I’ll never forget the drive over to the Isle of Wight last autumn – leaves turning that gorgeous coppery gold, but wouldn’t you know it, I managed to splatter my windscreen with a rogue squirt from a passing lorry’s spray just as we hit the ferry queue at Portsmouth. Typical me, faffing about with windscreen wiper fluid while everyone else queued up like pros. Still, by the time we chugged across the Solent, the October chill had whipped up a proper sea breeze, and there was Seas The Day waiting for us in Ventnor, looking every bit the cosy coastal bolthole.

Pulling up to the cottage that first afternoon, I was gobsmacked by how perfectly it slotted into the season. Ventnor’s cliffs were alive with those rusty bracken tones, and the sea below crashed in with that moody, slate-grey swell you only get in autumn – none of your summer postcard blues, but a raw, invigorating power that made you feel alive. The cottage itself, right on Leeson Road, sits perched with those massive sea views from the top floor lounge, and as we unloaded the boot, the fading light painted everything in soft amber hues. I cracked a daft joke about the seagulls eyeing our crisps like they owned the place, but honestly, it was the nip in the air that set the tone – proper jumper weather, urging us inside for a brew.

Stepping through the door, the first impression was pure warmth against the coastal chill. That open-plan kitchen-diner-lounge is a belter, all low beams and plush sofas begging you to flop down after the ferry crossing. We’d timed it for off-peak October, so the place felt like our own private nook, no crowds mucking about. I lit the wood burner straight away – crackling away merrily, chasing off the damp that sneaks in from the sea air this time of year. The kids (well, my two teenagers, who pretend they’re too cool for holidays) immediately claimed the twin room downstairs, while I bagged the master with its en-suite and that unbeatable vista. From the window, you could see the waves rolling in under a sky streaked with pink, the sort of sunset that makes you pause and think, ‘Blimey, when did life get this good?’

First impressions? Spot on for an autumn getaway. We wandered out for a gentle mooch along Ventnor’s esplanade that evening – the seafront lights twinkling against the gathering dusk, chip shops doing a roaring trade in batter scraps despite the wind whistling off the water. No baking heat to wilt you, just crisp air that sharpened every breath, and the beach strewn with seaweed and pebbles polished smooth by winter’s promise. Back at the cottage, supper was simple: pasties from the local bakery, devoured round the dining table with the radio humming folk tunes. I had a quiet moment then, staring out at the darkening sea, reflecting on how this time of year strips things back – no frantic sunbathing or ice creams melting down your top, just the rhythm of tides and that deep, settling contentment of being somewhere timeless.

The next morning dawned misty, the cliffs shrouded in that soft October haze which turns everything ethereal. Breakfast in the kitchen, with its handy dishwasher and all the mod cons, felt like a treat – toaster pinging as rain pattered the windows, sealing us in with mugs of tea and plans for the day. We nipped down to Ventnor Beach, just a stone’s throw away, where the tide pools shimmered under weak sun, and I skimmed stones like a kid again, laughing when one bounced a measly three times. The season shaped every bit of it: fewer folk about meant we had the sands to ourselves, crunching through damp shingle that’d be scorching in July. Light humour came when I slipped on wet seaweed – ‘Graceful as a seal, me!’ – but it was the reflective calm that lingered, that autumnal invitation to slow down and savour.

By day three’s arrival vibes still fresh, Seas The Day had us hooked on its seasonal magic. The garden terrace, pebbledashed with fallen leaves, offered sheltered spots to watch storms brew offshore, and inside, the free Wi-Fi kept us connected without pulling us away from the views. It’s the kind of place where October’s mellow grip turns a quick break into something restorative – no regrets about dodging the summer hordes. If you’re after first impressions that wrap you in cosy reality, this is your spot. Seas The Day? More like seize the autumn day.