On the West Cliff, next door to The Shore House Hotel and the newly renovated, more upscale of the pair. Moments from the beach and a short walk from the town centre.
9.2/10★★★★★Excellent on Booking.com · 776 reviewsShown here as 4.6/5, checked 30 June 2026
Our verdict
The Shore Retreat Hotel is the one for guests who want a newly renovated room close to the sea for less than an apartment costs. It is on the West Cliff, a few minutes’ walk from the beach, and next door to The Shore House Hotel, where the shared gym and games room are.
Who it suits
Couples and solo travellers who plan to be out all day and want a smart, comfortable room to come back to; the couples and occasions reviews show what guests on a weekend for two value. Some doubles have a private balcony. Families of three, or a small group, can book a family room with a double and a single bed. Because the gym and games room are next door, it is also the handiest Flexiestays building for anyone who wants to train every day.
What guests praise
Few reviews on this site name the building, so the Booking.com listing score shown above is the best guide to the Retreat. The strengths guests describe across Flexiestays hold here too: clean rooms, comfortable beds, clear arrival instructions and a local team that answers quickly. Guests who mention the gym and games room in their reviews count them as a real extra, as the facilities reviews show, and here they are a few steps away. If you are weighing a room against an apartment, aparthotel vs hotel in Bournemouth sets out the trade-offs.
The honest caveats
These are rooms, not apartments. Whether yours has any cooking facilities depends on the room, so check the listing if you want to cook.
The rooms are for sleeping and relaxing rather than for a long stay with a family; for more space, look at the apartment buildings.
There is no reception. You let yourself in with a code and contact the team by phone or message.
Practical facts
Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out by 10:00. There is private parking on site, and your bay is in the arrival instructions along with the door code and the full address for the sat nav. Most rooms do not take pets; the exact terms for your booking are shown at checkout, so ask the team before you book (see the pets policy). The beach is a few minutes on foot, down the zig-zag paths or the West Cliff Lift, and the town centre is a short, mostly level walk.
The apartments and rooms
Double rooms
Double rooms with a balcony
Family rooms with a double and a single bed
Reviews of The Shore Retreat Hotel
No review published here names The Shore Retreat Hotel yet. Most guests do not say which building they stayed in.
What Flexiestays guests say about stays for two and check-in
These reviews are about Flexiestays in general and do not say they are about The Shore Retreat Hotel.
I
Ibrahim JingoGB
Trustpilot review
★★★★★
I had a wonderful stay at Flexie Stays
I had a wonderful stay at Flexie Stays in Bournemouth and would highly recommend it. The property was spotlessly clean, comfortable, and had everything we needed for a relaxing trip. A special thank you to Natali, who went above and beyond to make our stay memorable. She helped arrange a surprise birthday celebration for my girlfriend, and everything was beautifully organised. Her kindness, attention to detail, and excellent communication made the experience even more special. We also really enjoyed having access to the gym, and the location couldn't have been better, just a short walk from the sandy beach, making it easy to enjoy the beautiful Bournemouth coastline. Thank you, Natali and the Flexie Stays team, for such an amazing experience. We would definitely stay here again and happily recommend it to anyone visiting Bournemouth!
Reply from Flexiestays
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted you had such a memorable stay. Your kind words means a lot to our team. We'd love to welcome you back to Bournemouth again soon!
I stayed with a friend for a couple of nights and the apartment was lovely. Everything was so clean and the kitchen was great we ended up staying in every night to cook. There was also very clear communication and it was easy to find the apartment and check-in - would definitely recommend :)
Reply from Flexiestays
Thank you so much for your lovely review, Sophie! We're really glad you enjoyed your stay and appreciated the apartment. We hope to welcome you back again soon!
Booked a weekend in Bournemouth to meet up with some friends. The apartment was spotless and exactly as described / shown in photos. The communication was excellent with good instructions re check in/out and parking. We asked a couple of questions and had very prompt and helpful responses. Will definitely look to book again later this year
Reply from Flexiestays
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you had a great weekend in Bournemouth with your friends and that the apartment met your expectations. It's fantastic to know you found everything spotless and exactly as shown in the photos, we work hard to ensure our listings are accurate and welcoming. We're also pleased that you found the communication clear and helpful, and that our team was able to respond promptly to your questions. Providing a smooth and stress-free experience is always our goal. We truly appreciate your kind words and look forward to welcoming you back later this year! Warm regards, The FlexieStays Team
Very clean, accessible and with good instructions. A couple of things to sort with the parking, but the apartment itself was great and easy to settle into.
Gym and games room at The Shore House Hotelabout 5 minutes
Every Flexiestays guest, whichever hotel you are staying in, has free use of the gym and the games room at The Shore House Hotel, on the West Cliff about five minutes on foot from here. The gym is open 24 hours a day.
The same apartments guests review above, booked on flexiestays.com: the direct-booking offers shown there, 25% to secure the dates, and the local team on hand 24/7.
