6 Best Hotels in Liverpool, Manchester, Liverpool, and the Peak District

There's a lot to love about this modestly priced, mid-range hotel—it's housed in the city's commanding stone Municipal Building a short hop from Lime Street station, its Palm Court restaurant is decadent, its Seaforth Restaurant salutes refined British cuisine, and its gorgeous spa and pool are serene retreats. Upstairs, stylish rooms come with high ceilings and plush muted grey furnishings that complete the hotel's classy showing.    

An intimate retreat within a hectic city, this boutique town-house B&B has a delightful setting on a cobbled lane in Liverpool’s charming Georgian Quarter. The focal point is the lounge, with its elegant gentleman’s club feel, but there's also a basement contemporary art gallery curated by a leading collector based in Berlin and Antwerp and open to guests by request. You're within easy walking distance to many of the city’s most exciting dining options, but stay here for the glorious in-house breakfasts of local produce, with a vast array of choices. The four stunning rooms have freestanding tubs—one in the sleeping area itself.

The decor in this charming converted warehouse is hip and warm, with handpicked British signature furnishings from the likes of Tom Dixon, Paul Smith, and Scottish-based Bute Fabrics. Rooms range from great value small doubles to the Secret Garden Suite sleeping up to five, all with mini-kitchens for limited self-catering. Communal areas are equally inviting. 

The architecture and the original features—green-marble wall tiles, sleek dark-wood paneling, a grand staircase winding up to a domed rotunda—are the real stars of this hotel in the city's landmark Victorian Royal Insurance Building. The loft-style rooms and suites are contemporary and high-tech without being jarring. Amenities include giant beanbags and super-comfortable platform beds. The communal spaces are welcoming, too, among them WXYZ Bar, NYL Restaurant & Bar, and Re-Fuel café with snacks and light bites.

In Liverpool's Georgian Quarter, this chic but relaxed hotel happily blends old (an 1890s building inspired by Venetian palazzos) and new (a contemporary steel-and-glass facade fitted over part of the frontage and rooms that have minimalist, Scandinavian-esque decor). Accommodations on upper floors have city views, and the two penthouse suites have private terraces from which to admire the nearby cathedrals and the river (one also has an outdoor spa bath).

If you're looking for a central location and modern urban style on a tight budget, the Z is a superb option. Rooms are pared-back and minimalist—all the better to appreciate the superb city views from rooms with windows (the most expensive, but still great value). Bespoke beds, crisp linen, and flat-screen TVs make the place feel more expensive than it is. The Z Café serves buffet breakfasts and snacks.