The house was built in 1835 and was originally thought to have served as a residential summer home for a London merchant or for one of the Royal households. It remained a residence until the turn of the 20th Century when it was initially used as a Barnardos Home for Girls and then subsequently converted in to a nursing home. At this time the building was connected to what is now ‘The Marina Court’ next door with doorways serving between the two properties on the ground, second and third floors. You can still see the scars of this conjoining today with the doors in rooms 6 and 10 hidden behind the wardrobes. Needless to say it's all boarded up so you cannot expect any unwelcome guests during the night. Only after I purchased the house I discovered that both my Mum and Uncle had been born in the nursing home after the War. With the creation of the NHS in 1947, the house was soon converted to a Hotel. Originally named The Regent (after the Prince Regent King George III who made Weymouth famous). Changing its name to Hotel Malta in the 1960s, it remained this way until it was renamed The Esplanade Hotel in 1996.

Born in Weymouth, Rob is probably the only truly local hotel proprietors operating in the town. After leaving Weymouth to study, he returned in October 2007 to buy The Esplanade. After over 10 years working in Exeter and nearly a further 10 years working in London he returned to raise his family and to become the fifth generation of Cole to live and work in the town they love. With local blood and seaside skin, Rob is renowned for wearing shorts and flip flops for the entire year and during the season is often found answering his emails and drinking coffee (or something a little stronger on occasion) in his 'beach office' situated directly opposite the hotel. With a love of walking, he spends a lot of time on the coastal paths of the Jurassic Coast as well as the beautiful inland routes of the rolling hills of ‘Hardy Country’. I love just sitting on Weymouth beach, swimming in the sea, eating Rossi's icecream, having a cheeky pint and a Marlboro fishcake at the harbourside or to walk back along the Jurassic Coast from Lulworth and Durdle Door all the way back to the hotel. When the sun shines on Weymouth you truly could be anywhere in the Med!

The Esplanade is smack on Weymouth Seafront. It is yards from the award winning beach and only a 5 minute walk to town and 10 minutes to the harbour. There are several good restaurants on the doorstep and Lodmoor Country Park with the Sealife Centre and Sandworld as well as many other attractions, is only a 10 minute walk along the prom. The Jurassic Coast Tower, and harbour for boat trips around Portland Harbour or along the Jurassic Coast is only a 10 minute walk and the Nothe Fort and Hope Square 15 minutes walk. Residing on the coast we are situated actually on the South West Coast Path with instant access to the route and the stunning Jurassic Coast. Outdoor watersports such as windsurfing, kayaking and kitesurfing are readily available as is sailing and diving. With its own car park, The Esplanade makes an excellent base for exploring more of Dorset with The Tank Museum, Monkey World, Lulworth Cove (and Durdle Door), Portland, Dorchester, Hardy’s Cottage, numerous stately homes, Broadchurch (West Bay), Cerne Abbas Giant, Gold Hill (Hovis), Golden Cap, Tower Park, Poole, Bournemouth, Sandbanks, Swanage, Durlston Country Park, Corfe Castle, all well within an hour’s drive.