A beach hut turns a good day at the seaside into an easy one. Instead of hauling everything across the sand and pinning down a windbreak, you get a base with a door, a kettle and somewhere dry to change. Bournemouth has thousands of them strung along the promenade, and hiring one is more straightforward than most people expect.
The essentials
- Most seafront huts are hired through the council, by day, week or season.
- They run in coloured rows along much of the seven-mile promenade.
- Book early for summer weekends and school holidays, as demand is high.
- Huts are for daytime use, not sleeping, and come empty, so bring your own kit.
How hiring works
The bulk of Bournemouth’s beach huts are owned by the local council and let out to the public, which keeps the process fairly simple. You can usually hire for a single day, for a week, or take a longer seasonal let that runs across the warmer months. Daily and weekly hire suits visitors and one-off days out, while seasonal lets tend to be snapped up by regulars who want the same hut year after year.
Booking is generally done in advance through the council, often online, and the popular stretches near the centre go quickly for peak dates. If you want a hut for a specific summer weekend, treat it like booking anything else in high season and sort it well ahead.
What it costs
Prices depend on where the hut sits, the time of year and how long you take it for, with peak summer costing more than the quieter shoulder months. Rates are reviewed each year, so check the current figures at the point of booking rather than trusting a number you saw a couple of seasons ago. As a rule, huts further from the pier and the busiest access points tend to be a little easier to secure.
Where the huts are
The huts are spread along much of the seven-mile front, so it is worth thinking about which stretch fits your day. The central beaches near the piers are the busiest and best connected for cafes and facilities. Head west and the huts at Durley Chine put you near a well-equipped seafront with a modern building and watersports on hand.
Go the other way and the rows out towards Southbourne are calmer and more local in feel, a good choice if you want space and quiet rather than the crowds. Wherever you end up, the flat promenade links the stretches together, so you are never far from the next kiosk or slipway.
What to bring
Council huts are hired empty, so pack as though you are furnishing a tiny room for the day. A few things make all the difference:
- Folding chairs and a small table, since huts do not come with furniture.
- A flask or a camping kettle if you want hot drinks, plus water.
- Windbreak, towels, sun cream and layers for when the breeze picks up.
- Bags for rubbish, as you are expected to leave the hut clean.
A hut gives you shade at midday, shelter if the wind gets up and a lockable spot for bags while you are in the sea. For families it is the single easiest way to make a long beach day comfortable, especially with young children who need regular breaks from the sun.
A few practical notes
Huts are for daytime use and are not set up for sleeping overnight. Keep the promenade clear when you set out chairs, follow any site rules posted nearby, and remember that the same seasonal beach and dog restrictions apply to the sand in front of your hut as anywhere else on the coast. Check the promenade signage if you are unsure.
Where to go next
A hut is really just a comfier way to enjoy the beach, so once you have one booked, the rest is planning the day around it. Browse all of the beaches to pick your stretch of sand, or look through the wider range of things to do to fill the hours between swims.