steephill Cove Beach during your trip to Ventnor? Wander the gardens and beaches in this quaint area.
Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary
See the exotic and native animals who live at Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary during your travels in Wroxall. Wander the area's beautiful beaches or simply enjoy one of its lively bars.
St. Catherine's Lighthouse
You can find out about the history of Niton and Whitwell with a stop at St. Catherine's Lighthouse. Wander the beautiful beaches and seaside in the area.
Blackgang Chine
Enjoy the thrill rides with your kiddos at Blackgang Chine during your trip to Chale. Wander the beautiful beaches and seaside in the area.
Godshill Model Village
You can spend an afternoon browsing the exhibits at Godshill Model Village during your trip to Godshill. Wander the beautiful beaches and seaside in the area.
