we have just returned from the Elstead Hotel, Bournemouth
Breakfast was very good, plenty of choice,clean room, but bathroom on small side,bit noisy at night with doors slamming
great idea to have iron/ironing board as it was in good use.

Eddie, head waiter was very proffesional, seem to work long hours.
Hotel too quiet in the evenings could do with some entertainment.

Would make a return visit some time

Karen, Middlesex

My wife, two children and I have just returned from a spur of the moment two night/ three day short break to Bouremouth and wanted to express our appeciation of the warm welcome we received at The Elstead Hotel. The three-star hotel, which is based in a tree-lined street on the edge of the town centre, is walking distance from the railway station but also offers free off-street parking which we used. The en-suite family room we had was generously proprtioned,well equipped, comfortable and spotlessly clean. The hotel had provided (free of charge) a cot complete with linen for our 19-month-old, and prepared a sofa-bed for our 7-year-old daughter, which she was delighted with. With young kids in tow we made the decision (unusual for us) to use the hotel restaurant facilities for dinner, and were very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and the choice available. The five course meal, included in the dinner, bed and breakfast package was good value, and enabled us to relax once the children had gone to bed, reassured in the knowlege that they were just above us, only a few moments away, and linked to us by monitor (our own). The sense of 'safeness' of this arrangement was amplified by the the family feel of the hotel, and the proximity of the restaurant to the main entrance / exit. Breakfast (complete with a self-serve full English option) was also very good, and something both our children - who are un-used to staying in hotels - thoroughly enjoyed. A high chair was offered before we even got round to asking for it. Given unsettled weather during our stay, we were especially glad of the excellent leisure facilities at the hotel which provided a valuable bolthole when the heavens opened. The pool area, which includes a sauna and steam room, is very nicely designed in a modern 'nordic' style and was a source of much pleasure during our stay. The leisure club also includes a gym which we did not use but which looked well-equipped. As for its overall feel, the hotel gives a sense of well-maintained cleanliness. While the generally 'traditional' decor doesn't accord at all with our own very 'modern' personal taste, it was of consistent high quality and certainly didn't have the rather scuffed look I've often found in ostensibly smarter (and certainly more expensive) hotels in conference towns around the UK. During a short family break you are looking more for cleanliness and comfort in a hotel than a duplication of your personal preferences in decor and pictures - and when it came to the former the Elstead scored very highly indeed. More than anything, however, it was the warmth of the welcome that shone through. From the the first interraction with reception, through to attentive and friendly service in the restaurant, right through to the friendliness of the room cleaning staff, we really felt the Elstead went out of its way to make visitors feel at home. This general air of friendliness seemed to rub off on other guests and users of the leisure club alike, resulting in extremely pleasant interractions throughout our stay. Good atmospheres of this nature don't happen by accident - they have to be nurchured - and clearly the Elstead is doing something very right on that front, in the process creating an environment which is especially suitable for family breaks. We'll certainly be back!

I stayed here with my wife for a weekend break and had an absolutely wonderful stay. All staff were very polite, professional and always very helpful. The food was excellent. Our room was beautifully furnished and very comfortable. With the facilities I thought this was great value for money and would definately stay again.

I stayed here for one night in June on business, front desk were helpful and I did have a large family room. But the windows would not open, and it was really hot in the room. Also the shower only produced boiling hot water no matter what temp it was on. The room was clean and breakfast was good. But I would not stay again in summer.