The George Hotel

The George Hotel is a historic hotel that was originally built as a mansion around 1700-1710 by Henry Holmes, who served as the Governor of the Isle of Wight. It was constructed on the site of a previous governor's house established after 1669 by Sir Robert Holmes. The building was converted into an inn in 1764.

The south front features a stuccoed ground floor and roughcast above, while the west front is made of painted brick and has a hipped roof covered with old tiles, topped with two tall brick chimneystacks. The hotel has two storeys and attics, with seven windows on the south front and six on the west front. The south front includes two hipped dormers, and the sash windows are primarily of the early 19th-century 16-pane type, although some have horns. An early 19th-century print indicates that the windows were originally casements that opened at the bottom. The wide eaves cornice is adorned with lion's head masks, and there is a stringcourse and plinth. The central doorcase, dating from the early 19th century, features a dentilled cornice and pilasters, along with a rectangular fanlight that has Gothick glazing. A modern door has replaced the original.

On the west front, there are two hipped dormers with casements, and the first floor contains four early 18th-century windows with thick glazing bars. To the north and east, there is an extension built in 1898, which is stuccoed and has a tiled roof, brick chimneystacks, and sash windows that match the original structure.

Inside, the hotel boasts a hall with a remarkable early 18th-century well staircase that features three turned balusters on each tread, scrolled tread ends, a column newel, and marquetry inlay. There are two tall staircase windows and early 18th-century panelling. The bar includes a cambered brick fireplace flanked by pilasters, a bolection-moulded fireplace, and deep fielded panelling with a dado rail. The dining room also features deep fielded panelling and a dado rail. Bedroom No. 7 has similar fielded panelling and a dado rail, while Bedroom No. 8 includes a bolection-moulded fireplace. The passage has a marble fireplace. The George Hotel is noted for having one of the grandest town house interiors on the Isle of Wight.