Captain's Club Hotel & Spa

About Captain's Club Hotel & Spa

Captain's Club sits directly on the River Stour at Christchurch Quay, a short walk from the priory and the town centre. The building is modern and glass-fronted, which divides opinion from outside but works well inside: every bedroom looks out over the water, and the ground-floor lounge and restaurant open onto a riverside terrace where swans and small boats provide the entertainment.

There are 29 rooms and suites, all with river views, decorated in a clean contemporary style with pale wood and neutral fabrics. Suites and apartments come with separate sitting rooms and kitchenettes, which makes them useful for families or longer stays. Rooms are well soundproofed and the beds are comfortable; several have balconies.

The spa is compact but well used, centred on a hydrotherapy pool with massage jets, plus a steam room and treatment rooms offering massages and facials. The restaurant serves modern British cooking with a lot of fish, and afternoon tea on the terrace is a local institution. The hotel also runs its own motor yacht for private charters along the coast, which is an unusual extra.

Christchurch is a good base for this corner of Dorset: the harbour, Mudeford Quay and its beach huts, Hengistbury Head and the New Forest are all close, and Bournemouth is ten minutes away. The hotel suits couples wanting a comfortable town break, families using the larger apartments, and anyone attending an event in Bournemouth or Christchurch who wants somewhere quieter to sleep. Parking is on site, which matters in a town where it is otherwise difficult.