Ramada Encore by Wyndham Bournemouth

This particular Ramada Hotel has the minimalist look covered. The lobby, devoid of any design flourishes, is a large, open-plan space with shiny, tiled flooring and an office-tile ceiling. The only real finishing touch is the pendant lighting that hangs over the front desk. The adjoining bar and restaurant area is equally minimalistic, with wood tables and chairs, and is very bright -- huge windows let in natural light from all sides, and the floors are shiny laminate (which definitely beats generic-patterned, wall-to-wall carpets). There is an open bookshelf (Ikea-style) decorated with a potted plant, and stacked with a few books and newspapers for browsing, which is welcome when guests are having their morning coffee. Otherwise, this hotel gets top marks for somewhat bland, clean, faultless efficiency. Ramada Encore Bournemouth is popular with mostly couples and business people, who may be loyal to the Ramada brand or drawn to the approachable vibe and workspaces. 

Set up on steep hill, which takes some determination to climb after a day on the beach, the Ramada Encore is only a 10-minute walk from the seaside, and 10 to 15 minutes on foot from the train station. There are plenty of eateries in the vicinity, from fast-food to casual Italian. For business meetings and music gigs, the Bournemouth International Center (BIC) is a 15-minute walk. The hotel is about a half-mile from Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, St. Peter's Church, and Bournemouth Pavilion theater. For gorgeous walks in unspoiled countryside, plus wild ponies and ancient trees, guests can drive about 15 to 20 minutes to the New Forest. If beaches are the order of the day, then Sandbanks is 15 minutes in the car, and has glorious stretches of golden sand.

Rooms are plain and simple, with light-wood furnishings and laminate flooring, white walls and cotton bedding, and splashes of forest green or red. Some may find the aesthetic a bit sterile, but others will appreciate its unfussy charm. These are bedrooms for getting one's head down for a good night's sleep, and little else. Standard amenities include air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, coffee and tea facilities, irons, safes, and desks. Some rooms have mini-fridges. Bathrooms are sleek and minimalist, with glass shelves and pale-green frosted walls; the glass dividers in the walk-in showers can cause light flooding. All rooms are quiet, thanks to triple-glazed windows, though most rooms' views aren't worth peeping out of the blinds for. 

There's not too much in the way of features at the Ramada Encore Bournemouth, though facilities on offer are consistently efficient and of good quality. There are free newspapers in the morning, and free Wi-Fi throughout. The restaurant/bar area in the lobby serves hot and cold buffet breakfast (for a fee); traditional pub fare for dinner; and coffee and snacks throughout the day. There is a small conference room with space for up to 16 people, with flip charts, a TV and DVD player, a hot drinks machine, and plenty of natural daylight. A business center with two desktop computers and a printer is open 24 hours.