Bournemouth - Seaside Resort On The Sunny South Coast Of England
If someone was to mention Bournemouth to you, what would come to mind? If you live outside of the UK, probably not a lot, since Bournemouth isn't on the list of main attractions that you find in the tourist brochures, especially for visitors from the USA.
But to the British public, Bournemouth instantly makes you think of the seaside; Bournemouth Pier, Bournemouth Beaches or a stroll through The Pleasure Gardens. Since it's birth in Victorian times, Bournemouth has been a place for older people to retire to or to visit on holiday. Since the 1970's Bournemouth has also been home to a number of International Language Schools and so has also a large population of students from all over the world. Bournemouth is also home to some famous people, with a number of celebrities living in places such as Westbourne and of course Sandbanks.
Do You Need To Find Somewhere To Stay In Bournemouth?
As well as providing a lot of information on Bournemouth and the surrounding area for tourists, this lens is designed to help with finding accommodation, whether hotels, guest houses or rental properties in Bournemouth. There are many hotels in Bournemouth as well as guest houses and also a good number of places to rent. So whether you visit Bournemouth on vacation or on business, there is no shortage of places to stay.
Memories Of A Visit To Bournemouth?
Fond memories might come flooding back of the splendid views of the Cliffs, or the many Chines along the Bournemouth coastline.
If you like to go to concerts, shows or the Pantomime, or if you have attended one of the major conferences that are held in Bournemouth, you might instantly think of the Bournemouth Pavilion, or the more modern Bournemouth International Centre (known locally as the BIC) which is an integral part of the town centre.
If you are a railway enthusiast, you might even recall the grand old Bournemouth Belle, which used to bring visitors to the town in the good old days of steam.
Football supporters will be well aware of AFC Bournemouth, struggling to stay in Division Two in 2008 due to a financial crisis.
But whatever the word Bournemouth makes you think of, it has to be related to the seaside.
So whether you are familiar with Bournemouth or not, I hope that you will read on and learn more about this wonderful seaside town.
Where Is Bournemouth And What Makes It Special?
Bournemouth is thought by many people to be the finest seaside resort in England, with it's miles of golden sandy beaches, some of the finest beach sand in the world, the beaches stretching from Christchurch in the East to Sandbanks in the West.
With it's backdrop of towering sandstone cliffs, great views over Bournemouth Bay to the Purbeck Hills and the Isle Of Wight, and warm waters, it's a perfect place for a summer vacation.
Bournemouth is situated towards the eastern end of the county of Dorset, right in the middle of the South Coast of England. The town gets it's name from the fact that the centre of town lies at the mouth of the Bourne Stream, hence Bourne-Mouth.
With the English Channel being warmed by the waters that the Gulf Stream brings from Florida and The Caribbean, the climate here is warmer than it would otherwise be for it's latitude, making the area a very attractive alternative for holiday makers than going overseas to Southern Europe.
Bournemouth developed in the Victorian era when it became fashionable to spend time at the seaside, and it grew over the next century into one of England's finest seaside resorts.
It is also different to the typical English seaside resort, in that the sea frontage isn't lined with small hotels and guest houses, there is no funfair with arcades, fish and chip shops, people wandering around wearing "kiss me quick" hats etc... Bournemouth has always been a bit more reserved and had a lot more style than many of it's counterparts like Southend, Margate and Blackpool to name a few.
Bournemouth has many hotels and guest houses to suit all budgets and needs, plenty of interesting pubs and bars, casinos, concert venues, and night clubs for the night owls.
So please read on to learn more about Bournemouth and the area on the South Coast of England where I was born.
This Lens Is A Winner Of The Coveted Lens Of The Day Award

The Squidoo Lens Of The Day Award for 19th November 2008 goes to this lens about Bournemouth. I put of lot of time into creating this page about the town where I grew up, actually I put a lot of myself into it too, so it's really nice to see it recognised. Thanks so much to Megan at Squidoo HQ and for everyone who visited this lens and helped it get this much coveted award.
This Lens Is A Winner Of The New And Rare Purple Star Award
A Purple Star was awarded to this Bournemouth lens on 1st May 2009. This page was handpicked by Squidoo's editors as one of the most remarkable pages on the entire site. So if you like it, please remark on it, blog it, share it with a friend, and know you're spreading the word about something really exceptional on the web.
Table of Contents
Whether you are looking for information on the Bournemouth beaches, the Pier or Chines, or the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, you can skip directly to any part of the page from here. I hope you enjoy your virtual tour of Bournemouth.
- Bournemouth On Google Maps
- A History Of Bournemouth - Part I
- A History Of Bournemouth - Part II
- Growth As A Major Commercial Centre
- A Video Guide To Bournemouth
- Frommers Best Day Trips From London
- Bournemouth's Cliffs
- Photographs of Bournemouth's Cliffs
- The Chines
- Photos Of Bournemouth's Chines
- Bournemouth Pier
- Photos Of Bournemouth Pier
- Bournemouth Beaches
- Photos Of Bournemouth Beaches
- Bathers At Bournemouth - Old Photograph
- Bournemouth Beach Huts
- Beach Huts At Bournemouth
- The Old And The Young In Bournemouth
- Bournemouth Nightlife
- Upcoming Concerts In Bournemouth
- Personalised Items from Amazon.co.uk
- The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery And Museum
- Photographs from the Russell-Cotes Museum
- The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
- Bournemouth AFC News
- Bournemouth Area Hotels And Accomodation
- Famous People From Bournemouth
- Lenses About Bournemouth Residents
- MORE 4 DORSET
- Other Web Sites About Bournemouth
- My Other Lenses About Southern England
- Some Other Great Lenses On England
- News Headlines from The Daily Echo
- The Bournemouth Echo On Twitter
- Holidays Honeymoons And Weddings Abroad
- The Guestbook
- References
- About Poddys
- Follow Me On Twitter
- My Listings On eBay
Where To Find Bournemouth
Bournemouth On Google Maps
You can always find Bournemouth on a map of England. It's right in the middle of the South Coast.
A History Of Bournemouth - Part I
The early days of Bournemouth, from heathland to seaside villas in pre-victorian times.
The only regular visitors to the area around the mouth of the Bourne River were a few fishermen, turf cutters and occasional gangs of smugglers until the 16th century.
The area was used as a hunting estate from Tudor times until the late 18th century, but with the exception of the estate, most of the Bournemouth area remained common land until 1802.
In 1812, the first residents, retired army officer Lewis Tregonwell and his wife, moved into their new home, built on land he had purchased. Tregonwell began developing his land for holiday rentals by building a series of sea villas. He also planted hundreds of Pine trees, providing a sheltered walk to the beach (later known as the 'Invalids walk'). The town would ultimately grow up around its scattered pines. In 1832 when Tregonwell died, Bournemouth had become a small community with a scattering of houses, villas and cottages.
The Invalids Walk is still an integral part of Bournemouth Gardens today. For many years the walk has featured cages with exotic birds, as well as regular exhibitions by local artists at the weekends.
The following photograph has been used with permission from
REAL BOURNEMOUTH - HISTORY IN PHOTOS

Bournemouth Gardens - Invalids Walk
A History Of Bournemouth - Part II
The development of Bournemouth from Victorian times through to the 1950's.
In the 1840s, the fields south of the road crossing the river, the site that is now The Square, were drained and planted with shrubberies and walks. Many of these paths including the remain in the town today, forming part of the Bournemouth Pleasure Gardens which run for several miles along the Bourne stream. The Pleasure Gardens were originally a series of garden walks created in the fieldsin the 1860s.
During the late 1800's the town continued to develop. The Winter Gardens were finished in 1875 and the cast iron Bournemouth Pier was finished in 1880. With the arrival of the railways there was a massive growth of seaside and summer visits to the town, especially visitors from the Midlands and London. In 1880 for example, the town had a population of 17,000 people. By 1900, when railway connections were at their most developed the town's population had risen to 60,000.
During this period the town also became a favourite destination for visiting artists and writers, including Mary Shelley.
The town was improved greatly during this period through the efforts of Sir Merton Russell-Cotes, the Mayor and a local philanthropist. He helped establish the town's first library and museum. The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum was created in his mansion and after his death it was given to the town.
As Bournemouth's growth increased in the early 20th century, theatres, cafés, art deco cinemas and more hotels were built in the town. Other new buildings included the War Memorial in 1921 and the Bournemouth Pavilion, the towns concert hall and grand theatre finished in 1925.
The town declined somewhat as a seaside resort in the 1940's, but by the late 1950's visitors began to flock to Bournemouth once again, as the post war popularity of holidaymaking at the beach became affordable to more of the population.
The following photograph has been used with permission from
REAL BOURNEMOUTH - HISTORY IN PHOTOS

Bournemouth Square 1948
Growth As A Major Commercial Centre
Decentralisation of business from London helps turn Bournemouth into a major commercial centre.
The Bournemouth Technical College grew into Bournemouth University, which is now one of the countries top universities.
Bournemouth tops the league of the UK's 50 largest towns and cities for the biggest growth in the number of new businesses in 2007 according to UHY Hacker Young, the national accounting group.
The town is home to some of the largest financial companies in the UK, including JP Morgan Chase, Nationwide Building Society, Liverpool Victoria and Standard Life.
ThE Bournemouth International Centre (known as the BIC) is a major conference centre and hosts regular national conferences. Across the other side of the Bournemouth Gardens, the Pavilion is a conference center in it's own right, hosting the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democratic parties national conferences (nut not all in the same year).
A Video Guide To Bournemouth
This is a nice compilation of short clips taken around Bournemouth - the pier, the beach, the gardens, the shops, the cliffs etc. It's a great way to get a quick introduction to this wonderful seaside town.
Frommers Best Day Trips From London
Bournemouth's Cliffs
The sandstone cliffs that tower above Bournemouth's beaches are one of the most impressive natural features of the Bournemouth area.
They are comprised of sandstone, and are home to a wide variety of plants and wildlife. There are many rare plants, birds and butterflies, and the cliff area is protected for conservation interest.
The cliffs rise gradually to the east averaging a height of 24m (80 feet) to 27m (90 feet).
From Canford Cliffs in the west to Alum Chine in the east, the cliffs are broken by these valleys, allowing access to the beach. Either side of Bournemouth Pier however, the cliffs are unbroken, and the only way up or down is by either taking the zip-zag paths, which snake their way down the cliffs, constantly changing direction, or the lifts, which run on rails straight up the side of the cliff.
From the age of 7 to 11, I attended a school that was close to the West Cliff. This was a boarding and day school, and daily the whole school had to go on a walk at lunchtime, often along the West Cliff and sometimes if we were lucky, down to the promenade below. It was fun walking down the zig-zag path, but walking back up was a different matter. I am sure that anyone who has had to do this while loaded up with beach gear having spent a day at the beach will know what I am talking about.
For more information on Bournemouth Cliffs and for some stunning photographs of the area, CLICK HERE. This is an article on The Eocene Cliffs With Leaf Beds of Bournemouth, Dorset by Professor Ian West of Southampton University. The geology of the area is very detailed, but it is the maps, diagrams and above all the photographs that make me highly recommnend this site.
The following photograph has been used with permission from
REAL BOURNEMOUTH - HISTORY IN PHOTOS

Bournemouth - East Cliff Zig Zag Path
Photographs of Bournemouth's Cliffs
Here are a selection of great photographs of Bournemouth's splendid cliffs. Along the East Cliff and West Cliff close to Bournemouth Pier there are lifts that take passengers up the cliff, as well as zig-zag paths that wind their way down to the promenade below.
The Chines
The word chine means a deep, narrow ravine cut through soft rocks by a water course descending steeply to the sea. The word is peculiar to Dorset and the Isle of Wight, chines being very much a feature of this part of the British coast.
There are various chines, the most notable being Alum Chine in the east and Branksome Chine in the west.
ALUM CHINE
Alum Chine has a number of family oriented hotels on the cliffs, and of interest are the Tropical Gardens that were first planted in the 1920's. These have a number of tropical plants, palms, yucca's etc, and make for a great evening walk.
To the west of Alum Chine is a suspension bridge that was built in 1903 and that crosses a ravine between two sections of the cliff top and makes an interesting diversion when taking a walk along the West Cliff. It was on a bridge across this chine (now gone) from which Winston Churchill fell when he was a child, breaking both legs and damaging his kidneys.
There is a plaque between the two bridges near the top of Alum Chine that commemorates Robert Louis Stevenson (author of Treasure Island and Kidnapped) who came to Bournemouth sufering from Tuberculosis in 1884 and lived there until 1887. His house was called Skerryvore after a lighthouse built by his family's company. The house was destroyed during the Second World War and the site in Alumhurst Road is now a commemoritive garden.
BRANKSOME CHINE
Branksome Chine is said to have been a regular route for smugglers in the 18th century as they headed inland to the Kinson area.
The Avenue is a straight road that runs south from County Gates in Westbourne down to Branksome Chine, and provides a great first view of the sea for many visitors on their way from Bournemouth to Sandbanks. The Avenue does a U-turn when it reaches the shore at Branksome Chine, the road then turning west and climbing up into the village of Canford Cliffs. Until the 1960's the Avenue used to be lined with lovely large homes and rhodedendron bushes, but sadly most of those houses have been replaced by blocks of flats.
Like Alum Chine, it also has a link with a great literary character, John Betjeman. This former Poet Laureate once wrote - walk the asphalt paths of Branksome Chine, in resin scented air like strong Greek wine.
The chine has numerous tree species such as pines, maples and beech as well as a variety of shrubs. many different kinds of birds can be seen throughout the year, including jays, woodpeckers, thrushes, tits and summer warblers. During the summer many insects can be seen including butterflies and dragonflies, the latter being attracted by the stream.
THE CHINES OF BOURNEMOUTH AND POOLE has wonderful details of the various chines, what to see, and detailed walks along the many pathways. I truly recommend a visit.
The following photograph has been used with permission from
REAL BOURNEMOUTH - HISTORY IN PHOTOS

Bournemouth - Durley Chine 1930
Photos Of Bournemouth's Chines
While the towering cliffs at Bournemouth provide a great backdrop to the beach, it is the chines that provide regular access to the beach. There is so much to see in these dry valleys, especially Alum Chine with it's tropical gardens.
Bournemouth Pier
With the Victorian era came a desire to spent time at the seaside, and along with this a love of promenades and piers. These allowed the visitors to stroll along the water front without having to walk on the sand, and to walk far out into the sea, enjoying wonderful views back towards the shore. In the latter half of the 19th century, these structures appeared in many of the seaside resorts around the coast of the British Isles.
Both Bournemouth and Boscombe, several miles to the easy, have piers, and these are just as popular today as they were back in the Victorian era when the concept was born.
The First Pier
The first pier in Bournemouth was a short wooden jetty that was completed in 1856. This was replaced by a much longer wooden pier, which opened in 1861 amid much pomp and ceremony, including a 21 gun salute.
The new pier cost the Bournemouth Board of Commissioners £3,418 to construct, and it was decided to charge an annual admission fee, based on residents rateable values, to try and recover the cost.
Because of attacks by Teredo Worms the wooden piles were replaced by cast iron ones in 1866, but even with this improvement, the life of the pier was short lived. Just a year later it was rendered unusable when the 'T' shaped landing stage was swept away in a gale.
The Second Pier
The remaining part of the pier was repaired, and it continued in use for a further ten years until November 1876 when another severe storm caused further collapse making it too short for steamboat traffic. The pier was demolished, and replaced in 1877 by a temporary one. During the next three years a new pier was completed.
The new Bournemouth Pier was opened by the Lord Mayor of London on 11th August 1880. It featured an open promenade and with the addition of a bandstand in 1885, military band concerts took place three times a day in summer and twice daily throughout the winter. Covered shelters were also provided at this time. Two extensions, in 1894 and 1909 respectively, took the pier's overall length to more than 1000ft (304.8m).
In common with most other piers in the south and east of the country, Bournemouth Pier was split into two sections by an army demolition team in the spring of 1940 as a precaution against German invasion during the Second World War. The pier was repaired and re-opened in August 1946.
Refurbishment of the pier head was carried out in 1950, and ten years' later the structure was reinforced with concrete to take the weight of a new pier theatre.
The Current Pier
A structural survey in 1976 found major corrosion, and in 1979 much of the pier was demolished and rebuilt in concrete, giving it the 'bridge' like appearance that it retains today, the work being completed in two years.
The new pier has a new theatre as well as other entertainments, and it ranks amongst the best piers in the country.
Pleasure Cruises
In 1868 the first recorded pleasure excursion from Bournemouth Pier was by the steamer 'Fawn'. She was chartered for a trip to Spithead, where a review of the fleet was being held in honour of the Shah of Persia.
Since 1871 there has been a long association between Bournemouth Pier and pleasure steamers.
Even now the tradition continues with regular seasonal visits by the paddle steamer 'Waverley', and her motorised companion the 'Balmoral'.
Many other local boats offer day trips along the lovely Dorset coast from Bournemouth Pier to Poole Quay and to Swanage.
With thanks to The Heritage Trail - English Seaside Piers for a history of Bournemouth Pier
The following photograph has been used with permission from
REAL BOURNEMOUTH - HISTORY IN PHOTOS

Bournemouth Pier Approach in 1910
Bournemouth Beaches
Bournemouth beaches have consistently won Blue Flag awards. These are only given to those beaches in the UK that have achieved the highest quality in water, facilities, safety, environmental education and management. CLICK HERE for more information about Blue Flag Awards.
The prevailing wind constantly strives to drive the sand westwards, so at regular intervals along the beach you will find groynes or breakwaters, designed to slow the erosion of the sand. These make for interesting views as well as bathing, since on the eastern side of a groyne you will find the sand much higher than on the west. The water level and depth is often many feet different between the two sides of a groyne.
The stretch of beach from Southbourne and Boscombe in the east all the way to Bournemouth, and beyond as far as Shore Road at Sandbanks is almost entirely walkable on the promenade.
Bathers At Bournemouth - Old Photograph

Buy at AllPosters.com
Bournemouth Beach Huts
Beach huts are a typical feature at many English seaside resorts and are not usually found in other countries. The origin probably stemmed from the late 1800's when most beaches had little to offer in the way of facilities for changing etc, and regular beach-goers could have somewhere to keep their necessities, to make their day at the beach more comfortable.
In recent years the cost of renting or leasing a beach hut has shot up enormously, in line with the price of other property close to the beach.
If you are interested in more information about beach huts, or in renting a beach hut in Bournemouth, the following sites have more information:
- Beach-Huts.Com
- Beach Huts for Hire in Bournemouth.
- Beach Hut Hire 2008
- Information about Beach Hut Hire.
- Beach Huts - Seaside History
- Brightly coloured beach huts are an essential part of the British coast. They go together with ice creams, sandcastles and the unreliable British weather to form part of our experience of summer by the seaside.
- Beach huts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Beach huts From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Beach Huts At Bournemouth

Buy at AllPosters.com
The Old And The Young In Bournemouth
However, since the 1970's and the growth of international language schools, Bournemouth has become renowned for it's language schools, and for much of the year has a high population of foreign language students from all over the world.
The video below from The EF International School Of English gives an overview of one of the language schools, plus it provides an additional video guide to the town and it's beaches.
EF Bournemouth - EF International Language Schools
http://www.ef.com Best Beaches...and Much More! Bournemouth boasts a lively student population and some of Britain's best beaches. Stretching for 22 km, the golden beaches are clean and unspoiled. Bournemouth is one of Europe's premier seaside resorts, attracting more than 5.5 million visitors each year. Explore the Bournemouth Oceanarium for a glimpse into the underwater world or see the town from a different perspective -- in a hot air balloon! Peruse Bournemouth's exclusive shops, and in the evening, check out the theaters, concert halls and student night clubs like the Opera House or Alcatraz. Friendly School, Many Amenities Study in Bournemouth and you're just a ten-minute walk from the beach and the town center. This small Victorian school makes for an intimate environment where you receive individual attention and meet new friends quickly. Take a break in the private garden or play some table tennis. Have lunch on the patio or relax in the residence lounge, which features free Internet access. You can also choose to live on-site with our convenient residence option.
Runtime: 280
24425 views
25 Comments:
curated content from YouTube
Bournemouth Nightlife
The concert venues, which include The BIC and The Pavilion hold regular concerts for major bands and musicians and are included on many national tours.
A great resource for finding out what to do in Bournemouth at night is www.bournemouthbynight.com. This site maintains a list of the Nightclubs, Pubs and Bars and also has an up to date list of the events.
Upcoming Concerts In Bournemouth
Bournemouth has a number of concert venues, as well as the many bars and nightclubs that also feature live music and entertainment. These include the Bournemouth Pavilion, the BIC, and the Pier Theatre.
Below is a selection of the concerts and live entertainment that you can see in the next week.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byPersonalised Items from Amazon.co.uk

Bournemouth Personalised Waterproof Dog Coat Size XL
(26" 65cm)

The doggie coats are made of tough nylon and are lined with a thick polar fleece with adjustable velcro straps. Both waterproof and washable they're just what your pet needs this winter. They come complete with your personalised name printed along either side of the coat and any numbers/pets name/other text added for free! Click the link for other sizes.
The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery And Museum
The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum is one of the most fascinating and unique museums in the world. It comprises art galleries and a museum as well as a children's area and is an ideal place for learning, exploring and socialising.
The museum is situated on the east cliff in the centre of Bournemouth, over-looking seven miles of award-winning beaches and is housed in one of the last Victorian villas in Bournemouth, East Cliff Hall.
The museum is open most days throughout the year, and is somewhere that every visitor to Bournemouth should see.
For more information, visit the official web site for the museum - CLICK HERE
Books from AMAZON.CO.UK
The following books about Bournemouth are available from Amazon in the UK and are priced in Pounds. See the next section for books available from Amazon in the USA
Books from AMAZON.COM
The following books about Bournemouth are available from Amazon in the USA and are priced in US Dollars. The previous section has books from Amazon in the UK.
The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

The Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra was founded in 1893 by Sir Dan Godfrey as a small group of wind players. The band quickly expanded to become a full orchestra, gaining a reputation for championing contemporary British music. Elgar and Holst (among others) conducted the orchestra in their own works. The Bournemouth Municipal Choir, founded by Godfrey in 1911,sang regularly with the orchestra.
The orchestra changed to its present name in 1954,and developed its present role of giving concerts at more venues in the south west of England. The choir was re-named The Bournemouth Symphony Chorus in 1979, when it entered into a closer relationship with the orchestra.
The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra currently gives around 150 concerts a year. An up to date list of these is given on their web site (click on the orchestra image above)
Parts of the above were taken from Wikipedia


Bournemouth AFC News

Bournemouth AFC "The Cherries", founded in 1899, are the local Bournemouth Football Team and play in Division Two. Their ground, "Dean Court" is in Kings Park, a large park on the east side of the town. In February 2008 the team went into voluntary administration due to lack of funds, but has managed to stay alive to start what is hoped will be a good 2008 season. Thanks to The Daily Echo for the news feed.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byBournemouth Area Hotels And Accomodation
HOTEL INFO - SEARCH FOR HOTELS IN BOURNEMOUTH
Up to the 1970's the East Cliff area (east of Bournemouth Pier) had more up-market hotels than on the West Cliff, but with recent growth and the redevelopment of many of the older hotels, this is not as marked as it once was. Still, the West Cliff does have more budget family friendly hotels.
Whether you are going to be staying in Bournemouth for business, on holiday or just passing through, Hotel Info has a list of the main hotels in the area and discounted prices.
PROPERTY RENTALS IN BOURNEMOUTH
Self Property Rental is the one stop shop for Holiday Rentals, Vacation Rentals, Property Rentals and Apartment Rentals. All their Holiday Rental properties are available to view online and you can find the perfect vacation homes wherever you decide to go in the world. They are long and short term holiday rentals, direct from the owner.
HOTELS IN BOURNEMOUTH

Hotel Features. Complimentary Wireless Internet Is Available In The Lounge Bar Where Freshly- Ground Coffee, Traditional Cream Teas And A Choice Of Alcoholic Drinks Are Served Until Around 9 Pm. Guests Wake Up To A Complimentary Full English Breakfast Each Day. Further Amenities Include Fitness Equipment And Free Parking.

Hotel Features. This Hotel's Facilities Include A Health Club With Heated Indoor Pool, Spa Tub And Gym. Other Relaxing Facilities Include A Sauna And Steam Room. Fitness Classes Include Yoga And Pilates. In The Summer Months The Sun Terraces And Heated Outdoor Pool Provide A Retreat For Guests, While Steps Lead Down From Outside The Hotel Directly To The Beach Below. The Hotel Has 18 Meeting Rooms, The Largest Able To Accommodate 500 People. Parking Is Available On Site (Surcharge Applies).
Marriott Highcliff Hotel's Highcliff Grill Features Relaxed, Contemporary Decor Overlooking The Sea And Cliffs. Guests Can Also Dine In The Stylish Highcliff Lounge And Bar And In Old Harry's Piano Bar, An Informal Sports Bar With Pool Tables And Big-screen Tv, Open Evenings And Weekends.

Hotel Features.This City-centre Hotel's Facilities Include A Coffee Bar Where A Buffet Breakfast Is Served Each Morning, And A Range Of Hot And Cold Beverages Are Available Throughout The Day. Wireless Internet Access Is Available In The Lounge Area Of The Bar, And Other Practical Amenities Include A Business Centre, Dry Cleaning Services, And Free Car Parking On Site.
Guestrooms.Ramada Encore Bournemouth Offers 114 Bold Stylish Guestrooms, All Of Which Have Bright Contemporary Decor With Wooden Floors And Modern Furnishings, And Include Interactive Satellite Television With Pay Movies, Direct-dial Phones, Internet Access, Safes, Hair Dryers And Tea And Coffee Making Facilities.

Hotel Features. The Belvedere Hotel Is Built In A Traditional Style With White-painted Walls And Grey Tiled Roofs. The Hotel Features A Private Garden And Offers An Indoor Leisure Complex With A Heated Swimming Pool, Hot Tub, Sauna And Cardiovascular Gym Equipment. This Is A Smoke-free Property
The Four Season's Restaurant Serves Breakfast (Complimentary) And Dinner Daily, As Well As Sunday Lunches. Manfred's Pub Offers Ales And Fine Wines Accompanied By Live Music At The Weekend. There Are Two Additional Private Dining Rooms For Groups Or Parties.
The Belvedere Hotel Can Host Conferences And Exhibitions For Up To 7,000 Delegates. There Are Four Halls And A Number Of Break Out And Reception Areas. Wireless Internet Access Is Available Throughout The Hotel.
Famous People From Bournemouth
The following people were either born in Bournemouth, or had a special connection with the town.
I never realised until I researched just how many Rock Musicians came from Bournemouth. I grew up thinking that there was a dearth of good local musical talent. Seems I was wrong...
You can click on any of the names for more information from Wikipedia...
Adrian Havill - Author of The Spy Who Came In From The Cold
Colin Allen - Drummer with Focus, Donovan, Bob Dylan and more
Jayne Atkinson - Actress, best known for the role of Karen Hayes on 24
Sir Anthony Blunt - Spy and Art Historian
Tony Brock - Drummer with Spontanious Combustion
Vera Chapman - Founder of The Tolkein Society
Leilani Dowding - Page 3 Girl and Glamour Model
Michael Giles - Drummer and co-founder of King Crimson
Peter Giles - Bas Player and Vocalist with Giles, Giles and Fripp and King Crimson
Lawrence Grant - Actor, The Mask Of Fu Manchu, Bulldog Drummond
Charles Gray - Actor, "Blofeld" in the James Bond movies
Karen Hardy - Dancer, Strictly Come Dancing
Gordon Haskell - Basist and Vocalist with King Crimson
John Hawken - Keyboard player with the Nashville Teens, The Strawbs and Vinegar Joe
Amanda Holden - Actress, and wife of Les Dennis
The Inciders - Hardcore Punk band from Bournemouth
Alex James - Bass player with alternative rock band Blur
Ben Jones - DJ and Television presenter
Lee Kerslake - Drummer with Uriah Heep and Ozzie Osbourne
Ray Lonnen - Actor
Richard Frewen Martin - Decorated WWII pilot and early Jet test pilot
Freddie Mills - British Boxing Champion
Zoot Money - Singer, Pianist and Actor
Cecil Reginald Noble - Awarded the Victoria Cross in WWI
Melita Norwood - Spy for the KGB
Richard Palmer-James - Lyricist for King Crimson and founder of Supertramp
Hubert Parry - English Composer, best known for Jerusalem
Don Partridge - Busker, found fame with his self-penned song "Rosie"
Frederick Charles Riggs - Awarded Victoria Cross for gallantry in WWI
Sir Rocco Forte - British Hotelier
Derek Anthony Seagrim - Recipient of the Victoria Cross in WWII
Stuart Semple - Contemporary British Artist
Russell Spencer - Television presenter and singer
Ken Sprague - Political Cartoonist
Amy Studt - Singer, Songwriter, Musician
Matt Tong - Drummer for Art Rock band Bloc Party
Virginia Wade - Professional Tennis Player
Barbara West - the second to last remaining survivor of the sinking of the RMS Titanic
More Famous People from Bournemouth
Lenses About Bournemouth Residents
Benny Hill lived in Bournemouth during WWII, Tolkein lived here in his later years. Just a couple of famous residents. Tony Blackburn, veteran DJ of Radio Caroline and BBC Radio One grew up here, actually in the street next to where I grew up.
-
Greg Lake, Not Just One Third Of Emerson, Lake & Palmer
-
For over four decades, Greg Lake has been a popular and innovative musician who has combined sophisticated pop and rock with the influence of Europe's golden age of classical music. He burst on to the international music scene in the late 1960s as ba...
-
Robert Fripp - The Man Behind King Crimson
-
Best know as the guitarist and co-founder, and only constant member of the progressive group, King Crimson, Robert Fripp has also left his mark as an innovative musician by working with artists like Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, David Bowie and David Byr...
-
Benny Hill
-
Benny Hill, whose name at birth was Alfred Hawthorn Hill, was born in United Kingdom in 1925. Hill enjoyed a long run as one of the most recognizable comedic faces on British television.
-
The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp
-
Released in 1968, The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp was the first album by Giles, Giles and Fripp, the band that would become the progressive rock group King Crimson before the release of it's second album. The songs that comprise "The...
-
Martin Kemp
-
Whenever Martin Kemp is interviewed he comes across as a genuinely nice guy. After going through hell and back with his health he's not at all bitter, although he does admit to going through a black period. This black period resulted in Martin Kemp,...
MORE 4 DORSET
More4dorset.com is a simple way of bringing people together. It's mission statement is "TO ADVERTISE LOCAL CONCERNS TO LOCAL PEOPLE, ENCOURAGING BUSINESS TO BUSINESS NETWORKING & TRADE". This is a free service to all who use it.
Other Web Sites About Bournemouth
The following sites also have information on Bournemouth and the surrounding area. If you know of a site, please feel free to add it below.
Real Bournemouth - history in photos
Real Bournemouth - A photographic history of Bourn more...2 points
Bournemouth Oceanarium
Throughout the year we have an action packed sched more...2 points
Nightclubs in Bournemouth
Bournemouth nightlife: Bournemouth By Night gives more...2 points
Takeaways in Bournemouth
Looking for a takeaway in Bournemouth? Click here more...2 points
Bourne Free - Bournemouth's Pride Festival
Bournemouth's annual lesbian and gay Pride Festiva more...2 points
Bournemouth hotels, restaurants, pubs, and clubs reviewed
Bournemouth comprehensively rated and reviewed. Th more...2 points
Bournemouth Tourism - official website!
Book your holiday or short break to BOURNEMOUTH on more...1 point
Nightlife in Bournemouth, Night life, Evenings, Entertainment, Guide,
Nightlife Bournemouth, Night life, Evenings, Enter more...1 point
Web Design UK
Website Design UK based Company Established in 200 more...1 point
Brisbane Hotels
Brisbane Australia hotels include hundreds of hote more...1 point
Bournemouth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bournemouth on Wikipedia0 points
Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum
Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum in Bournemout more...0 points
Bournemouth Airport
We're an airport with a proud heritage. Read about more...0 points
Bournemouth.com - Bournemouth Tourist Information Guide
Bournemouth.com information and accommodation guid more...0 points
Bournemouth University
Wherever you want to go, Bournemouth University is more...0 points
Attractions | Bournemouth Eye
Tethered Balloon Flights every day from the beauti more...0 points
Bournemouth Yellow Buses
Welcome to the website of one of the UK%u2019s fas more...0 points
Bournemouth Info - Your online guide to Bournemouth
Bournemouth Info - The independent guide to Bourne more...0 points
Surfing Bournemouth
Website with surf reports, web cameras, webcams, S more...0 points
Bournemouth International Centre
Bournemouth has always enjoyed the highest reputat more...0 points
Bournemouth Borough Council Online
Bournemouth Borough Council online.0 points
War Witness Account of Bournemouth
War Witness Account of life in Bournemouth during more...0 points
Dorset:all the best from England's south coast
Come and experience the delights of Dorset, an Eng more...0 points
Bournemouth, Guide, Tourism,
Bournemouth, Guide, Tourism, Information, Hotels, more...0 points
Corank.com
Bournemouth listing at corank.com0 points
Bournemouth Attractions, Attraction guide, Tourist and local, In
Bournemouth Attractions, Attraction guide, Tourist more...0 points
More 4 Dorset
Great Dorset links, entertainment guide and forums0 points
Beautiful Bournemouth, England « ExSquidition Travel Journal
This is a good travel site, with some great articl more...0 points
Bournemouth, England
Bournemouth beaches on Where's The Beach Dude.0 points
Assist Computing. Dorset, Hampshire & Wiltshire
Assist Computing provide Help, Servicing, Updates, more...0 points
PLASTIC PARROT
Music and events in the Bournemouth area0 points
Bournemouth Holidays
Bournemouth, the largest town in Dorset, with its more...0 points
Bournemouth Airshow 2009 - the free airshow
Launched in 2008, Bournemouth Airshow was so succe more...0 points
Divorce Forms
Bournemouth divorce lawyer first consultation free more...0 points
My Other Lenses About Southern England
- Sandbanks - Britain's Malibu
- Sandbanks is a sandy peninsula in the county of Dorset, bang in the middle of the South Coast of England. It forms the southern part of the entrance to Poole Harbour, which is the second largest natural harbour in the world after Sydney in Australia.
- Poole - Dorset
- Poole Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in the world, after Sydney in Australia.
- Christchurch UK
- Christchurch is a historic town in Hampshire, in the middle of the South Coast of England. It is well known for it's famous Priory church and historic old buildings.
- The New Forest
- The New Forest is one of Englands newest National Parks. It was created as a royal forest in 1079 by William the Conqueror for the hunting of deer and was first recorded as 'Nova Foresta' in the Domesday Book in 1086.
- Swanage - I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside
- Swanage is a beautiful seaside resort tucked away in the Purbeck Hills, close to Poole, Sandbanks and Bournemouth.
Some Other Great Lenses On England
These are some great lenses by other lensmasters about England and English Traditions. If you have the time, please take a look and enjoy these other splendid lenses.-
-
Fish & Chips
-
My first home was above a Fish and Chip shop. My Grandparents owned a small chain of 'chippies' from the 50's - 70's and I have happy memories of those days. Through this lens, I'd like to share with you the alure of Fish and Chips and why they're s...
-
Godalming, Surrey, England
-
The town of Godalming has a population of more than 21,000 and is situated in some of the finest countryside in southern England in the county of Surrey. Godalming is midway between London and the south coast and both are easy to reach by public an...
-
'Only Fools & Horses' Another Great Britcom
-
Only Fools & Horses, created by John Sullivan, is one of the BBC's finest sitcoms ever. It is now Classic Cult Television at it's best. Based in the suburb of Peckham, South London, Derek Trotter- AKA Delboy - & his brother Rodney, run 'Trotters Ind...
-
The Work Of Jim Cronin - Primate Conservationist
-
James "Jim" Michael Cronin MBE (15 November 1951-17 March 2007) was the founder in 1987 of Monkey World in Dorset, England, a sanctuary for abused and neglected primates. He was widely acknowledged as an international expert in the rescue and rehabi...
-
Southampton
-
I decided to create a lens about my home town of Southampton. Southampton is on the south coast of England in the county of Hampshire. You may know Southampton as the home to many great cruise ships including The Titanic, The QE2, The Queen Mary, Th...
-
Pub Grub
-
Just imagine. It's a glorious summers day - yes, ok, you need a powerful imagination if you're in England - and you're driving through the beautiful, green, lush, Countryside. There, like an oasis, is a traditional Olde Worlde, English pub. As you...
-
Christmas Crackers
-
I decided to write about Christmas Crackers after hearing about a friend's experience outside of the UK, when it became apparent that other Nationalities (you know who you are!) didn't really know what to do with a cracker! A Christmas Cracker is a...
-
Netley
-
Netley, aka Netley Abbey, is a place I like to visit. Netley is in the County of Hampshire, in England It's a small village to the east of Southampton. It lies along the coast facing the river Itchen. It has seen many great ships go past it's shore...
News Headlines from The Daily Echo
The above image is copyrighted and has been used with permission from The Daily Echo - the premier local newspaper for Dorset. The Daily Echo web site is a great resource for local news and events.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byThe Bournemouth Echo On Twitter
The Bournemouth Echo is now on Twitter. Subscribe to have news and traffic updates Tweeted to you.

- aka Twitter
- 0 followers
- 0 following
-
- "At the moment, I love Lady Gaga and her showgirl style but obviously I don’t dress like that!" - streetSTYLE... http://tumblr.com/xmw4fcual
-
- it's lilke phone a friend on millionaire at the moment on our #bmthbudget blog
-
- 10 minutes to go on our live blog come and join us http://bit.ly/5zA0lZ
-
- Reg Hutton is saying people drop more litter now than they did 30 years ago #bmthbudget
-
- and now we're onto the ImaX! come and have your say - it's your money we're talking about http://trunc.it/3qfxu
-
- we're now taking about street cleaning: do you think the council should clean the street less often? http://trunc.it/3qfxu
-
- Link: Letter of the Day - “Following a recent fatal collision one caller accused one of our control room... http://tumblr.com/xmw4fbw8d
-
- @moonjam love the bit when all their faces melt
-
- @bigbouquet which one?
-
- we're starting with planning enforcement: should the council stop checking for breaches of planning permission? #bmthbudget blog
Holidays Honeymoons And Weddings Abroad

If you live in the UK and are looking to book a special holiday, maybe going to an exotic location, or thinking about a honeymoon or even a wedding abroad, let Holidays Please be your advisor and provide the perfect trip for your special occasion.
To ensure the perfect holiday abroad, each of the Holidays Please expert travel advisors has already booked an average of £5m holiday packages in their career. By choosing Holidays Please you will get unrivalled holiday advice on the latest luxury holidays at the best value.
The Guestbook
I hope you enjoyed your tour of Bournemouth. If so, please let me know by leaving a comment in the guestbook.
Please let me know if you liked this lens (or not). It's always good to know what visitors think, so if you have a few moments, a comment from you would be much appreciated. When another lensmaster leaves a comment for me, I always try and return the favor by visiting their lenses, which is only fair.
JOIN SQUIDOO - If you are not a member of Squidoo and would like to know more about creating your own lenses, join Squidoo and start today. What to make a lens about? How about YOU! A short biography of yourself is always a good way to start as a lensmaster. It should take about 5 minutes to get started. Why create a lens? Do you enjoy writing? Would you love to be able to create your own web pages but don't know how to program? Would you like to earn some extra income by creating lenses like this one? Join Squidoo and find out more.
Do you feel like a good laugh? If so, then having left a comment here, I invite you to visit to THE LAUGHLINE. This site has the archives from the mailing list that I have run on Yahoo Groups since 2001, plus many more Jokes, Funny Pictures and Video Clips. You won't be disappointed.
-
Reply
- Christene Christene Oct 20, 2009 @ 6:05 pm
- Blessed by a SquidAngel :)
-
Reply
- jeffwend jeffwend Oct 13, 2009 @ 7:23 am
- I'm ready for a vacation now.
-
Reply
- spirituality spirituality Oct 12, 2009 @ 6:38 am
- Belated happy birthday: Great lens - you've been blessed by a squidoo angel :)
-
Reply
- LindaJM LindaJM Aug 14, 2009 @ 11:27 pm
- Looks like a beautiful place. I think I've been to this lens before... but this time I get to bless it!
-
Reply
- whitemoss whitemoss Aug 7, 2009 @ 7:34 am
- What an amazingly informative site. I can't believe I've never been to Bournemouth!
Loved it!
Sue
-
Reply
- blackpoolhotel blackpoolhotel Aug 1, 2009 @ 3:15 pm
- I enjoyed this lens about bournemouth very thoughful and well written
-
Reply
- drs2biz drs2biz Jul 28, 2009 @ 7:12 am
- Great lens, Tony. Now I know what it takes to get a purple star... 5 *s and a favourite! BTW... I used to watch, and loved Benny Hill's humour for its Political In-correctness ;-)
-
Reply
- sukkran sukkran Jul 14, 2009 @ 10:50 pm
- what a great lens it is. its great construction and distribution of information..every thing wonderful. i really love this lens.
-
Reply
- Damone Damone Jul 2, 2009 @ 11:38 pm
- This is a great lens. I would love to visit Bournmouth one day. I can see that you are proud of your hometown and congrats on the squidoo awards. Please check out my lenses and tell me how I can improve to your level of success.
-
Reply
- aj2008 aj2008 Jun 20, 2009 @ 7:37 am
- Last time I visited I wasn't an Angel, but I am now. Blessings for a great lens and a well deserved purple star!
- Load More
References
Please show your appreciation for the following by visiting their web sites.
- Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch news,sports,and jobs
- The Bournemouth Echo is the definitive site for Bournemouth news ,Poole news, Christchurch news and Dorset news, plus sports, jobs, homes, cars & more.
- Real Bournemouth - history in photos
- Real Bournemouth - A photographic history of Bournemouth. See how Bournemouth has changed since Victorian times. 100's of photos and images of Bournemouth, Westbourne, Boscombe and other areas.
- Bournemouth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Bournemouth From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- The Heritage Trail
- The Heritage Trail - home of Britain's heritage on the web
- Welcome to Bournemouth Borough Council Online
- A guide to Bournemouth Borough Council and its services. Bournemouth Borough Council, Town Hall, Bourne Avenue, Bournemouth BH2 6DY.
- Bournemouth Tourism - official website!
- BOURNEMOUTH TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE. With seven miles of golden sands and sparkling sea, the vibrant cosmopolitan town of Bournemouth has it all - a vast variety of shops and restaurants, buzzing nightlife and endles countryside with beautiful award-winning gardens and water sports galore.
About Poddys
Lensmaster poddys has been a member since January 15 2008, has rated 2,541 lenses, favorited 1,551, and has created 78 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Bournemouth - Seaside Beaches Holidays Sunshine". See all my lenses
My Bio

Off The Record - My Blog
Lots More About Me
The Laughline
The Daily Joke Collection
I am an English guy who moved to the USA in 1994, spent 12 years in Indiana, then moved to South Florida in 2005. I have a background in computers, have run my own web sites since 1998, and spend more time working than I would like (as do we all)...
I enjoy travel, spent a year in New Zealand, followed by 12 years of travel for work, mostly to Central and South America and the Caribbean. I love meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures and experiencing different ways of life. I have met some wonderful people on my travels, and one of thing I have found is that laughter is one of the best ways to make friends.
I love humour, and have run a jokes mailing list for the last 8 years, helping make thousands of people laugh around the world. A lot of my humour also shows through in my lenses and blogs.
Please come visit my other blogs at:
Off The Record With Debbie And Tony
StumbleUpon
Squidtop

Check out these great lenses...
-
- Bournemouth - Seaside Beaches Holidays Sunshine
If someone was to mention Bournemouth to you, what would come to mind? If you live outside of the UK, probably not a lot, since Bournemouth isn't on the list of main attractions that you find in the tourist brochures, especially for visitors from... view lens -
- The Daily Joke Collection
This lens is an index of all the humor and jokes lenses that I have created. The jokes and humor collection is growing with every month, so I thought it would be a good idea to list them all in one place, so you don't miss any.As well as the Dail... view lens -
- Zecharia Sitchin - Author Of The Earth Chronicles
Zecharia Sitchin is an accomplished Jewish Scholar whose knowledge of modern and ancient Hebrew, other Semitic and European languages is second to none. He has spent much of his life studying the Old Testament and the history and archeology of the N... view lens -
- Tropical Items On Zazzle
Living in South Florida provides many opportunities to take beautiful photographs of tropical scenes. Whether it's the beaches and ocean, the colorful palm trees and vegetation, or the unique wildlife that you get in Florida, the scope is there to ta... view lens -
- USA Lenses - Alabama
Alabama is a state in the South Eastern USA that is bordered by Tennessee in the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama was the name of an Indian tribe who inhabited the area whe... view lens
Follow Me On Twitter
- poddys
- aka Tony Payne
- 792 followers
- 957 following
-
- I just get Firefox taking over the machine then locking up and crashing frequently. You can tell when it's taking o... http://bit.ly/4Qia0L
-
- I am finding the same problem, which I think partly is due to the sheer number of lenses on Squidoo these days. It'... http://bit.ly/7eCu3d
-
- I never could see the point of breakdancing, but the personalities of the characters on the original Fame series had... http://bit.ly/4qSR00
-
- I think if I am to have a go at this, I would have to make my own creamed corn. Shame Debbie isn't a big corn fan,... http://bit.ly/6RtP18
-
- I don't see how this is odd but true though. Confused...... http://bit.ly/7AkTQC
-
- Two held over theft of billionaire's remains... http://bit.ly/58tNei
-
- Guantanamole anyone? Bush years in edible exhibit... http://bit.ly/4ZuThH
-
- Irish pilgrims blinded by the light... http://bit.ly/8uGbHr
-
- 242 year old bridge for sale amid toll uproar... http://bit.ly/4Hn3s7
-
- Russian bride's revealing wedding dress is web sensation... http://bit.ly/8Ajofg
My Listings On eBay
This is a selection of the items that I have for sale on eBay at this time. I hope you find something of interest.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byby poddys

Off The Record - My Blog
Lots More About Me
The Laughline
The Daily Joke Collection
I am an English guy who moved to the USA in 1994, spent 12 years in... (more)
























