Coast Apartments Hotel is a seven-apartment building with free on-site parking and full kitchens on St Michael’s Road, between Bournemouth’s West Cliff and the BH2 leisure quarter. The beach sits about a 10-minute walk via the West Cliff Zigzag, and the town centre and gardens lie roughly 600 to 800 metres east. This page details the apartment types, the precise location advantages, practical arrival tips, and alternatives nearby if you need a different size or setting.
Coast runs from smart studio apartments up to a two-bedroom, two-bathroom penthouse with a private balcony, with Wi‑Fi and smart TVs throughout. Every booking includes private on-site parking at the property’s St Michael’s Road address, which is rare this close to Bournemouth town centre. You can view wider local options in our Where to Stay and Hotels sections, or tap into the map to see how Coast sits relative to the pier, gardens and BH2.
The essentials at Coast Apartments Bournemouth
Coast Apartments Hotel occupies a mid-terrace building on St Michael’s Road, a one-way street that runs west from the B3066 roundabout at Exeter Road towards the West Cliff. The property contains seven self-contained apartments, each with a full kitchen for proper self-catering, plus free on-site parking included with every stay. From the front door, the West Cliff gardens and Zigzag path to the sand sit about 400 to 500 metres west, which is roughly a 10-minute walk down to Bournemouth’s main stretch of beach.
The BH2 leisure complex on Exeter Crescent, with restaurants and a cinema, lies around 600 metres to the east, about 7 to 8 minutes on foot along St Michael’s Road and Exeter Road. Bournemouth Pier and the Lower Gardens sit a similar distance, around 12 minutes on foot, making this a base where beach and town both feel close. The building suits independent arrivals: self check-in is standard, with 24/7 support available by phone during your stay.
Coast sits where the town centre levels out towards the cliff-top, so walking routes are mostly gentle until you reach the gardens or the Zigzag descent. The position places you within Bournemouth’s seven-mile bay of sandy beaches recognised by Blue Flag awards in recent years, with seasonal RNLI lifeguard cover on central sections in peak months. For broader planning, our Beaches overview sets out the coast west to east, including the West Cliff, Pier Approach and Alum Chine.
Apartment types and layouts at Coast Apartments Bournemouth
Apartments at Coast range from studio spaces suited to one or two guests up to a larger two-bedroom penthouse for families or small groups. Every unit offers a fully equipped kitchen for cooking in, a smart TV and Wi‑Fi for streaming, and a proper dining space rather than just a counter. The penthouse adds a private balcony, and most apartments are laid out with open-plan living areas to keep self-catering simple and sociable.
The building totals seven apartments, so availability varies by week and season. Studios offer an efficient setup for singles and couples who plan to split time between the laptop, the gardens and the sea. One-bedroom apartments add separation between sleeping and living spaces, which works well for stays of a few nights or more. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom penthouse suits up to two couples or a family who value extra room and outdoor space for breakfast in the salt air.
Below, the types compare at a glance. If you need more space again or a different setting right on the cliff-top, Tower House Apartments on the West Cliff sits about 500 metres away and is around 30 seconds from the sand; its listing lives under Tower House Apartments - Bournemouth Beach.
Studio Apartments
Studios at Coast are designed for one or two guests who want a central base with full self-catering. Each studio includes a fitted kitchen for simple meals, a dining table for two that doubles as a laptop workspace, and a smart TV for downtime. Floor areas vary by unit, but all studios are arranged to keep luggage, cooking and sleeping in one well-organised room, with a separate bathroom off the hallway or main space.
For city-to-sea days, the walk from a studio door to the West Cliff Zigzag takes about 6 minutes, then another 4 minutes down to the sand where the main seafront amenities begin. For evenings, the BH2 restaurants and the Lower Gardens sit within an 8 to 12-minute stroll east, so you can eat out without moving the car. The free on-site parking included with each studio stay removes the need to feed metres in the town’s controlled parking zones around the B3066.
One-Bed Apartments
One-bed apartments add a distinct bedroom alongside an open-plan living, dining and kitchen area. That separation suits longer stays, early nights for one person while another works or watches a film, or a small family using a travel cot in the bedroom. Kitchens run full-height fridges and standard ovens with hobs, so a full cook-in supper is practical rather than just reheating, and cupboards hold the usual cookware and plates.
Walking times remain the same across the building: 10 minutes to the sand via the Zigzag, roughly 12 minutes to Bournemouth Pier, and about 7 minutes to the BH2 restaurants. If you plan day trips west to Sandbanks or east to Hengistbury Head, having your own allocated on-site space at Coast makes coming and going simpler than multi-storey car parks on Exeter Road. For an inland café scene, Westbourne lies around 1.2 km west along Poole Road, about 15 minutes on foot.
Two-Bed Penthouse
The penthouse at Coast is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with a private balcony for outside seating. It suits four guests who want more space and privacy than a standard two-bed, or a couple who prefer a generous layout for a week by the sea. Bedrooms sit off a central living area with a full kitchen and dining table, and the balcony offers an outdoor spot for coffee within sight of the treetops of the West Cliff gardens.
From the penthouse, the same 10-minute route drops you to the main beach for a morning swim before the promenade fills, and the same 12-minute walk reaches the Lower Gardens for a loop under the pines. Evenings are easy to plan: screens and chain restaurants at BH2 sit 7 to 8 minutes away, while independent spots cluster in Westbourne 1.2 km west. Free on-site parking covers one car for the stay, so a two-car group may still need to factor in off-site pay-and-display nearby.
Facilities for self-catering and longer stays
Coast’s appeal is practical: every apartment includes a full kitchen with an oven, hob and fridge-freezer, so shopping at the nearest supermarket and cooking in is as simple as at home. A dining table in each unit gives meals a proper setting and doubles as a work surface for a laptop in the mornings. Smart TVs provide streaming and catch-up via your own accounts, and Wi‑Fi runs throughout the building for day-to-day browsing and video calls.
Free private on-site parking is included with every booking, which is unusual within 800 metres of Bournemouth Pier where on-street spaces operate time limits and council tariffs. Self check-in means arrivals late in the evening are straightforward after a long drive down the A338 from the A31, and 24/7 support by phone is in place should anything need fixing during a stay. Linen and towels are provided at the start of your visit, so you only need to pack beach gear and day-to-day clothing.
For eating out, the BH2 restaurants on Exeter Crescent sit a 7 to 8-minute walk away, and independent cafés and bakeries gather in Westbourne around 1.2 km west along Poole Road. If you prefer the sand and a picnic, West Cliff Beach spreads either side of the Zigzag and connects to Pier Approach within about 10 minutes on foot. Bournemouth’s central beaches regularly show in Blue Flag award listings, which speaks to water quality and seafront standards across the main bay.
Kitchens and in-apartment essentials
Kitchens at Coast are set up for self-catering rather than just reheats: standard ovens, hobs and fridge-freezers support proper meals, with pans and crockery stocked in the cupboards. A kettle and toaster usually sit on the counter, so breakfast is simple before you head out to the gardens. Supermarkets and convenience stores line the B3066 and Commercial Road within 700 to 900 metres, making an evening top-up shop a quick 10 to 12-minute loop on foot.
A dining table gives each apartment a defined place to sit and eat, which matters on a longer stay when you want mealtimes to feel relaxed. For a change of scene, the Lower Gardens lawns lie around 600 metres east for an easy picnic under the pines, with benches beside the Bourne stream. If you plan a beach barbecue, note that local rules apply on Bournemouth’s seafront and cliff-tops; the local authority sets guidance across the bay via BCP Council.
Wi‑Fi, smart TVs and working setups
Wi‑Fi runs in all seven apartments, with smart TVs in living spaces for streaming and film nights. Dining tables are at a sensible height for laptops, and power sockets cluster around the living area so chargers and work kit do not trail. With the BH2 leisure quarter about 7 to 8 minutes away and Westbourne cafés 1.2 km west, there are nearby options if you like to split your workday between the apartment and a coffee shop before taking the Zigzag to the beach at lunch.
Digital nomads and remote workers particularly value the combination of Wi‑Fi, a proper table and free private parking for stays of a week or more. The route to Bournemouth Station is around 2.1 km, which is roughly 8 to 12 minutes by taxi or 25 to 30 minutes on foot through the gardens, so day trips to Southampton, Winchester or London Waterloo are feasible by train. For a longer stay, the balance of beach access and town-centre amenities supports a steady routine.
Self check-in and support
Self check-in works via instructions shared ahead of arrival, so late-night check-ins after the 20:00 ferry into Poole or an evening inbound flight to Bournemouth Airport are workable. A support number is provided for assistance at any hour, which covers practical matters like access, heating controls or replacement items if needed. This service-led setup means you do not have to fit a specific desk timetable, which can be a relief after a 2.5 to 3-hour drive from the M25 via the A31 and A338.
For onward travel or planning questions, our Visitor Information page condenses essential arrival advice, from typical weather patterns to travel choices around the conurbation. The Met Office publishes monthly climate normals for the South West, which give a reliable sense of temperatures and rainfall, useful when packing for a shoulder-season week. For anything seafront-specific, BCP Council carries the latest on cliff paths, lifts and seasonal operations along the bay.
Location: West Cliff, BH2 and walking times from Coast Apartments Bournemouth
Coast sits squarely between Bournemouth’s West Cliff and its town centre, with the cliff-top lawns and the main gardens both within about 600 to 800 metres. The West Cliff offers a green belt above the sea that runs west to Alum Chine, with benches and a straightforward Zigzag path down to the sand. Eastwards, the Lower Gardens lead to Bournemouth Pier and Pier Approach, where the Oceanarium and cafés form a compact cluster around the seafront.
BH2 lies on Exeter Crescent just beyond the B3066 roundabout, about 7 to 8 minutes from Coast on foot, with national chain restaurants and a cinema for easy evenings. Bournemouth Pier sits roughly 12 minutes on foot from St Michael’s Road via the Lower Gardens, and the Oceanarium front doors face Pier Approach at a similar distance. Westbourne’s independent restaurants and bars gather around Poole Road, about 1.2 km west, which is a 15-minute walk or a short hop by bus.
The wider bay stretches seven miles from Hengistbury Head to Sandbanks, with continuous promenade and sandy beaches the whole way. Heading west from the West Cliff brings you to Alum Chine within around 20 minutes on foot, which has a green-backed beach and a family-friendly vibe in summer. Eastwards, the curve past the Pier towards Boscombe takes in traditional beach-hut lines and plenty of promenade for cycling outside the busiest hours.
The West Cliff Zigzag to the beach
The West Cliff Zigzag starts just off the cliff-top lawns above the main central beach and is the quickest way down from St Michael’s Road. The walk from Coast to the Zigzag top takes around 6 minutes, mostly level until the final approach across the lawns, and the descent adds about 4 minutes to the sand depending on pace. The slope is steady and well-paved, with handrails, making it a straightforward daily route for morning swims or short sea-air loops.
From the bottom, you can walk east to Pier Approach in about 10 minutes along the promenade or west towards Alum Chine in around 20 minutes past the pine-topped cliffs. Beach lifeguard cover operates on central sections in peak months under RNLI arrangements, and signage at the seafront sets out any seasonal rules. Water quality and management standards on the main Bournemouth beaches regularly meet Blue Flag award criteria, which is one reason the sands stay busy in high summer.
Town centre, gardens and Bournemouth Pier
Heading east from Coast, the Lower Gardens begin around 600 metres from St Michael’s Road, with manicured lawns, pines and the Bourne stream running towards the sea. The bandstand and mini-golf sit along this route, and within another 5 to 6 minutes you reach Pier Approach and the Oceanarium for a compact day’s outing without using the car. Bournemouth Pier itself is a short additional stroll, and the promenade extends east and west for level walking by the water.
The BH2 leisure quarter lies just above the gardens on Exeter Crescent, around 7 to 8 minutes from Coast, with mainstream choices for group meals and rainy-day cinema trips. For independent food and drink, Westbourne is 1.2 km west along Poole Road, which also has frequent buses into Bournemouth Square about 900 metres east of Coast. Our Attractions and Food & Drink sections map out what sits where, including the pier’s activities and places to eat in town.
Westbourne and the coastal walk to Alum Chine
Westbourne makes a handy neighbourhood for brunches and evening meals, sitting about 1.2 km west of St Michael’s Road along Poole Road, a 15-minute walk with a gentle rise. From the cliff-top above Westbourne, the coastal path leads to Alum Chine in about 10 minutes, which puts you on a green-backed beach with a family playground set behind the promenade. If you like a long seafront walk, the stretch from the Zigzag to Alum Chine and back clocks about 40 minutes at an easy pace.
Alum Chine offers a calmer feel than the central stretch by the pier, especially outside school holidays, and it marks the start of the headland path towards Branksome and Sandbanks. Sandbanks itself sits about 6.5 km west by road from Coast, which is a 15 to 20-minute drive outside peak hours, or around 90 minutes on foot for a long coastal day. For ideas beyond the central bay, our Explore section covers nearby towns and coast paths along Poole Bay and towards Purbeck.
Getting here and parking information
Arriving by car, the most direct route into central Bournemouth from the A31 is the A338 Wessex Way, which drops you to the B3066 roundabout by the town centre within about 10 minutes after the county boundary. St Michael’s Road runs as a one-way from this roundabout towards the West Cliff, and Coast’s private on-site parking is included with every booking, removing the need for council car parks on Exeter Road or the clifftop. Having your own space matters on sunny weekends when town-centre parking fills by mid-morning.
By rail, Bournemouth Station sits roughly 2.1 km from St Michael’s Road, which is around 25 to 30 minutes on foot through the gardens or 8 to 12 minutes by taxi depending on traffic along the B3066. Trains to and from London Waterloo, Southampton and Poole run daily; National Rail carries current timetables and journey planners for services into Bournemouth. If you are flying in, Bournemouth Airport lies about 7 km north-east by road, a 15 to 20-minute taxi ride outside rush hour via the B3073 and A338.
Once parked, most daily needs sit within a 5 to 15-minute radius on foot: the West Cliff Zigzag to the beach in about 10 minutes, BH2 restaurants in around 7 to 8 minutes, and Bournemouth Pier in roughly 12 minutes. Buses on Poole Road connect Westbourne and Bournemouth Square in under 10 minutes ride-time, so a car is not essential after you arrive. Our Interactive Map plots Coast in relation to beaches, gardens and venues across the bay for easy trip planning.
From Bournemouth station and coach stops
Bournemouth railway station stands on Holdenhurst Road, approximately 2.1 km from St Michael’s Road, with local buses running towards Bournemouth Square which sits about 900 metres from Coast. If you prefer to walk, the route through the Upper and Lower Gardens to the pier then west to St Michael’s Road takes around 30 minutes with only gentle gradients until the final blocks. For coach arrivals, the main stops cluster near the station as well, so the same timings and options apply.
If you plan to day-trip out by train during your stay, aim for departures from around 08:00 to avoid peak commuter flows, and consider a taxi back up to the station for tight connections. National Rail is the definitive source for journey times to places like Winchester, Southampton or Poole, with live updates for any engineering work. Once back in town, the 600 to 800-metre loop from Bournemouth Square to St Michael’s Road is a simple 10-minute walk.
By car from the A338 and airport
From the A31, the A338 Wessex Way runs for about 10 miles into town and ends at the B3066 Bournemouth West roundabout beside the gardens. From here, Exeter Road leads towards the seafront and St Michael’s Road branches off to the west; the drive to Coast takes roughly 3 to 5 minutes in light traffic. If you are coming from Bournemouth Airport, expect around 7 km by road via the B3073 and A338, usually 15 to 20 minutes by taxi outside peak periods.
Once at Coast, private on-site parking is included for the duration of your stay, which means you can leave the car and explore on foot. For trips to Sandbanks or Poole Quay, consider leaving before 10:00 in summer to avoid queues at the Canford Cliffs pinch points; off-peak, the 6.5 to 8 km run is commonly 15 to 25 minutes. For longer coastal day trips, our guide to Jurassic Coast day trips from Bournemouth outlines travel times west to Durdle Door and Lulworth from the town.
Moving around without a car
Most core attractions lie within a 5 to 15-minute walk of St Michael’s Road, so you can cover beach, gardens and dinner spots on foot. The promenade is level and runs for seven miles, making cycles and scooters practical for longer hops outside peak bathing hours. If you want to mix neighbourhoods, buses on Poole Road reach Westbourne in about 5 minutes, and Bournemouth Square in a similar time, which then puts you within 600 metres of the pier and gardens.
For attractions beyond the immediate centre, the Oceanarium sits on Pier Approach about 12 minutes on foot, and theatres and venues across the conurbation list on our What’s On calendar if you need a specific address and timing. The Explore section features the surrounding towns and coast, with suggested routes to places like Hengistbury Head and the Purbeck coast. Our Interactive Map remains the quickest way to see walking times and distances from Coast to each venue.
When to stay and who it suits
Coast works through all seasons because of its central, walkable position and the independence of self-catering. Summer brings the busiest beach days along the central stretch by the pier, with peak footfall from late morning to late afternoon, while early swims before 09:00 feel calmer. Spring and autumn deliver quieter promenades, with average daytime highs around the low to mid-teens Celsius according to the Met Office’s regional climate profiles, which suits walking the cliff-top and gardens.
In winter, the combination of free private on-site parking, full kitchens and proximity to BH2’s cinema and restaurants keeps evenings simple without a drive. The promenade stays open year-round for sea-air walks, and the Lower Gardens’ illuminated paths remain well-used even when the sea is too cold for long dips. The steady 10-minute walk to the sand via the Zigzag means beach time does not require planning around car parks, especially useful when the weather clears suddenly after rain.
Families, couples, work travellers and longer-stay guests all find Coast straightforward because the main differences between units are space and sleeping configuration rather than location. Studios fit singles and couples, one-beds add separation for longer stays, and the two-bed penthouse offers two bathrooms and a balcony for four. If you want to be almost directly above the sand, Tower House Apartments on the West Cliff sits about 500 metres away; for leafy gardens and some sea-view balconies, Cliff Heights Apartments on the West Cliff is another option nearby.
Families and small groups
For families of up to four, the two-bedroom penthouse offers two bathrooms and a private balcony, which adds breathing room on a week-long stay. The 10-minute walk down the Zigzag to the beach keeps days flexible: you can return for naps or lunch without loading a car, and be back on the sand in minutes. The Lower Gardens, about 600 metres east, give children room to run without waves, and Alum Chine’s green and playground sit around a 20-minute seaside walk west.
Small groups of friends find the one-bed and two-bed layouts practical for a long weekend, with the BH2 restaurants about 7 to 8 minutes away for group meals. If you plan a wider social night, Old Christchurch Road’s bars gather around 900 to 1,200 metres east, roughly a 12 to 16-minute walk from St Michael’s Road. Free on-site parking simplifies splitting into two cars, though you may need to plan an additional space off-site if the group brings more than one vehicle.
Couples and friends
Couples often pick studios or one-bed apartments for short stays, balancing cooking in with dinner out around BH2 or in Westbourne 1.2 km west. The Lower Gardens loop, around 600 metres east, makes an easy evening stroll, and Bournemouth Pier is a further 5 to 6 minutes if you prefer a longer walk with sea views. For a different beach feel, Alum Chine sits about a 20-minute walk west along the promenade, which many find calmer than the central stretch in high summer.
If a sea-view balcony is important, you can compare Coast’s penthouse with nearby options that prioritise outlook. Cliff Heights Apartments on the West Cliff sits a short walk away and includes units with panoramic sea-view balconies across Bournemouth Bay. If proximity to the sand beats everything else, Tower House Apartments is around 30 seconds from the beach steps, which is as close as the West Cliff gets without being on the promenade itself.
Business travellers and digital nomads
Business travellers and digital nomads value Coast for three reasons in combination: walkable location, Wi‑Fi with smart TVs for casting, and free private on-site parking for the whole stay. The dining table in each unit doubles as a workspace, and the 10-minute Zigzag walk to the beach makes a midday sea-air break easy without losing an hour. BH2’s restaurants and a cinema sit 7 to 8 minutes away for low-effort evenings, and Westbourne’s cafés lie 1.2 km west for a change of work scene.
Bournemouth Station sits around 2.1 km away for day trips to Southampton or London, which are practical on the South Western Main Line; National Rail carries live journey planning. If your work involves frequent trips along the coast, Poole and Christchurch both sit within roughly 20 minutes by car outside peak hours, depending on the time of day along the B3066 and A338. Within the property’s portfolio on the West Cliff, Coast is the practical all-rounder under Flexiestays, combining full kitchens with an included parking space this close to the centre.
For broader context on Bournemouth’s history, geography and growth into a resort town since the 19th century, Wikipedia’s overview gives a concise background to how the Lower Gardens and West Cliff came to be laid out as they are. For seafront operations, beach safety and Blue Flag award frameworks across the main bay, the RNLI and Blue Flag sites provide the national-level context behind the lifeguard season and beach quality standards. If you want to plot Coast relative to all of this, our Interactive Map links each attraction and beach section along the seven-mile sweep.