New hotels in Bournemouth

Bournemouth's one tracked new hotel is THE NICI, a 106-room rebrand of the long-running Savoy Hotel on the West Cliff that reopened in June 2022 after a £25 million refurbishment. It's a beachfront base for the pier, the seven miles of sand either side of it, and the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery, with a rooftop restaurant and indoor pool of its own for anyone who'd rather not leave the hotel.

What to do

A weekend in Bournemouth

Bournemouth's sandy beach runs for seven miles, and the stretch around the pier is the obvious base: lifeguarded in summer, with beach huts, cafes and a wide promenade. Bournemouth Pier itself holds the RockReef climbing centre and the PierZip, the world's first pier-to-shore zip line, worth booking ahead in peak season. In the afternoon, the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, a short walk along the clifftop from THE NICI, gives an indoor option if the weather turns, and the clifftop walks either side of the pier offer sea views without the crowds of the beach itself.

A full week

A week adds Poole Harbour, one of the largest natural harbours in the world, a short drive or bus ride west, worth a half-day for a boat trip out to Brownsea Island. The Jurassic Coast starts just beyond Poole and makes for a full day's drive east toward Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door if the weather cooperates. Closer to Bournemouth itself, the Compton Acres gardens and a harbour or coastal cruise both fill an afternoon without needing a car.

Where to stay

The West Cliff

THE NICI sits on West Hill Road on Bournemouth's West Cliff, the rebrand of the long-running Savoy Hotel after a £25 million refurbishment led by architects Corstorphine & Wright. Its 106 rooms, rooftop and garden restaurants and indoor pool sit a short walk from the pier and the beach, on a clifftop stretch of the seafront away from the busiest central promenade.

Which hotel for your trip

A beach weekend with a spa day built in

THE NICI's indoor pool and leisure facilities mean a rainy afternoon doesn't have to mean leaving the hotel, and the rooftop restaurant gives a sea view without needing a table on the pier itself.

Anniversary and special-occasion stays

Winning Condé Nast Johansens' "Best New Hotel" award in 2024 backs up THE NICI's own pitch as a step up from Bournemouth's older seafront hotel stock: worth the higher rate for a genuine occasion rather than a standard weekend break.

Frequently asked questions

What is the newest hotel to open in Bournemouth?

THE NICI, which reopened in June 2022 on the West Cliff after a £25 million refurbishment of the former Savoy Hotel.

How many new hotels does this guide track in Bournemouth?

One: THE NICI, on West Hill Road on the West Cliff.

Does THE NICI have a pool?

Yes: an indoor pool as part of its leisure and spa facilities, alongside a rooftop restaurant and a garden restaurant.

Is THE NICI close to Bournemouth beach?

Yes: it sits on the West Cliff, a short walk from the pier and the seven miles of beach that run either side of it.

Has THE NICI won any awards?

It won Condé Nast Johansens' "Best New Hotel" award in 2024, following the completion of phase one of its £25 million refurbishment.