The Spyglass & Kettle by Greene King Inns

Hotels
Greene King's Pubs & Hotels
7.8 (1130 reviews)
25-27 Stourwood Avenue, Southbourne , Bournemouth , gb

Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Restaurant
Heating
Terrace
Family rooms
Garden
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Friendly staff
Cons:
Cold rooms
Dated facilities

Categories

Cleanliness
7.51
Generally clean and comfortable, but some reports of cold rooms and freezing bathrooms.
Service
8.48
Staff were consistently friendly and accommodating, though some concerns raised regarding responsiveness to complaints.
Location
9.02
Great location near the beach, praised in multiple reviews.
Room Quality
6.97
Rooms were described as small, cold, and dated in some cases.
Amenities
7
Basic amenities available but some issues with heating and outdated fittings.
Value for Money
7.96
Good value for short stays, though some felt it was lacking for longer durations.
Food and Beverage
7.51
Breakfast options generally liked, but some reports of items being overcooked or cold.
Overall Experience
7.98
Generally positive experiences with some minor issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-08 05:19

Property Description

Prime Location by the Beach
Located on Southbourne clifftop with a stunning view of the Blue Flag beach, The Spyglass & Kettle offers a perfect seaside getaway.

Comfortable Rooms with Modern Amenities
Experience a cozy stay in rooms equipped with a flat-screen TV, a hairdryer, and an en-suite bathroom, ensuring a relaxing stay.

Convenient On-Site Facilities
Enjoy the convenience of an on-site bar & lounge and pub restaurant, perfect for unwinding after a day of exploring the nearby attractions.

Experience the charm of Southbourne at The Spyglass & Kettle - Book your stay now!

Important information:

When traveling with pets, please note that an extra charge of £10 per pet, per night applies. Please note that a maximum of 1 pet is allowed per room. Please note that the property can only allow small and medium-sized dogs.
A deposit may be required at the property.

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

Location

Guest Reviews

7.8
Based on 1130 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.51
Service: 8.48
Location: 9.02
Room Quality: 6.97
Amenities: 7
Value for Money: 7.96
Food and Beverage: 7.51
Overall Experience: 7.98
K
Kate extended_group gb
8
2026-08-29 via Nuitee
E
Etter solo_traveller gb
10
Nice and comfy
Pros:

Very nice, catered for gluten free

Cons:

More tea in room

2026-08-29 via Nuitee
N
Neil solo_traveller gb
7
Functional but could be so much better
Pros:

Friendly welcome

Cons:

Inadvertently had booked a table in restaurant that was full because of a pub quiz night. However, got served promptly. Breakfast was advertised as full English, but there were no staff there to take my order. For the price I paid, I think it could have been better and I don’t feel I was valued as a customer.

2026-08-28 via Nuitee
S
Sandra family_with_children de
7
2026-08-26 via Nuitee
D
Dance couple gb
8
We loved the location, the staff, food and drink. We plan to return!
Pros:

The breakfast was super! The staff were really friendly, responsive and helpful. Free parking on site was great.

Cons:

Our room was quite small, with little space for belongings. The bathroom had no hand soap at the sink. The mattress was very soft. The approach to our room (#2) was quite dark.

2026-08-25 via Nuitee
B
Bernd couple de
3
Pros:

Personal

Cons:

Zimmer und Bett zu klein
Bad unsauber - Dusche inakzeptabel
3 Tage keine Zimmerrreinigung

2026-08-25 via Nuitee
P
Paula couple gb
7
Was a nice stay, close to Bournemouth beach.
Pros:

Great location

Cons:

The room was a little grubby, comfortable but could have been cleaner

2026-08-25 via Nuitee
N
Nathalie solo_traveller gb
6
Great location but dated.
Pros:

Great location! Across the road from the beach (dog friendly party) and the B&B is dog friendly. Staff were loverly and there is parking.

Cons:

It's very dated - the wall paper is coming away, the curtains were coming off the hooks, the window didn't close, there was no shower gel, the water pressure in the shower wasn't very good and the room was very small.

2026-08-24 via Nuitee
C
Carolin solo_traveller de
6
Für ein, zwei Nächte ok
Pros:

Lage direkt am Meer, perfekt um die Jurassic Coast zu erkunden, kostenlose Parkplätze, Frühstück war auch sehr lecker, man konnte zusätzlich zum Buffet warme Speisen bestellen, die direkt frisch zubereitet wurden.

Cons:

Man wohnt in einem Pub, nicht in einem Hotel, das war uns klar. Allerdings hatten die Bilder auf Booking wenig mit der Realität gemeinsam. Wir hatten ein Familienzimmer für 4 Personen, ein einziges kleines Fenster ließ sich öffen, die anderen waren nur für Licht. Das Fenster im Bad ließ sich nicht öffnen, Lüftung funktionierte ebenfalls nicht. Dass das mit vier Personen die duschen und zur Toilette gehen so nicht angenehm ist, braucht wohl nicht erwähnt werden. Schimmel und angelaufenes Fenster im Bad. Kein Zimmerservice.
Für den Preis (fast 400 Euro) für zwei Nächte würden wir es nicht mehr buchen.

2026-08-23 via Nuitee
H
Heather solo_traveller gb
7
Comfortable bed Quiet. Very reasonably priced breakfast.
Pros:

Close to sea front

2026-08-23 via Nuitee
C
Carolyn solo_traveller gb
9
2026-08-21 via Nuitee
H
Hensel-Roeth solo_traveller de
9
Pros:

Die Lage war super. Direkt gegenüber des Srrandes.

2026-08-19 via Nuitee
T
Tristan couple de
3
Gute Lage – aber der Zustand hat mit den Fotos leider wenig gemeinsam.
Pros:

Die Lage ist wirklich gut. Der Strand ist schnell zu erreichen und gerade bei der Anreise mit dem Auto ist es angenehm, dass man in der direkten Umgebung problemlos und kostenlos parken kann. Auch als Ausgangspunkt für Ausflüge entlang der Küste ist die Unterkunft praktisch gelegen.

Cons:

Leider entspricht der tatsächliche Zustand der Unterkunft überhaupt nicht dem Eindruck, den die Fotos auf Booking.com vermitteln.

Schon von außen wirkt das Hotel ziemlich abgerockt. Dieser Eindruck setzt sich im Gebäude fort: Der Teppich auf den Treppen bis in den obersten Stock ist stark in die Jahre gekommen und alles wirkt ungepflegt.

Das Zimmer selbst war leider ranz bis in die letzte Ecke. Das Schlafsofa war voller Flecken, ebenso Vorhänge und Jalousien. An der Decke gab es lose Tapeten und Risse, das Bett war extrem durchgelegen und der bereitgestellte Ventilator derart zugestaubt, dass er beim Einschalten zunächst Staubknäule im Zimmer verteilt hat. In der Badezimmerlampe befanden sich zudem noch Überreste von Mücken.

Auch das Badezimmer war problematisch: Duschen war praktisch nicht möglich, ohne anschließend größere Teile des Bodens unter Wasser zu setzen, da die Badewanne bzw. der Duschbereich offenbar undicht war.

Ein Besuch im dazugehörigen Pub bestätigte leider den Gesamteindruck. Die Tische im Außenbereich waren teilweise nicht abgeräumt und extrem klebrig. Beim Servieren landeten unsere Pommes auf dem Tisch. Sie wurden zwar schnell ersetzt, allerdings durch eine deutlich kleinere Portion. Das restliche Sunday-Roast-Essen bestand aus lieblos angerichtetem Kartoffelbrei und Würsten, die sowohl optisch als auch geschmacklich wirkten, als hätten sie bereits sehr lange auf dem Grill gelegen. Der bestellte Cocktail musste zunächst noch einmal erfragt werden, was nicht weiter schlimm und vom Mitarbeiter charmant gelöst wurde – allerdings war dieser anschließend derart stark gemischt, dass man nach einem einzigen bereits ordentlich angetrunken war.

Für fast 300 Euro für zwei Nächte ist der gebotene Zustand für uns völlig inakzeptabel. Besonders enttäuschend ist, dass davon auf den Fotos der Unterkunft praktisch nichts zu erkennen ist. Hätten wir den tatsächlichen Zustand vorher gekannt, hätten wir hier definitiv nicht gebucht.

2026-08-19 via Nuitee
C
Chandan family_with_children gb
8
2026-08-17 via Nuitee
B
Bernard solo_traveller nl
8
2026-08-16 via Nuitee
V
Venus solo_traveller gb
7
Slightly dated accomodation but excellent locationbwith great service.
Pros:

We stayed at the Skyglass & Kettle for one night and also had dinner there with friends, and overall we had a brilliant experience. For us, the location is the biggest selling point — you literally couldn’t ask for a better spot! It’s directly opposite Gordon’s Zip Zap and less than a few minutes’ walk to the beach.

There’s free parking at the pub on a first-come, first-served basis, although there’s also plenty of free on-street parking nearby, so parking wasn’t an issue for us.

We stayed in Family Room 1 on the first floor. As advertised, it had a double bed and two single beds, but what we particularly liked was the layout. The double bed was at one end of the room, while the two single beds were at the other, almost creating a little separate sleeping area for the children. The room itself was a really good size, and the beds were SO comfortable — honestly, some of the comfiest beds we’ve slept in! The children were very happy too.

The staff were fantastic throughout our stay and the service was great. The room had everything we needed — towels, shower gel and plenty of toilet roll — and we were also given a telephone number to contact if we needed anything during the night, which was a nice touch.

We also had dinner there that evening with friends, which was another really positive part of our experience. The portions were a little smaller than some pub meals we’re used to, but the quality of the food was excellent and we all really enjoyed our meals. It was incredibly busy that evening and, if I’m honest, it felt like the team could probably have done with a few more staff. They warned us that food would be around an hour, but it actually arrived after about 35–40 minutes, so we were very happy. We were with friends, sipping our drinks and chatting, so the wait really wasn’t an issue.

The following morning, breakfast was brilliant. Alongside the continental options, there was also a choice of cooked breakfast, which was a great bonus.

Cons:

There were a couple of minor things that could be improved. The toilet seat didn’t quite seem to be the right shape for the toilet, and although the shower had good pressure, the shower door didn’t close properly. The en-suite was quite compact, with the bathroom door very close to the end of the bed, so there isn’t a huge amount of space in that area. We also only had one fan for the side of the room with the two single beds. We happened to stay during the heatwave and had brought our own portable fan, so we were fine. To be fair, we were given a number to call if we needed anything, so I’m sure an additional fan could have been provided if we asked.

2026-08-16 via Nuitee
J
James couple gb
8
Lovely relaxing stay
Pros:

Clean, friendly staff and the location was excellent

Cons:

Needs updating a bit and a set of drawers in the rooms would be good.

2026-08-14 via Nuitee
P
Peter solo_traveller gb
4
Pros:

Close to beach

Cons:

Room was small hit head in bathroom ceiling.
Shower was terrible couldnt turn down water temp.
No shower gel.

2026-08-14 via Nuitee
G
Guy solo_traveller gb
7
2026-08-13 via Nuitee
I
IAN couple gb
8
Pros:

.

Cons:

.

2026-08-11 via Nuitee