Boscombe Spa Hotel — Hotel in Great Britain

The Boscombe Spa Hotel operates under the charming delusion that creative problem-solving can substitute for proper renovation – a philosophy most evident in the ensuite bathroom, where someone decided that attaching a sink to an old door was the height of ingenious space utilisation. Yes, you read correctly: rather than professionally blocking the former bathroom entrance, they've simply locked the door, removed the handle, and mounted plumbing fixtures to it like some sort of domestic art installation. It's the kind of DIY solution that makes you wonder if the same person handles both maintenance and interior design decisions.

Raj, the host, was genuinely delightful – the sort of warm, attentive hospitality that reminds you why independent hotels can outshine corporate chains. His friendliness was so genuine it almost made you forget you were washing your hands at a sink mounted to what was clearly once a functioning door.

The hotel carries a subtle but persistent aroma of curry throughout the common areas – not unpleasant, just mysteriously pervasive, as if the building itself has absorbed decades of aromatic cooking. Thankfully, individual rooms escape this olfactory experience, though they present their own aesthetic challenges.

My room featured a collection of old pine furniture that screamed for intervention – the sort of dark-colored wood that would benefit enormously from sanding and whitewashing to achieve that coveted bleached seaside look. Instead, it languished in dated darkness, accompanied by what can only be described as an aggressively green accent wall painted with the precision of someone wearing oven mitts. Green paint had enthusiastically migrated onto neighboring white surfaces, suggesting the decorator either lacked masking tape or basic motor skills.

The hotel was undeniably clean, which counts for a great deal, and Raj's exceptional hospitality elevated the entire experience beyond its quirky shortcomings.

Three and a half stars – saved entirely by human kindness trumping questionable renovation choices.

Sometimes great hosts can make even door-mounted sinks...

Being 5 mins from the sea front and Boscome pier which has a beautiful beach with a pub, a pizza place and a fish restaurant this is a great base .5 min walk in the other direction takes you past Urban Beach bar and restaurant and 2 mins from Boscome town with shops bars and eateries. Check out Chaplin's bar and cellar (see my review on here ) and 15 min walk to Vitality football stadium. We had a welcome on arrival and all staff we encountered were polite and friendly .The hotel is very clean and tidy with various room sizes .we were on 3rd floor (There is no lift here ) but it's an easy climb .Our room was ideal for a 2 night stay . We had tea/coffee making facility's ,waste bin, drawers . Wardrobe. Side tables ,a fan and a TV .several plug sockets . Refreshments/shower gel/soap/toilet rolls and tissues were provided (with some items available to top up if required on the landing area )The ensuite was good with a clean toilet and sink area . The shower was the only disappointment . It is only very small so a bit of a squeeze and the shower head was broken . The shower worked but it seems like the pressure is too high so the water is escaping out of the sides rather than just out of the jets so you do get water in your face more than on your body . The hotel serves breakfast at £10 per person per day . We did not have breakfast on this occasion but it looked and smelt great served in the dining area .There is also a small bar in reception and a fridge with beer and soft drinks available. Parking at front of building and some parking on the street .All in all a great experience with a good price for the area and local amenities. Would I return ?...

Stayed in Room 5 (first floor) - tiny basic single, 5-6/08/2021 GOOD POINTS: shower powerful. Ample hot water and showering space quiet residential area THINGS LACKING OR NEEDING ATTENTION: no toilet roll holder in room no toilet roll in room before my occupancy. Had to ask for one serving of breakfast. Alerted by booking agency to some “amenities” closed because of COVID-19, but would liked to have been told about no breakfast available on arriving the previous evening, not the following morning when expecting it. Reason they gave was because the chef had just taken leave. (What? - in August??) Customer service: no staff available to answer phone before about 3pm. If not possible to provide staff, enable answerphone to allow messages to be recorded. Currently it simply says “please ring back later”. A manned reception area (at least in the evenings and mornings). Currently no sign of a host presence and guests have to phone staff for service More eye contact from staff when communicating with guests in person. Less apparent need from staff to bury themselves in their tech devices Updating the web comms to reflect the current room changes. Currently inaccurate Parking spaces - more required. Booked a space but when I arrived the 4 bays at the hotel were taken - only 1 space left on the street, a good distance away Fire escape instructions need to be prominently displayed in rooms and common areas. (Also, the main door to my room, even though fitted with a self-closer, didn’t fully close by itself surely...