Bali? Barcelona? Bora Bora? Try Bournemouth! Boutique hotel Nici brings a stylish sea change to the town – and the British seaside
- Thinking of Bournemouth, slot machines & belly-buster breakfasts come to mind
- READ MORE: Writer who visited 40 English seaside resorts reveals her favourite
Cabana curtains waft in the breeze, candy- striped parasols cast shade over a turquoise pool and blood-orange margaritas are being served on a terrace overlooking the azure sea.
Am I in Portofino? St Tropez? Santorini? No, I am in Bournemouth – at The Nici, a newly opened 88-room boutique hotel that aims to inject some Mediterranean glamour into this somewhat faded seaside town.
When I think of Bournemouth, slot machines and belly-buster breakfasts come to mind; Mr Whippy ice creams and spit-and-sawdust sports bars.
Hotels that give off Fawlty Towers vibes, with swirly carpets, passive-aggressive dress-code reminders, (non-brand) ketchup sachets and service with a scowl.
GREAT LENGTHS: THE COOL POOL AT THE NICI HOTEL
The Nici swiftly dispatches these preconceptions. The recently launched property capitalises on the style set’s migration from cities to seaside destinations that were previously low on chic but high on nostalgia. (See also: Margate, Deal, Ramsgate, St Leonards, Folkestone.) Their appeal? A mix of grit and natural beauty.
The latter is significant – because while all these towns may have fallen on hard times over the years, their geographical assets are ever present: beautiful coastlines, easy transport to London, (mostly) good weather.
The trend also taps into the growing enthusiasm for holidaying in the UK. According to new research* 83 per cent of consumers say they are planning to stay in a UK hotel this year, with 44 per cent saying they will avoid hotels abroad due to the cost-of-living crisis and 39 per cent saying it’s because they prefer to travel within the country.
But back to the hotel. It is the brainchild of Nicolas Roach, a UK hotelier who has a passion for offering the escapism and soul-gladdening design that normally requires a passport.
Roach, who’s recognised as an industry innovator, identified a growing consumer demand for ‘a new style of resort, with vibrant décor, great music, wide-ranging leisure activities and world-class facilities. I wanted guests to really feel like they’ve gone somewhere.’
As such, the hotel’s design is characterised by bold colours, eclectic furnishing and bright imagery. Think beach-club vibes – this is a million miles away from country-house chintz or Soho House trying to be achingly hip.
Aside from the aesthetics, The Nici also delivers smiling service. There’s an outdoor pool, sunken seating around firepits, a full-service spa with indoor pool, relaxation room, OTO/Oskia treatments, a Technogym, even a cinema.
As for the bedrooms, most have sea views, some outside hot tubs and all come with an abundance of Malin + Goetz toiletries.
Perched atop Westcliff, the hotel also offers easy access to a seven-mile golden sand beach – with a long promenade to walk off the restaurant’s food.
Transport all this to Ibiza or the Amalfi coast and you’d be looking at thousands for a long weekend. While The Nici is hardly a budget hotel, if you’re flexible on dates you can get a room for just over £200.
Time to rethink Bournemouth.
- The Nici has doubles from £230 a night, B&B, thenici.com
5 OF THE BEST BRITISH BEACH HOTELS
By Samuel Fishwick
Don’t whisper it. The hemisphere’s finest coastlines are closer to home than you might think. Astonish yourself (and your Instagram followers) by decamping north to the Argyll Hotel on the Isle of Iona in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland, to stumble upon dazzling white sands, crystal blue waters and fresh-off-the-boat fish suppers (rooms from £120, argyllhoteliona.co.uk).
JERSEY CREAM: ST BRELADE’S BAY HOTEL
WALES OF A TIME: ST BRIDES SPA HOTEL
HOW VERY SCILLY: THE COSY NEW INN ON THE ISLAND OF TRESCO
Or go west to St Brides Spa Hotel in Pembrokeshire, Wales, an oasis of calm overlooking the spirit-lifting seaside and surfers of Saundersfoot (rooms from £200, B&B, stbridesspahotel.com).
For sparkling sands speckled with sea glass (and a luxe spa for when you get chilly) the opulent five-star Seaham Hall Hotel is, mind-bogglingly, near Durham, not that you’d know it (rooms from £295, B&B, seaham-hall.co.uk).
For Bahamas-like beaches without breaking the bank, book yourself into the cosy New Inn on Tresco, the Scilly Isles (rooms from £210, B&B, tresco.co.uk/staying/the-new-inn).
Or if you’re in search of palm trees galore and a poolside that rivals the Mediterranean, Jersey’s historic four-star St Brelade’s Bay Hotel is as close to France as you can get without, well, being in France (rooms from £134, B&B, stbreladesbayhotel.com).
SO NEAR SO SPA: SEAHAM HALL
AFTERNOON TEA TO A T: AT THE ARGYLL HOTEL ON THE ISLE OF IONA
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