Liverpool Adventures

Liverpool means many things to many people. To some, it’s the music and the infamous Beatles. To The Boy and his family, it’s football – his Dad has supported LFC since he was little and still hedges his bets on the ballot for tickets. To my family, it’s art and the new Tate.

My first visit to the city was primarily orientated around a visit to Anfield with The Boy but we decided to make a weekend of it. Here’s our pick for food and rooms...

View from our room

Where we stayed: Hope Street Hotel, 40 Hope Street, Liverpool

When looking up nice places to stay, one of my prerequisites was a huge bath. This might seem strange but I’ve become increasingly addicted to epically proportioned bath tubs since staying the Langdale Chase Hotel at on the banks of Windermere. After a few searches, we found the Hope Street Hotel which had good Tripadvisor reviews with mixed reviews on their breakfasts.

Our room was nicely appointed with an amazing bed – I don’t think I’ve ever had such a comfy mattress. Natural wood finishes have been used throughout the hotel and this is echoed in each room. The bathroom had the required large bath and a gloriously strong walk-in shower. The lighting in the bathroom kept me entertained for a full five minutes too – they’re controlled by a touch on/off plate but (as I read in the room guide provided) if you hold your finger 10mm or so away and slide up or down, the lights brighten or dim. Sad, I know but great for setting the mood for a relaxing bath.

The luxurious mattress made for a fantastic night’s sleep though our room was pretty hot during the night and the air conditioning in our room didn’t want to work. Still, we trooped down to The London Carriage Works, the restaurant situated in the ground floor of the hotel for breakfast. It’s a pretty stunning venue with slanting panels of textured glass acting as screens among the tables. Breakfast is expensive but it is a good meal – the continental buffet was groaning with fresh fruit, cured meats, pastries and cereals. I came away with a plate of melon and prosciutto to start with and then went on to have a cooked breakfast. They were happy to swap out the black pudding for their vegetarian alternative which was made from red onion and was very tasty. Not sure why I’m not that keen on proper black pudding – the colour is rather off putting...

Where we ate: Host, 31 Hope Street, Liverpool

While researching the hotel, one reviewer recommended Host, conveniently located over the road from the Hope Street Hotel. Curiosity may have seen off the unfortunate cat but, with so many positive reviews, we decided to give it a go.

Make sure that you arrive early and book in advance – we forgot to do the latter but the staff were very understanding and fitted us in. They were very busy with a constant stream of people coming and out – some for cocktails at the bar and others for the food. The meals themselves were absolutely delicious – quick, fresh and full of complex oriental flavours.

Quite seriously, if you're in the area, I would recommend giving Host a go. It's not terribly expensive and they offer something for everyone, whether you're a keen carnivore, a vibrant vegan or a glam gluten-free gourmet. Highly recommended.

The evening was made even more memorable when I made friends with the locals - a woman gifted me with a safety pin for my ‘friendly’ halter top which was determined to come undone. So kind!

Tasting plate and a delicious hot chocolate

Where we indulged: The Chocolate Cellar, 11 - 13 Hanover Street, Liverpool

You might be familiar with my love of chocolate. I’m not sure whether my sixth (cocoa) sense was tingling or whether fate led us but we found ourselves outside The Chocolate Cellar. Naturally, we had to sample what they had to offer. We tried a tasting plate of their chocolates and a hot chocolate each, which were fantastic. A great place to get souvenirs for chocolate lovers! They also offer workshops – we scoffed while watching a group roll and coat truffles.