Description: The Royal Seabank is the most popular hotel that Blackpool Promotions offer. It can be booked through this company (based in Glasgow) but they also offer their own tariff. This hotel has 89 bedrooms en suite bedrooms including single, double/twin, family and bedrooms with 4 poster beds.
The Royal Seabank is located on the promenade and is a ideally located within walking distance of the attractions (beach, Tower. Pier, Pleasure Beach etc).
We arrived at the hotel around 2.30pm. The reception area is quite spacious and tastefully decorated. There are plenty of seating options. Check in was a nightmare despite there being 3 staff members behind the desk. Check in is from arrival (when arriving as part of a coach tour). Rooms should be vacated by 10am and cases can be left in the lounge. Check out was as simply as popping the key into the slot.
There are 2 lifts in the hotel (either end of the building). The white lift was extremely small (2 people max and that's without suitcases!) and quite smelly to be honest - I preferred the stairs and got some exercise in the process! The rooms are set over 4 floors and although well sign posted - the hotel in general is a maze full of corners and stairs!
Our room was a sea view, family room. The large window (minus those awful net curtains) looked across the promenade and we could also see the Central Pier if we looked hard enough. We had a double bed and a single bed. The double bed was quite small in comparison to the one we have at home. It was lovely and cosy though a bit too soft and therefore we ended up with sore backs! My son was comfortable in his bed though.
The room was pleasantly decorated - cream walls, a red carpet and orangey curtains and bed throws. The sheets were immaculately crisp and white. We had three small bedside cabinets for our nicknacks and two mismatched lamps as well as a large, overly bright light on the ceiling. The room was incredibly spacious despite being well equipped. We had a large wardrobe which was sufficient for storing our clothing and we also had hangers.
A desk was neatly located in the corner and features a kettle, 3 cups and lots of tea, milk and sugar extras which we didn't actually use. Each room features a 26inch television which is wall mounted. We did spend a lot of time in the room and were happy that the television had Freeview as our son could watch it whilst we got dressed etc.
The bathroom was a little disappointing. My parents had a family room which featured a bath and a walk in shower - we only had a shower. Personally given that this is a family room, a bath should be included. Our bathroom was tiny and whilst it looked clean - it was dull and the grouting could have been a bit cleaner. The shower was fairly easy to operate but the cubicle was tiny!
Overall we were almost, fully pleased with our room. We were given a proper key for our room and the door could be easily locked from the inside. The bathroom door did not have a lock. It appears as if our room hasn't been refurbished to the same standard as my parents room and I hope that this may be done if we visit again in the near future.
I have mixed opinions on the service we received at the Royal Seabank. Some of the staff were there at different times of the day and always seemed upbeat despite working long or split shifts. The manager of the hotel wasn't the most pleasant. On one occasion, I waited 10 minutes at the (24hour reception) for the receptionist to return and sit down with his dinner at the desk and totally ignore me. The reception was rarely manned during our visit.
The other staff were very friendly throughout our stay. The maids changed our towels daily and our beds were sorted/changed and bins emptied. The hotel does seem to be quite short staffed in the cafe area as there was one gentleman serving food, drinks and often seeing to reception at the same time - I don't know how he kept up to be honest!
We had breakfast and dinner included as part of the price and were really impressed with the food. The restaurant was pleasantly decorated and very clean. The tables were set up and cleared quickly. We had the same dinner table each night which suited us and they have two serving times - 5pm and 6.30pm. Having a young child, we opted for the 5pm slot.
Breakfast was great. We could help ourselves to various cereals as well as various fruit juices. We were then asked if we wanted a cooked breakfast or something different. I opted for a cooked breakfast each morning which was just the right size and included sausage, bacon, egg, beans and either mushroom, hash brown or fried bread. I always had a big bowl of cereal and then my brekkie. My son doesn't like a cooked breakfast so opted for cereal then sausages with toast.
Dinner options were safe options but very tasty. There was always a choice of soup or fruit juice as a starter and the rolls were delicious. Each evening, we were offered 4 main course options which usually consisted of a meat, a fish, a salad and a vegetarian option. During the course of our stay, options included poached haddock, pork loins, braised steak and also ham and cheese salads. Vegetarians had a choice of lasagne, macaroni and vegetable bakes - not the most exciting menu. Desserts varied each evening though popular dishes included sponge with custard, fruit cocktail, ice cream and cheese with biscuits.
Generally the food was very tasty and always served warm. Each portion was a decent size to suit most hunger types and I always had just enough room left for dessert each evening. The food was of a high quality and presented well. I particularly enjoyed the macaroni cheese on the first night and also the braised steak on the last evening.
The hotel has its own cafe which is open 11am - 5pm daily. It is a cafe-bar and is named Cafe 1880. The cafe is extremely modern and can be accessed at ground level. It is very spacious and has a beautiful black and silver decor which makes it appear completely different from the rest of the hotel.
I dined in the cafe one day when my son and fiance wanted a nap upstairs. The prices were about average and the menu including burgers, chilli con carne, soup etc from £1.90 - £5.95. I personally opted for a toastie which was delicious and served with a fresh salad.
The bar looks out onto the front and is on the first floor. It features a tiny dance floor and limited seating. The bar serves various beers, wine, spirits and snacks. We went into the bar the first night and had a drink and also for my birthday after our dinner. The bar is open 5pm - late.
The hotel offers evening entertainment all year round and details can be found in reception. I'm not into cabaret and singers but they seemed to be very popular with the elderly visitors. I personally went for a game of bingo on the first night and paid £3.00 for a strip of cards. The prize money was good
The hotel is open all year round and the tariff reflects the season. As we booked as part of a coach tour, we had an all inclusive price which including coach, bed, breakfast and dinner. We paid £247 for our holiday which was a fab price to pay for 2 adults and 1 child. We definitely got our moneys worth from our holiday.
The tariff can be found on the hotels website. Rooms can be booked for single nights but also for 3/4 nights depending on the time of year. The average price is £99 - £179 per adult for 4 days and deals are available during the Summer and Illuminations.
The big question is, would we recommend this hotel? Given our experience then yes we would. Our holiday wasn't exactly plain sailing (no fault of the hotel) but the hotel was comfortable and welcoming as well as being clean and not too expensive. We wouldn't return to Blackpool out of season again though but would consider the Royal Seabank again. They are family friendly but I would say the hotel is more suited to the older generation (my (parents agreed).
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