Liverpool City Centre 4-Star Hotels: An Honest Dockside Guide

The Radisson Blu sits right across from the ferry terminal, 600 metres from the Royal Liver Building, with the Collage restaurant looking out over the Mersey and the White Bar for something lighter. Lime Street Station is about 1.6km off, so pack light if you're walking it with luggage (I didn't, and regretted every cobblestone). Rooms are air-conditioned with in-room safes, which matters more than it sounds once you've left a passport in a drawer once. Ask for the river-facing side when you book - see it on Booking.com.

Malmaison Liverpool is tucked into Princes Dock with a proper gym and the Brasserie serving classic British dishes off a 'kitchen table' where you can watch the chefs work. The Liver Building is a five-minute walk, shopping and the rail stations about 1.6km away. The Malbar's cocktail list nearly made me miss a train home once - a confession I'll stand by. If you want boutique over big-brand polish, this is the one I'd pick myself; reviews on Tripadvisor back that up.

The DoubleTree by Hilton occupies a grand old building with 87 rooms and an Eforea Spa (jacuzzi, sauna, hydrotherapy pool, £20-25 extra, over-16s only - pre-book the treatments or you'll be turned away, which happened to a friend of mine). It's 0.5km from the Royal Court Theatre, an eight-minute walk to Lime Street, and 0.75km from Pier Head and Albert Dock. Koukash Bar & Grill runs themed dinner nights if you're there for a match - Hilton's own booking page has the current room grades.

Staycity Aparthotels Liverpool Waterfront is about as close to Pier Head as you'll get, with Albert Dock a short walk further on. Every apartment has its own kitchenette, which saves a fortune on breakfasts if you're staying more than a couple of nights. Couples rate it 9.5 out of 10 for a two-person trip, and reception covers several languages. Liverpool ONE is an eight-minute walk, the airport about 12km - fine for an early flight, less fine dragging a case through rain, as reviewers on Tripadvisor will tell you.

Cove Paradise Street puts you inside the Liverpool ONE development, with full kitchens, dishwashers, and floor-to-ceiling windows in the bedrooms. It's a ten-minute walk to Lime Street, 0.5km from Chavasse Park, and five minutes to Albert Dock and the Arena. Weekly housekeeping is included, which is handy for longer stays but means don't expect daily towel changes (I learned that the hard way on a five-night stay) - the Cove by Locke site lays out the apartment grades.

School Lane Hotel is a four-minute walk from Liverpool Central Station and just 0.3km from Liverpool ONE, with air-conditioned rooms and city views. Albert Dock is 1.1km away, Pier Head a twelve-minute walk. Reception covers English, Spanish and Portuguese, which is more than I can say for most ticket offices I've worked. The airport sits around 13km out - worth checking on Google Travel before you lock dates.

Duke Street Apartment Hotel gives you a proper kitchen, washing machine and a terrace with city views, which beats a cramped double if you're staying more than a night or two. It's a twelve-minute walk to the Philharmonic Hall, under a kilometre to Albert Dock, 0.6km from Central Station and a six-minute walk to Liverpool ONE. The airport is about 12km away. Ground-floor units get a sofa and seating area - ask for one if stairs aren't your thing; these serviced apartments book up fast on weekends.

62 Castle Street Hotel is three minutes from Liverpool ONE, with a coffee shop downstairs and a full English or Irish breakfast of warm dishes and fresh pastries. Albert Dock is about a kilometre off, the Beatles Story a twelve-minute walk, and the airport roughly 13km. It's rated well for room size and staff, though it's on a working city-centre street, so don't expect silence before 8am (I didn't get it, anyway) - its Booking.com page has the room layouts.

Hope Street Hotel has its own spa with a pool, outdoor vitality pool, saunas and steam room (over-18s only, £45-55 for non-residents, booking essential). The London Carriage Works holds an AA Rosette, and 1931 serves pizza and sharing boards until 10pm. It's a fifteen-minute walk to Lime Street and just over 1.6km to the Beatles Story, the International Slavery Museum and Tate Liverpool. Breakfast runs £19.50 - not cheap, but a proper cooked spread, not a token buffet. It's one of the better 4 star hotels in Liverpool City Centre if the spa matters to you.

Leonardo Hotel Liverpool is a five-minute walk from the city centre, with a buffet breakfast, a Bar and Grill for all-day dining, and paid public parking if you've driven in rather than taken the train (my preference, obviously). It's not trying to be boutique - spa toiletries and a work desk are about as far as it goes - but the 24-hour reception and laundry service earn their keep on a longer stay ->