40 Hope Street, Liverpool (0151 709 3000; www.hopestreethotel.co.uk)
Gazza was arrested for allegedly punching a photographer outside, and Jodie Marsh was spotted wolfing down a full English in the restaurant. So it is a surprise to find that the Hope Street hotel is actually rather classy.
It's housed in a Venetian-style building with an attractive facade that was built in 1860 to resemble a palazzo and was used by a coach and carriage manufacturer. The giant London Carriage Works title above the door lives on, and the restaurant was named after it when it opened in 2003 under the hand of chef Paul Askew. He was making waves even before it was extended to become a hotel a few months later.
With fantastic dishes such as the mixed seafood; fish and scallops in clam sauce; and the rather wacky starter of assiette of carrots done four ways including carrot cake; and bitter orange ice cream, its ranking as Liverpool's top restaurant in this year's Good Food Guide is well-earned.
London may have a lot more to offer at this standard, but would probably charge double for the same quality. Lunch was incredibly good value, just £19 for two courses, £25 for three, supplemented with lots of tasty little home-baked focaccias, appetisers and amuse bouches.
The hotel's decor is a fine example of well-executed minimalism, with all the white walls, dark wood, exposed brick, chrome bathrooms etc, we have come to expect from modern hotels. There is nothing exciting, groundbreaking or quirky here, but every city needs a stylish minimalist hotel and this is Liverpool's.
Anything more flashy and ornate would also jar with the historical surroundings. Hope Street is one of Liverpool's most famous drags, with the awe-inspiring old and new cathedrals at either end; a collection of hip new bars (The Side Door, Roadkill) to spend an evening in; and the old art college of the city's very own messiah, John Lennon, around the corner.
Cost: From £140 for a double.
What we liked: Interesting menu, good DVD collection.
What we didn't like: My wake-up call was 24 hours late.
Verdict: A reliable, stylish hotel with great food.
