HAMPSHIRE & DORSET - England 2012 and the Best of Wales - page 313

Langtry Manor The Red House, as this hotel was originally called, was built
in 1877 for Lillie Langtry, a gift from Edward VII to his favorite mistress. The house
has all sorts of reminders of its illustrious inhabitants, including initials scratched on
a windowpane. Bedrooms vary a great deal, from ordinary twins to the romantic Lillie
Langtry Suite, Lillie's own room, with a four-poster bed and a double heart-shaped
bathtub. If you really want to splurge, rent the Edward VII Suite, furnished as it was
when His Royal Highness lodged here, complete with an impressive fireplace.
26 Derby Rd. (north of Christchurch Rd., A35), East Cliff, Bournemouth, Dorset BH1 3QB. www.langtry
manor.co.uk. & 01202/553887. Fax [phone] units. £95-£235 double; from £225 suite.
Rates include English breakfast. Closed 2 weeks in Jan. AE, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restau-
rant; bar; access to nearby health club; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, Jacuzzi (in some),
minibar, Wi-Fi (free).
Marriott Highcliff Although perhaps not as grand as in its heyday, this land-
mark 1888 hotel has the best perch on West Cliff, and has recently undergone a
£4.5-million refurbishment. Many rooms have views that stretch almost the full
length of Bournemouth's glorious 7 miles of beach. The high-ceilinged interior has
been tastefully decorated, and each bedroom is traditionally furnished in elegant
English style. Rooms are generally spacious, and service is attentive.
St. Michael's Rd., West Cliff, Bournemouth, Dorset BH2 5DU. www.marriott.co.uk. & 01202/557702, or
800/228-9290 in the U.S. Fax [phone] units. £160-£240 double; from £220 suite. AE, DC, MC,
V. Parking £10. Amenities: Restaurant (Highcliff Grill; see review, above); babysitting; bar; concierge;
health club & spa; 2 pools (1 indoor, 1 outdoor); room service; tennis court. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, hair
dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (£15 per 24 hr.).
Wood Lodge Hotel Lying a short walk from the ocean, in a quiet part of East
Cliff, this hotel dates from the early 20th century and has been beautifully restored
and modernized. An Edwardian presence still permeates, and there are four rooms on
the bottom for those who don't like stairs. It makes an ideal budget choice close to
the beach.
10 Manor Rd., East Cliff, Bournemouth, Dorset BH1 3EY. www.woodlodgehotel.co.uk. & 01202/290891.
Fax [phone] units. £36-£45 per person double (children 13 and under half-price). Rates include
English breakfast. MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant; bar. In room: TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).
En Route to Dorchester: A 17th-Century Mansion
Kingston Lacy HISTORIC SITE An imposing 17th-century mansion set on
101 hectares (250 acres) of gentle wooded parkland, Kingston Lacy was the family
home of the Bankes family for more than 300 years. They entertained such distin-
guished guests as King Edward VII, Kaiser Wilhelm, Thomas Hardy, and George V.
The house has one of England's finest provincial art collections, including works by
Rubens, Titian, and Van Dyck, as well as an important collection of Egyptian arti-
facts. Allow at least 1 1 ⁄ 2 hours to see it.
The present structure replaced Corfe Castle (see box “The Island That Isn't: Pur-
beck”), the Bankes' family home that was destroyed in the English Civil Wars. During
her husband's absence, while performing duties as chief justice to King Charles I,
Lady Bankes led the defense of the castle, withstanding two sieges before being forced
to surrender to Cromwell's forces in 1646, because of the actions of a treacherous
follower. The keys to Corfe Castle still hang in the library at Kingston Lacy.
At Wimborne Minster, on B3082 (Wimborne-Blandford Rd.),1 1 ⁄ 2 miles west of Wimborne. & 01202/
883402. www.nationaltrust.org.uk. Admission to the house, garden, and park £11 adults, £5.25 children

7