Curated luxury hotels in North West England

• Huge rooms for groups
• Lively rooftop terrace
• Flamboyant interiors

The Shankly Hotel is a Liverpool legend. And it’s inspired by one – Bill Shankly, the legendary football manager. You’ll find memorabilia from his life in the restaurant. But the Shankly’s also made a name for itself as an institution, thanks to its party-sized rooms that sleep up to 24. And events like cocktail masterclasses, murder mysteries and bottomless brunches.

The hotel’s standard rooms are far from average. They’re big and all come with whirlpool baths. But if you’re after a group stay, you won’t get better than here. This place is a party hotel at heart, with a variety of rooms to suit. There’s the Flamingo Room, with double bunk beds (glam ones, of course), swinging egg chairs and flamingos on the ceiling. Or, the Champagne-inspired Laurent Perrier Room, which spreads out over two floors with individual cabins – each with their own bed, shower and TV in the ceiling. The latter also boasts a 25-foot Roman-style bath, a bar, surround sound and a cinema projector.

The party theme extends to the hotel’s glitzy rooftop terrace, where you can order food and cocktails – including their take on sangria, the Shank-gria. You can take in some of Liverpool’s top sights from above here. The hotel’s as central as it gets. It’s housed in the former Victorian-era headquarters of the Liverpool Daily Post & Echo, so you’re a five-minute stroll from Liverpool One shopping centre and the famous Cavern Club. And Royal Albert Dock is only 20 minutes’ walk, too.

With a stay at Leonardo Hotel Liverpool, you'll be centrally located in Liverpool, steps from Royal Albert Dock and within a 5-minute walk of ACC Liverpool. This hotel is 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from M&S Bank Arena and 0.7 mi (1.2 km) from The Beatles Story Museum.

With a stay at Atlantic Tower Hotel Liverpool By Sunday, you'll be centrally located in Liverpool, just a 5-minute walk from Liverpool Pier Head Ferry Terminal and 7 minutes by foot from Liverpool ONE. This hotel is 0.5 mi (0.8 km) from Royal Albert Dock and 0.7 mi (1.2 km) from The Beatles Story Museum.

Located in Knutsford, Mere Court Hotel is within a 5-minute drive of Mere Golf & Country Club and Tatton Park. This hotel is 16.6 mi (26.7 km) from Old Trafford and 17 mi (27.3 km) from Trafford Centre.

The Ainscow Hotel is set next to Salford Central Railway Station and just 10 minutes’ walk from Manchester’s lively centre and the trendy Northern Quarter. This contemporary property offers on-site car parking for a small fee and a restaurant serving breakfast.

Each room at The Ainscow Hotel has stylish design with wooden furnishings, grey and blue-coloured fabrics, and a slate-tiled bathroom. Free WiFi is included, as well as a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee-making facilities and free toiletries. Some rooms have a small kitchenette area.

Manchester’s shopping and its famous nightlife, including Spinningfields and canalside, can be reached in around 10 minutes by foot.

Manchester Victoria Railway Station is less than a mile from the hotel, and from here you can catch a train service to Manchester airport is 20 minutes direct service.

Located in Preston, Macdonald Tickled Trout Hotel is on a river, within a 5-minute drive of Brockholes Nature Reserve and Deepdale. This hotel is 2.8 mi (4.5 km) from University of Central Lancashire and 3.3 mi (5.3 km) from Samlesbury Hall.

With a stay at Astley Bank Hotel in Darwen, you'll be within a 10-minute drive of Jubilee Tower and Ewood Park. This hotel is 3.6 mi (5.8 km) from Thwaites Empire Theatre and 4.6 mi (7.3 km) from Blackburn Arena.

With a stay at Lock & Key Hotel, you'll be centrally located in Liverpool, steps from Liverpool ONE and 9 minutes by foot from Royal Albert Dock. This hotel is 0.6 mi (0.9 km) from The Beatles Story Museum and 0.6 mi (1 km) from M&S Bank Arena.

With a stay at The Birley Arms Hotel in Preston, you'll be within a 15-minute drive of Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Fylde Gallery. This hotel is 9.4 mi (15.2 km) from Winter Gardens and 9.9 mi (15.9 km) from Blackpool Tower.

With a stay at The Saddleworth Hotel in Oldham, you'll be within a 15-minute drive of Peak District National Park and Saddleworth Golf Club. This hotel is 12.6 mi (20.3 km) from Etihad Stadium and 13 mi (20.9 km) from Piccadilly Gardens.

Located in Warrington, The Park Royal Hotel & Spa is in a rural location – a 1-minute drive from Apple Jacks Adventure Farm and 5 minutes from Grappenhall Heys Walled Garden. This spa hotel is 18.2 mi (29.4 km) from Knowsley Safari Park and 2.9 mi (4.7 km) from Walton Hall and Gardens.

When you stay at Bears Paw Inn in Sandbach, you'll be within a 10-minute drive of Lyceum Theatre and Wigg Island Community Park. This luxury inn is 3.9 mi (6.3 km) from River Weaver and 4.8 mi (7.7 km) from Queens Park.

Located within 26 km of Aintree Racecourse and 31 km of Anfield Stadium, Hotel 21 features rooms in Southport. This 5-star hotel offers free WiFi. The property is non-smoking and is situated 1.6 km from Southport Beach.

The rooms in the hotel are equipped with a flat-screen TV. Rooms have a kettle and a private bathroom with a shower and free toiletries, while certain rooms are fitted with a kitchen fitted with a fridge. At Hotel 21 all rooms include bed linen and towels.

Lime Street Train Station is 32 km from the accommodation, while Casbah Coffee Club is 34 km from the property. The nearest airport is Liverpool John Lennon Airport, 50 km from Hotel 21.

Seventeen acres of beautiful formal gardens and parkland surround this grand Victorian hotel. Fresh produce, grown on Willington Hall Hotel’s grounds, is used in the restaurant's modern British dishes. Antique furnishings are in each individually designed room.

Afternoon tea can be taken on the terrace or in the elegant drawing room. The homemade pie of the week is a popular choice in the bar, and snacks and drinks are available throughout the day. A sunny day out in the Cheshire countryside can be complimented by one of Willington’s picnic hampers.

Egyptian cotton linen covers each bed and guests can relax in front of the flat-screen TV. Most rooms have lovely views across the surrounding parkland and countryside.

Free private parking is available and Delamere Rail Station is a 10-minute taxi journey away. Bike rides can be enjoyed through the woodland and around the lakes in Delamere Forest, which is also just a 10-minute drive away.

• Family rooms with bunk beds
• Close to North Pier and Blackpool Tower
• Spa and 24-hour gym

Family stays in Blackpool are easy and affordable with the Grand Hotel Blackpool. Formerly the Blackpool Hilton Hotel, this place has a prime spot on Blackpool’s popular seaside promenade. So you’re granted quick (20 minutes’ walk, to be precise) access to North Pier, Blackpool Tower and the famous Blackpool Illuminations.

There are room options for all sorts of travellers. You can book sea-view rooms, a suite with a separate living area, or family rooms. The latter comes with either sofa beds or bunk beds for the kids. Talking of kids, they’ve got their own menu in the restaurant, which lines up views out over the promenade. It deals in breakfast and dinner, but you can grab a snack in between from the Lounge Bar. Or a nightcap or two – depending on how you roll.

When you’re not out sightseeing, there’s a health club with a 24-hour gym and a spa. At the spa, you can relax in a heated indoor pool, sauna or steam room. For business trips, there’s a whole centre with 11 meeting rooms and free Wi-Fi.

With a stay at Pullman Liverpool, you'll be centrally located in Liverpool, steps from ACC Liverpool and M&S Bank Arena. This hotel is 0.6 mi (1 km) from Royal Albert Dock and 0.7 mi (1.1 km) from The Beatles Story Museum.

Located in Manchester (Old Trafford), Trafford Hall Hotel Manchester, A Brilliant Hotels Collection is within a 5-minute drive of Old Trafford Cricket Ground and University of Manchester. This hotel is 2 mi (3.2 km) from Manchester Opera House and 2 mi (3.3 km) from MediaCityUK.

With a stay at Park Hall Hotel & Spa Lancashire, a member of Radisson Individuals in Chorley, you'll be on a lake – a 3-minute walk from Battlefield LIVE Pennine and a 3-minute drive from Heskin Hall. This family-friendly hotel is 2.8 mi (4.6 km) from Yarrow Valley Country Park and 3.9 mi (6.3 km) from Victory Park.

A stay at The Midland - Manchester places you in the heart of Manchester, within a 10-minute walk of Deansgate and Canal Street. This spa hotel is 0.5 mi (0.8 km) from Piccadilly Gardens and 0.5 mi (0.9 km) from Manchester Arndale.

With a stay at Heywood House Hotel, BW Signature Collection, you'll be centrally located in Liverpool, steps from Liverpool ONE and 8 minutes by foot from Royal Albert Dock. This hotel is 0.2 mi (0.4 km) from Cavern Club and 0.3 mi (0.5 km) from Liverpool Pier Head Ferry Terminal.