THE Boulevard Hotel in Blackpool was named the best Luxury Lifestyle Hotel in the UK at an awards show in Northern Ireland.

It beat the likes of The Ritz Hotel in London, The Caledonian in Edinburgh and The Chelsea Harbour Hotel & Spa to the top spot.  

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The Blackpool-based hotel scooped two other awards, including being named the Best Luxury Hotel in Northern Europe for the second year running and having the Best General Manager in Northern Europe.

Each of the nominations were evaluated based on several criteria, including luxury, presentation and guest feedback.

Over 300,000 guests and industry experts then voted on each of the nominations to name the winners.

Located on Blackpool‘s Ocean Boulevard, the aptly-named Boulevard Hotel first opened to the public in 2019.

Guests can book to stay in seven different types of rooms, including 120 Stylish Rooms, eight Junior Suites, two Park View Suites, eight Coastal Suites and family rooms.

Each of the rooms features bespoke artwork, including handmade furniture.

The Park View Suites have views overlooking Pleasure Beach Resort, one of the country’s best-loved seaside attractions.

These suites also have a separate living room, designer toiletries, bathrobes, slippers and a bottle of prosecco on arrival.

Meanwhile, the Coastal Suites have sea views and come equipped with an espresso machine, complimentary wine, luxury linen and Hungarian down duvets.

The £12 million hotel also has a restaurant called Beachside, which has enough space to seat 120 guests.

Afternoon tea is served between 12pm and 4pm every day and costs £29.95 per person, while dishes from the a la carte menu can be ordered from 5pm onwards.

Other facilities at the hotel include a state-of-the-art gym.

Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Boulevard Hotel said: “We opened Boulevard with the hope of introducing something rather unique to Blackpool, a truly luxurious hotel.

“Being able to add these awards to the hotel’s roster is a massive achievement – especially officially being Northern Europe’s Best Luxury Hotel for a second year running.

“A huge thanks to Klaus and all of the team who work so hard. And of course, thanks to all of our wonderful guests for voting for us.”

Previous visitors have raved about the hotel, with a 4.5/5 star rating from over 1,000 reviews on TripAdvisor.

One person wrote: “A great hotel stayed with comfortable areas and spacious rooms. We had dinner and breakfast and all were to a high standard.”

Another wonderful stay at this stunning hotel

Another added: “A beautiful modern and clean hotel, with very spacious rooms and lovely comfortable beds.”

A third person wrote: “Another wonderful stay at this stunning hotel.”

Rooms at the Boulevard Hotel start from £85 per night and include free tickets to Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort.

The Boulevard Hotel is a one-minute walk from Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort, a seaside theme park that has a host of A-list fans.

Tim Burton, who is arguably the town’s biggest fan, first visited Blackpool in 2006 to watch The Killers perform.

The Hollywood Director visited Blackpool last year when he was filming Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, boarding the theme park’s haunted ghost train for inspiration.

Other A-listers have been spotted in the northern seaside town, including Robbie Williams and Samuel L Jackson.

There are plenty of free activities in Blackpool too, including taking a selfie outside Blackpool Tower.

Stanley Park is also free to enter, with many activities costing just £1.

The town’s famous Blackpool Illuminations cost £2.4 million to stage, attracting more than 3.5 million visitors to the town every year.

Meanwhile, this theme park is the best value in the country and has the shortest queue times.

And this award-winning theme park is opening a new £300m attraction in the UK.

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FOUR in 10 holidaymakers are now equally or more likely to have their ‘main’ holiday in October and beyond, rather than the traditional summer period.

A poll of 2,000 adults found 67 per cent would consider switching their ‘main holiday’ to the autumn period.

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Whereas 60 per cent are likely to take shorter holidays in the summer and October, rather than one longer trip.

Nearly half (48 per cent) believe holding off until October provides them with better value for their trip – estimating it will save them over £400 per person by travelling a few months later.

And 18 per cent even think they can make their money go further by picking up holiday clothes and essentials in the post-summer sales.

Seven in 10 went on to agree that value for money is the biggest driver when booking a holiday.

Paul Sokes, from M&S Credit Card, which commissioned the research, said: “Our research has shown a growing trend of holidaymakers opting to get away in October, or later in the year.

“With 36 per cent saying they can still seek out the sun in Europe and further afield later in the year, now is the perfect time to take a trip.

“This not only allows travellers to make the most of the quieter holiday period, but can also unlock significant cost savings.

“With value for money top of mind for many of us when planning a holiday, October getaways can offer an opportunity for savvy travellers to make the most of their holiday budget whilst enjoying their their time away.”

When it comes to these autumnal getaways, sunny breaks in Europe lead the way, followed by a UK-based city break.

As one in five (19 per cent) estimate they will take the chance to go on more trips in October, or later in the year, in the next five years.

When it comes to organising their trips throughout the year, cost of accommodation, what the weather will be like, and cost and availability of flights are the most important factors.

And researching destinations, planning itinerary and booking flights and hotels are the ways in which travellers get excited for their excursions.

In fact, 90 per cent get their children or younger family members involved with holiday decisions and 46 per cent have even let them pick the location of the holiday.

Nearly two in three (64 per cent) have taken this approach because they want them to be more a part of the planning process.

But it’s not just the location young holidaymakers are influencing, with 54 per cent being allowed to pick activities, and 40 per cent selecting what sights to see.

The average age children, or younger travellers, begin having a say in holiday planning is nine.

Paul Stokes added: “Planning a holiday is increasingly becoming a family affair, as younger travellers are getting more involved in the decision making process.

“Involving younger family members and travellers not only teaches them decision making and budgeting skills, but also helps build excitement for the trip ahead.

“This collaborative approach can also make for a more enjoyable family experience, making memories everyone will remember.”

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A MAJOR airport has been forced to cancel all departing flights today.

Brussels South Charleroi confirmed the cancellations due to ongoing strike action, affecting around 16,000 passengers.

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While arrivals will be unaffected, all departing flights will no longer go ahead.

Ryanair is one of the major airlines to use the airport, and has said passengers will be rerouted or refunded.

Hundreds of Brits are expected to be caught up in the strike with the following departures cancelled today:

• FR5328 12:30pm to Manchester
• FR7323 2:35pm to Edinburgh
• FR3223 6:25pm to Manchester
• FR3239 8:55pm to Manchester

A statement on their website said: “Due to another security staff strike at Brussels South Charleroi (CRL) Airport, we have been forced to cancel a number of flights departing this airport on Tues 22 Oct.

“Flights arriving in Brussels South Charleroi are unaffected by the strike and will operate as scheduled.

“Passengers affected by these cancellations have been notified of their options of reroute or refund via email.”

They apologised for the inconvenience that was “out of their control”.

Flights departing the UK from Edinburgh and Manchester for the airport are expected to still go ahead.

Other airlines that fly to the airport include Wizz Air and Pegasus although UK passengers will not be affected by these cancellations.

Some of these flights are instead being diverted to Brussels Airport, around 45 miles away.

Brussels Charleroi said on their website: “Passengers scheduled to depart on this day will be contacted by their respective airlines within the next few hours to either rebook their flights or request a refund.”

Normal operations are hoping to go ahead as planned from tomorrow.

The strike, conducted by the airport’s security staff, is the third strike in the last two months.

The walkout is due to requests to improve staff working conditions.

It’s not the only flight cancellations that have affected Brits in recent weeks.

Flight compensation rules

A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

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If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.

You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.

So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

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When am I not entitled to compensation?

The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

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Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.

Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

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If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

Last Saturday, dozens of flights were cancelled in the UK due to Storm Ashley, affecting airports such as Leeds and Belfast.

And earlier this month, all flights to and from Florida were cancelled due to Hurricane Milton.

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