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The Independent UK

Travel

Tina Walsh

Best hotels in Blackpool for a jolly holiday by the sea

Not so long ago, Blackpool was synonymous with Kiss Me Quick hats and rowdy stag and hen parties. But over the past decade or so, this no-nonsense Victorian seaside resort (whose spectacular annual Illuminations stretch for 8km along the Golden Mile) on Lancashire’s Fylde coast has been enjoying a renaissance.

Hundreds of millions of pounds have been spent on regeneration, and it seems to be paying off. Spoils include an impressive new promenade with “Spanish steps” down to the town’s 11km-long golden sandy beach, a refurbished Tower and a huge £16.25m investment in Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s newest and biggest project, the ICON double launch roller coaster.

Add to that the number of smart hotels, boutique guesthouses and B&Bs that have been springing up at a rate of knots – with not a brushed nylon bedsheet in sight – and you’ll easily see why this British beach is now the perfect place for your next jolly holiday.

So, put any negative preconceptions aside and come and join the fun.

The best hotels in Blackpool are:

Best for a modern vibe: Hampton by Hilton Blackpool
Best for uninterrupted sea views: Number One South Beach
Best for fitness fans: Village Hotel Blackpool
Best for thrill-seekers: The Big Blue Hotel
Best for contemporary luxury: Boulevard Hotel
Best for relaxed elegance: The Redstone Guesthouse
Best for kicking back at happy hour: Mode Hotel St Annes
Best for old-fashioned grandeur: The Grand Hotel

Best for a modern vibe: Hampton by Hilton Blackpool

Neighbourhood: New South Promenade

Awake to a sea view at Hampton at Hilton (Hampton at Hilton)

Although part of a UK-wide chain, Hampton by Hilton Blackpool, opened as part of a £31m mixed-use regeneration project, has ditched the corporate feel in favour of a more contemporary aesthetic. Located on the new South Promenade, it’s far enough removed from the general hubbub, yet close enough to walk to the Pleasure Beach and Sandcastle Water Park. Many of its 130 modern rooms have a sea view, the bar and fitness centre are open round the clock and a cooked breakfast is included in the room price. If you need to bring your work with you, there’s a fully equipped business centre too.

Best for uninterrupted sea views: Number One South Beach

Neighbourhood: New South Promenade

Take a load off at Number One South Beach (Number One South Beach)

It’s a chintz-free zone at this stylish family-run hotel at the southern end of South Beach, which offers uninterrupted views of the Irish Sea and Blackpool’s enormous mirrorball. Each of the 14 rooms, some sea-facing, are individually designed, with king-sized beds, Egyptian cotton bed linen, Siberian goose down pillows and bathrooms with whirlpool baths and power showers. There’s also an excellent restaurant, a well-stocked bar and free private parking.

Best for fitness fans: Village Hotel Blackpool

Neighbourhood: Stanley Park

Splash out at The Village Hotel (The Village Hotel)

Located in picturesque Stanley Park (which also houses Blackpool Zoo and Blackpool Park Golf Club) in 256 acres of landscaped grounds, the 174-room Village Hotel has enough going on to keep the whole family entertained, including an indoor and outdoor pool, a spa, sauna and treatment rooms, tennis courts, Technogym, three squash courts and a dance studio. There’s also an 18-hole golf course. After working up a sweat, quench your thirst in the hotel’s own pub, popular with locals as well as guests. There’s an a la carte restaurant too.

Best for thrill-seekers: The Big Blue Hotel

Neighbourhood: Ocean Boulevard, Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Be first in line for the Big Dipper at Big Blue Hotel (Big Blue Hotel)

You’re within touching distance of the Big Dipper and other thrilling fairground rides at this modern 157-room hotel slap bang in the middle of Blackpool Pleasure Beach; they’ll even throw in a free fairground pass. Rooms are spacious, with king-sized beds and coal-effect electric fires in the deluxe category and a separate children’s sleeping area in the family rooms. Four luxury suites feature furniture by the Designers Guild and Tetrad and include separate lounge and bedroom areas.

Best for contemporary luxury: Boulevard Hotel

Neighbourhood: Ocean Boulevard, Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Enjoy a tipple in the seafront cocktail bar at Boulevard Hotel (Boulevard Hotel)

The Boulevard opened in Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach amusement park in July 2019. The £12m property sits next to sister hotel the Big Blue and has 120 luxurious rooms, including 18 suites that come with a sea or funfair view, Tetrad hand-stitched furniture, Designers Guild fabrics and wall coverings by Andrew Martin. There’s an a la carte restaurant with an eclectic wine list, a seafront cocktail bar and a bistro for modern American and Mediterranean cuisine with a twist.

Best for relaxed elegance: The Redstone Guesthouse

Neighbourhood: South Beach

Guests with a sweet tooth will be well catered for at The Redstone (The Redstone)

Winner of Channel 4’s Four in a Bed programme, this four-storey, bay-fronted guest house is a world away from the dingy Blackpool lodgings of old. Tucked away off the main promenade in a residential street, it’s a rather more refined affair, with Persian rugs and antique furniture in the guest lounge and a grand piano taking centre stage in the breakfast room. The elegant decor continues in the property’s eight bedrooms and every afternoon guests can help themselves to a selection of home-baked pastries courtesy of owner Ursula Beswick.

Best for kicking back at happy hour: Mode Hotel St Annes

Neighbourhood: Lytham St Annes

Gin lovers will appreciate gin happy hour at Mode St Annes (Mode St Annes)

Five miles down the coast from Blackpool in upmarket Lytham St Annes, the Mode hotel (which has a room-only sister property) has 19 smart rooms, eight of which have a balcony and sea view. Each has a smartphone with free unlimited 4G internet, mobile and international calls and a local area guide. Breakfast (which is included in some rates) is a continental buffet; those in need of a ‘full English’ can head to the reasonably priced Toby Carvery across the road. There’s a cosy lounge and bar with a gin happy hour every evening between 6 and 7pm.

Best for old-fashioned grandeur: The Grand Hotel

Neighbourhood: Lytham St Annes

Rub shoulders with celebs at The Grand Hotel (The Grand Hotel)

You might find yourself rubbing shoulders with Samuel L Jackson, Simon Cowell or championship golfer Bernhard Langer at this beautiful Victorian hotel just opposite the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, all previous guests at The Grand. Built in 1897, the imposing red brick and sandstone building has 54 luxurious rooms, with a further 22 (all come with Nespresso machines) in a more recent annexe. Original features, such as a solid oak central staircase and stained glass windows in the lobby, remain intact and there’s an upper and lower terrace overlooking the promenade and seafront. The Cafe Grand restaurant serves food all day, from nibbles and small plates, to Goosnargh duck and vegetarian curries and pasta dishes. There’s also a spa with a 17m pool, sauna, jacuzzi and Technogym.