I arrived all prepared for an overnight stay with my special bear sized suitcase.

After checking in I said “Hello” to a large gathering of RNLI Bears!

I wondered about treating myself to some splendid RNLI yellow wellies, just like the ones that the lifeboat crews wear, but unfortunately the smallest were too big.

The room was on the 3rd floor which is a lot of stairs for a small bear, so I waited for the lift.

It whizzed upwards and I was soon on the way to the room.

There was an interesting view of various lifeboats from the room window.

I always test beds long before bedtime. This one was very comfy.

I was very careful not to spill any tea on the white sofa!

After finishing my tea I set off to have a look at the grounds. The RNLI college is where lifeboat crews do training and they stay in the hotel while doing various courses. Other humans are able to book the unused rooms. They also do tours of the site but they were all booked up, so we will try and do this when next in the area.

I had a good look at the various lifeboats that were all around.

I love deckchairs, especially stripey ones, so I had sat for a while in this one before going back to the room to get ready for the evening meal.

On Sundays the evening meal at the RNLI hotel is from a carvery. It was all very tasty and filled up my tummy.

I felt quite tired after such a busy day (we visited Brownsea Island before checking in) so it wasn’t long before I needed to go to bed. I took my special new pyjamas from the suitcase.

The new pyjamas fit me perfectly. They were made to fit Paddington, but he just happens to be the same size as me, so my human ordered handmade Paddington sized pyjamas for me from an online auction site (details of the seller listed later).

It wasn’t long before I was fast asleep.

In the morning at breakfast there was an excellent choice of food. I ended up with a bacon roll, a bowl of fruit and a very yummy pastry that had lots of chocolate inside.

Before leaving I went outside to watch crew members being trained. Some of them were learning to tie knots, and some to throw ropes. I think the rope throwing must need quite a bit of practice.

If you are visiting Poole this is a splendid place to stay. The Hotel profits help support the work of the RNLI rescuing humans that get into difficulty in the sea.

More information about the RNLI College & Hotel: https://rnli.org/rnli-college

My pyjamas were purchased from this seller: https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/padd-on-t-net

Horace the Alresford Bear 3/9/2024