National Trust - Rosetta and East Rosetta Cottages, Isle of Wight

Rosetta Cottage, sleeps 10 in 5 bedrooms.
East Rosetta Cottage, sleeps 6 in 3 bedrooms.

Gather the family, or a group of friends, and head to the Isle of Wight for seaside adventures. Rosetta Cottage and East Rosetta Cottage, owned by the National Trust, are two halves of a converted Victorian manor house right on the front at Cowes, where you can watch the ships sail by from the windows, or the large private gardens. When you book both houses together you can sleep up to 16 across the two properties, though there isn't enough room for everyone to eat together indoors.

Rosetta Cottage
Rosetta Cottage is the larger of the two houses and has a big sitting room with wood burner and a beautiful view of the sea, a sunroom, dining room with French doors opening onto the garden and seating for 10, and a stylish kitchen with modern range cooker. Many of the double and twin bedrooms also have the stunning sea views, and so there's a lovely calm feel to the house, where you can just watch the waves roll in.

Outside, the garden has a large lawn perfect for kids letting off steam, and outdoor seating, so you can continue to enjoy the sea views over an outdoor breakfast, lunch or dinner.

East Rosetta Cottage
Adjoining Rosetta Cottage is East Rosetta Cottage, a smaller property which has lots of original features like roll-top baths and pretty fireplaces. Upstairs there are 2 twin bedrooms and 1 double as well as a shower room and a bathroom. Downstairs you'll find the kitchen, dining room (seating 6) and the sitting room, whilst the garden shares the same glorious views over the sea as next door.

It's an easy walk into the bustling town of Cowes, home of the oldest sailing regatta in the world (which happens in August) and where you'll find shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants to explore, as well as the marina full of gently bobbing boats. Elsewhere on the island, you could head to Osborne House, a favourite of Queen Victoria, to soak up the history, or to the Isle of Wight garlic farm for an outing that'll keep the vampires away, or simply head to the sun-soaked beaches or go fossil hunting on the coast.

All photos - National Trust Images / Mike Henton