Bournemouth hotels look forward to busy weekend in sun

Tourists could flock to the seaside for what could be the hottest weekend of the year so far, and hotels across Bournemouth are filling up.

The Met Office warned there is an 80 per cent chance of heat-health alert criteria being met in Dorset across the weekend which could see thousands visit the town to make the most of the good weather.

And Paul Clarke, of the Carlton Hotel and chairman of Bournemouth Coastal BID, encouraged people to look beyond the beach and make the most of the surrounding area.

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He said: “Hot weather is exactly what hospitality businesses need.

“Most of our businesses are still trying to get back to where they were prior to the pandemic.

“However, we are anticipating a busy weekend as the weather forecast is good and occupancy levels in hotels are already high.

“There are some coming to visit who have abandoned the idea of travelling abroad because of the problems with cancelled flights.

“By coming to Bournemouth they get the beach and the weather without spending time trapped in airports.

“Our coast has many areas to explore and there really is something for everyone, so we would encourage visitors and residents to look beyond the beach to get a real flavour of everything that it has to offer.”

And the Marsham Court Hotel, in Russell Cotes Road, said it only had a few rooms still available.

A spokesperson said: “It’s great to finally see some sunshine and we are looking forward to a busy weekend.

“The trend since re-opening after lockdown has been for guests to book more last minute, so we do still have a few rooms left to sell.

“However, we don’t anticipate this to be the case for long and it will be wonderful for our guests to finally be able to enjoy our outdoor pool and sea views.”

Meanwhile, campsites have also filled up, with some people opting for the more rustic accommodation.

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Emily Freeman, director of South Lytchett Manor, said: “It’s looking to be a busy weekend and we could have up to 500 people.

“When there’s no restrictions, everyone can get together and it’s really exciting.

“The weather makes everyone so happy, when the sun is shining it is a great opportunity for us to make sure people have the best possible time.

“People can come down, make the most of everything Dorset has to offer, get out and explore everything wonderful in the local area.”