The New Kent

We spent five nights here on our first trip to Blackpool together. The seafront location is handy, the price was reasonable with breakfast included, and the tram stop is under a two-minute walk away. Trams were frequent and fairly priced. The decor has its own style, but feels a bit dated, and the teacups were awkward to hold because of their tiny handles. We had several niggles. Housekeeping didn't come during our stay, although the handbook said it happened daily. After two days we ran out of tea and coffee and had to ask for more; they were left on the door handle. There was some mould in the bathroom, and the shower took a while to warm up, then kept switching between hot and cold. The room also felt old, with wallpaper peeling in places. There was no window we could open overnight except the one above the balcony door, which we couldn't reach. The shower was very small, and the compact bathroom made it hard to move around. The TV was a reasonable size, with two sockets nearby and an extension lead beside one side of the bed. Breakfast was quite limited. The full breakfast came with fried bread, tomato, fried egg, mushrooms, bacon, sausage and beans; there was cereal too, but not much choice. We asked to change our order a few times and got the feeling it was a bother to the host. There was no choice of white or brown bread, or of how the egg was cooked, even though the sign outside advertised ommlete and scrambled egg. The hosts were friendly enough and chatted with us when we arrived and on the final day. Still, whenever my partner or I asked for something, it felt like an inconvenience. Fine for a long weekend, but the place lets itself down over a longer stay.

Breakfast was a real highlight. Both our kids ate well, which can be a challenge for us, and extending our visit by a night was no trouble. We had a fantastic stay at this family-friendly place. There's no dedicated parking, though that's common around here.

Our hostess Joanne took great care of us during our five-day stay. Breakfast is definitely a diet buster! A small thing that impressed me was the teapot and milk jugs: they pour without dripping, something even 5* hotels can get wrong. For a Blackpool break that won't break the bank, it's hard to beat.

The owners were so friendly and willing to go out of their way to make my holiday a good one. My room was clean and comfortable, and the food was delicious. I stayed in February 2010 and plan to return. I'd highly recommend The New Kent.