11 Priory Road, Bournemouth, United Kingdom | (888) 616-5829
Walking distance to the seafront and shops
Proximity to Sandbanks and The New Forest
Clean, cozy rooms with tea/coffee facilities; some with sea views
Indoor pool and fitness center
Billiards and table tennis on-site
Restaurant, bar, and dance floor at the hotel
Free Wi-Fi and parking
Pets allowed
Dated decor
Nightly entertainment might not be to everyone's taste
Hotel Collingwood is a cozy, competitively priced, mid-range hotel with 53 rooms over three floors, in the heart of Bournemouth near the beach. The decor is slightly dated, but there're an indoor swimming pool and entertainment in the form of nightly cabarets. The property is popular with travelers who have come to Bournemouth to catch musical acts at the BIC (Bournemouth International Center), or tourists who want to be near Sandbanks and the New Forest National Park. Rooms are basic and clean, with tea kettles and flat-screen TVs; some have pretty picture windows. Rates, too, are pretty standard, so it's not a bad option for a stopover by the Bournemouth beach. It may be worth considering the Cumberland Hotel, an Art Deco property five minutes down the road by car; it has cheaper rates and an outdoor pool overlooking the sea.
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Scene
Calm and relaxing inside, with a bar that has a huge dance floor
Hotel Collingwood won't be winning any interior style prizes any time soon, but comfort is the order of the day at this family-run property, and the hotel delivers on making guests feel at home. It's a popular hotel with walkers and ramblers, as there are beautiful hikes in all directions. The building itself is simple and welcoming, in cream-colored stone with a brown roof, fronted by a few palms and leafy plants. Public spaces are well-maintained, and there are a cozy restaurant and bar with a huge dance floor -- perfect for having a jive when the nightly cabaret kicks off. The hotel is bright and airy throughout, and is decorated in calming magnolia colors, with unoffensive artwork and classy, striped curtains. Overall the atmosphere is unhurried and quiet, a natural fit with the peaceful setting.
Location
New Forest National Park is nearby, and the beach is a few minutes' walk away
Hotel Collingwood is ideally located for exploring the Bournemouth beach, a few minutes' walk away. It's also just a few minutes on foot from Bournemouth International Centre, which is great for music gigs. Also nearby are Bournemouth Lower Gardens and the Oceanarium, each within a five-minute walk. In about 15 minutes' drive, guests can reach either the New Forest National Park -- famed for its ponies, old-growth forest walks, and charming villages -- or Sandbanks, which has a show-stopping beach. Walkers and ramblers regularly take the picturesque walk to Sandbanks, and back again to the hotel; it's about an hour and 15 minutes each way. The quaint town of Christchurch, with its charming harbor and cute restaurants, is a 15-minute drive.
Rooms
Decor-wise, rooms are nothing fancy -- but there are some with pretty views of the sea
The decor and furnishings blend traditional style with more contemporary touches, but with a chain hotel feel: light wood furniture, wall-to-wall grayish carpeting, dated leather chairs, and curtains and bed runners with tired patterns. Free Wi-Fi is available in all rooms, and tea/coffee facilities and flat-screen TVs with Freeview come as standard -- though TVs are on the small side. The tiled bathrooms, in particular, feel dated and in need of a spruce up. Larger rooms have combination shower/tubs, while others have stall showers; the free toiletries are small but acceptable. Beds are comfortable and plush, but there's not much in the way of perks -- no fluffy bathrobes here. However, the sea views from some rooms are quite pleasant, and rooms are quiet.
Features
Bar snacks, a swimming pool with a whirlpool, and a large ballroom for dance groups
The hotel has a great indoor swimming pool, but children need to be supervised as there isn't a lifeguard. The whirlpool is pleasant enough, as is the fitness center (if walking along the beach hasn't burned enough calories), with a good range of cardiovascular equipment including a rower and an elliptical machine. The games room has a snooker table, ping-pong table, and table foosball; the room gets plenty of natural light, and is just off the reception area. There's also a downstairs billiards room, painted in vibrant green. The ballroom is huge and perfect for line-dancing or sequence dancers, and is popular with locals as well as guests. The restaurant serves English and continental dishes for breakfast and dinner, and three-course Sunday lunch; bar snacks are available throughout the day, as are drinks from the bar. Wi-Fi and parking are free.
