Hallmark Hotel Bournemouth Carlton

Right on the seafront, the Hallmark Hotel Bournemouth Carlton has an imposing frontage, with a landscaped driveway and marble steps leading up to the hotel’s entrance. The lobby is done up in grand and traditional decor, with white columns, chandeliers, and plenty of armchairs; the blue and orange patterned carpeting looks quite dated, though. Traditional decoration runs throughout the hotel; the restaurant has heavy brocade drapes, crisp white tablecloths, and a deep red carpet, while the bar feels like a library, with its wood paneling and leather chairs. The hotel has plenty of outside space, too, for the warmer months, including landscaped gardens with a well-maintained lawn, as well as a gazebo and a pond. Thanks to its location and spa, the hotel attracts a range of guests, including couples, families, and business travelers.

Located on a cliffside road overlooking the ocean in Bournemouth, the Hallmark Hotel Bournemouth Carlton is in a convenient location for tourists. It’s just a minute’s walk to the cliff top where an elevator or a zigzag path leads down to the beach. There are plenty of other attractions within walking distance, too, such as the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, the historic St. Peter's Church, the Bournemouth Pavillion Theatre, and the Bournemouth International Centre. The town center's shops, restaurants, nightlife, and mile-and-a-half of landscaped gardens are 15 minutes on foot from the hotel, too. Bournemouth Airport is within a 20-minute drive.

Rooms in the Hallmark Hotel Bournemouth Carlton have traditional, chain-style decor that, despite recent improvements like new furniture and carpeting, largely looks dated, with cream walls and deep red and dark wood furnishings. All are large and clean, and many have unobstructed sea views, some taking in the iconic Bournemouth pier and the Isle of Wight. Bathrooms are large enough, with signature toiletries, dated tile-work, and a combination shower/tub. Some rooms have private balconies. All rooms have free Wi-Fi, tea- and coffee-making facilities, bathrobes, a flat-screen TV, and extra touches like bowls of candy and mini boxes of chocolate. Families can request connecting rooms and cribs or infant beds.

Breakfast is not included in the price, but a mediocre buffet breakfast is available daily in the restaurant, which turns into a white-tableclothed affair for lunch and dinner, serving international favorites. The cocktail bar is a library-like space with dark wood paneling and a red leather banquette. 24-hour room service is available too, and there’s a small fitness center, small indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and a spa. The spa treatments includes massages, facials, and body wraps, and the spa also has a sauna and a spa tub. There's also an outdoor terrace with rattan furniture and a view of the outdoor swimming pool, which was re-landscaped after our visit. There's free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, and there's also free parking. The hotel is well set up for business travelers with its selection of wood-paneled meeting rooms and a conference space.