I’ll never forget the drive over to the Isle of Wight for our little getaway – my wife and I, plus our two daft Labradors, crammed into the car with enough snacks to feed a small army. We’d caught the ferry from Southampton, which was smooth enough, but then came the classic holiday cock-up: halfway across the island, I took a wrong turn near Newport and ended up in a queue of caravans crawling along like they had all day. Twenty minutes later, we were laughing about it over a bag of crisps, the dogs panting out the window with their tongues lolling like pink scarves. Still, the anticipation built as we neared Sandown – that proper coastal buzz, with the sea air sneaking in and promising sandcastles and fish and chips.

Pulling up to the place, we were chuffed to bits. It’s this stylish Victorian home right in the heart of Sandown, just a short stroll from a golden stretch of beach and all the local amenities. Pet-friendly too, which was a godsend with our hairy duo. Stepping inside, the entrance hallway opened up to spacious rooms with high ceilings that made everything feel airy and inviting. We dumped the bags and made a beeline for the sitting rooms, flopping onto the plush sofas with the telly flickering on some rubbish daytime quiz show. Perfect for shaking off the journey.

The first impressions? Spot on. That contemporary kitchen had all the mod cons – we rustled up a massive fry-up the next morning, bacon sizzling away while the dogs eyed us hopefully from the corner. Breakfast in the dining room, with a cheeky glass of orange juice (wine came later), set the tone for lazy days. It felt like slipping into someone else’s cosy life, the kind where time slows right down.

We kept it simple, proper relaxed couple-with-dogs vibes. Mornings started with a wander down to Sandown Beach – that wide, sandy sweep where the kids were building forts and we let the Labs chase waves like overexcited toddlers. One went rogue and shook seawater all over us, turning us into soggy messes, but it was hilarious chaos, the best kind. Afternoons were for pottering along the high street, grabbing pasties from the bakery or ice creams that dripped faster than you could lick ’em. We even ambled over to the small zoo nearby – nothing fancy, just monkeys swinging about and a lemur giving me the side-eye that had us in stitches.

Evenings were pure bliss: back at the house, cooking up pasta or whatever we fancied, then sprawling on those sofas with a bottle of plonk, watching the sunset through the windows. One night, the dogs sparked a minor sofa skirmish over a rogue sock – feathers flying, us yelling half-heartedly while cracking up. Cottage life, innit? A bit of joyful disorder amid the calm.

Looking back, it was one of those trips that sneaks up on you. We’re always rushing about at home, but here, amid the beach walks and dog-walk disasters, I had a quiet moment on the dining room chair, coffee in hand, thinking how these simple pleasures – no itinerary, just us and the sea – recharge the soul better than any spa. If you’re after a chilled family break (or couple with pets), Sandown’s your spot. We’re already plotting a return.