Review credits: http://bournemouthnews.info/

The Royal Exeter is one of Bournemouth’s best-known and ideally located hotels. Tourists love it for it’s proximity to the shops, the BIC, the gardens and the beach – indeed, some of the rooms even have a view of the famous Bournemouth balloon. It has a bustling bar offering live music, a fantastic restaurant and stunning double rooms with free Wifi and 24-hour room service. But despite living in Bournemouth on and off for almost 18 years, I had never stayed over before this weekend.

First, the bedrooms. Despite the building being one of the town centre’s most iconic landmarks, the rooms are bang up to date. Mine had character, of course. A couple of creaky floorboards, a drafty window in the main room and bathroom… But it was only a little chilly because the room is so damn big! Running the rainfall-style shower for a couple of minutes filled the room with steam and made bathtime as comfy as can be.

Elsyl toiletries with calming ginseng and a supply of ginger biscuits were perfect for calming the stomach after a fractious journey. And the (pictured) print of Boscombe pier above my bed made me feel right at home, as I have recently moved back to the BH5 area.

That said, I wouldn’t say I was specifically the hotel’s target customer. It’s geared up for corporate stays, with meeting rooms and excellent internet signal throughout. I can also see it being ideal for couples (the rooms and restaurant are very romantic); and families and older tourists coming to Bournemouth for a show at the BIC.

I think some locals may have the misconception that The Royal Exeter and 1812 are expensive but that’s really not the case. You can get a three-course meal for £15; rooms at this time of year start at £50; cocktails are just £3.75 on Thursdays and you can get a fabulous glass of wine (French Sauvignon Blanc) for just £4.50.

Fact file

For more information and to book, see www.royalexeterhotel.co.uk