The Blooming Beautiful Bournemouth business competition is your opportunity to recognise and reward the fantastic local businesses here in Westbourne, Southbourne, Boscombe, Bournemouth East Cliff and West Cliff.

Look out for the flower stickers in the windows of our coastal businesses and vote for one or more of them. Your vote will help identify the five finalists and put you in the draw to win a £500 voucher to spend at a Bournemouth Coastal BID business.

If you enjoyed your stay with us and would like to vote for us to win, go to http://colouryourlifebournemouth.com/. Alternatively you can text BLOOM, leave a space and enter the name and location of the business to 81156.

All businesses will be judged on the quantity of votes and the quality of your comments. The finalists will be announced on 20th May so get voting now!

We have appreciated spring sunshine and blue skies in Bournemouth this week – perfect weather for bracing walks along the seafront.

We have some specific gaps in our diary during April and May – so we are hoping to tempt you to come and visit us. If you are able to make a quick decision then why not treat yourself to a mid-week break in Bournemouth as an Easter present!

Special Offers:

These special offers are based on a mid-week break of 2 more nights with dinner, bed and breakfast on these specific dates at The Arlington Hotel or The Whitehall Hotel:

April (The price is £45pppn for DB&B):

Monday 15 April to Friday 19 April 2013

Monday 22 April to Friday 26 April 2013

May (The price is £49pppn for DB&B):

Monday 18 May to Friday 24 May 2013

Monday 27 May to Friday 31 May 2013

We currently have single, double, twin bedded and family rooms. We will give you the best room available on a ‘first come first served basis’ – so don’t delay book today!

This promotion is available for bookings made during the Easter week up until Sunday 7 April 2013.

If you can’t get away at short notice – don’t forget that you can recommend this special offer to a friend or family member.

The minimum stay is 2 nights. Extra nights can be added subject to availabilty. Please call us if you have any queries or to make a booking:

Whitehall Hotel: 01202 554682 or click here to book on-line at the Whitehall using voucher code: Easter

Arlington Hotel: 01202 552879 or click here to book on-line at the Arlington using voucher code: Easter

We request full payment at the time of making the booking.

Go on, take the plunge and give yourself an Easter treat! We look forward to seeing you soon.

Don’t forget to take advantage of this special Easter offer you must book by Sunday 7 April 2013.

The advert stars local personalities including football legend Harry Redknapp, Blur bassist Alex James and actress Debra Stephenson.

Harry Redknapp said: “I was more than happy to be part of the tourism video, it’s no secret that I love the area. The beaches and views are just fantastic; it’s a lovely place to live.”

Watch it below – and let us know what you think!

Beach huts in Bournemouth February 2013 

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside! Come and get some fresh air and enjoy the start of Spring with a bracing walk or cycle.

It’s the perfect Christmas present (or treat for yourself). Check availability for show tickets then book the accommodation with us. The price is just £72 per person for 2 nights B&B. We will send a voucher in a special festive envelope. No need for wrapping – it’s a fantastic ‘ready to go’ present!

What’s On

January 2013:

• Meat Loaf Tribute at Pavilion Theatre on Saturday 19 Jan
• Greatest Hits of All Time at Pavilion on Friday 25 Jan
• Donny & Marie Osmond at BIC on Friday 25 Jan
• Elvis Tribute at Pavlion on Sunday 27 Jan
• Ronan Keating at BIC on Sunday 27 Jan

February 2013:

• BSO Hall of Fame at Pavilion on Saturday 2 Feb
• One night on Vienna at Pavilion on Thursday 7 Feb
• Grimethorpe Colliery Band at Pavilion on Saturday 9 Feb
• Australian Pink Floyd at BIC on Friday 22 Feb
• Colin Fry the Happy Medium at BIC on Saturday 23 Feb
• Jimmy Carr at BIC on 23 Feb
• Essence of Ireland at Pavilion on Sunday 24 Feb
• The Nolans at BIC on Wednesday 27 Feb
• Circus of Horrors at Pavilion on Wednesday 27 Feb
• Joe Brown at Pavilion on Thursday 28 Feb

March 2013:

• Harry Hill at Pavilion on Friday 1 & Saturday 2 March
• Jathro at Pavilion on Monday 4 March
• Boogie Nights 70′s musical at Pavilion on wednesday 6 March
• Russell Kane at Pavilion on Thursday 7 March
• Olly Murs at BIC on Friday 8 March
• Olivia Newton John at BIC on Monday 11 March
• Tosca at Pavilion on Thursday 14 March
• Carmen at Pavilion on Friday 15 March
• BSO Masters of Melody at Pavilion on Saturday 16 March
• Anton & Erin at Pavilion on Sunday 17 March
• The Drifters at Pavilion on Friday 22 March
• Bootleg Beatles at Pavilion on Saturday 23 March
• Chas & Dave at Pavilion on Sunday 24 March
• Irish House Party at Pavilion on Tuesday 26 March
• Moscow Ballet La Clssique Coppelia at Pavilion on Wed 27 March

Summer is over but there’s still plenty to do in Bournemouth in the Autumn. We have a special Autumn Glow offer until 30 November 2012.

There’s no minimum number of nights. You can check our availability and book on-line (using the Offer Code GLOW) or you can phone us on 01202 552879.

The price is £72 per night for a double or twin bedded room (£36 for a single) for Bed & Breakfast. Dinner can be added at £16 pp.

Wow! The location of the Arlington Hotel is so fantastic and there’s such going on in Bournemouth during the summer holidays.

Sara Uzzell, the Arlington Hotel’s owner has drawn up her family favourites into a Top Ten Things to do within 300 yards of the Arlington Hotel.

1. Visit the Russell Cotes Museum and Art Gallery to see the private collection of intimate photographs of the Royal Family by photographer Marcus Adams
2. Watch the squirrels in the trees in the Lower Gardens just outside the Arlington Hotel. Trying to get a great photo is tough as they move too fast!
3. Go up 500 feet for an amazing view across Poole Bay to the Isle of Wight in the tethered hot air balloon, the Bournemouth Eye
4. Enjoy a night at the Pavilion Theatre or the BIC to see Starlight Express, Grease , That’ll be the Day and more
5. Hire a deckchair and sit with your toes in the sand enjoying an ice cream
6. Family fiesta night every Friday evening with entertainment in the Lower Gardens followed by fireworks off the pier
7. Sit in the Arlington Arts Cafe enjoying a home-made scone, clotted cream and jam with a cup of tea watching the concert in the bandstand
8. Marvel at Candlenight in the Lower Gardens on Wednesday evenings in August as children create a magical candlit kingdom in one of Bournenouth’s oldest traditions
9. The kids fun festival provides free entertainment for families in the Lower Garden every day 10.00-4.30 until 26 August
10. Walk to the end of the Pier enjoying the sea breeze, buy some chips then sit on a bench and look out to sea.

Good times!

Sara Uzzell’s brolly lolly promotion

We are offering a water-tight promotion to encourage anyone who has not yet booked a summer holiday to take the plunge and make a booking for August.

For a limited period we are offering you the perfect ‘weatherproof’ holiday where we will give you £10 each per day if it rains. It’s not for your arrival and departure days but for all the other full days of your holiday we will give you £10 each to enjoy a ‘weatherproof’ activity if you cannot go to the beach.

“Everyone knows Bournemouth is great when the sun’s out, but there’s plenty to do when it rains as well,” says Sara Uzzell.

The offer is open to guests, including children, who book directly with the Whitehall or Arlington Hotels (not through a third party booking agency) for holidays in August 2012. The offer applies to new bookings and whole days only. Rainfall is determined by the Met Office station at Bournemouth Airport and dry days are counted as those with under 0.25mm of rain.

Book on-line now at the Whitehall Hotel or Arlington Hotel or phone us (01202 552879) to take advantage of this limited offer. We request payment in full at the time of booking.

Sara’s suggestions for the Top 10 things to do on a rainy day in Bournemouth for under a tenner:

1. Visit the Russell Cotes Museum and Art Gallery to see the intimate collection exhibition by royal photographer, Marcus Adams
2. Learn to paint, draw or print in a 2 hour art workshop at the Arlington Arts Cafe
3. Indulge in a chocolate tasting experience at Chocol8 in Westbourne
4. Go to the cinema and enjoy popcorn
5. Pamper yourself by having your nails painted
6. Take a bus tour around Bournemouth’s attractions
7. Visit the Oceanarium to see the new Otter Oasis
8. Sample local real ales at the Goat & Tricycle or real Italian icecream made at Gigi’s Gelataria
9. Enjoy a fish & chip feast watching the surfers in the bay
10. Celebrate 70 years of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five at Eileen Sopers Illustrated World in Poole Quay or go for a strike with ten pin bowling.

The Arlington Arts Cafe has signed up some amazingly talented artists for its 2012 summer workshop schedule starting next week.

The professional artists will be running 2 hour taster workshops in a range of subjects including sculpture, relief printmaking, knitting and crochet as well as painting and drawing in a variety of media.

The price of the workshops is £7.50 per person paid to the artist. This includes a drink and the materials required during the session. Our first workshop is Friday 29 June 2012.

View the workshop schedule here You can book by emailing: mail@arlingtonbournemouth.co.uk or phoning the Arlington Hotel (01202 552879) or just turn up 15 minutes before the start time.

The artists involved in the Arlington Arts Cafe for the 2012 summer season are:

Francesca Whetnall a talented and skilled artist across a variety of media her workshops this summer are an introduction to relief print making;

Elanor McBay a specialist in cartography and map art as her ‘day job’ but for this summer Elanor is running our knitting and crochet workshop;

Lauren Bissell is a renowned artist in the field of wildlife and landscapes, Lauren’s painting and drawing workshops are for artists of all levels of ability;

Linda Joyce an experienced and talented sculptor, Linda’s workshops are focused around sculpting the human face;

Trish Jubb is well-known locally as an expert in Life Drawing although her abstract work with oils is also stunning. Trish is running our Art for All workshop to show there is an artist in everyone;

Songul Bekir specialises in mask making and runs a colour and haiku workshop as well as group mural workshops.

The programme has been put together with the help and enthusiasm of Ruth Kelvin of the RK Collection.

Click here for more information about the 2012 Summer Art Workshops at the Arlington Arts Cafe.

The Olympic torch

The Olympics Opening Ceremony takes place at 9pm on Friday 27 July 2012. We will show this on our large screen TV in the hotel bar as well as highlights of the sporting events throughout the Olympic period until the closing ceremony in the evening on Sunday 12 August 2012.

Bournemouth beach will be celebrating the arrival of the Olympic torch on Friday 13 July 2012. On that evening there will be a concert broadcast on TV from Bournemouth beach.