The Spa @ Suites Hotel, Liverpool

“All I want is world peace and a pedicure” - unknown

One of the great things about blogging is that you learn about places to try that you probably wouldn’t have known about otherwise. 

I was recently invited to one such place, The Spa @ Suites Hotel in Liverpool, for a pamper day with my friend. 

Nestled away in the most unlikely of places, just off the M57 motorway in Knowsley, I’ve driven past dozens of times without realising it even existed. The exterior gives little away about the indulgent spa experience that you can experience inside.

Suites is the only 4* hotel in the North West that provides all of its guests with suites. Hence the name! The privately owned hotel opened in September 2014 and The Spa has since become a popular destination for a luxury pamper. 

Facilities include a Thermal Suite with Double Rasul Chamber, Sinann Foot Spa, Rainforest Showers, Hot Beds, Himalayan Salt Inhalation Steam Room, Sauna and Ice Room offering a range of heat, ice and water treatments.

The leisure facilities include an 18 metre swimming pool, two Jacuzzis and a fully equipped gym.

Therapists are trained to Decléor and Carita standards, offering over 90 treatments. There’s a choice of manicures, pedicures, massages, facials, wraps, therapies, anti-ageing treatments, treatments for mums-to-be, couples treatments… the list is almost endless. 

My friend had the Drift Signature Treatment. This began with a skin softening body brush followed by a warm soya bean oil drizzled over the body before a full body massage. Guests are given the rest of the massage candle to take with them to enjoy at home. 

I had the Twin Souls Treatment, an exfoliation of hands and feet before a deep relaxation massage of both. 

After our treatments we went to the Thermal Spa for a sauna before retreating to the Relaxation Suite.

This little sanctuary allows you to relax and unwind while sipping a cup of tea. Perfect!

The venue also offers dining and drinking destinations in the form of Handley’s Brassiere and Bollinger Bar. Those visiting The Spa have exclusive access to the Spa Bistro, which serves up healthy and indulgent light-bites.

With a range of facilities and treatments on offer, The Spa @ Suites Hotel, truly was a pleasant surprise. It just goes to show that you can find a little bit of luxury in the most unlikely of places. 

Spa@Suites Hotel, Ribblers Lane, Liverpool, L34 9HA

The Spa @ Suites Hotel

+44 (0)151 549 2222

Cocktail Saturdays was a guest of Suites Hotel

Neighbourhood, Liverpool

“Love thy neighbour as yourself, but choose your neighbourhood.” - Louise Lester Beal 

Following our glamorous day of fashion shows and celebrity talks at the British Style Collective, my friend and I were looking for somewhere equally as glitzy to have dinner. 

We landed on Neighbourhood Liverpool, having visited the sister restaurant in Manchester last year. With a focus on live music and cocktails, it was the perfect place to continue our stylish weekend. 

Set in an imposing Grade II-listed building on Castle Street, built in 1868 for the Alliance Bank, it has recently been renovated into an elegant restaurant with a pop twist. Pink parlour seating and marble tables under 80s neon signs give the space a laid back Miami vibe. 

The menu is described as all-day brasserie style with European and new American cuisine influences. Offering breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, as well as a vibrant bar area, Neighbourhood has something for everyone to “Dine. Drink. Dance.”

I had a beetroot salad and my friend had an aubergine bake. We both ordered a side of the most delicious roasted sweet potato wedges (so tasty they were hoovered up before I remembered to photograph them. Bad blogger, but a good excuse for a return visit!) 

For pudding my friend had lemon meringue pie while I couldn’t resist the chocolate bomb. 

Service was excellent and the atmosphere was buzzing. Our seats were perfectly elevated so that we could people watch across the bar.

We enjoyed ourselves so much we returned the following morning for Sunday brunch. 

Breakfasts have really taken off in this area of Liverpool and Neighbourhood has jumped on this opportunity to offer a bottomless brunch menu. Available on Saturdays and Sundays only, diners can enjoy unlimited Prosecco, Cocktails or Bloody Marys alongside a range of delicious breakfast dishes for just £35.00. 

The venue also offers two private dining rooms catering for upwards of 30 guests and a mezzanine level which is also available for private functions. 

As well as the Manchester and Liverpool sites, Neighbourhood is opening a third venue in Leeds next month.

Regardless of when you visit, be it in the evening for cocktails or a hangover brunch the following day, make sure you dress to impress!

www.neighbourhoodrestaurant.co.uk

British Style Collective, Liverpool

The British Style Collective arrived in Liverpool last weekend for a three-day fashion and beauty extravaganza. 

After spending more than 30 years based at Birmingham's NEC under the name The Clothes Show, the event has been rebranded and moved to its new northern home for a city-wide takeover. Huge names from the world of fashion and beauty, including celebrities, designers, models and bloggers, all took part. 

The event kicked off on Friday with a fashion catwalk at Liverpool's ECHO Arena. Renowned British designers including Philip Armstrong, Sorapol and Edeline Lee, and Lisbon based designer David Ferreira all showcased their collections.

Shows took place across the weekend at the beautiful St George’s Hall which hosted exclusive Q&A sessions and insider interviews, allowing the audience to delve a little deeper into the glamorous world of fashion. 

Caryn Franklin MBE interviewed singer and presenter Kimberley Walsh

Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing spoke about his brand Candy Kittens and his pal Alex Mytton also appeared, fresh off a flight from Ibiza. 

British designer Henry Holland spoke about his brand, House of Holland. 

Singer Mollie King spoke with Caryn Franklin MBE

Glamour magazine’s editor Jo Elvin joined with Lisa Snowdon and Jules Von Hep.

Celebrity stylist Sabina Emrit joined a panel including Towie's Lydia Bright and Glamour beauty director Alessandra Steinherr to discuss dressing for confidence. 

Another Made in Chelsea favourite appeared, Lucy Watson. 

With all of those interviews, it’s no wonder host Antonia O’Brien took a little nap in between talks. 

There was opportunity to mingle with the speakers after each session, both Mollie and Alessandra Steinherr were absolutely gogeous. 

The event also had a significant blogger presence, with Megan Ellaby of Pages By Megan, Olivia Purvis of What Olivia Did, Sarah Ashcroft of That Pommie Girl, Helen Canning of Coco Mama Style and Alex Light of What Alex Wears.

Designer Wayne Hemingway hosted the Fine Tuned event at the Albert Dock, a collection of independent designers, street food vendors, vintage traders and performers.

Perhaps my favourite talk was with Brit designer Gary James McQueen, nephew of the late great Alexander McQueen. He spoke about how he intends to continue his family’s legacy with the launch of his new collection of made-to-order hand printed silk scarves. It was a real treat for him to debut his collection in Liverpool and a nicer guy you could not wish to meet. 

It was fantastic to see our beautiful city hosting such a glamorous event and I’m thrilled to hear it’s coming back next year!

The Wolseley, London

“How do you like your eggs in the morning?”… I like mine at The Wolseley. 

A self-proclaimed ‘café-restaurant in the grand European tradition,’ The Wolseley is located next to the Ritz in a Grade II listed building. Constructed in 1921 it was originally designed as a prestigious car showroom for Wolseley Motors.

However, the cars didn’t sell well and by 1926 the company was bankrupt.

Barclays Bank acquired the building and a banking counter was installed, as well as a post box and stamp machine, which are still on display today.

Decades later Chris Corbin and Jeremy King, the original restaurateurs behind the Ivy and J Sheekey, took ownership and set about a major renovation project.

Black and cream geometric marble floors and baroque ironwork were introduced to take the building back to it’s 1920s authenticity. Inspiration was taken from the grand cafes of Vienna, Milan and Paris. The interior is beautiful, with soaring columns and arched windows under a 30ft-high ceiling.

The Wolseley opened its doors in 2003 and has since experienced great success, gaining iconic status and achieving the highest grossing turnover of any individual restaurant in the UK. It has rumoured sales of over £10 million a year. 

It has also become a favourite with London's celebrity set due to it oozing glamour but being equally discrete. Kate Moss is a regular while Madonna, Sienna Miller and Jake Gyllenhaal have all dined there in recent years. Lucian Freud loved the place so much he ate at the same table every single night.

Keen to see what all the fuss was about, I visited for breakfast with a friend one Sunday morning. Having previously reviewed sister restaurant, The Colbert in Chelsea, we knew roughy what to expect.

Great service, simple but delicious food and well-heeled people reading a variety of international Sunday papers.

We began with a pot of tea each and a glass of freshly squeezed vitamin c. I ordered my usual eggs florentine and my friend had an omelette.

We couldn’t resist ordering a buttery pain au chocolat each, having fallen in love with the pastries at The Colbert.

The food was delicious, exactly what we needed after one too many cocktails the night before. Comfort food at its best. 

Unlike The Colbert, The Wolseley was a hive of activity with a noise level to match. Smartly dressed waiters dashed around the place tending to everyones needs. The restaurant runs like a well-oiled machine, akin to the luxury cars that were sold in the same building nearly a century ago. 

There was a whole variety of people dining, the famous sitting alongside tourists, children eat with their parents, all different nationalities. The Wolseley suits everyone and every occasion. With a varied menu serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, the restaurant transforms itself from cafe to tea-room to late night dining every day.

The Wolseley is definitely worth a visit, particularly for breakfast, which it does so well. So much so writer A.A. Gill dedicated a book to ‘Breakfast at The Wolseley.’

They say you should “eat breakfast like a King.” It appears this might mean Jeremy King. Having enjoyed The Wolseley as much as I enjoyed The Colbert, I’m certainly going to visit some of King and Corbin’s other ventures in the city.

The duo have landed upon a winning formula. 

www.thewolseley.com

Sloane Square Hotel, London

Sloane Square was designed in 1771 and named after Sir Hans Sloane. It has long been one of the most exclusive areas in central London, situated between the Kings Road and Sloane Street. It’s the perfect address to thrill shopaholics, surrounded by the world’s most luxury boutiques.

Aside from the excellent retail therapy opportunities, the Square also has several historical buildings, including the Peter Jones department store, the Royal Court Theatre and the Sloane Square Hotel. 

Housed in a 19th-century building which was formerly The Royal Court Hotel, it has played host to many celebrities. Early in February 1962, The Beatles stayed for several weeks and in the following year they used the building as a venue for photographic sessions. The hotel also played host to the first meeting between Paul McCartney and his future girlfriend Jane Asher.

In 2005 the building was completely renovated and reopened as Sloane Square Hotel. The ideal location for my recent trip to The Glamour Beauty Festival at The Saatchi Gallery. The Gallery is conveniently just a two minute walk from the hotel. 

As per usual, I arrived at the hotel well before my scheduled Check In time. The intention was to drop my bags and grab some breakfast in the hotel’s French inspired Cote Brasserie. It was a nice surprise to be told that my room was ready, giving me the opportunity to have a quick freshen up before the Festival began. The staff at reception were all charming and extremely welcoming, setting the tone for the rest of my stay. 

I arrived in my room to find a handsome little fella sat waiting to greet me. We exchanged pleasantries while I inspected the room. 

The hotel’s rooms are elegant and luxurious, with bespoke ornate wallpapers and beds dressed with luxury 300-thread count Egyptian linens. Comfort is paramount with soft pillows on the huge King size bed.

My room had a lovely window seat looking out across the square and was pretty spacious, even by London standards.

After a quick spruce up, I bid my friend farewell and made my way downstairs to meet my (human) friend for some french toast before we set off for the Saatchi Gallery. 

The Glamour Beauty Festival is a two-day beauty event which launched in 2016 and returned to London for its second year.

The event was sponsored by Fiat, which staged a 'pool party', offering guests the chance to immerse themselves in a party experience with DJ music, a gelato van and parasols. We grabbed ourselves a prosecco sorbet and soaked up the party atmosphere.

The Festival is an opportunity to experience professional beauty treatments and gain expert advice, as well as watch talks with some of the industry’s leading figures. Brands supporting the festival included Nars, GHD, Garnier, Elizabeth Arden and Nails Inc. 

Youtube duo Pixiwoo kicked off the talks, followed by make-up guru Mary Greenwell and hair expert Sam McKnight. They spoke to presenter Angela Scanlon about how the beauty industry has changed and gave a fascinating insight into what it was like working with Princess Diana.

Fearne Cotton spoke all things food with celebrity nutritionist Amelia Freer. 

Dermot O’Leary was interviewed by Glamour Editor Jo Elvin on his new skincare range for men. 

Glamour’s Beauty Director, Alessandra Steinherr, interviewed a group of gorgeous ladies as to their Desert Island essentials. The group consisted of singer Frankie Bridge and bloggers In The Frow, Samantha Maria and Niomi Smart.

Winnie Harlow spoke to Erin O’Connor about working in the modelling industry. 

After all of the talks we had our hair done by GHD before heading next door to Gallery Mess for some much needed food. 

Gallery Mess has a beautiful setting within the grounds of the Saatchi Gallery. The decor of exposed brickwork, high ceilings and unique displays of art make for a lovely relaxing atmosphere. The perfect place for a long leisurely meal in readiness for some cocktails in Chelsea. 

Returning to the Sloane Square Hotel in the evening, we enjoyed a complimentary glass of prosecco in the hotel bar.

When I returned to my room a lovely little surprise awaited. The room had been turned down, with my bed made ready to slump into. A chocolate had been left on my pillow and a bottle of water on the bedside table. I’m can’t be sure who the kind and thoughtful person was who did this for me, but I have my suspicions. He’d even left out a mug for me to have a late night feast of hot chocolate and cookies. What a gentleman!

Sloane Square Hotel

7–12 Sloane Square, London, SW1W 8EG

020 7896 9988