Harbour Hotel & Spa Christchurch

Great location overlooking the harbour with an easy walk to the quayside and beaches. We were worried the "cosy" room would be too small but it was fine. This was a repeated visit and we will go again. Good service, super harbour side restaurant and relaxing spa. Plenty to do nearby - seaside,highcliff castle (photo) and historic town

We had a 3 day stay at the Harbour Hotel in Christchurch. We ate dinner there twice - once at "The Upper Deck" and once at "The Jetty". Both meals were excellent: we had lovely tables, the food was great and the service made us feel special. The experience at breakfast was the same, with attentive service from all the staff and great food served on the open veranda. Although we were using the hotel as a base for our walks around the area, we also used the spa which was well maintained and had all the facilities you could want. We did have an issue with our assigned room which was not as ordered from Trip.com. Although the reception team reconfirmed they had allocated the room accurately based on what Trip.com had ordered for us, the Cherry the reception manager took it on herself to compensate us for the mismatch. From start to finish the service at The Harbour was outstanding. All the staff that served us in reception, the bar, the restaurants and the spa were helpful, efficient and friendly. Although our room was smaller than we'd ordered, it was well appointed and the bed was very comfortable. All in all, this was one of the nicest hotels we've stayed in, this in no small part due to the professionalism and caring attitude of the staff team. We will return !

Our experience was overall not great. We’d booked this as a family trip for my Dad’s 70th, we were 5 adults and one toddler. We specifically booked this hotel as my parents went to visit it and were told by the manager that my nephew (almost 2) would be able to use the pool without any restrictions, this was checked several times when we booked six months ago, when we went to go swimming the spa staff wouldn’t let my sister and nephew in and had a very poor attitude. This really spoilt our only full day at the hotel and upset all of us. (We mentioned several times during check in that we had a child with us - why were the ‘family swim times’ not highlighted then?) When we booked we got an evening meal included received a confirmation email showing we could have the three course set menu or £35pp towards the A la carte, reception told us this wasn’t available on Fridays or Saturdays but when we spoke to them it was resolved. The meal was below what I would expect, two of the party had steaks which were quite gristly and one had chicken tikka curry, it was more like a butter chicken, it had one nicely seasoned chicken skewer on top and then two thick slices of chicken with barely any flavour underneath. Although the hotel says it welcomes children it was clear some of the other guests didn’t, I wouldn’t recommend taking young children here. The rooms were extremely hot and we couldn’t get one of them to cool down (we asked for help from reception) which caused broken sleep. The cleanliness was also lacking in some areas - see photos. Good points: - Lovely views - Staff in dining room are all friendly and helpful. - Good car parking system (you can double park your car and reception will later move it for you so you don’t have to try and find a space each time). - Large comfortable beds.

This hotel has provided us with one of the best stays experienced in a very long time! Customer service, Restaurant and Housekeeping teams are outstanding. The Jetty restaurant is very swish on service, the food is delicious, and the Upper Deck restaurant is just as good. Phil was outstanding during a busy evening service, but took the time to explain the dishes and ensure we had a great experience. Dining on the verandah in September seems unbelievable but it happened and provided a wonderful vista to behold. The car park is small but is not a problem; leave your spare car key with reception and they will move your double-parked car when space becomes available without any fuss. Simply brilliant! :-)

Lovely hotel in a wonderful location. The rear terrace on a warm summer evening provides a view to die for. The hotel is clean, staff friendly, and professional. Nothing is too much trouble. Rafa the breakfast Maitre d' was exemplary, a real gentleman, immaculately presented and very professional. Drinks are a little expensive and parking a bit of a lottery but in no way detracts from a great experience. We will be back!

We had our wedding at the Harbour Hotel Christchurch on 29th July 2024. The location was absolutely beautiful and the team was beyond helpful in organising everything and making our day special. Sher, our event organiser, helped make the day special and continued to do so throughout the evening. She was there for everything we needed and helped everything run smoothly. The food at the venue was amazing and everyone raved about it, particularly our sticky toffee pudding. We stayed in the bridal suite for the night and it was luxurious and had beautiful views. The hotel was in a fantastic location for us and the pictures we had taken on the water were amazing. We look forward to returning to the hotel for our wedding anniversary in 2025!

I want to start by sharing that my experiences of staying at this hotel have actually enhanced my quality of life. That might sound dramatic, but for 10+ years my life has been completely changed by chronic illness which is extremely debilitating. For over a decade I've mostly been house-bound and even bed-bound, mainly leaving our flat for medical appointments only. In the hope of us having a much-needed change of scenery, in September 2023 we decided to attempt staying at Christchurch Harbour Hotel, only a 10-minute taxi drive from where we live. Finding a hotel that provided room service meals and easily accessible outdoor space/view was important for me, due to my physical limitations. Our room, which included a balcony, was perfect. We were so pleased that we returned in December 2023 and then again in April 2024 (the latter date I shall now review) As soon as our taxi pulled up outside the hotel, we were immediately welcomed by the friendly, familiar faces of Kirk and David (who we'd met during our past visits) Superb service from them both, kindly helping us with my wheelchair and our bags. When we reached reception check-in, Olivia was there and as lovely as ever (we'd also met her previously) It felt safe and reassuring to be greeted by these three members of the team upon arrival and that instantly got our stay off to a great start. Especially as a wheelchair user, it's encouraging to witness people enthusiastically taking the initiative to assist me. As always, we were delighted with our room (218) Beautifully clean and stunning views from the balcony. We did initially have a little bit of trouble with the TV but two friendly maintenance men fixed it for us the following day. In my other reviews I'd mentioned that, although we love the food, we'd appreciate a wider range of vegetarian options. Well, this time there was a whole new veggie & vegan menu available! I'm really impressed that my request became a reality. It shows the hotel is eager to hear and implement ideas from their guests. Thank you to Simone Raganella for emailing me regarding this excellent new menu. Drew and I both think the meals are delicious. The only thing that's a bit of a shame, in regards to the new veggie/vegan menu, is we think they've changed the main course of stuffed 'Aubergine' from vegetarian to vegan and it doesn't taste quite as good as it did when it was vegetarian (perhaps they switched it from cheese to vegan cheese) However, we understand there needs to be vegan options as well as veggie, it's just a shame they changed the recipe of that particular dish because it was Drew's favourite (we are veggie, not vegan) Having said that, we still are very grateful for the new menu overall. The 'Wild Mushroom & Truffle Macaroni' is a new favourite. There was a mistake made with one of our starters. Drew had ordered the 'Asparagus Benedict' and was given a dish that featured asparagus but also salmon (not good for someone who's been vegetarian for

I stayed with my brother and his wife in July for 2 nights while attending a commemorative event at Steamer Point, Christchurch. We found the hotel, its facilities and staff first class. It occupies a prime position overlooking Christchurch Habour with excellent views over the harbour and Christchurch Bay with Hengisbury head in the background. The rooms are comfortable and well appointed with free gin and tonic! We ate in the Upper Deck restaurant which commands the view mentioned above. The choice of food was good and well presented. In partcular our waiter Phil deserves a special mention.

Seeking: 4 Conclusion up-front: Excellent 4 achiever. Feel of a peaceful boutique, enriched by the costal setting. Welcoming and efficient service. 'Has got the balance right'. Ideal for a night's escapism with spa and dinner. Aiming for: 4 Is: 4/4.5 Reception/Lobby/Booking: 4. Nicely positioned atop steps. Welcoming service, effortless checking, paying, parking, reserving, luggage, effortless. Nice sweets. Take a handful. Inviting lobby, central to flow to convenience lounge, restaurant, bar, terrace, lawn, view of cove. Room: 4. Complimentary gin. Chic without losing cosiness. Well cared for & presented. Thoughtfully stocked mini bar. Fluffy robes, quality linen & furniture. It's worth discussing preference for views. Spa: 4. HarSpa branded. Intriguing underground architecture, Roman tiled with Scandinavian wood, blends vibrant, and relaxed. Fairly spacious. Enter a small spa reception from rooms in a robe or car park for the day, and descend a small staircase to a generous space beneath the hotel's main building. Pool big enough for lengths, large evaluated Jacuzzi with a Thalasso station, two saunas and power showers, ice bucket, large diamond shaped steam room. Ascend another small staircase nautically decorated and discover a well facilitated relaxation lounge, with complimentary hot and cold beverages, and secluded outdoor terrace with a view of the water. Not crowded despite being a weekend. Towels & robes abundant. Bar: 4. Well positioned, long metal bar, 1950s-ish theme done contemporary. Complimentary in-house popped popcorn (it's the little things). Well versed professional bar staff who will work with you all evening. Booth seats integrated next to the upper deck restaurant (same space). Doorway leading to warmly lit elevated terrace and lawn, looking out to the cove. Lead barman was masterful and took us on a journey. Restaurant: Choice of own branded The Jetty Restaurant (finer) a short and pleasant walk across the lawn on the waters edge, or Upper Deck restaurant (more casual) internal to hotel. Diner: 4. In The Jetty Restaurant, reviewed separately. Breakfast: 4. In The Upper Deck restaurant. A thorough continental buffet and cook to order from a classic and varied English menu. Led to our table with a warm greeting from the breakfast manager, notably consciousness of our comfort & positioning to the view. Coffee was the right hot, juice was at the cold, mains served at the right time. Eggs cooked precisely. Service: 4. Staff generally appeared happy, experienced, and resourced to deliver the little extra customer care and attention to detail that marks good service throughout. I assume this retains what appears to be a regular clientele. Decor: 4. Inside is cared for & well maintained, fairly new. Done well in a boutique hotel style, blending some chic and contemporary features and colours in the larger spaces with the views, with a relaxed and warm traditional style of costal 'lodge' in the winding corridors