Highcliff Grill - Bournemouth

The dining room at the hotel was satisfactory, but lacking in ambiance due to its large size. The Rump Steak, beef burger, and sea bass special were all well-prepared and delicious. The service was attentive and friendly.

I booked a table for dinner online, when we arrived we were told we didn't have a booking but were squeezed in. We ordered a bottle of wine and were given some bread, we ordered our food which after eventually arrived over an hour later dry and overcooked. Terrible food and awful service, would definitely not go back.

We ate from the Dorset menu, mackerel from Chesil Beach and the fresh Pollock were delightful. The flavours were super, the fish really fresh. Super puddings to finish. Worth every penny. Service was super.

At the bar, drinks were being poured and the girl mentioned that the cocktail would take a while to be brought to the table. There were a total of 9 people in the bar/lounge area with three servers. After 15 minutes, I noticed the bartender folding napkins and asked for the cocktail. He gestured towards the bar where the girl had been standing before serving other customers. The bartender seemed disinterested and gave me a look as if to say, "How dare you ask?" In the restaurant, which had 5 dining tables, my daughter requested a Hendrick's gin and tonic but the server had never heard of it. She suggested a Bombay Sapphire instead, but they were out of that too. My wife asked for black pepper, but the server claimed they only had white pepper in the shaker on the table. Midway through the meal, the restaurant managers ran by and inquired about the missing black pepper. Eventually, a server brought a pepper pot to the table and mentioned that it took so long because they didn't know how to open it, but it turned out to be a pepper grinder. Despite the food being good and the service friendly, the staff seemed to have no idea what they were doing. This particular location, the Marriot Highcliff Hotel in Bournemouth, does not live up to the standards of the Marriot Group. It lacked a sense of responsibility and interest, giving off a poor impression overall. A bizarre and disappointing experience.

The restaurant offers top-notch local ingredients and exceptional service. The added bonus of a beautiful sea view only enhances the dining experience.