The Cumberland is the long white building you notice from the East Cliff promenade — horizontal lines, curved corners and railings like a moored liner, standing on its own above the bay. It opened in 1937, near the close of the art-deco decade, and is now one of only a handful of freestanding art-deco hotels left in Europe. That heritage is the reason to choose it over a nearby chain: the shape and feel of the place are the point of staying here.
The hotel
Built on the site of a house called Fern Cliff, the Cumberland has had an eventful life. The army took it over during the Second World War to billet troops guarding the south coast, and afterwards it became one of the largest Jewish hotels in Europe, with its own synagogue. Restoration has kept the 1930s bones intact — a marble floor set into the lobby, a reproduction art-deco carpet, the geometric lines running through the public rooms. It holds an AA four-star rating and was named Best Large Hotel at the 2018 Bournemouth Tourism Awards.
The pool and the dining rooms
The feature most guests come for sits at the front: a seasonal heated outdoor pool and lido deck facing the sea, one of the surviving original details and a genuinely unusual thing to find at an English seaside hotel. There is a day spa on site for quieter afternoons. Two dining rooms handle the food — the Ventana Grand Café and the Mirabelle Restaurant — with themed evenings such as steak and curry nights. Menus and hours shift with the season, so check what is running when you book.
Where it sits
The hotel’s position is hard to better. It stands on East Overcliff Drive, high above the sand, with views along the bay towards the Isle of Wight and, on a clear day, the Jurassic Coast. The Russell-Cotes museum is a near neighbour on the same clifftop, and paths and steps lead down to Bournemouth Beach and the promenade below. The town centre lies a walk to the west; Boscombe, with its own pier and surf, is a stroll or short ride east.
Good to know
Parking is listed among the hotel’s facilities, which counts for a lot on the East Cliff, where street space is scarce; confirm a spot when you reserve. The outdoor pool is seasonal, so it is worth checking it is open if that is your reason for coming. Families are well catered for, though this is a large, traditional seafront hotel rather than a children’s resort. For other places to stay nearby, see our Bournemouth hotels guide, or find it on the map.
