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s you might have guessed from the name, The Sands five-star apartments are located right near the beach. And not any old beach, either.

Scarborough’s North Bay has a cherished ‘blue flag’ for its water quality, and with the ominous ruins of the Medieval castle perched on the headland at the end, it’s certainly worth getting out of your king-size bed for.

Mind you, it might be tough. All of the one-, two- or three-bedroomed options are packed with temptations to stay indoors, including rather lovely Elemis bathroom products, a Nintendo Wii and a balcony with a cracking sea view. But let’s face it, you’re not really here for that.

The easiest way to explore the area is on the North Bay Miniature Railway, which takes you around the coast in its dinky carriages. You’ll pass the Sea Life Centre (stop off to watch the seals being nursed back to health) and the water park, for those who don’t like to get sand between their toes.

Wander home through The Sands’ 55 acres of beautiful parkland. It’ll help you build up an appetite in time for dinner, which you can rustle up in the designer kitchen and enjoy on the balcony with the sun going down.