Cottages in Bournemouth

Table of Contents

• At a glance: What should you know about renting a cottage in Bournemouth?
• Cottages in Bournemouth: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring Bournemouth: our top recommendations
• Activities: What are the top things to do and see in Bournemouth?

• Cottages for every group: Choose from snug two-person hideaways to eight-bedroom properties, many with gardens, Wi-Fi and sea views across Poole Harbour towards the Isle of Wight.
• Where to base yourself: Stay beside the pier in the town centre, in leafy Branksome Park and Canford Cliffs, or in olde-worlde Christchurch, 15 minutes away by car.
• Guest-rated favourites: Our top-scoring Bournemouth cottages hold ratings of 9.9+, praised for spacious interiors, private gardens and an easy walk down to the sand.
• Eating out: Bournemouth's best-reviewed kitchens range from Restaurant Roots to seafood at Koi Sakana, with plenty of slow, seasonal cooking for cottage stays.
• Things to do: Fossil-hunt on the Jurassic Coast, ride the world's shortest funicular, wander Alum Chine and zip-wire from Bournemouth Pier.

Bournemouth's cottages run from character town-centre terraces to detached clifftop retreats with gardens and parking. Whichever you choose, self-catering keeps the beach close and the pace unhurried. Most cottages here sleep between two and eight guests, and many welcome dogs. Expect practical comforts as standard, ideal for slow, farm-to-table cooking.

• Private garden or courtyard for long summer evenings
• Wi-Fi throughout, useful for a workation by the sea
• Off-street parking within reach of the town centre
• Sea views over Poole Harbour and the Isle of Wight
• Coastal boltholes such as beach cottages in Bournemouth

Book early for July and August, when the best-equipped cottages are taken first.

What are the best areas to stay in Bournemouth?

For a first visit, the stretch between the pier and Southbourne gives you sand, shops and quiet lanes in equal measure. The table below details regions for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests consistently praise Bournemouth cottages for space, gardens and how quickly you can reach the sand. Ratings of 9.5+ are common across the town and neighbouring Christchurch, with reviewers singling out well-equipped kitchens, easy parking and hosts who share local tips. Larger cottages score particularly well with families and groups travelling together.

Here are our top-rated cottages from the past year:

1. Cottage in Christchurch - 9.9+: A cottage for eleven with a garden in Christchurch, praised by groups for its space and its easy run to the coast.
2. Beach Town - 9.9+: A four-person cottage in Bournemouth itself, valued for its central setting and short stroll to the seafront.
3. Number 3 - 9.9+: A six-person cottage with a garden in Bournemouth, a comfortable base for families staying near the beach.

Bournemouth sits on the Dorset coast in southern England, spread beneath sandstone cliffs along a seven-mile bay facing the Isle of Wight.

🥗Where to eat in Bournemouth?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, Restaurant Roots is the best rated restaurant in Bournemouth. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest traveller Emma recommends Arbor in Bournemouth: after a slow morning at the cottage, its short seasonal menu of Dorset produce makes an unhurried lunch worth lingering over.

1. Fossil-hunt on the Jurassic Coast
2. Ride the world's shortest funicular
3. Wander leafy Alum Chine
4. Catch live music in town
5. Meet the residents at the Oceanarium
6. Zip-wire from Bournemouth Pier
7. Take the ferry to the Isle of Purbeck

1. Fossil-hunt on the Jurassic Coast

   England's only natural World Heritage Site begins a short drive west of Bournemouth, and its crumbling cliffs give up ammonites after every winter storm. Start early at Charmouth or Lyme Regis, where the beaches are the most productive, and keep to the foreshore rather than the cliff base. Guided fossil walks run through much of the year and are the surest way to come home with a find. Round the day off with fish and chips on the harbour wall.

2. Ride the world's shortest funicular

   Fisherman's Walk Cliff Lift carries beachgoers the 42 metres from clifftop to shore, and has done since 1935. More than four million people have taken the short trip, which spares you the zig-zag path on a hot afternoon. The view from the top takes in Poole Harbour and, on a clear day, the low outline of the Isle of Wight. It is a two-minute ride and a genuine curiosity, and a favourite with children staying nearby.

3. Wander leafy Alum Chine

   A chine is a wooded ravine cut down to the sea, and Alum Chine is the loveliest of Bournemouth's. Wooden walkways run through a shaded river valley thick with pines, opening out to sea views as you descend. At the far end sits a small tropical garden, planted to make the most of the town's mild micro-climate, with a striking landscape design and good facilities. It is an easy stroll from many cottages in the western suburbs and pleasant in any weather.

4. Catch live music in town

   Bournemouth punches far above its weight for gigs, with three major venues within walking distance of the centre. The Pavilion Theatre is worth a look even on a quiet night for its sublime Art Deco interior, while the O2 Academy and the BIC handle touring bands and larger shows. Book ahead in summer, when programmes fill quickly, and walk back along the seafront afterwards. Smaller bars around the town centre run free live sets most weekends.

5. Meet the residents at the Oceanarium

   Right beside the pier, the Oceanarium brings you face to face with penguins, stingrays, sharks and iguanas across twelve themed environments. It is compact enough for a rainy morning and detailed enough to hold older children, with regular feeding talks through the day. Combine it with the beach and the gardens for a full day within a few hundred metres, which is useful if you are staying centrally and would rather leave the car at the cottage.

6. Zip-wire from Bournemouth Pier

   The pier is Bournemouth's headline attraction, lined with entertainment and places to eat, but the real draw is at the far end. PierZip was the world's first pier-to-shore zip wire, launching riders back over the water towards the sand. It takes seconds and the views over the bay are excellent. Walk the pier first, then queue for the descent, and finish with an ice cream on the promenade below.

7. Take the ferry to the Isle of Purbeck

   Catch the early chain ferry from Sandbanks and you are on the Isle of Purbeck within minutes, swapping seaside bustle for heath, chalk ridges and quiet coves. Spend the morning on the coast path, then head inland to Corfe Castle, Dorset's iconic medieval ruin, which stands in a gap in the hills with breathtaking views. Longer stays often pair it with a day on the Isle of Wight across the water.