HOTELS IN DORSET

Dorset is ideal for a romantic short break, when you want quality accommodation, peace, quiet - and a ride in a tank! The Bovingdon Tank Museum is just one of the unexpected delights you'll discover in this pretty county, so book into your Dorset bed and breakfast and start exploring...

Sweeping west from the elegant sands of Bournemouth, the Dorset coastline is unique, from the sweep of Chesil Beach to the fossil-rich cliffs of this Jurassic coastline. Not that all the fun is on land; energetic types can join the windsurfer and kite-surfers on the waves at Weymouth Bay or Poole Harbour.

The picturesque town of Christchurch makes a great base for touring the coast, and the kids will love exploring nearby Mudeford's secret smuggling history, or the working collection of planes at the Aviation Museum.
A visit to inland Dorset is more restful, with elegant country houses to explore, such as the National Trust's Kingston Lacy or Highcliffe Castle at Christchurch. Literary types can visit Cloud Hill, home of T E Lawrence (of Arabia) or the home of one of England's finest novelists, Thomas Hardy. Lovers of great gardens are spoilt for choice with the Sun-tropical Gardens at Abbotsbury, or the Compton Acres Gardens near Poole. The Romans loved Dorset too; just guess how Blandford Forum got its name...
After a glorious day in the countryside, what could be better than to relax at your comfortable country hotel in Dorset, or quality seaside guest house, before an excellent dinner made with local produce. Then, why not travel home from Dorset taking a taste of the county with you, from the many local producers specialising in quality foods, including smoked fish to stone baked breads.