[This post contains a gifted one night stay from The Hideout Apartment Hotel]
You may, or may not know that I am from the greatest city in the world: Kingston Upon Hull.
You may, or may not know that I am from the greatest city in the world: Kingston Upon Hull.
Home of chip spice, Pattie butties, tenfoots and The Humber Bridge; My hometown, with many working class cities and towns in the North of England, has had a bad rep over the years, but not a day has gone by when I’ve not been proud to be from this glorious city.
Since winning UK City of Culture in 2017, Hull has gone from strength to strength. With major investments in the arts, social enterprise and community, I've seen first hand just how much the fabulous people of Hull have worked together to make something truly beautiful.
Where Did I Stay and what was it like..?
I mentioned at the beginning of this post that we were gifted a free night's stay in the Hideout Apartment Hotel. I really can't get across just how wonderful this place is and how lucky we were to stay there. A huge thank you to the whole team, especially Georgia and Sophie who keep the whole shebang together and looked after our every need.
Located on the historic cobbled North Church Side, overlooking the stunning Hull Minster, Hideout consists of fifteen completely unique apartments, each catering for between 2 - 5 people. The exterior of the building gives you a perfect taste of what to expect inside; sleek retro lines, chic jungle prints and truly unique ground floor balconies (Perfect during Hull's monthly street food nights!) With Trinity Market and Humber Street on your doorstep, food and drink are more than covered, but I'll come onto that later...
If, like me, you're a bit of an introverted extrovert, self catering apartments are the dream. You can engage with as few or as many people as you choose - With Hideout, you're given an access code in advance which allows you through the front door and the apartment itself. This is also great for people (me) who regularly (always) lose their room keys...
As soon as you step through the door, this place is an aesthetic dream. Mid century modern furnishings with Farrow and Ball-esque colour schemes and quirky functionality at every turn. Every room has a fresh hint of living green, be it a palm or cactus. And don't get me started on just how soft the bedding is...
From the locally sourced Cocoa chocolate and Blending Room coffee to the unlimited wifi and DAB radios - Every. Single. Detail is immaculate. There is even the option to splash out on a Hideout Goody bag, full of lush food and drinks for your stay.
The five of us slept between a two bed and a deluxe one bed apartment. The two bed was the perfect family space, with two bathrooms, bunk beds and a frankly HUGE living area. The one bed was some next level shiz. Think double sinks, walk in shower, GIANT free standing bath, super king size bed and, the ultimate in luxury, A CLOTHES STEAMER (It's like they knew we were coming!)
In this age of social and environmental awareness, the hospitality industry has a real role to play and the guys from Hideout truly are leading the way. Hot water and underfloor heating are provided by thermodynamic panels on the roof. With longer stays, fresh towels are provided every four days and the commitment of local products and services can only be a good thing. In terms of accessibility, a spacious ground floor studio apartment is ideal - Otherwise, all other apartments are either at ground floor level or accessible via a rather swish lift.
One extra that I have to add: The windows at this hotel open and they open properly. You all know what a sweaty sleeper I am and this makes all the difference to me. Plus each room has a fan. Nowadays it's these non-sweat details that sell somewhere to me!
Hideout Apartment Hotel is the very definition of luxury and I am genuinely taken aback by the prices (five people could stop one night in a two bed room for just over £25 pp which is frankly unheard of) so if you're on the lookout for a night away, give them a ring.
Where Did I Eat and also, maybe more importantly, drink..?
As I said before, Hideout is in the perfect location for eating, drinking and partying with all you could want within a stones throw. I'll break these down into three main areas:
Old Town has historically been the best place in Hull for a drink or nine, with its mix of cheap and cheerful such as cocktail heaven Dirty Dicks and high end eateries such as the much praised Shoot the Bull at The Old House. Be aware that the roads are cobbled and the curbs are high so, if you have mobility issues, it may be worth considering your route in advance.Humber Street is a relatively new addition to Hull's nightlife, though not its heritage. Set in Hull's historic fruit market, head down here for a brilliant mix in tastes, from first class seafood at Humber Fish Co to my personal favourite cafe Thieving Harrys (They let dogs in, meaning that THERE ARE DOGS THERE).
Princes Dock St used to consist of slightly too young kids stumbling out of Waterfront nightclub but now it's the home to the likes of Papa's fish and chips, who are ALMOST the best in Hull (The best are actually Bob Carvers in Old Town and anybody who disagrees is wrong) and Furley & Co who cook up delicious American style comfort food and real ales.
Everywhere is within walking distance from Hideout and with all this choice, where did we end up...?
Marla's -
Paragon Arcade, Paragon Street, HU1 3PQ
Set down Hull City Centre's beautiful Paragon Arcade, Marla's is a hangover sufferers DREAM (You don't HAVE to be hungover but if you are, this is your zenith). With instagrammable as heck surroundings, soul music and an entirely chilled out vibe.
If the place itself wasn't perfect enough, the breakfast menu will knock your socks off. From bacon, egg, halloumi and chilli ketchup sandwiches to homemade granola with fresh rhubarb and orange compote; The limited, yet ever changing menu has something for every taste.
Marla's aren't just about the breakfasts; The first Saturday of every month sees the whole arcade throw their doors open late for a night of food, drink and shopping which I fully recommend.
Ambiente - 5 Humber Street, Hull, HU1 1TG.
Tapas in the UK is notoriously a bit rubbish isn't it? Luckily Ambiente smashes it from both a foodie and a location perspective. Right in the middle of Humber Street, Ambiente is light, bright and spacious. Ideal for big sociable groups and families.
Tapas in the UK is notoriously a bit rubbish isn't it? Luckily Ambiente smashes it from both a foodie and a location perspective. Right in the middle of Humber Street, Ambiente is light, bright and spacious. Ideal for big sociable groups and families.
Between the five of us, we went for two of the Introduction to Tapas meals and a few extras, as well as several jugs of the rosé sangria which were absolutely flaming delicious.
The service was spot on the amount of food was perfect. Plus we were able to properly enjoy ourselves loudly without worrying about upsetting anyone which is always conducive to a top night out with the girls.
Trinity Market - Trinity House Lane, Hull.
Trinity Market is made up of a plethora of street food stalls. From Italian, Greek and the more traditional British bakery, there's something for everyone. Keep your eyes on their facebook events page for farmers markets, vegan days and live music. The market is always buzzing with visitors and you'll find yourself making conversation with brand new friends within minutes. Even if you just pop in for a cheeky canolli, Trinity Market is a must visit for me.
Pave is actually a five minute drive or twenty minute walk out of the City Centre on Hull's vibrant Princes Avenue. With regular live jazz and a daily specials menu, Pave will always be a favourite of mine. You can call in for just one on your way into town or sit out front on a sunny day and watch the world go by.
Top Tips For Hull
Visit the Minster and museum quarter
I know I've been bigging up the social side but you may have guessed, as UK city of culture, Hull has a lot to offer in the way of museums, galleries and historic locations. My top picks are:
Hull Minster
Ferens Art Gallery
The Deep (PENGUINS!!!!)
Hull Streetlife Museum
Hands on History Museum (This is where my parents met as teenagers!)
I wholeheartedly recommend visiting for Humber Street Sesh or the Freedom Festival to see all the best of what Hull has to offer across the board.
Head out of the centre
Princes and Newland Avenues have so much going on and make for a fantastic pub crawl. The adjacent historic town of Beverley is also well worth a visit for the shops, restaurants and bars.
BOOK A TAXI!
BOOK A TAXI!
Taxis in Hull are like flaming gold dust, I swear it's just the same three cars going round in circles. If you're hoping to stick your arm out at the end of the night, consider yourself stranded.There are plenty of firms that you can pre-book with and my advice would be DO IT. Otherwise it may be a long walk home...
Try a Pattie
If there's one thing you absolutely MUST do in Hull (No argument) it's try one of Hull's world renowned (maybe?!) patties. Potato and sage fried in a crispy golden batter - DELICIOUS. Doesn't sound carb-y enough? Bang it in a bread cake and you have a Pattie butty. I guarantee you will never taste anything quite so good after an afternoon on the town.There really is so much to do in Hull, I feel like I'm not even vaguely doing it justice with here. Go, spend a weekend, EXPLORE and enjoy all that Hull has to offer. You won't regret it.
Em x
