Bella Vista

Apr 11th, 2023

Lovely, relaxing stay (early August, 2022) at this comfortable and welcoming B&B, at the north end of Swanage Bay. Upon arrival, Naomi introduced us to Rutti, the chocolate lab. Sweet, gentle and well-mannered. (Even if - like me - you're not particularly a 'dog person', it was a pleasure to make her acquaintance, and to see her again at various points throughout our stay.) We stayed in the sea-facing family room 7. A beautiful, tranquil prospect, with the sunrise over the sparkling water, and the gently breaking waves a soothing soundtrack to drift off to sleep to, each night. The room was light, bright, spacious and comfortable, with plenty of storage. Great shower. (Suggestion: the window-seat cushion was very slippy-slidey; one of those rubber/silicone grip mats between it and the wooden seat base might help to hold it in place when in use.) The breakfasts were quite simply the best of any of the many B&Bs we have stayed at. Great choice, and extremely generous. Particular highlights were: the toast, made from William's divine homemade bread (spelt flour milled in Lyme Regis, I believe he said); the generous and varied fresh fruit salad; the perfect, creamy scrambled eggs, garnished with paprika; the luscious black-pepper-crusted grilled tomatoes. Upon arrival, we were told that the rooms were not serviced each day - but that, as we were staying a full 7 days, our bedding would be changed halfway through the week. If we needed fresh towels, or to have the bin emptied, we should put them outside the room. This came as a genuine surprise; we have never before stayed in a B&B where there has not been daily housekeeping of the room: beds made, and a light clean/tidy. (Is this a post-Covid thing...?) On the first occasion that we left a full bin outside the door, it was still there when we returned from our day out. The next day, we left it (and a couple of towels) a little further from the door, on the main landing (room 7 is tucked away, around a corner). This time, the bin was emptied, and the towels replaced. Our bedding was not changed mid-stay. Bella Vista is right next to the path down to the North Beach (a privately owned beach, but fully accessible). From here, central Swanage is a pleasant, 10-minute beach-side stroll. We were guaranteed a parking space - something very important to me, and often not the case with many B&Bs/hotels. On one occasion when the small guest car park was full, William kindly moved his car from their private spot, which I really appreciated. Another very helpful and welcome touch was the big fridge-freezer available for guest use, in Reception. All in all, a fab B&B, in a great location. Would be very happy to stay here again.
Aug 31st, 2022

Aug 10th, 2022

Stayed for 2 nights during really hot weather in August 2022. Our room (4) has stunning views over the sea and the Needles in the distance. The short steep path to the sea is right next door and the sandy beach is great as is the small cafe right there. A lovely walk into Swanage along the beach starts here. Breakfast was fantastic and we ate on the decking area overlooking the sea. The Isle of Purbeck and Dorset coast are fabulous areas to explore - the Isle of Purbeck golf course is amazing as well. All in all a lovely trip and totally recommended.
Aug 4th, 2022

Mar 1st, 2022