Ultimate Guide to Douglas, Isle of Man Restaurants and Hotels

Before we talk about Isle of Man, if you’ve been following me on Twitter or Instagram, you will know I have been traveling everywhere in England from Lake District, London to Isle of Man. It was three weeks and 7 different places. And as you travel that much, pack and go pack and go pack and go, you tend to pack as light as possible. I carry a small suitcase from Rimowa. Rimowa is one of my favorite brand for a suitcase. I love it cause it is extremely light and strong. I used Samonite for a year, and the wheels just are not rigid enough to last. Now, I am using Rimowa Limbo. You can see some of the pros and cons about the Limbo here. It basically saves your sweat dragging your suitcase at the airport! You just want to travel comfortably and with no stress.

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Getting on a plane with a suitcase and having to put the it in the compartment… Life is a struggle. But with Rimowa, your life at an airport will be more fun and enjoyable.

You might know Isle of Man as a tax haven or the famous TT. But there is much more to offer on the Isle of Man. The quiet roads with no speed limits , the less commercialized centers, beautiful scenery and my favorite, whale and basking shark watching. Some people might say it’s tax haven but I would say it is a relax haven.

Isle of Man Activities

TT, Whale Watching and Hiking Will Give You the Reason to Vaca in Isle of Man

TT is the main tourist event in the island and is getting bigger every year – the tourist industry in Isle of Man (IOM) can survive just on the TT alone. Because of the popularity, it is almost impossible to find a place to stay during TT. Many people actually bring tents to sleep as there isn’t enough accommodation as the islands population doubles for the TT week. I mean that is pretty cool dope to have dedicated fans!

It is the biggest event in Isle of Man. All the restaurants, flights and boats are fully booked. Basically it will be super fun for the visitors and nightmare for the locals during.So if you are planning to visit Isle of Man during TT, plan ahead and get rid of the headaches of looking for places to sleep and eat. Isle of Man TT is the only motor race that takes place on public roads with speeds approaching 200mph.

the TT is the biggest event in Isle of Man but the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful. Nearly half the island is undeveloped and the walking trails to the cliff tops overlooking the ocean are amazing. It definitely is amazing and worth a visit. You never know what you will see.

With Whale Watching, You Will Get a Chance to See anything from the Dolphins to Orcas

But the most exciting part of Isle of Man is the whale and basking shark watching. If you’ve been following me, you will know my special love for the sharks and whales – I even wear shark shirts and you can check it out how I wear it here. Special warm currents around this pretty island bring all different kinds of marine life. According to the Manx Wildlife Trust, most sightings often happen during summer and you can read about it here. Below is the excerpt from MWT.

Porpoise: The inshore waters off Kallow Point in Port St Mary are a real hotspot.
Bottlenose dolphins: Large groups off the east coast in the winter months
Common dolphins: Around the island, but usually only seen in the summer months.
Risso’s dolphins: On the east and south coast, from Douglas Head in the spring down to the Sound by the summer.
Minke whale: Off the west coast, often a couple of miles offshore, in the summer. The east coast, especially Laxey and Bulgham bays in winter.
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Please share with us your experience in Isle of Man and recommendations!

Isle of Man Hotels

I had a chance to stay in some hotels in Douglas, Isle of Man for two nights. According to the locals, Douglas is be the best town to stay as most of the hotels are in this area. So I stayed at the Sefton and the Palace (last year before I started our blog), but I have to stay it is not the most comfortable stay you would imagine. If I would choose, I would prefer an Airbnb as it is more modern and clean (I found Arches which looked good. Please let us know if you had a chance to stay at the hotel and would update the post with the credit of yours). However, here is what I think of Sefton.

The Sefton

The Sefton has a very old traditional hotel feeling. But unfortunately such places in coastal resorts where it’s very seasonal are generally run-down. I would not recommend it, but if you want to stay at a hotel be expected to be . Here are some points about Sefton.

Pros

Location
Free Parking

Cons

Rundown rooms
Complicated Hallways (It is a big hotel)
Not really a luxury hotel as the website claims (Maybe in the 70s was a luxury hotel)
The pool is too small and smells a little bit

Here are some pictures of the hotel if you are deciding to stay here.

Maybe? Related: Where are you going after Isle of Man? Liverpool? London?
- If Liverpool, Check Out These Hotels that Will Make Regret Staying at Shefton
- If London, Check Out These Hotels I stayed and my blog posts: Ace hotel, Mondrian hotel

Isle of Man Restaurants

Don’t be discouraged cause the hotels are not 5 stars, because the food scene will give you the hallelujah. If you are in Isle of Man you GOTTA try the queenies and fish. It is absolutely amazing. If you are staying at Douglas, you should definitely try these. Here are the top 3!

Samphire

Samphire is probably one of the best restaurant in Douglas, Isle of Man. With fresh seafood and creative dishes, you feel like experiencing the taste of Michellen Star. When you enter the restaurant, you feel like entering an old barn. The queenies were wowing my palettes lol. Queenies are basically the smaller version of scallops that grow in Isle of Man. So you will see it everywhere in the island. But Samphire mastered how to cook queenies! Here are some pictures of Samphire.

Tanroagan

Samphire can be a good place to take someone you want to impress, but Tanroagan will be a place to stuff yourself. The food is thicker and creamier. That is why hands down my favorite restaurant in Douglas, Isle of Man.

Little Fish

Little Fish might say little but the food is B.I.G. Fish fingers were one of the best I had since I saw the light on this earth. I am not sure if it were the batter or the fresh fish, but it just melted in my mouth. And dip it in one of my favorite soup, Clam Chowder! You will say YAS YAS YAS like when you have an orgasm