HY Hotel

Looking for a traditional seaside family break in the northwest of England, with a long promenade, Victorian pier and golden sands? No, not Blackpool – we're talking the altogether more refined setting of Lytham St Anne's, just three miles south of the big resort, which offers a far more gentle experience all round. And there's accommodation to match, too, in the shape of the welcoming self-catering apartments at HY Hotel, just a block back from the promenade and a short walk from the vintage pier.

These are terrific, open-plan home-from-home apartments, handy for seeing the local Fylde coast or zipping up the road to Blackpool by bus and tram. They come in one-, two- and three-bedroom versions, sleeping two to eight people (adding bunk beds and an extra double room in the larger ones, as well as sofa beds in all), and are handsomely decorated and furnished in a thoroughly modern style. There's plenty of space for families to spread out – a fully equipped kitchen in each, and a washer-dryer, while each bathroom has a walk-in rain shower.

But where HY Hotel scores over a regular apartment complex is in the hotel-standard facilities on offer. That means 24-hour reception and daily housekeeping, but also real bonuses like an on-site gym, a pool and a spa, where there are treatments, a Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room. And with the wide sands and the promenade just a short walk away, you've really got the best of both worlds, whatever the weather. The apartments are dog-friendly, too, and with the open coastline and nearby woods and gardens, Lytham St Anne's is a great place for a break with all members of the family.

Grab-and-go Starbucks coffee and croissants are available for breakfast, or there are supermarkets close by for self-caterers (delivery can be arranged). There are plenty of nice places to eat in St Anne's in any case – the seaside bit, or in the nearby town of Lytham, a 10-minute drive away. Our favourite lunch spot, and completely in keeping with the genteel vibe of St Anne's, is the pavilion cafe in the town gardens just over the road from the hotel. It's not full-on, kiss-me-quick Blackpool, not by a long chalk, but it is a different side of the traditional British seaside break, and this luxury apartment option makes a comfortable base for seeing all the sights.