Britannia Adelphi Hotel

I recently held my wedding at the Adelphi. I cannot thank all the staff enough, It was amazing. All the staff were absolutely fantastic. We booked the Sefton and the Crosby suite and they were immaculately prepared and dressed for our wedding. From the very first meeting with the wedding coordinator, they have been very flexible and accommodating. There was a few tiny hiccups on the day( my dress wouldn't fit through the revolving doors, I cut my finger on a buttonhole pin and we needed a high chair for my niece) but they were sorted out very efficiently and with no fuss at all. All the staff were very welcoming, warm, kind, thoughtful and accommodating all my family and friends needs. They upgraded our room to a 'suite' and it was beautiful. It was on the first floor and it was immaculate, spacey,warm and furnished beautifully. It had amazing period features. Breakfast the next morning was very tasty, i have specific dietary needs which wasn't a problem for the hotel, I did tell them the day before and I was catered for. I would defiantly recommend a stay at this hotel.

Unique Quality: The Sefton suite was modeled on the titanic's smoking room, it had gorgeous wall paneling, crystal chandeliers, tall ceilings and windows. It was a beautiful room and it took our breath away from the first moment we seen it. We chose to have our photographs taken at the hotel. We had them taken in the main lounge area, the two huge sweeping staircases on either side of the lounge and also at the front of the hotel. They look amazing. there is not one thing out of place in the hotel, it is set up beautifully.

The Adelphi used to be a swanky hotel. There was a leaflet about the history of the hotel in my room, from which I learned that the current building (the third) was erected in 1914.

The function rooms are huge, with high ceilings and massive chandeliers, and my room (1st floor)was also large, with a high ceiling. It has however, sadly seen better days. The stair carpets are loose and possibly rather dangerous, and I doubt if much had been done to my room since 1914 beyond the occasional lick of paint. The door from the corridor (which bizarrely lacked a lock on the inside - there was only a safety chain) opened into a small lobby, with a bathroom straight in front. The fittings certainly looked like something from the early 20th century. The only shower was of the 'telephone' variety attached to the taps, but there was no shower curtain or high-level fixing for it. However, for bath-lovers like me, the actual bath was great - nice and large with lots of hot water.

The bedroom itself was OK. It was fitted with a bed (not very comfortable, but I have encountered worse), a TV, a wardrobe, 2 chairs, a table, ONE bedside table (in a double room), tea/coffee making facilities (4 teabags and 4 sachets of freeze-shrivelled coffee, no biscuits) and a hair dryer.

Breakfast is OK - the usual buffet of hot and cold items, but nothing special. One slightly odd feature is that they leave thermos jugs of coffee on the tables, and a server comes round with tea.

Unique Quality: The hotel is not situated in a particularly good area. (I would have felt uncomfortable staying there on my own). It's conveniently close to Lime Street Station though, and within easy walking distance of the Albert Dock, Walker Art Gallery and cathedrals.

Reception is not very welcoming, being full of notices about things guests cannot do. (i.e. you cannot bring your own food into the hotel - I don't know what they would do if they caught you with an illicit Mars bar!, you cannot charge items to your room unless you have left a credit card imprint at reception). I daresay other hotels may have similar policies, but the general effect is not very hospitable.

I didn't eat in the hotel restaurant (except at breakfast) but the menu looked like a real 1970s timewarp: prawn cocktail, chicken supreme, duck a l'orange, steak diane etc.

The hotel featured in a 'docusoap' some years ago. I suspect it may have gone downhill a bit even since then. It's not too bad though. The basics are satisfactory, and if you can get a good deal it's worth a try, just as long as you aren't expecting luxury.

Directions: Close to Lime Street Station.

Some folk writing have complained about the attitude of the staff at the Adelphi. In fact, Scousers (the vernacular appelation of those who were born, live and work in Liverpool) fall pretty consistently into two categories: those who don't care and those who do. The difference between Scousers and the rest of the world is that they will demonstrate these qualities with feeling and enthusiasm. The uncaring group will be blatant about it whilst those who do care will be salt of the earth types. The second thing to remember about all Scousers is that they will see humour in every single situation and at every opportunity.

Both these characteristics of Scousers can be taken as rudeness and unhelpfulness, but one very important tip is this: whomever you're dealing with, try to make them laugh. Shouting, complaining and getting angry won't help. but if you can win them over through humour, then your stay will be delightful. Should this be necessary? Probably not, but it's fair to say that Scousers are unique and it's that very uniqueness that can make your stay unforgettable.

Directions: City centre location

I wanted to like the Adelphi Hotel a lot more than I did. It's an historic hotel in Liverpool's City Center, within walking distance of important cultural sites such as Albert Dock, White Chapel, the Cavern Club and Lime Street Station.
The Adelphi has plenty of history, but nowadays it seems to be resting on its laurels. Room furnishings are very old and there's no cable TV, radio or even clock in the room. During my stay [5 days in June 2007] extensive renovations were taking place. Very noisy construction projects commenced at 8:30 each morning. So much for sleeping in.
Several times I had trouble receiving telephone calls. Colleagues advised me that several times when they called the hotel switchboard the phone rang out with no answer. I, myself, had trouble reaching the front desk several times.
The hotel staff is youngish [mostly in their 20s]. While never outwardly rude, the staff attitude is one of utter apathy. They don't care whether you stay here or not.

Unique Quality: Positives: Very convenient location, within walking distance many cultural sites. Generous American-style buffet breakfast. Guests have access to a fitness club with a pool. Guests rooms have a private bath, and are generally clean.
Dry-cleaning service available, although expensive.
Negatives: No cable TV, radio or clock in room. The TV was a small, out-dated 8-inch model that only got one channel: BBC1, and even then the reception was fuzzy. [Yes, it's hard to believe in 2007 that a major hotel would not have cable TV.]
No fridge, ice machine or vending machines. No self-service laundromat, and the hotel's laundry service is quite expensive.
Erratic switchboard.

We found the whole experience to be a test of patience. The staff are incredibly rude, the rooms are dirty and the area isn't too great at night either.
Whatever you do don't bring your family, for us it was utterly embarrassing and we felt ashamed of liverpool for the example the people set here.

The hotel was built in 1914 for the launch of Titanic. It has been faithfully restored to provide modern facilities in a traditional setting.
Just a 3 min. walk from Liverpool Lime Station, the hotel is easy to reach from the motorway and Airport.

Unique Quality: Has 402 bedrooms and suits with TV, phone, tea, coffe in the room. 3 restaurants,2 bars. Health club,conference, exhibition facilities.

Adelphi is located right in the centre of Liverpool and really close to Liverpool Lime street rail station. The hotel was featured in the 1990’s in a BBC documentary called Hotel, which followed the daily lives of the members of staff and their guests. The hotel is own by Britannia hotels.

Staying at this hotel was a truly stygian experience .Yes, it is a grand building in a great position but the quality of the accommodation, standards of cleanliness and service leave much to be desired. In Liverpool the hotel is avoided like the plague by many ever since a fly on the wall documentary confirmed just how bad it really was. It many ways it is very similar to the Pennsylvania Hotel in New York - grand from the outside but the pits inside! So how come some people think it's O.K ? Well... both the Penn and Adelphi do have some decent rooms. If you are lucky enough to get one you will probably forgive the other shortcomings. Asking to see the room before you check in and declining if it looks crap may get you a better room if they have one available. A final tip avoid checking in very early or late as better rooms are most likely to be available within the first few hours of their checking out time.

Unique Quality: Pros : Good location, plenty of history, quite cheap, nice architecture

Cons: Dire accommodation, poor service, shabby interior

Please If you read this review understand that I am ashamed and embarassed and very, very angry. I was born and raised in Liverpool something I am intensley proud of at the age of 34 with 4 young Children a once in a lifetime opportunity/promotion was offered by my employer and I had to move 155 miles away.

As a child I always dreamed of staying at the Adelphi as it was such a famous Liverpool landmark. Imagine my joy recently when invited to a family function at the Adelphi, I immediately booked a double deluxe room (HAHAHAHAHHA) and looked forward to a romantic weekend away with my wife our first alone in 14 years.

What a disaster, I could write pages but in short:

Rude arrogant ignorant staff.
Disgusting filthy rooms, damaged bed, sofa, bath fitings an absolute S*** heap.
Complaints met with indifference "have a free breakfast" this turned out to be awful poor quality sausage, burnt salty bacon, dry mushrooms, watery spongey disgusting scrambled egg and mushed up baked beans.
Cramped awkward downright dangerous car parking.

I have stayed in a variety of accomodation all over the world and the Adelphi Liverpool is without a doubt the worst ever in 30 years of international travel. I am not a snob, but a totally devastated scouser (native of Liverpool) who has had his illusion shatered my childhood dream destroyed, by a hotel that charges what it likes when you check out and smirks at your problems.

Please take my advice stay well away from this disgusting dump.

Unique Quality: Manages to live on a totally unjustified reputation. People wake up this is not acceptable.

European Capitol of Culture 2008? Not with this dump in your city centre refit, refurb, clean up or nock it down.

Don't bother. This was once a grand hotel. Then they decided to do nothing with it for 50 years. Guess what? It looks very bad! The rooms are dilapidated, the food terrible and no real services or amenities.

At night all hell breaks loose. Just outside (especially on the weekends) is a town centre full of deranged drunks who vomit in front of the hotel. Where they haven't thrown up, they throw food, drink bottles and other rubbish. It can be dangerous just getting into the hotel. Then you have the security guards who treat guests like criminals.

Its not pretty here, so no picture. If you want to really stay in Liverpool centre, stay in the dock area. You can walk to the Centre, but no nightmares like this environment.

One of the few hotels where a room without windows is a benefit. Yes, they do have such rooms.

Unique Quality: One of the few hotels where a room without windows is a benefit. Yes, they do have such rooms.

Directions: Follow the smell and noise at night!