Empire Blackpool Apartments - Charles Street

The door wouldn’t lock, and after seven calls to the emergency number we got no help. We stayed up all night, felt completely unsecured, then had to find somewhere else to stay. There are broken things everywhere, exposed wires and loose door handles, the jacuzzi bath didn’t work, and the bedding smelled so bad we bought replacements at Primark because we didn’t feel clean using it. The apartment itself was filthy, and it seemed like nobody had cleaned between guests. The place also stank of cannabis. They said parking was available, but it’s just street parking and a space is hard to find. The area wasn’t nice, with sharps lying on the ground, which is a health hazard. The photos look beautiful, but the real place is very different, and when there’s a problem no one helps. I stayed with my mother-in-law and wouldn’t recommend it.

The apartment is well placed for the seafront and amenities, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It needs a deep clean and someone to check it after each stay. There was dirt under the lounge sofa and the bedroom needed vacuuming too. The wardrobe doors weren’t fitted and were stacked to one side, the bedroom lamp didn’t work, and there was no mirror. There were no pillow or mattress protectors, so I slept on towels. In the bathroom, the overhead shower needs replacing because water poured out of the unit when switched on. The kitchen was fine apart from a cooker that took ages to heat. The outside of the building needs painting too.

The location was the only good part. We arrived at the deluxe apartment with jacuzzi in January to find no lights, heating or hot water, and Blackpool was freezing. We contacted Empire, but nothing was done, so we wrapped the children in quilts to keep warm. We left cold and injured because there was no light. Ladders had been left unsecured at the bottom of the stairs, a wire hung by the entrance, and the master bedroom blind was nearly torn down. The place was dirty and cold, and our host offered no help. We were told the booking was complete and non-refundable. I want people to stay away from this company.

The only upside was being just two minutes from the train station. We left early because we didn’t feel safe: when we returned, the flat door was open, and the ground-floor door could be pushed open even when locked. The bed sheets were stained and there was hair on the bed. The booking said there was a hot tub, but what we got was a bath with jets. When I called, I was told they count a jetted bath as a “hot tub.” I’d give it less than one star if I could.