A weekend break in Weymouth

As one of the UK’s most beautiful seaside resorts and blessed with one of the country’s sunniest and warmest climates, Weymouth has a huge amount to offer as weekend getaway, or a longer stay to explore the huge number of activities and attractions that will appeal to people of all ages. As a gateway to the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its fossil-rich beaches, Weymouth is the perfect base for exploring the beautiful county of Dorset.

Driving to Weymouth is a picturesque journey along country roads and takes just over two hours from Bristol. We set off bright and early on a sunny spring morning and just a few hours later we were strolling along Weymouth’s sandy beach, watching the dogs running into the water and listening to the soothing sounds of the sea. The beach is a three mile stretch of golden sands, situated close to the town centre and the harbour, where the striking views take in part of the Jurassic coastline.

We stayed at No 98 Boutique Hotel, a beautiful Georgian building that has been recently refurbished to a very high standard, and which boasts Jeremy Paxman, Lord Michael Grade, Cillian Murphy and Mark Rylance as some of its celebrity guests. The glowing TripAdvisor recommendations were spot on: the hotel has a fantastic central position overlooking the beach and once inside is an oasis of calm, with a subtle beach theme influencing the décor and a comfortable lounge with large windows fronting onto the bay.

The family room at No. 98 Boutique Hotel, which has far-reaching views over the bay

Gail, the owner, was incredibly welcoming and made sure we settled into our family room, which had a king-sized bed and two single beds together with a wall-mounted flat screen TV, tea and coffee facilities and even chocolate biscuits and a complimentary decanter of sherry.  There was also a large, luxury en-suite bathroom with separate bath and walk-in shower, plenty of fluffy towels, a hairdryer and eco-friendly toiletries.

Having unpacked, Gail recommended a lovely Italian restaurant called Al Molo as a nice place to eat. A short stroll from the hotel along the seafront, originally the building was part of the pier’s bandstand and the restaurants decor nods to the past, incorporating art deco features together with modern design. Inside, the huge glass windows offer uninterrupted views across the sandy bay and we had to tear ourselves away from the comfortable lounge/bar area to go and enjoy our meal. The chefs and front of house staff are Italian, and their skill in the kitchen is reflected in the quality of the food – turning what could have been a simple pasta dish of penne with king prawns (£14.25) into something truly amazing. Dinner was followed by a Negroni cocktail, which was a fabulous end to a gorgeous meal.

The next day, waking up to good weather, we spent a pleasant few hours on the famous Chesil Beach. This is an 18-mile stretch of pebbled beach called a tombolo (a landform in which an island is attached to the mainland by a narrow piece of land such as a spit or bar). The views were amazing and the sound of the waves on the pebbles was very therapeutic, although attempting to walk on the shifting pebbles was a real challenge. After a while we sat down, made ourselves comfortable and contemplated the wild waves.

Chesil Beach offers incredible views on around the coast to the cliffs near Lyme Regis that are stuffed with dinosaur bones

Dinner was taken in La Casa Espanola, a family-run tapas restaurant set in the historic harbour (again, this came highly recommended by Gail). We were welcomed enthusiastically by the owner Marcello who is originally from Mallorca, and were given a lovely window seat overlooking the harbour. We knew we were in for a good meal when we realised we were surrounded by native Spanish speakers and weren’t disappointed by the tapas. We ordered far more than was necessary but somehow managed to polish it all off.

Particular highlights were the cheese and ham croquettas and the octopus, although the whole meal was utterly delicious. Stuffed, we stopped into the Edinburgh House of Sounds Pub, where we interrupted a birthday party and ended up singing at the top of our voices and dancing to Love Shack. Weymouth is definitely a very welcoming town.

After a great night’s sleep at the hotel we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast of fresh fruits, cereals, granola, nuts and a massive spread of dried fruits and yoghurts. Holding ourselves back, we just about had room for the House Special, which was smashed avocado with lemon and chilli on a toasted muffin, topped with a Portobello mushroom and poached egg. We washed it down with a pot of fresh hot filter coffee and were suitably fortified for the drive back home in the sunshine.

A family room at No. 98 Boutique Hotel, Weymouth, starts from £140. Book at www.no98boutiquehotel.com