The Suncliff Hotel, Bournemouth

Last weekend, James and I spent the night in Bournemouth.  It was a last-minute decision as we had planned to go camping but decided not to trust the increasingly windy weather.
I found the Suncliff Hotel whilst searching cheap places to stay on www.booking.com.  The offer was irresistible.  For £39, we could stay in a room with a sea view, have full use of the leisure facilities and even enjoy a cooked breakfast.  I was sold.

We arrived on a Sunday, when many people were leaving, and got to our room around 3pm.  It was clean and well-equipped with double-aspect sea views, a four-poster bed and a flat-screen TV.  Excellent.

The location is fantastic, being a mere 5 minute walk from the beautiful sandy beaches of Bournemouth and Boscombe and only 15 minutes from the town centre, with its brilliant array of shops and lovely gardens.

Having wandered round town and taken in the delights of the Russell-Coates Museum, we returned to the hotel around 7pm and headed down to the leisure suite.  Being a Sunday evening, we had it to ourselves and quickly found the bubbling hot tub.  Next up was the sauna, which was a first for both of us, and finally the pool, which we had to ourselves for almost an hour before a couple of friendly honeymooners joined us.  Everything was very clean, the water was warm, and the fact that it was so quiet was the icing on the cake.

Following our swim, we popped upstairs to the bar for a couple of drinks, which we enjoyed on the terrace, with the sounds of the sea behind us.  Finally, we headed to our bed, which was ridiculously comfortable.

After a fantastic night's sleep, we woke for breakfast which was, simply, amazing.  A self-service full English plus toast, cereal, fruit, bread, jam, marmalade, ham, cheese, yogurt and three types of juice.  I had never seen so much food on offer and was very impressed with the selection, particularly considering the price of the room.  We filled up enough to last us until dinner time!

The staff were all very friendly and always greeted us with smiles, which made us feel very welcome.  The only negative aspect that I could come up with is the décor, which is rather dated.  But, really, who cares, when you get so much for your money, and in a gorgeous location to boot?

Very happy customers!