A small, centrally located, modern-looking joint with a distinctive bar and a friendly gaffer.

The Venue
The Kingston Hotel occupies a pretty prime location on the square formed by the confluence of Posterngate, King Street, Trinity House Lane and North Church Side.

Almost totally glass fronted, it has a pale blue and aquamarine exterior and, once over the threshold of its black and white tiled entrance, it’s a small-ish area with more standing space than anything else.

It’s dominated by a central bar with an incredibly ornate, intricately carved black and red mirrored back. It was taken from a ship and divides opinion (the landlord describes it succinctly as an eyesore!). A copper clock sits on top of it and there are painted alabaster plaster figurines on the walls, which have also been taken from old decommissioned ships.

The back wall, painted dark red, is covered with drinks posters and mirrors and seating is available via slim aquamarine-topped high stools with thin legs. A revamp is underway which will move the bar to the back, with the toilets also being repositioned to increase floor space.

The People
The landlord is a very friendly, engaging soul, and he needs to be as this place gets absolutely rammed at the weekends when it’s open till 1am. It gets so pack that it's hard to move sometimes, which is where the outside space comes in handy.

It’s a slightly different matter during the week when older regulars sup pints, including old fisherman and dock workers. It closes altogether on Tuesdays.

The Food and Drink
On draught you’ve got Fosters, Carling, Guinness, Kronenbourg, Marston’s Smooth, Marston’s Biter, Mansfield Smooth, Carling and Woodpecker.

There’s also that 1970s old faithful Liebfraumilsch on tap and the usual choice in bottles including Stella, Corona, Beck’s, Holsten Pils, Budweiser and Bulmers. You can also get quarter bottles of Colombarde Chardonnay for £2.80 each.

The Last Word
An attractive and individual city centre bar which is about to be further improved.

venue information venue map view hull review add a review