The History of The Grand Hotel

Nestled in the beautiful Isle of Purbeck, our charming seaside hotel has a unique and fascinating history. Built for visitors to our popular coastal resort town, The Grand Hotel has played its part in World War II, been a favourite holiday spot for a well-loved children’s author, and was even cast in a starring role by one of Britain’s best comedy duos.

Vintage photograph of Swanage North Bay and Sands, showing people on the beach with cliffs and seaside buildings in the background.

From a Victorian paradise to World War II

The Grand Hotel was built in 1898, when Swanage was becoming well-known as a holiday destination for the well-to-do to enjoy sand, sun and sea. As The Grand was designed as a hotel from the outset, it could truly make the most of its stunning south-facing clifftop location. Or as one advertisement in 1939 stated: “ensuring the maximum amount of sunshine”.

Fast-forward to the 1940s, nearby Studland Bay was famously used to rehearse the landing of troops on the Normandy beaches in France. The arrival of US troops in November 1943 caused a stir among locals. While they stayed at Sandringham, The Grand Hotel was used as a facility for the new arrivals as they prepared for D-Day.

Historic photograph of the Grand Hotel in Swanage surrounded by gardens.

The favourite holiday destination of Enid Blyton

The post-war period was particularly hard for coastal resort towns across the country. One of the bright sparks for The Grand Hotel was our regular guest, Enid Blyton. The well-known and well-loved author of the Famous Five adventures, Noddy, and the Malory Towers series visited the Isle of Purbeck regularly through the 40s. Our beautiful surroundings provided plenty of inspiration for her children’s stories, and many local landmarks can be found in the pages of The Famous Five and her other works.

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Vintage photograph of children playing on a beach with large hats, with tents and Victorian-style buildings in the background.

Vintage photograph of a beach scene with people relaxing on the sand and a grand hotel in the background, identified as Grand Hotel and Sands, Swanage.

Vintage photograph of the Grand Hotel in Swanage with two people standing in front of the building.

Vintage photograph of the Grand Hotel in Swanage, England, showing the building's exterior facade with classic architecture and parked cars in front.

The Two Ronnies

From a well-loved British author to a well-loved British comedy duo, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, also known as the Two Ronnies, took a shine to our hotel. The pair cast The Grand in a starring role in their TV film, By The Sea. A classic slapstick comedy with no dialogue and plenty of laughs. There is no doubt that by stepping into The Grand Hotel, you’re following in the footsteps of British icons.

Today, you can still enjoy the timeless magic of holidays by the sea at our recently renovated clifftop hotel. Wake up to majestic coastal views in our charming and storied home-from-home.