What is it? The Dalmeny Hotel has been owned and run by the Webb family for over 60 years, and is situated on the gorgeous seafront on the centrally located St Annes’ promenade.
Where? In St. Annes on Sea, Lancashire, a picturesque town on the Fylde coast.
Description: St Annes on Sea definitely sounds posh – so would it be a good place for a child-friendly family holiday, with a baby and toddler in tow? Rachel Mayer, husband Nathan and their two children Oliver, four, and Zara, five months, headed off to the Dalmeny Hotel to find out… [hotel_room.jpg]
The Dalmeny Hotel advertises itself as one of the most family-friendly hotels in St Annes. But is this close to the truth? We bundled up the kids and set out to find out for ourselves.
The Hotel offers the Ofsted-approved Pebbles Creche for children aged 2 – 8, as well as the Jellyfish Club, for kids 8 – 14. There is also a 20-metre indoor swimming pool, splash pool and Jacuzzi; a games room with arcade games, pool table and slot machines; the award-winning Decleor Spa, and a fully equipped gym.
Fancy an evening with Uncle Darren and Uncle Andy? I would absolutely recommend you did! Children of all ages (and their parents) will laugh, sing and dance to this fantastic hotel evening entertainment. Starting at 6:30 and lasting an hour, it’s party, party, party! For night owls, late-night entertainment is also available from 8pm ‘til the wee hours of the morning.
During the day, Pebbles Creche is available for you to let your children enjoy themselves while you go to the gym or take advantage of a relaxing massage! Each session is three-hours long and is free to hotel residents, plus parents have the satisfaction of knowing that it’s OFSTED-approved. For the older children, the Jellyfish club holds activities throughout the day, giving parents have a little ‘me-time’. Baby-sitting services are also available upon request.
The Hotel’s award-winning Decleor Spa is fantastic, with treatments ranging from spray-tans to Swedish Body Massage. Aerobic sessions are also available.
Local activities: There are so many in the area it’s not even worth listing, but the beach has got to be the main attraction!
Wish we had known: …about this hotel sooner!
Our top tip: Even though there is so much to do inside the hotel, it’s definitely worth having a stroll on the promenade. The children will love having a go on the large trampolines and small train, and the beach is magnificent.
Kids say: “Look Mummy I’ve painted my own t-shirt,” says Oliver, after one of the hotel’s Arts and Crafts session. “I love the pool and I don’t want to go home,” he adds. Zara just gurgled, but I knew she enjoyed the splash pool and playing with the baby and toddler toys in the Residents’ Lounge.
Getting There: We drove from Halifax, West Yorkshire and it took about an hour and half. You can book the accommodation directly with the Dalmeny Hotel, prices vary depending on season and supplements. The Low Season tariff is L115 per night (based on two persons sharing), with an extra supplement for each child, depending on age. It’s worth checking for various offers throughout the year.
About our stay: Having previously been to St Annes I knew how lovely this part of Lancashire is, so I was excited about spending a couple of nights with the family at the Dalmeny Hotel. Arriving at noon, we parked our car in the spacious car-park and decided to go straight into the hotel. Check-in was at 2pm, therefore we had ample time to explore and find a bite to eat. Walking through the hotel we read various notices of all the entertainment available, and not far from the swimming pool we saw the pleasant Patio Café Bar. The service was great and the food was good too. This was the first time we sat Zara in a high-chair, she loved watching residents swim through the large glass windows. Our room was very spacious, an inter-connecting family room with plenty of space for the kids to play as well as sleep, with no side-stepping between cots and the bathroom. Proof that everything was super-comfortable was the fact that Zara slept through the night both nights on her lovely clean cot. Who could ask for anything more? After unpacking it was time to get in the pool as the Jellyfish club was having fun with large floats. Oliver and Daddy had an hour of splash time, while Zara and l talked to the staff about the children’s itinerary for the weekend – wow, so much to do! After swimming we relaxed in the Residents Lounge, where children of all ages were having a racing game on the Wii. Before long, Oliver made lots of new friends and was in his element. Zara also had a wide array of baby-friendly toys to play with, as large mobiles and baby/toddler toys were available. [ball_pond.jpg] Our first night we decided to sample dinner in the Carvery. Oliver loved using the glass lift to get to our room for a quick change of clothes, it reminded him of Charlie and Chocolate Factory’s glass lift. The Carvery was self service, but staff are on hand should you require drinks etc. An alternative children’s menu is also on offer. After dinner, we checked out Uncle Darren’s Party Time, which was fun until Zara decided she was ready for bed – and boy, did l know about it! After a good night’s sleep we went down for breakfast, a self-service hearty full English for all of us. Straight after breakfast we enrolled Oliver in ‘Creative Time’. Although it cost L3.50 we did get a fantastic souvenir from it as he was given a plain white t-shirt and fabric paints, upon which he drew a rocket and aliens. He loved it and it’s a great keepsake. Time for a stroll on the Promenade, a two-minute stroll from the hotel’s doorstep. After running on the beach, finding shells and bouncing on the trampolines, it was time to go back to the hotel for ‘Wet n Wild’ fun in the pool. Zara was zonked from all the fresh air and slept most of the afternoon… [outside.jpg] After another scrumptious dinner, this time beef and Yorkshire puddings, it was onto the Ballroom to see Uncle Andy for his magic show. Oliver offered his assistance straight away and found several new friends. Andy was friendly and warm, keeping all the children (and adults) entertained. Kids who took part were given stickers and and every child left the show smiling. Sunday morning arrived, with a great hour of pampering just for me. Nathan looked after the children, while l had a Decleor back massage and deep cleansing facial – that hour was heaven! Right, check-out and sad faces from us all on leaving this truly fantastic family-friendly hotel. The staff made us all feel very welcome and the atmosphere was superb. On our way home we stopped at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, just 15 minutes away, and made a beeline for the children’s rides in Beaver Creek. Tokens cost L1, and at two tokens per ride Oliver went on every one, enjoying the Log Flume and the Zipper in particular. What a wonderful end to a wonderful weekend! [Rachel is mum to Oliver and Zara and is currently on maternity leave as a Contracts Manager in the aerospace industry. They live in Elland, West Yorkshire.]
Created: 2008-04-16 17:33:01.263
