The best cheap hotels in Bournemouth

The Royal Bath is your absolute classic English seaside hotel. Looking a little like a white-painted castle, this splendid old building offers sea views galore and is precisely the kind of place we can imagine retreating to in order to get some restorative sea air circa 1898. Embrace the comfortingly kitsch interiors and take your morning coffee in Oscar’s Brasserie – named after regular guest Oscar Wilde, naturally. For the bargain price of £5 per day, hotel guests can also use the pool, gym, steam room and spa pool. Lovely.

This Georgian house has been converted into an eclectic, budget hotel/hostel, which is just a few minutes’ walk from both the centre of Bournemouth and the beach. Rooms here are fairly small and sparse, but they all have en-suite bathrooms, and come with free wi-fi, TVs and desks. There’s an on-site bar, a self-catering kitchen and a games room that’s perfect for making friends – or enemies – over a game of table football, table tennis or on the games console.

One of three Baggies outposts – you’ll find the others in Brighton and London – and a bright, stylish, well-organised hostel that’s about ten minutes’ walk from the beach. It offers a mix of rooms, from private doubles to mixed dorms; all have communal bathrooms and free wi-fi, tea, coffee and lockers. The on-site launderette is £3 per wash, and guests can make use of a TV lounge and a big modern kitchen. It attracts a young, international crowd, but hen and stag dos aren’t permitted.

If you’re on the hunt for a slice of timeless British seaside kitsch, check out the array of, er, exuberant wallpaper in this seafront hotel. Fortunately, the 29 en-suite rooms in the Edwardian villa-turned-boutique hotel are rather more low-key and neutral, and come with tea-and-coffee-making facilities and, in some cases, splendid sea views. If you need a break from the riot of colour, there’s a well-tended garden and terrace, or a ten-minute stroll along the beach will take you to Bournemouth Pier.

Bournemouth’s seafront branch of Travelodge is an excellent budget choice if you’ve in town with the family. It’s just a ten-minute trot to the beach, and under-15s can stay for free when they’re accompanied by an adult. Rooms are simple, clean and feature king-size beds, TVs, en-suite shower rooms and tea or coffee for free. The no-frills vibe continues downstairs in a bar and restaurant that serves up a simple breakfast and dinner.