Ventnor Botanic Garden Reviews Summary

Botanical Gardens

Pros:

• "It was truly fascinating to learn about the important work being done to protect and propagate these botanical treasures."
• "The first thing that struck me upon entering the gardens was the sheer beauty and diversity of the plant life on display."
• "The relaxed nature of the planting contributes to a relaxed atmosphere with plenty of spaces to sit and enjoy the views."
• "The gardens are magical. Well worth the cost."
• "Even in February, on a dull day there is plenty to see."
• "Your ticket gets you free entry for 7 days too."
• "Travel through different lands, gazing at the beautiful plants."

Cons:

• "We will not be going again THE FINAL STRAW WAS LUNCH SANDWICH FOR 4 ADULTS AND 3 CHILDREN CAME TO £42 A rip off."
• "Only downside was that there are no bins so you could not dispose of any rubbish."
• "It's a little overpriced and poorly signposted to navigate."
• "The birds of paradise are past their best and the gardens seem to be suffering from budget constraints."
• "The whole place looks unloved and run down."
• "The £9.50 per adult entrance charge is absurdly high."
• "Visited today. Disappointing. Very overgrown in places."

Accessibility

Pros:

• "I am in a motorized wheelchair and found the access and the hills ok."
• "I use a mobility scooter and it was very easy for me to get around."
• "Most of it is wheelchair friendly."
• "Wheelchair & electric scooter accessible to most areas."
• "Booking tickets online was simplicity itself, and arranging loan of a wheelchair and passenger return up the hill by car transfer were both hassle-free too."
• "The gardens are 90% accessible by wheelchair or mobility scooter."
• "The paths are mainly paved so it doesn't bother even when it is raining."

Cons:

• "The main reason for one star is disabled access... The disabled access consisted on dirt path ways with loose bricks and that is practically impossible to push against in a manual chair."
• "Very disappointing that this is a card only venue, as someone who values cash purchases and came unprepared, I was unfortunately unable to make any purchases onsite."
• "In the valley at the bottom there is a large pit about 10' deep where the only safety barrier is made from wooden planks some of which have rotted in the ground and are only held together with the rope at the top of each plank, only a matter of time before someone has an accident there and drops into the rocky pit!"
• "Not disable friendly ! Staff unable to help."
• "No lift or easy disabled access other than the slope of the paths."
• "The paths were a bit narrow at some points and unstable for prams or wheelchairs."
• "Also some very big safety issues with paths close to the hot house blocked by branches and one path with steps going up a fairly steep hill where the handrail is totally hidden by overgrown plants."

Cafe and Restaurant

Pros:

• "The staff in the cafe were excellent and very friendly."
• "Staff were super friendly on the door and in the shop/cafe."
• "We had a wonderful meal in the restaurant and all the food was locally grown."
• "The cafe has a nice selection of cakes and many are gluten free."
• "Delicious food (Sri Lankan curry, carrot & ginger soup, great breads) - eaten outside on a wonderful veranda with a stunning view."
• "The cafe food was really good. We would highly recommend."
• "Started at the café, lovely mushroom omelette freshly cooked in front of our table with good tea & flat white coffee at reasonable prices."