Hull Hotels

Selected as the UK City of Culture 2017 with a year-long programme of exciting events, Hull, also known as Kingston upon Hull, is enjoying a popular renaissance. Landscape-wise, the city is nice and flat; you can either walk, hop on a city bus, or cycle (with pedal and electric-assisted bikes for hire from Hull Cycle Hub). The city’s main attractions are within easy reach of its city centre hotels.

Characterised by period architecture and quaint cobbled streets, Hull’s Old Town proudly introduces you to its famous son, William Wilberforce, who was a prominent campaigner to ban the slave trade in the early 1800s. Today, Wilberforce House is a free museum which shares the history of slavery with the public.

Apart from Wilberforce, there are three other notable (and free) museums well worth a visit – Streetlife Museum of Transportation, Arctic Corsair (a deep-sea trawler which is accessible in the summer by a free guided tour) and Hull & East Riding Museum of Archaeology where a life-size woolly mammoth is the star.

The Ferensway (A1079), the road leading from the north to the marina, features both smart hotels and cheap B&Bs. Staying here means you have easy access to the railway station and a plethora of shops and restaurants. Sitting at the corner of Ferensway and Lombard is Hull Truck Theatre, a cultural landmark which has been presenting highly-anticipated drama productions since 1971. Less than a mile south is Hull Arena, an ice rink where you can learn to skate, play ice hockey or even enjoy a concert.

The heart of Hull city centre is Queen Victoria Square, home to the dancing fountains which are part of the city’s multimillion-pound facelift. Ferens Art Gallery is another highlight here. Recently refurbished to host the 2017 Turner Prize, it hosts Hull’s most important permanent exhibition of modern art, including works by David Hockney, Gillian Wearing and Stanley Spencer. Nearby, housed in a splendid Victorian building, is the award-winning Maritime Museum which charts Hull’s seafaring roots.

Admission to both Ferens Art Gallery and Maritime Museum are – you got it – free. In between sightseeing, make sure you leave some time to enjoy a cup of tea and a Hull pattie (deep fried mashed potato), a city speciality. When it comes to resting your head for the night, there are several cheap and cheerful hotels along Trinity House Lane.

With its dazzling, fin-like outline, The Deep, Hull’s aquarium, sits on the east bank of the River Hull and houses some 3,500 creatures in its unique semi-submerged galleries. Its fishy residents range from toothy sharks to rare sawfish, penguins and turtles. A few minutes’ walk away is Premier Inn, a budget hotel with free Wi-Fi and parking. And if visiting the aquarium makes you hungry for more natural wonders, Bempton Cliffs RSPB reserve and the coastland flatlands are home to many migrant seabirds which are a magnet for birdwatchers. This quiet coastal area is only an hour’s drive away from Hull, making it an ideal day-trip during a trip to this lovely city.