CEO of Boulevard Hotel, Amanda Thompson OBE, states, “Blackpool may not be the first place that springs to mind for the luxury traveler and that’s a perception we feel strongly about challenging. We believe Boulevard has addressed a gap in the market to attract luxury and business travelers to the Fylde Coast area where there is a plethora of things to do and see.”
This vacation resort in the northwest of England dates back to the 18th century when visitors started coming to bathe in the sea for medicinal purposes. Its boomtime began in the Victorian era with the arrival of the railway and the opening of the Pleasure Beach theme park. Blackpool continues to evolve and Boulevard Hotel brings elevated hospitality to the promenade.
The hotel is Amanda’s brainchild. She is also CEO of the adjacent Pleasure Beach which was founded by William Bean, her great grandfather. Amanda’s vision for the interior of Boulevard Hotel is a contemporary take on Art Deco inspired by the 1930s architecture of Blackpool. There are 120 bedrooms including 18 suites. Details are carefully considered: the wavy hotel logo appears everywhere from waiting staff’s ties to stationery. It is the only hotel in the UK to have bath products by Balmain.
“We are the best hotel in the region,” says General Manager Klaus Spiekermann. He has worked in high end hotels all his professional life and recently won Best General Manager at the Luxury Hotel Awards. “Our function suite can accommodate a 240 person gala dinner. There are also three syndicate rooms. We cater for board meetings, conferences and weddings. Ballroom dancing competitions attract visitors from many countries including the US and China.”
Klaus continues, “The first and second floors have family accommodation including some rooms with bunkbeds. The third and fourth floors are adults only. Breakfast for the top floor suites guests is served in the first floor Ocean Club to give that exclusive vibe. Our Head Chef Andrew Derbyshire sources food locally such as Lanigan’s Seafood and Lancashire Cheese. There’s a 24 hour studio gym and guests have a VIP entrance to the Pleasure Beach. We are a one stop shop for the luxury lifestyle!”
Inspiration for the Pleasure Beach came from the 1887 Earls Court London Anglo-American Exhibition and the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. It was largely rebuilt in the 1930s to the design of Joseph Emberton, the only British architect to have a building featured in Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson’s groundbreaking 1932 New York exhibition The International Style.
Amanda Thompson OBE concludes, “We opened Boulevard Hotel with the hope of introducing something rather unique to Blackpool: a truly luxurious hotel. Since then, we’ve won numerous awards including being named the current Best Luxury Hotel in Northern Europe for two years running. At Boulevard, luxury is defined by exceptional service and attention to detail. We pride ourselves on meticulously curating our guest experience which is complemented by exquisite accommodation, unexpectedly beautiful coastal vistas and delicious locally sourced gourmet cuisine.”
More information: https://www.boulevardhotel.co.uk/
