Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
18 College Lane, Liverpool.
&
0151/706-9770.
www.lunya.co.uk. Reservations recommended. Tapas
dishes £3.45-£16. MC, V. Mon-Sat 9am-late, Sun 10am-11pm.
Shopping
Liverpool's rebirth has included the creation of the vast, retail-led
Liverpool One com-
plex
(www.liverpool-one.com), which opened to widespread acclaim in 2008-9 on
under-used land near the Albert Dock. Home to about 170 shops and services and
divided into six districts, it's the U.K.'s 10th-largest shopping center, with its own ter-
raced park. Forward-thinking in design, it's been criticized for drawing retailers away
from the center proper (around Lime St. Station), but that area in turn is being trans-
formed into Central Village, with completion scheduled for 2013. Where Liverpool One
has mainly familiar high-street names such as John Lewis and Topshop, the nearby
Metquarter
(www.metquarter.com), opened on Whitechapel in 2006 and dubbed the
“Bond Street of Liverpool,” has mainly upmarket boutiques. For more bohemian shop-
ping, head south to villagey
Lark Lane
(www.larklane.com) off Sefton Park.
In Southport,
Lord Street
attracts shoppers with its Victorian covered arcades full
of high-street names as well as one-off boutiques.
Entertainment & Nightlife
European Capital of Culture in 2008, Liverpool is positively bursting with creative
energies, whether it's in established venues or more underground spots. Among the
former are the
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
, Hope Street (
&
0151/210-
2895;
www.liverpoolphil.com), home to one of the best orchestras outside London
and also hosting concerts by touring musicians.
The Liverpool rock, pop, and dance music scenes also continue to thrive, particularly
in the Ropewalks district.
Nation,
Wolstenholme Square (
&
0151/707-1309
), hosts
the long-standing, world-famous
Cream
(www.cream.co.uk) dance night, typi-
cally held four times a year and attracting superstar DJs. For listings at Nation and
elsewhere, see www.anightinliverpool.com, or pick up flyers in shops and cafes.
Liverpool is also very gay friendly, evidenced by plans announced in 2011 to
revamp the newly pedestrianized Gay Quarter (focused on Stanley, Cumberland,
Victoria, and Eberle streets) to make it one of the U.K.'s gay hubs. There's also a
month-long festival of gay culture,
Homotopia
(www.homotopia.net; held Oct/Nov).
Where to Stay
VERY EXPENSIVE
Hope Street Hotel
Liverpool's first boutique hotel occupies a converted
carriage house and retains its mid-19th-century exposed brickwork and beams,
cast-iron columns, and waxed oak floors, which evoke Liverpool's shipbuilding
past while exuding a warm, cozy atmosphere and modern vibe. The views are good,
too, since it's up on a hill toward Liverpool Cathedral, and some rooms benefit
from a private terrace. There are also some duplex suites, and one suite with an
Italian wooden bathtub on a mezzanine. For a boutique hotel, it's surprisingly
family-friendly, with extra beds provided for children 13 and under in the larger
studio rooms, and toyboxes, coloring books, and DVDs available. The modern
European
London Carriage Works
restaurant is generally good, although over-
salted food and inadequate service can be issues.
40 Hope St., Liverpool L1 9DA. www.hopestreethotel.co.uk.
&
0151/709-3000.
89 units. £180-£240
double; £255-£650 suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking £10.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; babysitting; gym; room
service; in-room treatments; library; CD/DVD library.
In room:
TV/DVD, CD player, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).
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