The Credentials:
Only a couple of hours away from London and therefore perfect for escaping the city, Christchurch sits between the New Forest and Bournemouth. The hotel is one of a boutique selection of six owned by the Harbour Hotels company and was recently voted one of the top 10 coastal hotels in the UK by the Sunday Times Travel.
Dine:
There are two restaurants; The Jetty (well documented on Tripadvisor) and Upper Deck, which we tried. The decor is Art Deco mixed with nautical, which means stylish light fittings, rope around the edge of the booths and vintage pictures on the wall. I felt a bit like I was in The Great Gatsby. On a Saturday night the atmosphere had a happy hum and the food was largely pretty good.
The sea air had given us an appetite so we went for the tasting menu, which is, if anything, too generous. Creamy chicken mousse was beautifully light, Weymouth scallops dissolved delightfully on the tongue and quail pie was gorgeously gamey. We appreciated the wine pairings too.
Sleep:
There was an instant wow factor when we entered our room. In the foreground of our vision was a distressed four poster, some stylish wicker chairs and a claw footed bath. Best of all, through the sash windows, was the harbour’s broad expanse of water. The room was decorated to look at home by the waves – weathered looking floorboards, a stable door sectioning off the bathroom and shutters on the windows. All very Hamptons. The bed was ridiculously indulgent: we got trapped in it one afternoon after a momentary recline.
Who Goes There?
If you live in these parts, the restaurants are obviously a bit of a destination. The older crowd had thrown on their blazers to come and there were younger gentlemen intent on impressing new flames. We didn’t see many of the Mr & Mrs Smith crowd ticking off their boutique hotel list but it can only be a matter of time before they descend. The other type of people who come here are wedding parties — there was one in full flow when we got here.
Out & About:
Christchurch has its pretty parts, but what you really want to do if you’re here is go for a walk on Hengistbury Head. There’s a cute little ferry round the corner from the hotel that takes you across the harbour entrance and delivers you to a sandy beach lined with multicoloured fishing huts. The walk climbs up a hill to a windswept, gorse-clad plateau, from which views stretch east and west along the coast. Yachts and kite-surfers skirt across the bay and there’s a decent cafe back down near the ferry with hot chocolate (or booze) to warm you up. Further afield, the New Forest is to the east and Bournemouth just down the road.
The Worst Thing:
The unfathomable electronic light permutations in the bedroom. Oh to be able to switch on lamps of our choosing without the pesky ceiling spots nearly blinding us!
The Best Thing:
A bath in the bedroom looking over the waves was pretty cool. Having kayaks at your disposal to get out on the water is also a nice touch and the staff are attentive without being sycophantic.
