Blackpool is synonymous with the glory days of the British seaside holiday, and it still offers plenty of nostalgic charm, as well as buckets of fun for the next generations. Blackpool has been the Seaside resort for hundreds of years now — when the Blackpool Tower was first built in 1894 it was the tallest building in the British Empire — and it has the range of accommodation to prove it. As well as gracious grande dames, traditional hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs, the best places to stay in Blackpool today include large family-friendly hotels and great fun options.

Some of our Blackpool collections:

• Top Hotels Near Blackpool Beach

As well as the Tower, Blackpool has an impressive Pleasure Beach, which also has a few listings in the record books. When its The Big One rollercoaster opened in 1994 it was the tallest roller coaster in the world with the steepest incline! It’s still the tallest in the UK, and the longest in Europe. And that’s just the tip of the roller coaster iceberg — Blackpool Pleasure Beach has ten rollercoasters and another 28 rides. The town also boasts a zoo, an aquarium, a model village and a waterpark. In the cooler months, Blackpool’s Illuminations, or light show, helps to keep visitors coming throughout the year, and the attractions here don’t have an ‘off season’ like other resorts.

Blackpool’s Winter Gardens sounds like another winter specific attraction, but it’s not, it’s a year-round entertainment complex with two theatres, a vast ballroom, an exhibition hall, and lots of spaces to host conferences and banquets etc — so another reason to book into one of the best places to stay in Blackpool. And that's before we mention the pier, or the trams, or the sand!

The Best Places to Stay in Blackpool

For Families

• There are lots of great family-friendly hotels in Blackpool, but we picked out Hamptons by Hilton especially for its simplicity. Its 130 rooms and suites are all alike, and designed for comfort, light and space, rather than to impress, but there’s a good range of sizes, with plenty of family-friendly configurations. All the rooms have huge windows, and our favourites have sea views. You’re just the right distance from the busiest parts of Blackpool. There’s no restaurant, but they offer a very nice breakfast, and there’s a cafe in the lobby.
• The Boulevard Hotel is right beside the Pleasure Beach — in fact the hotel has private access — but the design team have married the rollercoaster views with a sleek approach to decor. Its 120 rooms and suites offer plenty of scope when it comes to size and shape, with family suites offering bunk beds in separate rooms, and living space. There are also some more grown up room types too, with the two top floors reserved for adults only. The restaurant serves classic British cuisine, and there’s a rather chic bar.

For Fun

• Number One South Beach goes further on decor than our other Blackpool recommendations. These 15 rooms and suites are all individually decorated with plenty of colour and personality, and cute names to match — they’re very varied, so have a look at a few before your choose. Most of the rooms look out over the beach, and several have a private balcony. The restaurant can be simple, but it can also do fancy if you want it to.

For Great Value

• Big and blue, the Big Blue Hotel sits right beside the Pleasure Beach — some of the rooms have rollercoaster views in the foreground, and the sea in the background. Which is just one of the reasons why it’s a great choice for families. The bunk rooms, and family suites are another reason, and there's also a friendly, relaxed restaurant, and a huge range of breakfast choices. The friendly staff can book you into the gym, arrange a massage, or tickets for the Pleasure Beach, or they can lend you a Playstation.

Prefer a Private Apartment or Cottage?

• If you'd prefer the privacy of a self-catering option then browse through the wide variety available online with our partner, Booking.com.

Travel Information

• Manchester Airport is about an hour away from Blackpool by car, or about an hour and a half by train. Liverpool Airport is also about an hour away by road, but more like two and half hours by train. Both Manchester and Liverpool are local rail hubs, but if you’re travelling from London you should also consider routes via Leeds.
• If you want to hire a car we recommend you visit our online partner, Rentalcars.
• Blackpool’s famed illuminations, which start in September, but usually shine continually for 66 days, certainly draw a crowd, but Blackpool is really at its best in the summer sunshine, between June and September, with the majority of visitors arriving between the end of June and the middle of August — corresponding with the school holidays. Blackpool can be quite exciting in the cooler seasons, too, though, with regular fireworks displays during September, and lots to entertain indoors.

Still not sure where to stay?

• You could expand your search and consider our Gurus picks for the best places to stay in Lancashire which will take in some of Blackpool’s neighbouring seaside towns?
• Or neighbour on the Irish Sea, Southport?
• Consider our Gurus recommendations for the best places to stay in Manchester or neighbouring Liverpool?
• Alternatively, you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.