Local Guides World
Cathy Harrison
3 reviews on 1 places
This was the first time we've stayed at The Sands and we'll definitely be back again. It certainly lived up to its 5 star status.
We stayed in a 2 bed apartment with sea view (apartment 406) and it was stunning.
Noted as newly refurbished, the carpets were plush underfoot & furnishings comfortable but stylish. It's unusual to sleep well on my first night away from home but the bed was so comfortable I had no problem.
Plenty of storage space in wardrobes. Robes supplied in the adult rooms but could have requested further if we'd wanted. Towels supplied & towel rails heated in both bathrooms.
The bedrooms were warm but windows opened and there were fans in the apartment which we could have used.
The kitchen was readily supplied with everything you could have needed for a longer, self catered stay. We mostly ate out.
Large fridge/freezer (with ice cubes ready made), washer/dryer, dishwasher & all crockery, glassware, cutlery & cookware you could need. Coffee machine, kettle & decent sized toaster, with oven & microwave.
There was a large table and two two seater sofas with plenty of comfy cushions and a bean bag. There was a blanket supplied for cooler evenings on balcony along with binoculars which was a nice touch. The balcony contained a small table and 4 chairs.
Bathrooms had large, retained toiletries including hair/body wash & conditioner plus soap bars. There was a shower in each with a bath in the non en suite room. The showers were decent with good pressure and temperature.
There was a nice touch of drying rack, umbrella & hooks in the utility cupboard as you come through the entrance door. Perfect for wet coats etc to dry
There's a storage bench with cushion and drawers for your shoes in the hallway.
We'd recommend locking your outer door once in the apartment as it easily clicks open without locking it. You're supplied with two entrance door keys, plus keys for the balcony doors at check in. Each set also have a fob on them to let you into all the doors in the building.
Each room contained a large TV, although we spent little time on it with the beautiful North beach to walk down each evening (keep an eye on high tide though as the sea comes right in to the wall).
You can log into applications on your TV eg Disney+, itvx etc. There is a Wii in the room and you can rent handsets and games from reception, as well as board games and dvds.
The staff were friendly and helpful.
Dexter's surf shop underneath sell & rent surfing gear and provide lessons.
We'd highly recommend the watermark cafe across the road from the sands for breakfast, the food was delicious (including gluten free and vegan options) and the staff were friendly. Much better than the Saltwater bar/cafe underneath.
The North bay of Scarborough much like many of the seaside towns is quieter than its southern counterpart, less traffic, hustle bustle & noise. There are nice eateries and the beach is gorgeous and covered by lifeguards. There are also beautiful chalets you can rent on the North bay.
Less than 5 minutes walk to Peasholme park & the open air theatre and 20 minutes walk to the sea life centre. It only took us 20 minutes to walk to the castle and 20 minutes from the South bay back over the hill to return. Very hilly though so be prepared.
It was very windy as per usual at Scarborough so if you're heading to the beach we recommend taking a wind break to prevent being sand blasted.
On the whole a great stay and I have no doubt we'll be returning to the sands at a future date.
We stayed in a 2 bed apartment with sea view (apartment 406) and it was stunning.
Noted as newly refurbished, the carpets were plush underfoot & furnishings comfortable but stylish. It's unusual to sleep well on my first night away from home but the bed was so comfortable I had no problem.
Plenty of storage space in wardrobes. Robes supplied in the adult rooms but could have requested further if we'd wanted. Towels supplied & towel rails heated in both bathrooms.
The bedrooms were warm but windows opened and there were fans in the apartment which we could have used.
The kitchen was readily supplied with everything you could have needed for a longer, self catered stay. We mostly ate out.
Large fridge/freezer (with ice cubes ready made), washer/dryer, dishwasher & all crockery, glassware, cutlery & cookware you could need. Coffee machine, kettle & decent sized toaster, with oven & microwave.
There was a large table and two two seater sofas with plenty of comfy cushions and a bean bag. There was a blanket supplied for cooler evenings on balcony along with binoculars which was a nice touch. The balcony contained a small table and 4 chairs.
Bathrooms had large, retained toiletries including hair/body wash & conditioner plus soap bars. There was a shower in each with a bath in the non en suite room. The showers were decent with good pressure and temperature.
There was a nice touch of drying rack, umbrella & hooks in the utility cupboard as you come through the entrance door. Perfect for wet coats etc to dry
There's a storage bench with cushion and drawers for your shoes in the hallway.
We'd recommend locking your outer door once in the apartment as it easily clicks open without locking it. You're supplied with two entrance door keys, plus keys for the balcony doors at check in. Each set also have a fob on them to let you into all the doors in the building.
Each room contained a large TV, although we spent little time on it with the beautiful North beach to walk down each evening (keep an eye on high tide though as the sea comes right in to the wall).
You can log into applications on your TV eg Disney+, itvx etc. There is a Wii in the room and you can rent handsets and games from reception, as well as board games and dvds.
The staff were friendly and helpful.
Dexter's surf shop underneath sell & rent surfing gear and provide lessons.
We'd highly recommend the watermark cafe across the road from the sands for breakfast, the food was delicious (including gluten free and vegan options) and the staff were friendly. Much better than the Saltwater bar/cafe underneath.
The North bay of Scarborough much like many of the seaside towns is quieter than its southern counterpart, less traffic, hustle bustle & noise. There are nice eateries and the beach is gorgeous and covered by lifeguards. There are also beautiful chalets you can rent on the North bay.
Less than 5 minutes walk to Peasholme park & the open air theatre and 20 minutes walk to the sea life centre. It only took us 20 minutes to walk to the castle and 20 minutes from the South bay back over the hill to return. Very hilly though so be prepared.
It was very windy as per usual at Scarborough so if you're heading to the beach we recommend taking a wind break to prevent being sand blasted.
On the whole a great stay and I have no doubt we'll be returning to the sands at a future date.
Great beach, good swimming & water sports options. Watch out for the jelly fish & the tides though. And make sure you take a wind break as it's super windy!
We checked the menu & booked online before visiting & after booking Joanne, one of the owners, made contact to highlight about the mane being in flux due to a pending summer change. She was able to let us know which gluten free items were still available on the menu which was reassuring.
The food was good, we were grateful for them adapting the children's sausage dish to having mash rather than chips the youngest in our party. The gluten free burger was ok. The fish & chips was delicious. And we all enjoyed our desserts (including vegan ice cream). Staff were friendly, although clearly several were in training putting quite a lot on the senior staff to have eyes everywhere.
Obviously we visited in a very cold & wet Easter break, we still managed the 45 minute walk from the Delamere Forest Holidays resort via the woods, & we sat indoors. But I imagine in the summer when the weather is nice that this place would be incredibly busy. They have a lovely garden overlooking the lake with lots of outdoor seating. Their dining room & garden room also overlook the lake.
The food was good, we were grateful for them adapting the children's sausage dish to having mash rather than chips the youngest in our party. The gluten free burger was ok. The fish & chips was delicious. And we all enjoyed our desserts (including vegan ice cream). Staff were friendly, although clearly several were in training putting quite a lot on the senior staff to have eyes everywhere.
Obviously we visited in a very cold & wet Easter break, we still managed the 45 minute walk from the Delamere Forest Holidays resort via the woods, & we sat indoors. But I imagine in the summer when the weather is nice that this place would be incredibly busy. They have a lovely garden overlooking the lake with lots of outdoor seating. Their dining room & garden room also overlook the lake.