A bleak Blackpool hotel

Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: see review

... Background When Mrs B and I decided that we would take Baby B on her first seaside holiday we knew that Blackpool was tacky so knew that it wasn't exactly sparkling and the place it used to be but we thought we would go along anyway and try and have a little family break with our 3 month old baby. It all seemed like a really good idea but seeing as we were not the most rich of new parents we thought we'd do it on as much as a budget as possible and after trawling through the internet we came across Liberty's and decided that it sounded ideal. The fact that it included dinner in with the deal was really what swung it for us, we didn't fancy walking around for hours in an evening trying to find somewhere to eat with a young baby in tow. First opinion When we first saw the hotel we immediately thought what have we done...

mrbing10 29.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Liberty'S On The Square, Blackpool

Blackpool Revisited

Advantages: Plus ca change
Disadvantages: Plus c'est les memes shows

...2003, when I made the journey to see my elder son who has - coincidentally - gone to live there. I have been several times since then and each time have been more struck by the degree to which it has changed, the degree to which it is unchangeable, and the degree to which it may have to change in the future. * Blackpool is not much given to looking back. It is a town that lives in the present, not the past. It has buildings that could now be considered historic, but this is not how they are treated. The Tower complex and the Winter Gardens are not visited as heritage sites or architectural curiosities. They are visited because they still offer entertainment, the purpose for which they were designed and which they have always served. I doubt that one in a hundred of the people who pass through the portals of the Winter Gardens...

torr 12.03.2003 (03.03.2007) · Read review
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Review of Blackpool in general

A Long Weekend in Blackpool @ the Grand Metropole

Advantages: Clean and generally friendly hotel, very reasonable prices
Disadvantages: Rooms need ventilation

...Are you seated comfortably? This is a long review of my stay at Blackpool?s Grand Metropole. WHAT AND WHERE? The Grand Metropole Hotel, Blackpool boasts that it is the only hotel in Blackpool located between the sea and Blackpool promenade which is certainly the truth. From the hotel there are fabulous views of the Irish Sea. The hotel is fairly close to both the North Pier and Blackpool Tower and is within walking distance from many of Blackpool's attractions. There are numerous bars, restaurants and nightspots within a few minutes walking distance of the hotel, some even less than a minute away. BOOKING PROCESS/RECEPTION We booked in for 3 nights in late June 2009. The booking process was easy enough by telephone and although I asked for a confirmation email to be sent and was advised they would do send one; no...

anonymili 03.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of Grand Metropole Hotel Blackpool, Blackpool

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Advantages: Great rides, cheaper than some other parks
Disadvantages: Lacks the charm other parks have

...I visited Blackpool Pleasure Beach last year and I thought it was great value for money. The weather in Blackpool wasnt always great during my 4 day stay but this park didnt disappoint where ride were concerned or eating out. The general atmosphere of this park is happy and fun which is great for the family however the atmosphere here is nothing compared to theme parks like Disneyland or Universal Studios, but you get what you pay for with this park in the sense of good rides and entertainment. To pay in to the park you need to buy wristbands, I think that if you want to get the best out of the park the Ultimate Daily Wristband is the best deal, however if you dont really want to do many rides or are not fit to for various physical reasons the Pleasure Beach Pass will probably be enough for you and then when in the park you can...

lorrainek90 12.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool

Blackpool Las Vegas

Advantages: Funny, Tragic, Entertaining
Disadvantages: I cannot think of any

...Blackpool is an exciting journey around the bright lights in a series that will make you laugh and cry all at the same time. It is dark humor the kind that despite being tragic is funny. I like the musical pieces with songs by Johnny Cash, Tom Jones and others. Blackpool is the tale of greediness, laughter, love and family life through the ups and downs of Blackpool's arcade owner Ripley Holden. You are introduced to (David Morrissey) Ripley Holden who is a family businessman Jack-The Lad, Bully. A tough, mean guy. Ripley is ready to make his millions as Blackpool remodels itself as the Las Vegas of the North. Life is not easy the family experiences many tragedies and troubles. Just when you think things couldn't get any worse for the family they do. Danny his son has anxieties; daughter Shyanne is a bit of a rebel and his wife...

Mickie26 08.11.2008 · Read review
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Review of Blackpool/Viva Blackpool (DVD)

Hanging Gardens of Wellington

Advantages: Nice stroll, good plants
Disadvantages: Steep

...If you only can spare time to seek out one plant in New Zealand, it would have to be the most famous of all its plants - the silver fern. If, on the other hand, you are a nature lover and you find yourself with a free afternoon to spend in Wellington (New Zealand's capital city), then I strongly recommend the Botanic Garden for its plants, scenic views and pleasant strolls. For everyone else, I'd still recommend it, but only after you have taken your fill of the Te Papa museum (which is my number one "must-see" recommendation for Wellington). The gardens span some 25 hectares and if you are anything like me, they will fill as much time as you have to spare and then some. People with bad knees or small children be warned though - it's pretty steep and you may struggle a bit! There are some mobility scooters available though. I came here...

beckyXX 28.12.2009 · Read review
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Review of Wellington Botanic Gardens

The Constant Gardener

Advantages: Excellent plot, superb acting, stunning location
Disadvantages: Emotionally draining

..."In Africa there are no murders, only regrettable deaths." The Constant Gardener is an adaptation of a John Le Carre novel, a thrilling adventure of immense social relevance which highlights commercial exploitation and political corruption in Africa, whilst simultaneously celebrating the astounding beauty of the landscape, culture and people. The political focus of this movie is cleverly interwoven with the struggle of a British diplomat to discover the truth behind his wife's murder, to learn who she really was, and to realise a greater love and trust in her than he ever had when she was alive. The Main Cast Ralph Fiennes ...Justin Quayle Rachel Weisz ...Tessa Quayle Hubert Koundé ...Arnold Bluhm Danny Huston ...Sandy Woodrow Bill Nighy ...Sir Bernard Pellegrin Donald Sumpter ...Tim Donohue Archie Panjabi ...Ghita...

VC81 03.11.2005 · Read review
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Review of The Constant Gardener

~ My Blackpool Pleasure ~

Advantages: Pleasure Beach, sealife centre, cost
Disadvantages: Pier amusements

...Supposedly Britain's favourite seaside resort my first and so far only visit to Blackpool was last here for my boyfriends birthday, we went for a long weekend, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it...we stayed in a cheap hotel, although it was cheap it was simple and clean, just right for getting your head down... The Pleasure Beach was better than I expected with a wide range of rides, so many we couldn't fit them all in on one day...the pier was so-so and Blackpool in general was in a word FANTASTIC. The Journey From Swindon a supposed 4 hour journey, this however was not the case as we left middle of the afternoon (2pm) and hit all the traffic on the motorway. Ended up taking 6 hours! The general motorway route is M5 then M6 then M55 junction 4. With my excellent map reading skills it...

lilly2006 20.03.2006 · Read review
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Review of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool

A quieter side to Blackpool.

Advantages: Clean, friendly and great value for money.
Disadvantages: None worthy of mention during my two night stay.

...I am not long back from a weekend trip to Blackpool but as I have already reviewed the hotel I stayed in, as I had stayed there before, I thought I would rewind to a business trip I had to Blackpool last year and a nice hotel I stayed in then. The hotel in question for my business trip was the Belgrave Madison hotel, this hotel was recommended to me by a friend and I was very happy with his recommendation. My friend had told me of the great service, friendly atmosphere and the disconnection with what Blackpool is all about (ie) noise and hustle and bustle, and he was 100% correct. The hotel is situated in a much quieter part of Blackpool, it sits on the queen?s promenade, north shore, it is actually right on the join of Blackpool and Bispham, it is set on the cliffs and has a beautiful sea view and whether the weather is good...

thebigc1690 26.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Belgrave Madison Hotel, Blackpool

The North Pier, Blackpool

Advantages: Lots of fresh air, fully accessible by disabled visitors
Disadvantages: A small admission charge

...If you think about the main English seaside resorts then the chances are that they will have a pier. There is something very quintessentially English about seaside piers and in Britain they are largely restricted to England, with a handful in Wales and none at all north of the border in Scotland. Blackpool in the north west of England is unusual because it boasts three different piers. The North Pier, Central Pier and South Pier. As its name suggests The North Pier has the most northerly location of the three. It is also the oldest pier in the town and at 503 metres long it is also its longest pier. Eugenius Birch was drafted in to design The North Pier. He had been responsible for the design of Britain's first seaside pier at Margate. This was his second pier project and following its success he would go on to design a further...

micksheff 11.11.2008 (12.11.2008) · Read review
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Review of The North Pier, Blackpool