'I stayed in TripAdvisor's top hotel in best large UK city for a short break'

According to a survey by Which? Liverpool is currently the best large city for a short break in the UK. Scoring 84% customer satisfaction, Merseyside's famous coastal city just edged out Edinburgh and York by a percentage point into second and third place respectively.

In contrast, Manchester came in 11th place with 74% - trailing behind other large cities like Newcastle, Portsmouth and Bristol. For fairness, it's only right that I declare my split loyalties to both cities, working for the Manchester Evening News while hailing from Liverpool.

The truth is I love both Liverpool and Manchester. Yet there's no doubt Liverpool has transformed itself into a great destination for a city break - and it's only just over 30 minutes from Manchester by train.

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Much of this is thanks to the city leaning in to its unique selling points in terms of its history, architecture, pop culture and its iconic waterfront. Assets the city has excelled at promoting in recent times, while also receiving universal praise for its brilliant hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023 after stepping in for Ukraine.

So I put myself in the shoes of a tourist and booked into the city's No.1 rated hotel on TripAdvisor. The Resident hotel on Seel Street is located right in the heart of Liverpool - perfectly placed to experience what the city offers in terms of culture as well as shops, bars and restaurants. It's also just walking distance from Liverpool's famed waterfront.

As we walked down Seel Street to check in early on Saturday afternoon, the streets were already crammed with shoppers and afternoon drinkers . Groups of stag and hen parties are a common sight in the city these days - enticed by the bars and beer gardens with offers of free shots. Even early on a Saturday afternoon, Liverpool city centre is a potent mix of rival bass beats and the tipsy laughter of the early crowd.

As somebody who has previously lived in the centre of Liverpool, yet still values his sleep, I felt a slight tinge of dread. I once lived in a modern apartment building not far from The Resident.

Much of these memories involve the constant sound of throbbing club music going on well into the small hours. When this eventually ceased, a dawn chorus of seagulls and their visceral shrieks would take over.

These fears of another sleepless night were not eased when I walked through to the hotel reception to find a cowgirl themed hen party had just checked in. Their giddy shrieks were not a million miles from those circling gulls, only now my potential tormenters keeping me from a good night's sleep were wearing pink 10 gallon hats.

Despite my reservations, I was impressed how the former warehouse dating back to the 1800s had been radically transformed into a bijoux city centre hotel complex. One thing you need to know with The Resident is it doesn't have its own restaurant, but, as the helpful receptionist pointed out, they partner with several nearby eateries where meals are discounted for the hotel's guests.

Walking past the hotel's attractive lounge area, I took the lift up to my room on the first floor. Letting myself in with the key card, first impressions are good.

I'm staying in a King room which is one up from a standard double. The room is neatly laid out and overlooks Seel Street where the party is taking place below. But crucially, there is no sound - nothing, nada, zilch.

The outer building windows have been further soundproofed by an inner window which thankfully blocks out most of the noise. This does come with a cost, as there's no way to open the windows.

However, it's a great spot to people-watch as I spot the cowgirl hen party head out in an opposite direction to a group of well turned out stags, directing an unsteady groom wearing an inflatable cow costume.

The fact that his costume was inflatable would likely be to his benefit, acting as airbag to cushion any potential stumbles as the day wore on. Thankfully the room's delicate linen drapes meant I could observe the goings on in the street below unnoticed.

The King room offered everything you might expect, including a king-size bed and a spacious bathroom. The clear instructions displayed after switching on the TV meant signing into the hotel's free Wi-Fi was simple.

As well as plentiful Freeview and radio stations available, you could also peruse the guide on where to eat, and what to do, in the city during your stay. Another nice touch was the simple way to mirror your own phone or tablet screen to the TV, meaning you can stream your own shows and films via YouTube or streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Next to the bed was a combined, sliding door unit that catered for all your storage needs - clothes hanging space, safe, shelving and ironing facilities. When you've unpacked and stored your belongings, slide the door on the other side of the unit and you find a mini-kitchen, complete with a refrigerator, sink, kettle with complimentary tea and coffee, and Nespresso coffee machine.

Behind a set of cupboards at the top was a microwave, as well as dishes, glasses, cups and cutlery. So while some might bemoan the absence of an onsite restaurant, but for those happy to bring their own food and drinks - and save some money - it felt like a home away from home. But should you wish to dine out, there are countless restaurants nearby.

The large bathroom was meticulously clean and came complete with a bath, heated towel rail and a powerful shower. There was also a hint of luxury with Molton Brown shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and skin cream dispensers.

There were also some neat touches. As well as a large bank of mirrors in the bathroom, a separate hand-held mirror was also supplied to admire your profile from every possible angle - if that's your thing.

There was also a long illuminated mirror in the bedroom to ensure both makeup and outfit are on point, for a night out in Liverpool. Powerpoints were plentiful and there was also a separate desk/work area for guests there on business.

One downside was that, despite there being two of us booked into the room, only one set of complimentary slippers, dressing gown and complimentary toothpaste/toothbrush was provided. However, I have no doubt had I called down to reception to raise this, then it would have been remedied without fuss.

Another issue for some would be the sound of the room's much-needed air conditioning. Without the ability to open windows, this is a necessity and its constant whir may well disturb a light sleeper. This is all controlled by a unit on the wall and could be switched off, but of course, windows can't be opened to compensate.

An impressive feature of the hotel, however, is the plush lounge area. With its stylish sofas and armchairs, as well as workstations with powerpoint and USB ports, it would be a great place to work or meet for mid-week business travellers.

There is a reason The Resident has come in as the number one hotel in Liverpool on review site, Trip Advisor. It's modern, clean, quiet and caters for all types of stays, central to everything Liverpool has to offer.

In essence, The Resident offers a great hotel experience for a getaway whether for business or pleasure. Details on prices and availability at The Resident in Liverpool can be found on their website.