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No Man’s Fort located off coast of Portsmouth in the Solent is one of the UK’s most secluded and alternative hotel venues. Built between 1867 and 1880, No Man’s Fort was one of a series of land-and-sea-based forts ordered by Lord Palmerston to repel a perceived French invasion.
It now features 23 en-suite bedrooms, a bar, restaurant, sauna, large seating area, plus an outdoor area complete with hot tubs. Due to its unique location the hotel can onlu be reached by ferry, and unless in emergency cannot be left until the ferry returns the following day.
From the water, No Man’s Fort look like what you envisage a typical sea fort to look like, with black iron plates and concrete walls, but inside it is furnished like any fully-fledged hotel.
At hotel there are four types of en-suite bedrooms to choose: The Executive Rooms, Junior Rooms, Superior Suite and the Lighthouse. All of the rooms include large double beds, sea views and architectural details including hammock hooks and a nautical themes, specifically the scalloped ceilings composed of narrow parallel vaults and bands of 10-inch iron reinforcements.
The fort also features a central atrium that is glass-roofed and is joined to an open area that serves as one of the main public areas for guests to relax and drink, with 360 degree sea views. The deck of the fort is also carpeted with artificial grass, topped with a lighthouse lookout and home to two hot tubs, a fire pit and a helipad. The artificial grass area also includes a golf tee allowing guests to hit biodegradable golf balls straight into the sea.
Chefs at the mess hall prepare as much of the food from scratch as they can and buy local fish, while the rest has to be shuttled back and forth from land, alternatively guests can also dine at the La Resistance restaurant.
No Man’s Fort is also popular for corporate and events stays as it features seven function rooms that can cater for up to 200 guests.
This article first appeared in the September 2018 issue of Hotel Owner
