Christmas in Liverpool

A cultural melting pot, the city oozes fun at any time of the year. This Christmas, the fun factor is turned up to 11.

I paid a visit to the city just as the Yuletide festivities were getting under way. Along with my children – Rachel, 15, and Matthew, 12 – I made my way by train. There are some great deals to the city, including a particularly good offer from Stafford available at the moment.

Arriving at the famous Lime Street Station, we were just a 15-minute walk from our accommodation. That's the beauty of Liverpool – nothing is that far away.

Finding our residence, the Staybridge Suites, was simple. Located in the prominent and famous Kings Waterfront, opposite the ECHO Arena, BT Convention Centre and Albert Docks, it is superbly positioned.

Staybridge Suites offer two types of accommodation: studio and one-bedroom. All suites include a fully equipped kitchen, living room area, work space, flat screen TV with cable/movies, and free WiFi Internet.

Our suite provided a dual aspect view of the arena and Wheel of Liverpool too.

Hotel amenities include 24-hour service, complimentary breakfast, newspaper, business centre, fitness room, IHG Rewards and free guest laundry.

Just a 10-minute walk from Staybridge Suites is the newly opened Liverpool One, a 42-acre shopping and leisure development.

Home to a wide variety of restaurants, we opted for a Thai lunch at Chaophraya.

Perfect for a well-deserved shopping break, evening meal or special celebration, Chaophraya is set over two floors with a stunning alfresco terrace, Buddha wall and tropical fish tanks, the restaurant also boasts three private dining areas available for corporate or private events.

We shared a plate of appetisers between the three of us and my kids discovered that they liked duck after all. The main courses of pad Thai gai, four seasons duck curry and spicy fried rice with beef and basil were tasty too.

From the restaurant we could glimpse skaters completing circuits on the open air ice rink and that was our next port of call.

Situated in Chavasse Park, part of Liverpool One, the enchanting Ice Festival sees the area transformed into a winter wonderland. For the very young, rides include a carousel, Santa's Planes, Snowman's Teacups, Santa's Train and helter skelter.

But undoubtedly, it is the ice rink, ice slide and ice bar that draw the most interest.

And don't worry if your little ones are no Torvill or Dean on the rink. Handy penguin skate aids help children glide away (open to over-5s).

I am certainly no skater, but I had a go. The kids enjoyed it, Rachel more so than Matthew, but then again he is a bit of a health and safety officer in the making.

The open air rink has a roof, so come snow or shine you can enjoy festive fun.

Slide

For those who wish to slide on ice rather than glide, three super speedy 30m runs are exhilerating. Experience the buzz of skimming along on the ice slide. Open to adults and children (must be over 80cm tall).

Then there is the ice bar. The cool bar features a glittering room of crystal clear sculptures and furniture, all impressively carved from real ice. Optical illusions baffle everyone and need to be seen to be believed. Entrance to the Ice Bar also includes a drink.

And if that puts you in a mood for more merriment, make a short walk into the city centre where Bar Hütte presents an alpine themed bar under the stunning multi-coloured Christmas tree. Inside, try a warming drink and – if feeling brave – have a go at some carol-oke! There are 10 huts available for two hour slots – six of which can be reserved – which are carol-oke, disco and apres ski themed.

We spent a brief time at the huts and they are good fun, but we were on a tight schedule. Two or three verses of Let It Snow and a hot chocolate later, we were on our way.

A continental market was running through the city streets, offering seasonal gifts and tempting treats. As you venture through Liverpool, you will notice giant painted snowflakes dotted around the streets. The Snowflake Trail, featuring Britain's biggest snowflake, sees familiar streets becoming swirling snowstorms of sound and light. Download a trail map, discover all the snowflakes and solve the trail's puzzle to be in with a chance to win a series of prizes worth more than £5,000.

After playing hard all day it was time for a relaxing treat. We headed over to Chapel Street, home to the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill.

The menu is all about creating simple classic dishes that taste great. Delicious steaks feature as you would expect from a steakhouse, as well as some signature Marco dishes including his famous fish pie and belly pork speciality.

This modern restaurant is the perfect place for a business lunch, relaxing dinner or drinks at the bar. The three of us each had a fillet steak. Beautifully cooked, as you would expect from such a highly regarded name, this proved to be a great choice.

Tummies full, we strolled back to Albert Dock, with the huge ferris wheel illuminating the night sky, providing a beacon to our hotel.

The next day, following a leisurely breakfast, we made our way over to Albert Docks.

The largest collection of Grade 1 listed buildings in the UK, it is home to Tate Liverpool, the Maritime Museum and The Beatles Story.

A visit to Liverpool without some connection to the fab four is impossible, so why not immerse yourself in the history of John, Paul, George and Ringo with a visit to The Beatles Story?

Informative and intriguing, it is as much a joy to behold for casual music fans as it is fab four fanatics. My kids were impressed by the walking tour. A must.

Before heading back to Lime Street, we just had time to squeeze in a coffee and a couple of hot chocolates at Rubens Coffee Shop.

The growing family-run chain of artisan coffee shops serves fresh hot drinks, perfect for a bit of winter warmth before exploring wonderful Liverpool further.

Travel Facts

Travel from Stafford direct to Liverpool for a very special festival fare of just £19.90* return with Virgin Trains. See www.virgintrains.com for more details

*Off-peak day return. Terms and conditions apply.

Paul Naylor visited many attractions during his brief stay.

Visit the following websites for latest prices and dates of availability plus other information:

For details on Liverpool's Christmas events see www.onemagicalcity.com

To book with Staybridge Suites see www.ihg.com/staybridge

Reserve a table for a tasty Thai meal at www.chaophraya.co.uk

www.liverpool-one.com/icefestival has information about this year's festival

For details on the growing coffee company see www.rubenscoffee.co.uk/

Enjoy Christmas with the Beatles at www.beatlesstory.com/

Visit Liverpool-one.com for details on Bar Hutte and the giant Christmas Tree.

See www.thisliverpool.com/events/ for details on how you could win prizes during your visit.

For delicious food in contemporary surroundings visit www.mpwrestaurants.co.uk/restaurants/steakhouse-liverpool