Frequently Asked Questions
Visiting Sandbanks in Poole for the first time? Find out the answers to the most commonly asked questions:
Enjoy a fantastic seaside holiday on the south coast of England and book a hotel room in Sandbanks today. The "Jewel in the crown" of the British Isles, Sandbanks is known for it's legendary water sports, beach festivals and world class hotels offering direct, easy access to the beach.
Sandbanks continues to be one of the most popular beach holiday resorts in the UK! Offering spectacular views of the Jurassic Coastline and the best beaches in England. With boat trips across the beautiful Poole Bay to Brownsea Island and beyond. It also offers perfect conditions for every kind of water sports including facilities for equipment hire and lessons.
If you are looking for a seaside staycation, Sandbanks offers a truly unique and legendary holiday experience here on the South Coast of England. Visitors from all over the world choose premium affordable accommodation, restaurants offering fresh locally sourced food and a wide variety of activities for all the family. Widely heralded as having perfect conditions for every type of water sport, all year round.
The iconic Sandbanks Beach is known as the best beach in the UK with it's glorious, soft golden sands, award winning Blue Flag waters and beautiful views of the Jurassic Coast. Growing exponentially year-on-year in popularity, the beach remains the main draw to the area for visitors and locals alike.
From the first moment you reach Evening Hill and catch sight of Poole Bay and Sandbanks Peninsula stretching out before you, you will be left with no doubt you've found a slice of heaven.
The sun glints across the calm, sparkling waters of Poole Bay. Boats sail effortlessly and serenely on their journey to-and-fro from the English Channel.
It's hard to imagine that the Sandbanks of today had such humble beginnings as an uninhabited peninsula of sand crossing the mouth of Poole Harbour on the English Channel. It is now internationally known as one of the most covetted place to live and visit in the world.
Sandbanks has gained a reputation as a sun-soaked millionaire's playground and the 3rd most expensive place to live in the world. Properties sell for £millions but with unique, stunning scenery, access to watersports facilities and world-renowned yacht clubs it's not hard to see why. It also now attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors and holidaymakers every year who are looking to experience the lifestyle of the rich and famous.
Just 100 years ago in the late Victorian era, this relatively inoquous sandy wasteland was cut off from the mainland and unrecognisable from the famous coastal holiday resort of today.
Post First World War, a road was built to connect the then named "Parkstone-on-Sea" to the mainland and holidaymakers began to flock to the area.
It wasn't until the wit and guile of local estate agents in the 1990's, namely Rumsey & Rumsey being one of particular note, who began to see real market opportunity in developing Sandbanks in to what is now commonly referred to as "Britain's Palm Beach".
Find out more about the history of Sandbanks and what makes it such a unique and must-visit location.
Book your stay in one of the fantastic hotels here in Sandbanks. With a range of rooms to match your budget, enjoy a fantastic seaside break anytime of the year.
The Sandbanks Hotel is a relaxed and affordable holiday destination. With direct access to the world-famous Sandbanks Beach with seven miles of prestigious Blue Flag awarded sand to get between your toes!
Perched at the tip of the exclusive Sandbanks peninsula in Poole and surrounded by sea and sand. With direct access to seven miles of beaches and just a couple of steps away from the Purbecks, linked by Shell Bay chain ferry.
Harbour Heights offers boutique and stylish surroundings, paired with stunning panoramic outlooks over Poole Harbour and the Purbeck Hills beyond. Every bedroom is carefully designed for comfort with premium beds and spa baths.
Thousands of people from all over the world visit and enjoy Sandbanks in Poole every year. One thing is for sure, once they visit, they always look forward to coming back!
This is one of my favourite sand beaches in the south of England. Soft, white sand and clear water. you can rent the boat here to enjoy a good sunny day. It is also a good place to have a long walk to explore the natural beauty from one end to other end. I would highly recommend this beach.
Great sandy beach. On a sunny weekend one should visit as early as possible or the car park gets full very quickly. Stretch of the beach is very long and you may find may entrances to it. Beach is very clean, water is transparent and clean, it’s fun to be in the water or just on the beach doing your favourite leisure activity.
Loved it! We visited for the first week in July 2022. The weather was kind and the clear sea was calm and refreshingly cold. The beach and promenade were fantasticly clean and well kept. We hope to return!
In the local area this is by far the best water and best sand. It’s a bit separate from the town so it’s best for a day on the beach rather than a couple of hours. There is a drinking water filling station, dog washing station and plenty of toilets
A lovely beach that is clean right down to the sand. The toilets are well maintained and there is a nice cafe plus a takeaway shop if you don't feel like cooking. The parking is also convenient with pay-by-app in use here.
Visiting Sandbanks in Poole for the first time? Find out the answers to the most commonly asked questions:
The main Sandbanks car park has 550 spaces, with 5 disabled parking bays. Shore Road car park has room for 144 cars. There is also harbourside pay and display parking along Banks Road and free parking in the surrounding residential roads. On hot days the car park fills up fast, so consider alternative ways of travel.
There's nowhere quite like Sandbanks! It's a unique peninsula in Poole, Dorset with fantastic views unlike anywhere else. Commonly referred to as "Britain's Palm Beach" you'll think you've arrived in Miami! The Golden Mile is known as a millionaires playground with expensive coastal properties averaging £1M+ and access to world-class yacht clubs, marinas and water sports.
There's an entire section of beach dedicated to our furry friends, where they can run free and off the lead all year round. We even have a doggy wash station located near the main Sandbanks Car Park to keep your pooches sand-free and happy.
From hotel rooms to luxury holiday homes, there's a range of accommodation in Sandbanks to suit most budgets. You can also stay in the nearby seaside towns of Poole & Bournemouth which offer easy and affordable transport links back to Sandbanks. Whether you are visiting with family or friends, you'll find a huge choice of places to stay near the beach.