'We stayed in the most incredible luxury hotel just 40 minutes from Manchester, but were left scratching our heads'

Just one of the great things about living in Manchester is the choice of excellent transport links to some of our neighbouring cities and towns.

Of course, one neighbouring city that has a long history of rivalry with Manchester is Liverpool. Only a short trip down the M56 - or as quick as 40 minutes from Victoria Station straight to the heart of the costal city - just like Manchester, Liverpool has a lot to offer.

If you're planning on taking in the sights of Liverpool's iconic docklands, or sampling its incredible nightlife; or maybe a cultural trip to the city's famous museums and art galleries, then one new hotel can provide a classic taste of luxury during your stay.

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The Halyard on Duke Street is located in Liverpool's historic Ropewalks district, which derives its name from the art of rope-making for the ships during its illustrious years as one of England's vital port city's in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Duke Street, like other streets in the area, is characteristically long and runs between the historic warehouses. They were built this way to allow the manufacturers to lay out the long lengths of rope during production.

The Halyard pays homage to the history of the Ropewalks area in both its name and design. The name 'Halyard' is a nautical term for a rope knot and a nod to the hotel's location.

It's historical location is also reflected in the grandeur of its design aesthetic, inspired by the refined tastes of the mercantile classes - but obviously with all the expected mod-cons and usb charging points included.

The Halyard is part of IHG Hotels and Resorts, who have chosen Liverpool as the first city in the UK to have a hotel from its Vignette Collection. Each hotel in its collection has its own unique identity, with others based across the globe in Lisbon, Porto, Bangkok and Brisbane.

And there's no doubt as soon as you step into the lobby from its entrance on Duke Street, that The Halyard is a hotel that oozes class. The lobby is chic, light and contemporary - an aesthetic tastefully arranged alongside the building's more industrial elements. Hanging plants adorn the walls and ceilings while a patterned tiled floor adds a focal point.

The hotel's 200-seater restaurant and bar is called 'Voyagers' after the poem - 'A Voyager's Dream of Land' - written by Felicia Hemans, a famous poet who was born at 118 Duke Street. The restaurant serves an all-day menu of small plates inspired by the cultural influences of Liverpool.

The 133-room luxury hotel also boasts on-site gym, conferencing facilities and a rooftop terrace. The star of the show is the hotel suite located on the seventh floor, where a wrap around rooftop terrace offers incredible views of Liverpool Cathedral and the waterfront.

We were lucky enough to stay two nights on the seventh floor, firstly in a King Suite room followed by the larger suite the night after. The King Suite is beautifully turned out, and comes with a living room area for entertaining guests separate from the bedroom.

A coffee machine with six complimentary pods, kettle, mini refrigerator, as well as supply of cups and glasses, help make it a very comfortable home away from home. There are even two televisions, which is great for both entertaining or work purposes being easy to connect to your own devices and play content. There's also a handy desk area and chair near the door if your stay will involve a few hours working on a laptop.

Refined decorative touches are found throughout including an exquisitely tiled bathroom and large walk in shower area, which is easily the best I've ever used during any hotel stay. Two different shower heads are operated at the touch of a button, from the large power shower raining down a blissful, warm torrent to another more traditional flexible shower head lower down if wanting to keep your hair dry. It's a nice touch.

Tasteful lighting, large mirrors and plentiful storage are all a carefully designed part of the suite. The same and more can be said for the larger suite we stayed in the following, Friday, night.

The larger terrace suite elicits an immediate wow response as you walk into the room. No separate living area this time, but the larger suite operates as both a bedroom, kitchen and even a bathroom all in the same space. I'm not even kidding, there's a deep ceramic bath at one end of the suite by the window so you can take in the incredible waterfront views across the terrace while you soak - if you're brave enough.

If not, there are black out curtains and netting to help keep you hidden, thankfully. And when I say thankfully, it's something of a necessity.

Without doubt the wrap around terrace is a prime feature of the hotel. Staying in the large seventh floor suite, it even comes with two chairs, a sofa and a table - pure luxury with your morning coffee or evening tipple.

However the view that encompasses the magnificent Anglican Cathedral at one end of the city, right across the waterfront to the ferry terminal and Liver Buildings at the other, is obviously a magnet for people taking photos and videos. The only thing that keeps them from straying outside and peering into your suite is a couple of large planters with plenty of room to squeeze past. Just something to bear in mind when stripping off for the tub.

In the larger suite, a tiled bathroom area complete with sink is also part of the main room. Which might be fine for some, but for those who like a bit more privacy when brushing their teeth, it might be a problem. Which is where another aspect of the suite's design left my girlfriend and I scratching our heads.

The shower room and toilet itself are located right next to the bed and only shielded by a thin sliding screen. I think you can see why this might pose a problem. Put it this way, prepare to get well acquainted with the person sharing the room with you.

In an attempt to not be too crude, this is where the volume control on the TV's remote control is your best friend. You could also try and time any 'goings on' with the blast of a passing cruise ship's horn, provided you have the terrace doors open; which when closed do perform wonders blocking out the sounds of the city and its lively nightlife, something which is again to the hotel's credit.

The decision to use screen doors to close off the bathrooms is an odd one. Perhaps not so bad in the King Suite as the bathroom was further away, but definitely a factor for the larger, more luxurious suite where the toilet is right next to the bed. Which is baffling in a way as the rooms are otherwise beautifully decorated, with a conscious effort made to balance both comfort and convenience, when considering the guest's experience.

We opted for breakfast in the Voyagers restaurant the next morning, which was again a pleasant indulgence. After a short wait to be seated at table, we made our choices from the menu - poached eggs and avocado on toasted sourdough with a real kick of chilli. We ordered coffee while sparkling water, orange juice and apple juice were also freely available.

While we waited we were also encouraged to pick at the central buffet offering cereals, yogurt, cheeses, fruits and all the indulgent pastries you could want.

So with all this luxury, what is the cost of a night at The Halyard? Well staying at the King Suite with a balcony on the top floor as we did on a Friday night isn't cheap, costing around £302 for the night. It's fair to say though, you can also opt to stay in a much more reasonable Queen Deluxe room from around £122 per night, breakfast not included.

The larger suite with the bathtub in the living room and wrap around terrace will set you back around £369 staying over on a Friday night. It will also cost you £16 on top of that for breakfast to be included the next morning.

All the prices were correct at the time of publishing and taken from the hotel website.