Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Overstrand, Undercliff Dr., Boscombe.
&
01202/443960.
www.urbanreef.com. Reservations recom-
mended. Main courses £7.50-£19. MC, V. Daily 9am-10:30pm (dinner menu available 6:30-10:30pm);
closes 6pm Sun-Mon Nov-Mar.
Entertainment & Nightlife
THE ARTS & MUSIC
Bournemouth is an essential stop for most shows touring the U.K.—the
Bour-
nemouth International Centre
(“the BIC”) and
Pavilion
dominate the center of
town, and both have a program that includes everything from children's spectaculars,
to bands, comedians, and musicals. Look for performances by the world-famous
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
, which offers regular local concerts. The
venues have joined forces: Ticket information for either is available by calling
&
0844/576-3000,
or see
www.bic.co.uk
. If niche indie-rock is more your thing,
check what's on at the
O2 Academy,
576 Christchurch Rd. (
&
0844/477-2000
for tickets; www.o2academybournemouth.co.uk). Friday is jazz night at the
Cotton-
wood Hotel,
East Overcliff Drive (
&
01202/553183;
www.cottonwood.uk.com).
The music usually kicks off at 8:30pm.
THE PUB & BAR SCENE
You'll find Bournemouth's alt-cool bar crowd keeping much later hours on the
squashy sofas and stripped-wood floors inside
Sixty Million Postcards
, 19-21
Exeter St. (
&
01202/292697;
www.sixtymillionpostcards.com). It's lively till late.
Ale fans are in for a treat at the
Goat and Tricycle
, 27-29 West Hill Rd
(
&
01202/314220;
www.goatandtricycle.co.uk). This traditional pub has an ever-
changing range of 11 cask ales on tap. Hours are noon to 11pm daily; it's in West
Cliff, a 10-minute walk from the center. Downstairs at the
Urban Beach Café
(see
above) is all about the bar after 6pm.
Where to Stay
Opened in 2010, the
Park Central Hotel,
Exeter Road, Bournemouth, Dorset BH2
5AJ (
www.parkcentralhotel.co.uk
;
&
01202/203600), provides an excellent alter-
native to our favorites below. Airy, spacious rooms (though with small bathrooms) are
simply decorated in a modern style, and have an enviable central Bournemouth loca-
tion, almost opposite the pier. Rates range widely depending on the season, from £56
to £168 for a double room. In-house restaurant the
Crab at Bournemouth
(see
above) is the town's best seafood eatery.
The Green House
Boutique-chic has arrived in Bournemouth in the shape of
this luxurious—and eco-friendly—hotel in East Cliff. Opened in 2010, The Green House
has good-size, crisply designed rooms: All units in the Large and Master categories add
rolltop baths to a spec that includes designer decor and walk-in rainfall showers through-
out. Sustainability is more than just a marketing gimmick here: The wallpaper was all
printed with vegetable ink, flat-panel TVs are low-energy certified, and even the pillows
are stuffed with organic down. Check the website for low-season special deals.
The on-site
Green Room
restaurant is rapidly establishing a reputation for out-
standing creative British cuisine using local, ethically reared ingredients. A 3-course
set menu is good value at £25.
4 Grove Rd., Bournemouth, Dorset BH1 3AX. www.thegreenhousehotel.com.
&
01202/498900.
Fax
01202/551559. £100-£240 double. Rates include English breakfast. AE, MC, V. Free parking.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; bike rental.
In room:
TV/DVD, hair dryer, MP3 docking station, Internet (free).
7
