Manchester will always have my heart as my favourite Northern city in England, yet whenever I speak to people who live further afield, it is Liverpool that they are intrigued by. There is good reason.
Not only is Liverpool the home of the iconic Beatles, it also has a wealth of seafaring heritage that is just waiting to be explored. Here is how I spent 24 hours in Liverpool.
We stayed at The Hope Street Hotel in the Georgian Quarter with it’s gorgeous classical architecture. The Hope Street Hotel is independently owned and super chic, with exposed brick, iron pillars and stylish leather furniture.
The communal areas are stunning and secluded, a great spot to either catch up on some work or relax with a book. I’d highly recommend the large lounger for the latter. There is an award winning spa on site and you can also jump into the outdoor courtyard vitality pool. It’s located right in the middle of the building and looked so dreamy.
Our room was large, light and airy with gorgeous views over the city and a cute balcony to watch the world go by. The corner room had windows all around and quite possibly the biggest bath I have ever seen in a hotel. I could have soaked in their all day with the luxurious Temple Spa products and all that light from the huge windows.
The beds are the right side of firm with soft white linen and plump pillows. We stayed in a twin and I’d have liked bigger beds than the single ones on offer, but for one night it was fine and their comfort made up for their lack of size.
The sunset over the Bombed Out Church and the Liver Building in the background was just beautiful. I’ve seen sunsets all over the world and this one rivalled some of the best so if a decadent sunset is your bag, this hotel is a must for you.
Where to eat
When staying at the Hope Street Hotel, you are spoiled with two restaurants; 2 AA Rosette holding London Carriageworks and the 1931 Brasserie. We chose the latter for its chilled out vibe and open kitchen.
The Mixed Antipasti Board to share was a great way to start a meal. The peppery rocket topped with mozzarella and balsamic adds a freshness yet that gorgonzola on the fresh bread was the star of the show.
With the brasserie being Italian, it seemed criminal not to order a pizza from their pizza oven. I watched the chef shape the fresh dough, add toppings and cook it in front of my eyes. My favourite thing about an open kitchen! I chose the Ragu; wild boar ragu, fennel seeds, red onion, semi dried tomatoes, mozzarella, parsley and Gran Moravia. As expected, the base was light and the toppings rich and delicious.
My friend chose the Caesar salad with chicken. It was a lovely light option with a generous amount of salad toppings. The hard boiled egg was slightly too hard boiled, causing the yolks to go a little powdery. Nothing that the lashings of caesar dressing didn’t cure!
We couldn’t say no to dessert and the Biscoff Cheesecake was screaming my name. Rich and creamy, I couldn’t finish it but I wish I had! My friend went for the classic Tiramisu with lashings of cream and coffee soaked sponge which, was also good.
For lunch the next day we stopped in Hanover Street Social for a Sunday lunch. It is right in the heart of the city and between shopping and history, so a perfect spot to take a break.
Their Sunday Social menu keeps things really simple. 2 courses for £26.95 or 3 courses for £32.95. My huge sweet tooth meant we skipped starters but the Goats Cheese Mousse that arrived to the table next to us looked delicious and means I’ll definitely head back some time very soon.
I can never say no to a Sunday Roast, so much so that whenever my Mum visits from living abroad, she makes me a full Sunday dinner no matter what day it is. I chose the Beef and my friend went with Gammon. Each plate was layered with a pile of seasonal vegetables, a large crispy Yorkshire pudding, herbed roasties and lots of gravy. Being stereotypically Northern, we ordered more and it was delivered to the table quickly with no fuss.
For dessert, I chose the Sticky Toffee Pudding which was light and fluffy with a sweet, sticky sauce. The addition of banana ice cream was a lovely twist. My friend chose the Lemon Posset that was smooth, tangy and creamy. The drunken raspberries it was served with were certainly drunken! Their boozy hit added something a little different to the classic dessert and I enjoyed stealing the ones I managed to nab.
What to do
Liverpool is a fairly compact city and easily walkable, no matter what you decide to do. I’d recommend hitting the shops of Liverpool One. There are outlets that we don’t have in Manchester so it is lovely to wander around and browse.
You have to walk around to find the statues of iconic Scousers such as Cilla Black and the Beatles.
Head over to Albert Dock for an up close and personal view of the historic Liver Building. It was Europe’s first skyscaper and you can enjoy a tour with 360 degree views and listen to all the history of this must visit building.
St Lukes Bombed Out Church is called so due to it losing its roof in World War 2. It is now decorated with pretty lights and is a unique place to wander around. They have regular events such as the Makers Market, and of an evening you can sit in the gardens and have a drink. It’s so beautiful.
An absolute must see is the Titanic exhibit within the Maritime Museum. Whilst the Titanic never visited Liverpool, she was registered there and there are lots of links to the doomed ship to learn. You can see artefacts rescued from the ship and its survivors and hear the stories all about that fateful night.
The Maritime Museum is also home to the International Slavery Museum, which gives an intimate insight into Liverpool’s history with slavery and modern day human trafficking. It’s really thought provoking, certainly in the current climate.
There is much more to see and do but for a 24 hour visit to Liverpool, you can certainly get a feel for the city.
