Great pics on your blog. We have lots of Aloes in one of our glasshouses but yours look so fabulous outside!

My favourite is Aloe plicatilis – I saw one recently at Kew – they have such an amazing arrangement of their leaves.

Hope you’re still enjoying the traineeship.

Nell

The decision was made to redevelop the hotel because the fabric of the building was beginning to deteriorate and needed renovating. All of us on Tresco are extremely fond and proud of the Island Hotel and it has been an important part of many of our lives, both in our work and our leisure time. However, in considering the required renovation, it became apparent that demand from visitors looking for hotel accommodation was falling while the demand for self-catering was rising. This understandably had considerable influence on the direction we took.

Timeshare is by no means the only alternative. As mentioned earlier, there will be 9 one bedroom suites bookable on a hotel basis, as well as 7 cottages for rent by the week. Any timeshare is in addition to these. There are currently 7 timeshare cottages at the Island Hotel, with two more opening in May.

For days when the weather is not so good, there is of course the new indoor pool at the hotel, which opened last year and has proved very popular with visiting families in particular. The cottage suites have a sitting room downstairs, with an array of computer games for those inclement days. Many of our visitors would disagree with your view of timeshare on Tresco and as I have already pointed out the options at the Sea Garden Cottages are weighed much more heavily to those wishing to rent or to take rooms on a night by night , half board basis.

We don’t want to self-cater, that’s why we’re on holiday. I appreciate some people do want to, but there are lots of other self-catering options on Tresco.

The large and gorgeous public areas of the Island Hotel were a Godsend on days where the weather wasn’t as good, particularly as we have a 6 year old son.

Tresco is losing something unique and special. And that seemed a universal opinion among the other guests when we were at the hotel.

Timeshare isn’t for us. Spending £100k on a contract, not a property right, seems insane to me.

Staying on Tresco is very, very expensive. And with the huge increase in building over the last fews years, I wonder quite how many people will want to fork out massive sums for an ever less peaceful island?

Island Hotel residents and regular visitors to the island have noticed that the lovely Island Hotel is showing signs of wear and tear and so it is clearly time for major work and reinvestment to take place.

Following the changing holiday preferences of visitors to Tresco (many of our long term Island Hotel clientele now take cottages, preferring the flexibility offered), the decision has been taken to create self contained cottages. As you know a number of these are available on a timeshare basis, but we shall also have seven cottages available to rent, self catering on a weekly basis and nine one bedroomed apartments which we shall sell on a daily rate including continental breakfast and two course evening meal. The aim is for much greater flexibility, so that guests will have the option of taking dinner at the New Inn or even at the Hell Bay (boats permitting) as an alternative to the Ruin.

The tariff for the new one bedroom units compares to the tariff for our current hotel rooms. As you mention, the meals will be less elaborate but the accommodation will of a much superior standard.

The Ruin will also reflect the changing tastes of our guests as many find the formal evening menu at the Island Hotel rather old fashioned and indeed the full cooked breakfast plus three courses in the evening is more in terms of sheer quantity than many are used to accommodating these days!

I agree that the restaurant and our lovely Terrace Bar in particular will be missed by many as a social venue. Each of the new properties will have comfortable lounge and terrace areas, but I realise that this will not provide the same ambience as the current Terrace Bar.

There are many aspects of the Island Hotel that we shall miss. The Island Hotel has been much loved over the last fifty years, we shall remember her fondly, however we do believe that the New Sea Gardens development will provide the facilites and the flexibility which are now considered appropriate, whilst making the very most of our beautiful location.
Wayne Shaw,
Manager of the Island Hotel