Review: A Perfect Weekend in Liverpool at Hope Street Hotel
As Living North celebrates its 25th year of publishing, Liverpool's Hope Street Hotel celebrates its 20th birthday
In 2004, Hope Street Hotel became the city centre’s first independent, privately-owned, boutique hotel and 20 years later it remains a go-to destination for city slickers. Promised a colourful, cultural, charming experience in the city, we’re excited to explore as we park up on Hope Street.
Before checking in we’re keen to take a look around. The hotel sits in between two majestic, but very different, cathedrals – Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and Liverpool Cathedral. We follow the flock of tourists to the latter, Britain's largest cathedral, to begin our sight-seeing expedition. It’s a breathtaking building, not too dissimilar to Durham and Newcastle’s cathedrals, and seems to be a hotspot for those heading into the city. We stroll past busy bars and bustling boutiques towards Royal Albert Dock but stop off at Moi Bakeshop inside FACT (a quirky art, film and media destination) for some sweet treats. I get my iced coffee to-go so as not to miss out on the iconic sights including The Wheel Of Liverpool and The Beatles Statue (worth standing in line for). Although we don’t catch sight of a yellow submarine, vessels come and go as we look out across the River Mersey.
There’s so much to do and simply not enough time but we decide the best way to see what the city is all about is at the Museum of Liverpool (where we also learn just how many amazing movies and TV shows have been filmed here and have a quick sing-song in a ‘recording studio’). Sadly the Tate is closed for redevelopment but has relocated to RIBA North on Mann Island where we’re able to get our art-fix and earwig a conversation between a staff member and some American tourists about why Liverpool has often doubled for the Big Apple in blockbusters. Our next stop is the most important one. We’re told the coolest place to be in Liverpool is Mathew Street and as we take a shortcut through Cavern Walks, we can see why. There’s Beatles memorabilia everywhere and the street is buzzing with Saturday revellers – and it’s only 2pm! We’re, of course, here to check out The Cavern Club. Heading down a spiral of steps we find brick vaulted cellars adorned with memorabilia, bars at every turn, live music and a Beatles tribute act – we simply wish we had more time to spend there but it’s just the one drink for us.
Soon enough it’s time to check into Hope Street Hotel and a quick sprint through the rain leads us to our chic city retreat for the night. We’ve been admiring the city’s awe-inspiring architecture all day but it’s an even more remarkable view from the windows in our studio room. There’s a cosy bed and the largest bath I’ve ever seen, but relaxation awaits elsewhere – in the hotel’s spa.
We have a two-hour ‘thermal journey’ ahead of us, and we begin with a swim in the indoor pool (complete with water blades and underwater music) before warming up in the large herbal sauna. After taking time to relax on the loungers, we brave the ice bowl and water drench. I dare to plunge a bucket of cold water over myself, but my partner needs a little encouragement with my help (whether he likes it or not). By far my favourite element of this modern spa is the fragranced experience shower with lights and varying water settings. I may have spent a little too long in there and my partner guides me away, keen to experience the outdoor pool in the courtyard. A four-metre vitality pool, it’s heated and is complete with hot-tub settings so even when it starts to rain, we remain unbothered and sufficiently relaxed. I’m so relaxed in fact I’m unaware that my partner has ordered a glass of Prosecco for me and a pint for him to enjoy in the pool – I’m happy to accept when they arrive though. We try out the steam room and salt sauna before concluding our spa experience on the heated beds in the tepidarium. Having pushed myself a bit too hard during a Race For Life 5K the previous weekend, this is just what my muscles needed.
Then it’s back to our room for a leisurely hour before our dinner in one of Hope Street Hotel’s two restaurants, London Carriage Works. It’s the only Liverpool hotel restaurant to hold two AA Rosettes and an AA Notable Wine List, and boasts a modern British menu, with a focus on local and seasonal produce (an illustrated map at the bottom of our menu shares the locations). We’re shown to our table and served a chilled bottle of Spanish rosé. My partner sends compliments to the chef for the homemade lemon and thyme butter served with the cutest pre-cut homemade bread loaves. I prefer the chai butter so there are no arguments. We then indulge in what unintentionally turns out to be a meat-heavy meal.
I start with perfectly crispy pigeon (which is deliciously tender in the centre) served with courgette and aubergine press, onion and a spiced jus whilst my partner tries the slow-cooked aged lamb with barley, pickled turnip, young leek and mint. For my main I dig into corn-fed chicken served with pepper purée, smoked pommes Anna, grilled spring greens and almonds, whilst my partner is served a generous portion of beef fillet with smoked emulsion royale, hen of the woods and truffle. He ordered triple-cooked chips to go alongside and I can’t refrain from stealing a few. For dessert, we both opt for summery dishes – creamy lemon verbena curd, cucumber and meringue encased in a sweet pastry for him, and white chocolate with panna cotta, raspberry, basil and yoghurt for me. The refreshing sorbet served with this is flavour-packed. This was a faultless meal but having not quite polished off our wine, we take the bottle upstairs to enjoy in our room.
The following morning I’m trapped in the comfort of our bed, only to be released by the smell of coffee, whilst my partner heads downstairs to the 24-hour gym, when he also discovers that there’s a private cinema! We have the chance to experience Hope Street Hotel’s second restaurant 1931, where there’s a buffet breakfast, fruit and pastries galore, and there’s another chance for coffee before exploring Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and checking out.
If you’re seeking the perfect place to relax in Liverpool just a stone’s throw from the city’s action, Hope Street Hotel has everything you need, and we wish them a happy 20th birthday.
hopestreethotel.co.uk
