As soon as I stepped off the train at Lime Street Station on a Thursday afternoon, Liverpool’s vibrant energy hit me. The streets buzzed with live music spilling out from bars, and I knew right away this was going to be an unforgettable trip.

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A Warm Welcome at The Novotel City Hotel

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My first stop was the Novotel City Hotel, where I was hosted for two nights by the wonderful Mariana Fagundes. Located in the heart of Liverpool, this contemporary hotel offers excellent service and spacious, stylish rooms, perfect for both business and leisure. It’s just a short stroll from key attractions, making it an ideal base for corporate travellers and event planners alike.

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A Tasty Tour of Liverpool’s Best

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Our evening began with a food tour-style event, each stop offering something special. The first was at The Liner Hotel, one of Liverpool’s first luxury hotels. Known for its nautical theme, the Liner’s Liverpool-themed cocktails and gourmet hors d’oeuvres set the tone for the evening. It’s a classic spot for welcoming clients or treating business partners to a unique experience.

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The Liner Hotel Liverpool channels the city’s seafaring past with its ship-inspired design, including a conference suite shaped like a vessel and a striking Titanic-themed ballroom. With over 150 bedrooms and versatile event spaces, it’s a distinctive spot for both stays and large-scale gatherings

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Next, we moved on to Radisson Red, where the theme was all about the stars—literally. The staff, dressed as iconic movie characters, gave a playful nod to Liverpool’s rich history as a filming location. The food was as fantastic as the service—perfect for hosting a corporate event with a bit of flair.

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Radisson RED Liverpool pairs historic architecture with bold, modern interiors, set within a restored railway hotel opposite Lime Street Station. It offers 201 sleek, tech-forward bedrooms, a bar and restaurant, gym, and social spaces, alongside flexible event space across multiple meeting.

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As we strolled through Liverpool’s vibrant streets, I couldn’t help but notice the night scene: neon lights, historic buildings, and live music spilling from every corner. The Cavern Club on Matthew Street, the birthplace of The Beatles, was just one of many bars in the area featuring live acts. It has a lively, creative atmosphere.

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Matthew Street’s Iconic Statues

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As we walked through Matthew Street, I was reminded of Liverpool’s deep musical roots. Not only is this street home to the famous Cavern Club, but it also boasts statues of local legends like Cilla Black and John Lennon. The Cilla Black Statue is a tribute to the beloved singer and TV personality, while the John Lennon Statue pays homage to one of the world’s most iconic musicians. Alongside these statues, you’ll find a brick wall engraved with the names of artists who’ve performed in Liverpool, further solidifying the city’s place as a global hub for music and culture.

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Dessert with a Side of Drama at Hard Day’s Night Hotel

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We ended the evening at the Hard Day’s Night Hotel, a Beatles-themed hotel right in the heart of Liverpool. The energy here was infectious, with cocktails, popcorn, and a screening of Back to the Future—made even better by the staff’s playful antics. As the night progressed, a live band played a mix of classics, including some beloved Liverpudlian tunes, turning the Hard Days Night’s bar into a private party. This is the kind of venue that knows how to turn a business night out into something unforgettable.

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The Hard Day’s Night Hotel Liverpool is a four-star, Beatles-themed hotel with around 110 bedrooms, each individually styled with artwork dedicated to the Beatles. It features a range of versatile event spaces, including dedicated suites and a banquet hall that can host up to around 150–180 guests.  The hotel is all set within a characterful historic building in the heart of the Cavern Quarter.

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At one of the entrances, the hotel features replica Strawberry Field gates, echoing the iconic red gates of the original site immortalised in Strawberry Fields Forever. They act as both a visual landmark and a symbolic nod to John Lennon’s childhood, creating an immediate Beatles connection as guests arrive and reinforcing the hotel’s immersive, music-led identity.

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A Refreshing Start at The Novotel

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The following morning, The Novotel City Hotel set us up with a hearty breakfast, fuelling me for a day of business meetings. Mariana had arranged for a car to take me to the Melia Inside Hotel, where we met with the incredible team of suppliers who had made this FAM trip possible.

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Meetings with a View at Melia Inside Hotel

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The Melia Inside Hotel’s - The rooftop is split between a sleek indoor sky bar and an open-air terrace that wraps around the building. Inside, you’ve got a polished bar area with floor-to-ceiling windows, lounge seating, and space for DJs, while outside the terrace offers more relaxed seating zones positioned to maximise the panoramic views. The flow between the two is seamless, so it naturally shifts from a laid-back, scenic spot during the day to a more energetic, social space at night

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What a wonderful space for a meeting!  The rooftop provided a stunning, though misty, view of the city. Even on a foggy day, I could tell that on a sunny one, it would be breathtaking.  This modern hotel offers a sleek, high-end comfort, along with a professional environment with meeting spaces designed to impress, making it ideal for high-level corporate events and luxury stays.

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We then took a short walk to Fazenda which is a Brazilian steakhouse set in the historic Exchange Flags, known for its rich, atmospheric interiors and elegant wine cellar. It offers a traditional churrasco experience, with gaucho chefs carving grilled meats tableside alongside a gourmet market table offering salads, roasted vegetables, fish, rice and couscous etc which offers options for all diets and tastes.  This combines theatre, quality, and a premium dining setting.  This also allowed a great opportunity to network.  

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After lunch, we took part in a treasure hunt and photography challenges around the city, exploring Liverpool’s iconic landmarks. We were fortunate to have Brian Churchill from INNSiDE by Meliá as our team captain, his extensive knowledge and insightful commentary was a real treat and really brought the city’s history to life

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After the activity we met all the other teams at the M Gallery for drinks and canapes and to reveal the winners of the treasure hunt.  

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The Municipal Hotel & Spa Liverpool – MGallery is set within the city’s historic Municipal Buildings, originally opened in 1868 as Liverpool City Council’s headquarters and transformed into a luxury hotel in 2023. It blends original grandeur—think a striking clock tower, sandstone figures symbolising the city’s industries, and a dramatic atrium—with contemporary interiors and a refined finish. The hotel offers 179 bedrooms, a spa, elegant dining spaces, and stylish event rooms for conferences and private functions.

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After this, I spent some time shopping along Liverpool’s iconic high street, home to a mix of well-known high street favourites and premium designer brands.  This also gave me another insight into Liverpool.

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After a quick refresh, the evening kicked off at Novotel Liverpool City Centre with drinks and starters, setting the tone for the night ahead. The Novotel Liverpool City Centre is a modern, four-star hotel with a relaxed, contemporary feel.  It offers 209 bedrooms, along with facilities including a restaurant, bar, gym, and indoor pool. The hotel also has meeting rooms for up to 100 delegates.

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We then moved on to The Halyard Hotel for a fantastic dinner, complete with Baby Guinness shots. The Halyard Liverpool has contemporary design with a boutique feel.  It has nautical touches inspired by the city’s heritage. It has 130 modern bedrooms, including some penthouse suites with a terrace which can also be used for a small luxury event.    We had dinner in the vibrant restaurant and bar.

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The Baby Clubhouse, once home to the legendary Cream nightclub, for more drinks in a space steeped in music history. The night wrapped up at Dicey’s, a traditional pub, where we enjoyed dessert and a final round of drinks to end the evening on a high.

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The evening started off with Novotel Liverpool City Centre is a modern, four-star hotel with a relaxed, contemporary feel and clean, functional interiors. It offers 209 bedrooms, along with facilities including a restaurant, bar, gym, and indoor pool. The hotel also features a range of flexible meeting rooms for up to 100 delegates, making it a versatile option for both business and leisure stays

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The next stop was The Baby Clubhouse—a sleek, modern event space that feels worlds away from its former life as the legendary Cream nightclub. Once one of the UK’s most iconic dance venues, Cream helped define Liverpool’s club scene in the 90s, attracting world-class DJs and global recognition before closing its doors in 2016. Today, the space has been reimagined into a contemporary venue, while the Cream brand itself lives on through major events and festivals like Creamfields.

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The last stop was dessert and drinks at Dicey’s which is a traditional pub with live music.  

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We ended the night listening to a live band at one of the bars in iconic Matthew Street.

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The last day was a day of leisure.  I took in two hop on hop off bus tours.  One tour was a magical mystery tour, which took me to all of the iconic Beatles sites such as The Philharmonic Dining Rooms, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields and the Strawberry field gates and St Peter’s Church where the Beatles first met.  It also took in the roundabout where the bus shelter is, where they waited for their bus to school, it’s also mentioned in Penny Lane.  We drove past both John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s family homes.  

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The second bus tour took us all round the city and took in all the iconic sites.  

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After the bus tours I took a Ferry across the Mersey where I call see Liverpool from the River Mersey.  The huge Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock can be seen from the ferry as it is situated next to the river.

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I ended my time in Liverpool with a visit to the Cavern.   It has arched brick ceilings and underground cellar and tunnel-like feel.  It’s dim lighting close-to-the-stage spaces sets up the ambiance. , you can really feel the high-energy atmosphere.  There were two live bands playing keeping the audience entertained. Not only this, but it is like a museum of memorabilia from the Beatles, Cilla Black and other artists who have visited or performed at The Cavern such as Adele, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Queen, Elton John, David Bowie, Adele, Arctic Monkeys and Oasis.  The Cavern gave me goose bumps to think how many people had performed there.  

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Thank you to all the partners of Liverpool Hospitality.  Your collaboration and teamwork meant that I was able to have the best experience of Liverpool.  Your hospitality was outstanding and by working as a team, this meant the event ran seamlessly.  I have a great overview of Liverpool and can’t wait to come back.  You gave me a real Liverpool welcome.  

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Key takeaways from my trip to Liverpool.

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Liverpool is famous for its music, all the iconic bands as well as Eurovision being held in Liverpool as well as sport – two famous football club.   Liverpool is so much more than this. It’s not just a city, it’s an experience. From the lively streets filled with music to the top tier hotels and venues.     Whether you're planning a corporate event, private dining, incentive trip, or team-building activity, Liverpool offers the perfect mix of history, culture, and innovation to impress your clients or colleagues.

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