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Sign in with FacebookLatest Poole hotel reviews
Pro
Beautiful quay with a great walkway along the water
Con
Chilly on the front
In a nutshell
A gem in the lovely South coast of England!
northeast80 Says: Update was just to add my photo. Our house is very close to the registry office and we can see all the comings and goings, especially of the weddings; one time there was an old couple in the morning and then a gay wedding in the afternoon, another time we couldn't tell who...
northeast80 Says: I first visited here a long time ago and it's changed somewhat, gone is the museum at the entrance and they're selling off most of the items they had on show which is a shame. You can still watch potters throwing and painting wares but also decorate your own pots to take...
northeast80 Says: We took a brief stop in the 48 hour rain cloud to stretch our legs at this RSPB nature reserve in April 2012. You only need to pay for car parking, not for entry to the reserve, check the website for up-to-date information but we paid £2, it's free for members. We walked...
catiemak Says: We went to Poole Pottery for an activity that both of us could share in. You can "Paint-A-Pot" for as low as £6. The dolphin we painted was a nice keepsake for me to bring back to Canada. There were many types of pottery but I just loved the the fact that you could do it...
1 Review and 272 Opinions Poole is at present being tagged the St Tropez of the South Coast, the Palm springs of Dorset & the...
1 Review and 74 Opinions Do not visit or stay at this hotel. The Assistant Manager is known for running online scams to scam...
Custom House: The best steak ever
northeast80 Says: Update is just to add a photoI had the best steak I have ever had in this place. We chose to eat in the cheaper downstairs bar, upstairs is a restaurant, we ordered drinks (they've a good selection of ale) and sat down to choose our food. Little did we know (wouldn't have...
Slug and Lettuce: Quick and cheap
northeast80 Says: We came here as we wanted something quick and cheap before we headded on our drive home, it was a Monday so we had 50% off our bill (one of their deals at the moment). Slug and Lettuce are a chain all around the UK and always seem to have different food and drink deals. The...
northeast80 Says: I believe this bar is recently under new management and has had a bit of a facelift, all the wood has been sanded and waxed, there are local photos on the walls and lots of light fresh paint. It also had an outdoor area at the back. The building, like many of the...
northeast80 Says: This is a restaurant too but we've only had a take away. We ordered over the phone and then went to collect, getting free popadoms too. I can't remember exactly what I had but it was tasty and spicy which is how I like it. We cooked our own rice at home to save money. The...
Woof Woof!: Dog racing and Greyhounds
LouiseTopp Says: I never knew this place existed, until I got carted off to it with my uncle. The stadium which is lit up with big football type lights (the kind you get at Wembley), is not far from Town. There’s car parking at the front, & steps which lead into a large reception area....
vickysha Says: Mint is the best place in Poole to go at night. The barmen are amazing as is one of the managers. Everyone is really friendly and make you feel welcome. The unisex toilets are unusual, but really good at the same time. The layout of the place is great, 3 bars in one club,...
johngayton Says: Whilst Poole's town centre is relatively compact and easily walkable there's also a useful circular bus service which runs every 15 minutes during the day. The service starts and finishes at stand H at the main bus station and loops around via the railway station, the town...
johngayton Says: This is more a "FROM" tip really but I suppose it is "TO" when coming back!Poole Ferry Terminal is located about 20 minutes walk from the town centre, across the harbour bridge. From here there are daily Brittany Ferries to Cherbourg, with a summer crossing time of just over...
northeast80 Says: The Lush chain began in Poole on the old high street and as the flagship store this is one of the few to also have a spa. Their main offices are a little further round on Market St. We found the sales staff to be the right side of helpful, they offered us things to try and...
Poole Market: Rescuscitating The High Street
johngayton Says: Following the 2004 revamp of Poole's Dolphin Centre shopping mall the High Street was consigned to every other shop becoming a charity outlet. In order to revitalitise it the Town Centre Management and the Borough Council introduced a weekly street market.OK every shop is...
Upgrading The Groyne Protection!
johngayton Says: The South Coast's beaches are under constant threat of erosion which is neither good for the tourist industry nor for the coastal defences that the beaches naturally provide. The age-old solution has been to construct wooden or metal groynes, effectively sand traps, at...
Not Sure If This Is A Ronnie Barker One?
johngayton Says: One of the classic1970's UK sit-coms was "Open All Hours". The inimatable Ronnie Barker played the crafty, but amusingly grumpy shopkeeper Arkwright and David Jason his haphazardly helpful assistant, Granville.In one particular episode Arkwright was opening up the shop and...
If walking or driving along the coast through Poole you should be aware that the Poole Harbour Lifting Bridge is scheduled to open about 12 times a day to allow boats in and out of the main harbour. Expect delays of about 15 minutes during operation and that traffic does back up for quite some distance on either side during busy times.
This is especially worth noting if heading to and from the Ferry Terminal. Lifting times are shown on website below:
Updated Mar 25, 2013
Website: http://www.boroughofpoole.com/transport-and-streets/roads-highways-and-pavements/bridge-lifting-times/
Helpfulness
Luggage and bags: Luggage with wheels is always a good idea, wherever you are travelling.
Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Whether snowy/wet/sunny/warm or cold weather, layer your clothing.
Wear thermal underwear (these are easily bought at the local clothing shops), with warm leggings and a top under a toasty jacket for the cold. I have my trusty grey duffle coat, plus a white snow jacket for this type of weather, and they are a godsend!
Wear flat shoes that have a good grip, as when it is snowing, and afterwards, when it is sludge, it's really difficult to walk and keep your balance!
Always remember to bring a cap/hat that covers your head and neck for when it gets hot, as well as sunglasses.
Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Sunscreen (Factor 35 is the minimum factor I use, no matter what the weather is), headache tablets and usual little things like some plasters for blisters, cotton wool, germolene etc.
Photo Equipment: Your camera, with charger, and a EUROPEAN plug extension.
Miscellaneous: Have a map of the area handy, plus a local bird, flower and tree book. For this you also need a pair of good quality binoculars
Written Jun 10, 2007
johngayton Says: As with many characterful English towns the 1960's and 70's planners did Poole few favours. But then I suppose there's nothing new there in that the Georgian planners of the 18th century did similar things. Hmmm...but at least the Georgians had a bit of style.That said...
johngayton Says: Whilst this is also written up as a "Warnings and Dangers" tip (due to the traffic disruption it causes) it is a fascinating piece of machinery.This is third bridge to be built over this narrow neck of Poole's harbour. The original bridge was a wooden affair, constructed in...
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I was in Bournemouth visiting a friend. I wanted to take a little excursion myself and since Poole was close by I decided to go there. It's a great city with a beautiful quay. They have boat tours and...
A busy Quay, the finest beaches in England & the spectacular natural harbour make Poole, Dorset a natural first choice on the South Coast. Poole guarantees you an thrilling Autumn getaway with its...
Poole: Port, Pottery, Pubs and Pretty Girls
I hadn't been to Poole for many, many years but having recently found myself having to drop into Bournemouth from time to time and finding that Bournemouth, at least within the town itself, is a tad...
I have come to England a few times in the last couple of years, for work reasons. I take time out to visit towns and villages around this green country, and must say I love it :-)
Poole is home to Europe's largest natural harbour, second only to Sydney in the world and has over three miles of award winning beaches, including Sandbanks with its fine sands and shallow sea. For...
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