Hotels in Dorset
48 handpicked places to stay
Photo © Hilo, Google Maps
Dorset's coastline shapes where you'll want to stay. Bournemouth and Poole offer the widest spread of hotels, from seafront terraces to smaller guest houses tucked back from the beach, and suit those who want nightlife and sandy shores close at hand. Weymouth and Portland lean more towards family-run B&Bs, many within walking distance of the harbour, while Swanage keeps a quieter, old-fashioned seaside feel.
Further west, Lyme Regis has a good cluster of guest houses like Blue Shutters and Dorset House, popular with walkers tackling the Jurassic Coast and those after fossil-hunting weekends. Inland Dorset trades sea views for countryside quiet, with places such as Pump Cottage suiting a slower pace.
Budgets and styles vary widely, from simple rooms at places like Millbrook Guest House to more particular stays such as Weymouth Vegan B&B. Booking ahead matters most in summer, when coastal towns fill quickly.
Dorset House
B&B · Pound Road, Lyme Regis
An award-winning boutique bed and breakfast in Lyme Regis, repeatedly named among the best in the country for its breakfasts.
The Swanage Haven
Guest House · Victoria Road, Swanage
An adults-only boutique guest house 300 yards from Swanage beach, with eight rooms, a hot tub and a quiet garden.
Coast 77
B&B · Near Poole town centre
A small, family-run B&B just outside Poole with three ground-floor ensuite rooms, welcoming to cyclists and pet owners.
Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant & Spa
Hotel · Evershot, near Dorchester
A Georgian country house in the village of Evershot, with four acres of gardens, an indoor pool and spa, and a long-standing fine dining restaurant.
Lyme Townhouse
Guest House · Pound Street, town centre
A restored Grade II listed townhouse with individually designed rooms, steps from the high street and harbour.
Amarillo Bed & Breakfast
B&B · Between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers
Award-winning guest house in a restored Victorian building, in a quiet spot between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers.
The Eastbury Hotel & Spa
Hotel · Sherborne, north Dorset
A Georgian townhouse hotel in Sherborne with a walled garden, garden spa and a strong reputation for its breakfast.
Beach Lodge
B&B · Southbourne, east Bournemouth seafront
Small seafront bed and breakfast in Southbourne with sea-view rooms and a cooked breakfast, east of the main town centre.
The Green House Hotel
Hotel · Grove Road, town centre, near the beach
Eco-focused boutique hotel in a restored Victorian villa, with 32 individually designed rooms and two AA Rosette dining.
Marsham Court Hotel
Hotel · Russell-Cotes Road, East Cliff
Dog-friendly clifftop hotel overlooking the beach and pier, with an outdoor pool and family and sea-view rooms.
The Canford
Inn · Canford Cliffs
A Young's-run coastal pub in Canford Cliffs with eleven boutique ensuite rooms and a garden.
Miramar Hotel Bournemouth
Hotel · East Overcliff Drive, East Cliff
Traditional clifftop hotel on East Overcliff Drive with sea-view rooms, gardens and a sun deck, close to the pier and Oceanarium.
Old Lyme Guest House
B&B · Coombe Street, old town
A 17th-century stone guest house on a quiet old town street, a level three-minute walk from the sea.
Hotel du Vin & Bistro Poole
Hotel · Poole Quay, Old Town
A Georgian former merchant's mansion on Poole Quay, now a boutique hotel with a French bistro and a wine-led bar.
Kersbrook Guest Accommodation
Guest House · Pound Road, above the town
A thatched Grade II listed 18th-century guest house in mature gardens with views over the town and bay.
Harbour Heights Hotel
Hotel · Sandbanks, above Poole Harbour
A boutique hotel on the Sandbanks road with panoramic harbour views, a Chinese restaurant and a terrace bar.
The Dower House Hotel
Hotel · Rural setting, 2 miles west of the town
A family-run Victorian country house hotel with an outdoor pool and two acres of gardens near Lyme Regis.
The Mariners Hotel
Hotel · Silver Street, town centre
A pink-painted 17th-century former coaching inn with sea-view rooms and a garden, close to the seafront.
Carisbrooke Hotel
Hotel · 42 Tregonwell Road, Bournemouth
A pet-friendly Bournemouth hotel on Tregonwell Road, a short walk from the pier and sandy beaches, with 24 hour reception.
Cliff House Hotel
Hotel · 13 Belle Vue Road, Bournemouth
A 12-room hotel on Belle Vue Road, Bournemouth, with sea views and free parking, close to golf, cycling and the seafront.
Commodore Hotel by Greene King Inns
Hotel · Overcliff Drive, Bournemouth
A 12-room Greene King Inns hotel on Overcliff Drive in Bournemouth, with free parking and a garden overlooking the coast.
Elstead Hotel
Hotel · 12-14 Knyveton Road, East Cliff, Bournemouth
A 50-room hotel on East Cliff's Knyveton Road in Bournemouth, a short walk from the beach, with a pool, spa and gym on-site.
Clovelly Guest House
Guest Accommodation · View Road, Lyme Regis
Guest house in Lyme Regis, close to the beach and Jurassic Coast, with free on-site parking and a garden to relax in.
Lewesdon B&B
B&B · Silver Street, Lyme Regis
Adults-only B&B on Silver Street in Lyme Regis, close to the harbour, coastal walks and Dorset's beaches, with free parking on site.
Antelope Hotel by Greene King Inns
Hotel · High Street, Poole
A 21-room Greene King inn on Poole's High Street, close to the harbour and ferries over to Brownsea Island.
OX Hotel Bar & Grill
Hotel · 81 Commercial Road, Poole
A modern Poole hotel with its own bar and grill, close to the coast and handy for golf, fishing, watersports and cycling.
Parkside Bed no Breakfast
Guest Accommodation · 71 Kingland Road, Poole
An adults-only budget base in Poole, Dorset, suited to travellers who just want a simple, no-fuss place to sleep near the coast.
Rose and Crown
Hotel · 178 Wareham Road, Poole
A straightforward hotel on the Wareham Road into Poole, handy for the harbour and Bournemouth beaches, with free parking on site.
Cedar House Boutique B&B
B&B · 29 Salisbury Road, Burton
Six-room boutique B&B in Burton, Dorset, with en-suite rooms, a garden and pool, close to walking and cycling country.
A Maiden Rest
B&B · 117 Esplanade, Weymouth
A 12-room Georgian-esplanade B&B in Weymouth, moments from the seafront, with free parking and round-the-clock reception.
Aaran House
Guest Accommodation · 2 Esplanade, Weymouth
Guest accommodation on Weymouth's Esplanade with en-suite rooms and air conditioning, moments from the beach and seafront pubs.
Acqua Beach
Guest Accommodation · 131 The Esplanade, Weymouth
Seafront guest accommodation on Weymouth's Esplanade with a funky modern bar, free breakfast and 14 traditional en-suite rooms.
Alendale
Guest Accommodation · 4 Waterloo Place, Weymouth
Georgian B&B at 4 Waterloo Place, Weymouth, minutes from the beach and historic harbour, with individually styled en-suite rooms and free parking.
B&B Weymouth
B&B · 68 The Esplanade, Weymouth
A 23-room B&B right on Weymouth's Esplanade, with free on-site parking, a bar and a garden just a short stroll from the seafront.
Barness Rest
B&B · 165 Dorchester Road, Weymouth
A six-room B&B on Dorchester Road, about a mile from Weymouth, with free parking and a garden for guests to unwind in.
Bayliss Hall Guesthouse
B&B · 17 The Esplanade, Weymouth
Adults-only B&B right on Weymouth's Esplanade, with sea-view rooms overlooking the seafront and the Jurassic Coast beyond.
Greenwood Guest House
Guest Accommodation · 1 Holland Road, Weymouth
Guest house in Weymouth with free on-site parking, handy for the beach, golf, watersports and local pubs and restaurants.
Avon Beach Bed & Breakfast
B&B · 6 Southcliffe Road, Christchurch
A B&B on Southcliffe Road in Christchurch, Dorset, with en-suite rooms and free parking close to the coast and countryside.
Avon Causeway
Hotel · Hurn, Christchurch
A 12-room hotel at Hurn near Christchurch, Dorset, with a garden setting and free on-site parking about 3.75 miles from town.
Bear of Burton
Hotel · 15 - 17 Salisbury Road, Christchurch
A small, characterful hotel on Salisbury Road in Christchurch, with just 10 rooms and easy reach of coast and New Forest.
Tyrrells Ford Country Inn & Hotel
Hotel · Ringwood Road, Christchurch
A traditional Georgian-style country inn on the Ringwood Road near Christchurch, Dorset, with free parking and a restaurant and bar on site.
Bay Tree House - B&B
B&B · 4 Athelstan Road, Dorchester
Seven-room B&B in Dorchester with free on-site parking, a garden, bar and restaurant, a short walk from Dorchester South station.
Bramlies Bed & Breakfast
B&B · 107 Bridport Road, Dorchester
A three-room B&B on Bridport Road in Dorchester, with free on-site parking and a garden setting close to Dorset's countryside.
Fern Cottage
B&B · Fern Cottage, Dorchester
Adults-only B&B in Dorchester, Dorset, with a garden and free parking, handy for reaching the Jurassic Coast.
Fleur De Lys Bed & Breakfast
B&B · 9 High St, Dorchester
A period bed and breakfast on Dorchester's High Street, Oxfordshire, with countryside views and a proper garden and bar.
Gaggle of Geese Pub & Shepherd Huts
Hotel · Locketts Lane, Dorchester
Shepherd huts with en-suite bathrooms on Locketts Lane near Dorchester, attached to a traditional pub with its own garden and bar.
Clare Cottage
B&B · 229 Westbury, Sherborne
Clare Cottage is a B&B in Sherborne, Dorset, with en-suite rooms and drinks on hand, a short walk from the Abbey and Castle.
Cumberland House
B&B · Cumberland House, Sherborne
Adults-only B&B in Sherborne, Dorset, with breakfast included and packed lunches available for days out near Sherborne Castle.
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