We went to Bournemouth a couple of years ago and stayed at the Studland Dene Hotel in the Alum Chine area... our room was a bit dated from what I can remember but the restaurant in the hotel was really good albeit quite expensive (not sure if that was separately managed) the public areas were all very nice and modern and I seem to recall we thought that they had started refurbishing the hotel with the public areas and then would start with the rooms, but looking on tripadvisor.com, this doesn't seem to be the case! I hadn't started using tripadvisor/this siate then! We did go down to the beach area and had a fabulous meal at the Italian restaurant, Vesuvio. From Bournemouth, we had trips out to Poole and also to the New Forest.
Hope that helps a bit.
Tinka14

where would you recommend a group of "over 35" year old "girls" go for a good night, but without teenagers everwhere in Bournemouth?

I'm looking for a B&B for myself and 12 year old daughter to stay in for a few days in the summer. I'm wondering how the earlier posters got on or whether anyone else got on. We need a central location as we won't have a car and want to be able to get back and forth easily.

Off here tomo for 3 nights so ill post here when i return.

We are going to Bournemouth for 3 nights next week. Now I am definatley going to Monkey World, as I have wanted to for a few years now.
It looks like the weather should be nice, so I am thinking of a few hours on the beach too.

But does anyone have any recommendations for local museums/historical interests/general interests?

Thanks.

There doesn't seem to be much history around Bournemouth

....I don't know how far you are prepared to travel for a day out, GQB, but this might be worth a look....
I haven't been there myself
http://www.athelhampton.co.uk/Welcome.html

There's Corfe Castle near Swanage

and there's Beaulieu Abbey and village

none of these are IN Bournemouth, though
Even the Bournmouth tourism website suggests going to Portsmouth and the Naval dockyards/Mary Rose/HMS Victory etc.

You'll just have to chill out on the beach...at least the weather looks set fair next week

I am off to bourenmouth this weekend for 3 nights so will write a review when we return.

Well I didn't remember to post when I got back last summer so will do it now. I stayed at Marlins Hotel which is a B&B. Can't recommend it enough, spotlessly clean, good, friendly service. It gets very good reviews on tripadvisor which is where I found it.

Stayed a few years ago at hotel called The Chine, a bit out of town, near Boscombe, I think... very nice, homely and comfortable, clifftop hotel with own gardens.. good food and friendly service... been meaning to go back but jet2 took off the direct flights from Belfast. I thought Bournemouth was a very pleasant place to spend a weekend, worth it just for the endless walk along the beach.
Oh, and a must for visitors new to area, has to be the short drive or train journey to Poole and its lovely harbour

We have booked 3 nights at the innkeepers lodge in Bournemouth for August..for all 4 of us including breakfast pennies under £140 which seems like a bargain for school holidays.

Well what a fab weekend we had. We stayed at 'the Queens hotel and spa' and for us it was in walking distance to the town, prob about 10-15 min walk. The beach was a stones throw away.
Hotel was lovely, would definately recommend it and we would go back. Had lots of facilities ie, pool, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna and a gym. Breakfast was lovely.....no cheap sausages and all hot, plenty of choice. Room was big too and didnt have any hassle with noise. Staff were lovely, all friendly gave us maps etc to get out and about. Taxi back to the hotel from the town was 5.45ukp.

If you do go to bournemouth, the pub called '60 million postcards' is a must, all the food is freshly made...literally....it's so chilled and there sunday roast yum. 'The Steakout' across the road is lovely to, i had the best steak ever in there! Delicious!!