Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool City Centre
Overview
The Adelphi Hotel is one of Liverpool’s best-known landmarks, standing opposite Liverpool Central station in the heart of the city. It has 402 en-suite bedrooms, a restaurant, bars and a grand lounge. Cats are welcome, with up to two pets permitted per room. Lime Street station is a three-minute walk away, and Liverpool ONE, the Walker Art Gallery and the Royal Albert Dock are all within easy reach on foot.
The Property
The current Edwardian building opened in 1914. Inside are sweeping staircases, grand public rooms and a glass-roofed lounge with chandeliers, marble columns and leather chesterfield seating. Bedrooms include doubles, twins, family rooms and singles. Every room is en suite and has a TV, hairdryer, iron and ironing board, fan, tea and coffee facilities and free Wi-Fi.
Jenny’s Restaurant serves breakfast and dinner, and afternoon tea is served in the Grand Lounge. The American Bar opens in the evening, and the Wave Bar is open through the day and evening. Chargeable parking is available behind the hotel at £13 for up to 24 hours, with shorter stays charged at the displayed tariff.
For the Cat
Cats are welcome, with up to two pets permitted per room. The charge is £10 per pet per night, rising to a maximum of £25 per pet for stays of three nights or more, plus a £10 refundable deposit per pet. Pets are welcome in most public areas when kept on a lead, but are not permitted in the restaurant or bar areas. Guests should bring their own pet bedding, bowls and food.
Haunted History & Halloween
A hotel has stood on Ranelagh Place since 1826, when James Radley opened the first Adelphi. It was rebuilt in 1876, and the present building, designed by Frank Atkinson, opened in 1914. In the early twentieth century it was a popular stopover for wealthy passengers sailing from Liverpool on transatlantic liners, including those bound for the Titanic. Guests have included Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill, Harold Wilson, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Bob Dylan. Cilla Black held her wedding reception here in 1969.
The Adelphi is also often described as one of Britain’s most haunted hotels, and it features on Liverpool ghost tours. Reported hauntings include:
- a pageboy ghost said to carry guests’ luggage through the corridors
- an unseen whistler said to share the lift
- a man in evening dress said to call from an upper window
- a grey lady in Victorian dress reportedly seen by staff in the basement
- naval officers reportedly seen in the Sefton Suite, according to paranormal investigator Tom Slemen
Accessibility
The hotel has lift access to the bedrooms and public areas. It has six bedrooms suitable for disabled guests, and the restaurant and bars are easy to reach. There is an accessible entrance at the side of the hotel with a call bell for the concierge. Induction loops are available, and accessible toilets with grab rails and pull cords are provided throughout the hotel. Guests with specific requirements are encouraged to contact the hotel before arrival.
Location
The hotel sits in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter, with Liverpool Central station about two minutes’ walk away and Lime Street about three.
On foot, the main sights are:
- Liverpool ONE: about 8 minutes
- Walker Art Gallery: about 8 minutes
- Liverpool Cathedral: about 12 minutes
- Royal Albert Dock: about 15 minutes
- The Beatles Story: about 20 minutes
St George’s Hall and the Empire Theatre are also close by. Anfield Stadium is about 15 minutes by car, and Liverpool John Lennon Airport is roughly 30 minutes by car. For green space, Chavasse Park is about half a mile away and Everton Park about 1.3 miles.
