RNLI College

Hotels
9.2 (2624 reviews)
West Quay Road RNLI College , Poole , gb

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Offsite parking discounted rates available
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Restaurant
Terrace
Lift / Elevator
Luggage storage
Safety deposit box
Fax/photocopying
Facilities for disabled guests
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Great location
Clean rooms
Cons:
Room was a bit cold upon check-in
Some food service was slow

Categories

Cleanliness
9.13
Clean, comfortable, quiet, friendly staff and great location with parking included.
Service
9.6
Staff were friendly and welcoming; very helpful and polite.
Location
9.14
Great location with parking, close to the ferry terminal with views.
Room Quality
9.09
Spacious and clean room, well-designed with a fantastic view.
Amenities
9.12
Very good breakfasts and restaurant for evening meals; well-stocked hospitality tray.
Value for Money
9.08
Overall great experience; worth the investment for a pleasant stay.
Food and Beverage
9.13
Excellent food for breakfast and evening meals; very tasty options.
Overall Experience
9.3
We loved our stay, everything was great and we plan to return.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-16 03:07

Property Description

Sea Views and Comfortable Rooms
Experience stunning sea views from select rooms at RNLI College, where each room is equipped with a desk, tea/coffee facilities, TV, and a hairdryer. Enjoy a comfortable stay with heating and air conditioning in every room.

Convenient Location
Located just 2 km from Poole Harbour, our hotel is also close to popular attractions like Sandbanks and Brownsea Island Nature Reserve. Explore the beauty of Dorset with ease from our central location.

Exceptional Service
Indulge in a delicious Continental breakfast and rely on our friendly staff available 24/7 at the front desk to assist you with any needs during your stay.

Book now for an unforgettable stay at RNLI College in Poole.

Important information:

This property does not accommodate bachelor(ette) or similar parties.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM

Property Policies

  • Parking

    Free private parking is possible on site (reservation is not possible).

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for free when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    Children from 3 years old to 14 years old stay for £12.50 per person per night when using an existing bed.
    Children from 3 years old to 14 years old stay for £12.50 per person per night when using an available extra bed.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.
    Supplements are not calculated automatically in the total costs and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

Location

Guest Reviews

9.2
Based on 2624 reviews
Cleanliness: 9.13
Service: 9.6
Location: 9.14
Room Quality: 9.09
Amenities: 9.12
Value for Money: 9.08
Food and Beverage: 9.13
Overall Experience: 9.3
P
Philip • couple • gb
9
Pleasantly surprised and would definitely make the RNLI my first choice when I next stay in Poole
Pros:

Size and Layout of the room, storage available, view, breakfast, value, parking availability.

2026-04-17 • via Nuitee
K
Kirsty • family_with_children • gb
10
Amazing!
Pros:

Friendly staff! Fab food and easy access to
Everything.

2026-04-17 • via Nuitee
A
akos • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-04-16 • via Nuitee
L
Lucy • family_with_children • gb
9
Really lovely place, original and friendly staff
Pros:

Really friendly staff

Cons:

The kids fold out bed wasn’t very comfortable

2026-04-16 • via Nuitee
J
Joanne • couple • gb
10
Wonderful room which was modern, comfortable and practical for a short stay.
Pros:

Very modern building with great architecture features. The rooms are large and very clean, nice toiletries and towels in bathrooms. Great attention to detail in the rooms.

2026-04-16 • via Nuitee
L
Lesley • couple • gb
10
2026-04-16 • via Nuitee
C
Claudia • family_with_children • gb
6
Overall, the location is excellent, but the room size is not suitable for families, especially when staying with childre
Pros:

Great location close to the harbour and a huge Asda supermarket, making it very convenient for both sightseeing and picking up essentials. The surrounding area was easy to get around, and everything we needed was within walking distance. A very practical and well-situated place to stay.

Cons:

However, we booked for four people (two adults and two kids), and the room was far too small to comfortably accommodate us. There were not enough towels provided, and once the spare bed for the children was set up, there was very little space left for luggage. The extra bed also blocked access to the desk and chair, meaning we couldn’t even use the seating area.

Overall, the location is excellent, but the room size is not suitable for families, especially when staying with children and luggage.

2026-04-16 • via Nuitee
S
stephen • couple • gb
10
2026-04-15 • via Nuitee
S
stephen • couple • gb
10
2026-04-15 • via Nuitee
N
Nic • solo_traveller • gb
10
Unexpectedly brilliant place to stay with a fabulous breakfast in central Poole.
Pros:

Fabulous campus, great warm welcome and a bright, clean, modern bedroom. Amazing breakfast! Also just a 10 minute walk into the heart of Poole and the harbour, plus free parking.

Cons:

The shower was over-the-bath making it an awkward climb for anyone less able. Personally next time you build a hotel I'd rather have a walk in shower and no bath.

2026-04-15 • via Nuitee
C
carolyn • couple • gb
8
2026-04-14 • via Nuitee
R
Ronnie • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-04-14 • via Nuitee
K
kantharia • family_with_children • gb
10
Wonderful
Pros:

all of it. annual family get together, tables put together for us all, food wonderful, breakfast items very wide ranging. I was paying for this, as a Christmas present. Only minor hiccup was daughter and hubbie arrived first, and were told they had to pay, and were also put in a room separate from the rest of us. Had to refund them.

Cons:

See comment above

2026-04-13 • via Nuitee
R
Robert • couple • gb
7
A real Jem in Poole to stay at
Pros:

Everything exceeded my expectations I can’t praise the stay enough.
The view was excellent overlooking the bay.
The whole complex was spotless. All the staff were really helpful and so layed back
I’ve stayed in a lot of hotels this is one of the tops.
We also did a tour of the complex well worth doing. The people who do the tours are very knowledgeable

Cons:

I only stayed for one night because there was no more nights available so had to move to another lesser hotel. Which was no comparison to the RNLI

2026-04-12 • via Nuitee
B
Burgess • couple • gb
9
Like a Premier Inn but nicer
Pros:

Fabulous spot by the sea, great views, good breakfast buffet, lovely staff, intriguing ship cabin-themed room.

Cons:

Nothing really. But watch out if you use Booking.com. The more expensive rooms are just on a higher floor. All have a sea view.

2026-04-12 • via Nuitee
A
Andrew • solo_traveller • gb
7
Lovely hotel, great location, nice breakfast, but poor beds.
Pros:

Superb location, right on the waterfront and close to the town and harbour facilities.

The building is lovely and breakfast was great. Really enjoyed the architecture of the building too.

The staff that we encountered were all friendly and helpful.

The building was also wonderfully warm, which we really appreciated when you came inside from an often blustery coastline.

Cons:

Sadly, the beds weren't great.

We had a compact double for 2 adults and the sofa bed for my daughter really wasn't up to par. The sofa bed squeaked every time my daughter moved and you could feel the springs underneath the very thin mattress.

Everything else was very good really but a good night's sleep is essential for a hotel and we just didn't get that because of the poor quality beds and mattresses.

If these were improved it would make the overall experience so much better.

2026-04-12 • via Nuitee
G
Graham • solo_traveller • gb
10
Excellent hotel
Pros:

Staff were very friendly, reception, shop staff, restaurant staff, bar staff and night porter all lovely and very helpful. The room was gorgeous comfortable bed and a great view, room had a bath with a good shower, the food in the restaurant was excellent quality, would definitely come again.

Cons:

The restaurant food was excellent quality but limited and a third of a small menu was not available by 8pm.

2026-04-12 • via Nuitee
I
Imogen • family_with_children • gb
10
2026-04-12 • via Nuitee
F
Fredriksen • couple • gb
9
Pros:

All inclusive - no additional charges for parking or breakfast.
Excellent value for money.
Surprisingly quiet location in the middle of town.

Cons:

Nothing at all.

2026-04-12 • via Nuitee
I
Ian • couple • gb
10
Great accommodation, great food, great value and excellent staff
Pros:

Location, great food, competitive price friendly staff

Cons:

Scaffolding all around building which has happened 3 of our last 4 visits

2026-04-12 • via Nuitee