The Madison

The rattle of rigging drifts up from the marinas on a southerly breeze, and Southampton Water glimmers somewhere beyond the rooftops.

The Madison suits anyone who wants a proper bed and four walls after a long ferry crossing, or before heading out to the Isle of Wight — ferry foot passengers, sailors between legs, couples treating themselves to something sturdier than canvas. There's WiFi throughout, and the camping pods offer a middle ground if you're not quite ready to give up that outdoorsy feeling but fancy a roof and a lock. Southampton itself gets overlooked, but the Old Town's worth an evening wander, and the waterfront's got more going on than most expect.

Inside it's guest-house comfortable rather than campsite rustic — clean rooms, hot showers that don't need a pound coin, and a quiet base within reach of the New Forest and the Solent coast. Dogs are welcome by arrangement, so worth asking ahead if you've got one in tow. Campfires depend on what's available when you arrive, so check at reception. Open all year, which is handy for off-season sailors and winter explorers.