Backing onto dramatic St Boniface Down, a short hike up from the Ventnor’s quaint Victorian high street, Hillside is a boutique hotel housed in a handsome Grade-II listed, 18th-century residence surrounded by five acres of pristine grounds with panoramic ocean views. Inside, it’s airy and minimalist, with dinner served in a modest, but well-appointed restaurant (book well ahead). The kitchen works to a frequently changing, modern European menu with some Scandinavian overtones and an emphasis on local produce (including pickings from the hotel garden). You might kick off with salmon mi-cuit or pressed foie gras with Granny Smith apple, watercress and smoked duck, before sampling a ‘study in locally reared pork’ or dry-aged Havenstreet beef fillet with braised baby gem, oxtail, soused onions and thyme-infused red wine reduction. Island cheeses are an alternative to puds such as dark chocolate délice with macadamia ice cream.