Ziferblat Albert Dock - Pay for the time you stay

When we arrived in Liverpool we decided to go for a stroll around Albert Dock which was over the road from our Travelodge. The way that Liverpool has kept the heritage of its old dockland is brilliant. There is gorgeous architecture all around the dock as they've re-purposed old warehouse buildings to use for today's shops and restaurants. There is a lovely chilled atmosphere around the dock welcoming a gentle stroll allowing you to take in everything.

As we were walking we stumbled across Ziferblat. Intrigued by the concept, in which you pay 6p for each minute you are in rather than what you consume, we decided to go inside. The interior was very homely and old fashion with lots of different chairs, tables and sofas around the room with people of all ages taking a pew.

We sat down and decided to make a beeline for the kitchen to see what delights they had in store. I found it amazing everything they had on offer. You could get a cup of tea and a piece of cake or indulge in cereal and a fancy coffee with flavoured syrup. There was numerous yoghurt flavours in the fridge, nibbles on the counter and many biscuits. You could help yourself to as much as you wanted and only pay for the time that you stayed. 

At 6p a minute per person it works out at £7.20 for two people for an hours stay. Now if you get your fill of food and drink I think this is reasonable, however, if you only get a tea and a small piece of cake many it's not so good... 

We had some flavoured water and a piece of cake each. It was a good cake and the water was refreshing. After we ate we had to do our own washing up! That's kinda part of the concept too. It's like a home from home so you have to wash your plates and cups and put them away. 

After nearly 30 minutes we decided to get back on the road after checking out and paying our fee. I think this is a great concept which gives people a cosy place to get away, although the rising charge may pray on your thoughts. There are currently three of these places in the UK; one in London, Manchester and Liverpool, with numerous others throughout Europe. I would definitely come back for more cake and biscuits when I'm in the area.

#BloggerLodge in Liverpool

I love to travel. Just packing up your bag, hopping on a train and having an adventure in somewhere new. When I had the opportunity to go to Liverpool, I jumped at it! It’s always been one of those places that aren’t amazingly fancy but I’ve always wanted to go. I picked the weekend of Matt’s birthday, booked the trains and we were ready to go! Travelodge kindly provided the accommodation which was in a perfect location.

We stayed in the Liverpool Central The Strand Travelodge which was a bit of a walk from Liverpool Lime St station (approx. 10 minutes) but I’m glad it was. It was away from the hustle and bustle of town and Liverpool One facing out onto Albert Dock which provided beautiful views.

As soon as we arrived we dropped our bags (our room wasn’t ready but Travelodge kindly kept them safe whilst we went out) and went for a wander around the dock area. As avid maritime fans, both myself and Matthew work at a Port, we were excited to have a nosy around. I absolutely love how they’ve revamped the old docklands and made them into buildings that have been re-purposed into restaurants, shops and museums.

When our little legs couldn’t walk anymore we ventured back to the Travelodge. Although on the main road there wasn’t much noticeable noise, I may add we were on the top floor so it may be louder lower down. The room was reasonably sized and it felt super comfy. There were a few little sticking points but I think for a budget hotel you get over these pretty quickly.

We had a wonderful sleep in the new style beds and woke up ready to have a big breakfast. We went down pretty late to breakfast but the full spread was still available. I had a full plate with toast, hash browns, sausages, beans, tomatoes and mushrooms! It was lovely. I also had a cup of Typhoo tea, it was nice but it’s no Yorkshire tea!

I really enjoyed our trip to Liverpool and the hotel played a big part. It was in a perfect location, over the road from Albert Dock, down the road from the Liver building in one direction and Liverpool One in the other. If you are looking for somewhere to stay in Liverpool I’d definitely recommend Travelodge Liverpool Central The Strand!

I've got some Liverpool foodie posts coming up so watch out for them!

*Two nights accommodation and breakfast provided by Travelodge for review - all opinions are my own