Places to Stay With a Restaurant in Lancashire

Thirty-six places to stay in Lancashire are published on BritStays with a restaurant on site. That single facility changes a trip more than people expect: it means a late arrival doesn't have to end in a supermarket meal deal, and it means at least one evening where nobody has to drive, cook or wash up. Here's how the 36 break down, and how to pick the one that suits your trip.

What's actually on offer

All 36 have a restaurant, by definition. Beyond that, the pattern is clear: 23 also have a bar, 18 are pet friendly, 16 have parking, 15 have WiFi, 13 have disabled access, 11 have a swimming pool and 11 lay on evening entertainment. So roughly two thirds pair the restaurant with a bar, and about a third add a pool — useful if you're travelling with children and want a wet-weather fallback.

By type, it splits almost evenly between caravanning (18) and hotels (16), with two camping options. That's worth understanding before you book. A restaurant at a holiday park tends to sit alongside entertainment and family facilities; a restaurant at a hotel is usually the main event of the evening. Both are listed here side by side, so read the facility list rather than the label.

Coast or countryside?

Morecambe has the most by a distance, with 11, followed by Blackpool with seven. Five more are listed simply under Lancashire, with two at Grange-over-Sands and one each at Lytham St Annes, Tewitfield, Hest Bank and Poulton-le-Fylde.

• Seaside with a bit of grandeur: The Midland Hotel in Morecambe pairs a bar and restaurant with takeaway food, which is handy on a day you'd rather eat in your room or out on the front.
• Seaside with a family park feel: Riverside Holiday Park at Morecambe has a swimming pool, gym and spa; Six Arches Caravan Park combines a pool with evening entertainment and a bar; Claylands Park leans the same way, with entertainment, a bar and a restaurant.
• Something quieter: Red Bank Farm at Morecambe lists a bar, restaurant and cafe, while Glenfield Leisure Park adds a cafe and guided tours to its restaurant.
• Countryside and small towns: Pyes Mill at Conder Green has a bar, restaurant and disabled access, and The Royal Station Hotel at Carnforth keeps it simple with a bar and restaurant.

Couples, families and dog owners

For couples, the draw tends to be a restaurant plus somewhere to unwind afterwards. Netherwood Hotel at Grange-over-Sands lists a hot tub, spa and bar; Lancaster House Hotel in Lancaster has a swimming pool, hot tub and gym. The Alexander, listed under Lancashire, combines evening entertainment and a restaurant with guided tours, which suits a trip built around days out rather than lounging.

Families are best served by the pool-and-entertainment parks around Morecambe, where the restaurant is one part of a longer evening. If you're bringing a dog, 18 of the 36 are pet friendly — a solid half — though always confirm whether the dog is welcome in the restaurant itself or only in the bar and bedrooms, as that varies.

For a stop rather than a stay, Travelodge Preston North in Preston lists a bar, restaurant and toilets, and both Travelodge Manchester Birch M62 Eastbound and Travelodge Manchester Birch M62 Westbound combine a restaurant with disabled access and pet friendly rooms. Check which carriageway you'll be on before booking those two.

What to do once you're there

Lancashire's heritage is close at hand. Lancaster Castle and Clitheroe Castle are both open to visitors, with Hornby Castle and Gleaston Castle adding to the list, and Gawthorpe Hall, Gisburne Park and Hacking Hall covering the stately home side. Malham Cove is the big landmark walk if you want a full day on your feet.

Rainy days are well covered by museums: the Museum of Lancashire and the Harris Museum, plus the textile heritage at Helmshore Mills Textile Museum, Higher Mill and Whitakers' Mill. Further afield, The Lakes Aqua Park in the Lake District, Trafford Watersports Centre in Cheshire and the Amazing Novelty-Orium & Mechanical Museum in Merseyside are all worth a day trip.

When to book

With only 36 in the region, and Morecambe and Blackpool holding 18 of them between them, choice narrows quickly in school holidays and over illumination-season weekends in Blackpool. Book the pool-and-entertainment parks earliest; they fill first. Hotels at Grange-over-Sands and Lancaster are in shorter supply still, with just a handful listed, so give yourself months rather than weeks for a summer weekend.

Two practical habits: confirm restaurant opening arrangements directly before you travel, because on-site restaurants at holiday parks often run reduced hours outside the main season, and book a table for your arrival night when you book the room. Parking is listed at 16 of the 36, so check it specifically if you're driving.