A weekend break at the Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott Hotel
I'm lying beneath a white umbrella by the outdoor pool of the Highcliff Marriott Hotel in Bournemouth. The sun is shining, I've just ordered a drink at the outside bar and the Ion-filled air is unmistakably seaside. Below is Bournemouth beach, seven miles of golden sand dotted with brightly coloured windbreaks and parasols, while the water's full or swimmers and inflatables.
The setting feels familiar. And then it comes to me: Hôtel du Palais overlooking the resort of Biarritz in the South of France. Ok this might sound a bit of a stretch, but bear with me because these grand dame hotels have more in common than you might think.
For starters, both are a built on a hillside overlooking an expansive stretch of golden sand. Then there's the fact both were built in the 1800s (Napoleon built the original villa that is Hôtel du Palais for his wife Eugénie, while Highcliff was opened in 1874), both have had a makeover (Hyatt and Marriott respectively), both boast an Instagram-worthy outside pool and both have restaurants and lounges that attract a glam crowd. The key difference? Highcliff's a four-star rather than five, but hey, it's much easier to reach for a weekend break.
Sounds impressive, what’s the vibe?
Beach holiday all the way. It’s grand (160 rooms and suites) with plush bar, restaurant and lounge, but the atmosphere’s laidback rather than stuffy, think families dragging sandy-footed kids in from the beach (it's super family-friendly), groups of friends gathering for a drink, a pop corn cart in reception.
Tell me more about that pool...
It reminded me of being in a Grey Malin picture. Warm, turquoise, overlooking the ocean and lined with white loungers and umbrellas. And there was a bar. It honestly felt like being abroad, I even heard a poolside multi-gen family from South Africa saying they couldn't believe they were in the UK. It was so special, I got up early the next day to enjoy a swim before breakfast as the sun started to rise over the bay, then lounged around it again in the afternoon and enjoyed a sunset drink by it early evening. Let’s just say it was the highlight of the hotel for me.
What are the rooms like?
Neutral with a nod to nautical. My top floor family deluxe (sleeps four) had a king-sized bed (though it looked bigger), seaside prints on the walls, sofa bed and large dressing area. A box of miniature shortbread and tea-making facilities came in handy before my early morning swim, and the bright white bathroom had large bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash, so I needn't have packed toiletries. Best of all was the view from the bedroom window of Bournemouth beach far below - the pier, tourists dotted on the sand and glistening ocean looked like a painting. When a hotel's built in the Victorian era, you've got to expect the odd creaky floorboard, but overall I was surprised at how fresh and modern the recently refurbed room felt.
And what about the food?
Definitely don’t skip a meal at the hotel’s busy, French-inspired restaurant Brasserie Blanc. It has one of those mouth-watering menus that makes it hard to choose one dish, but after much debate I settled on a delicate trout tartare, followed by escargot dripping in garlic and the lightest, fluffiest pistachio soufflé imaginable.
Breakfast, which I ate beneath an umbrella on Brasserie Blanc's sun-soaked terrace, was a healthy affair of green juice and porridge, though the Full English breakfasts being delivered to neighbouring diners did look extremely tempting.
If you do want to eat out, I recommend Sri Lankan restaurant The Coconut Tree, where dishes like curry and calamari are served tapas-style in small bowls for around £9 a pop. The drinks were good too including turmeric coffee or, if you fancy something more punchy, how about Pina colada for two served in a coconut shell?
Anything else?
Bournemouth beach is a five-minute walk from the hotel down a steep hill, and what a beach. Miles and miles of golden sand, surprisingly warm water with gentle waves and plenty of ice cream, fish and chips and beach huts along the front to complete the traditional seaside break experience. A local told me you can barbecue on the beach after 6pm, so there's nothing to stop you grabbing a portable bbq, bites and chilled beers and settling down for sunset while the weather's still good this Autumn.
Go there!
Rooms from £87pn BOOK NOW. *The Highcliff Marriott's outside pool reopens in May 2025.
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