It could have gone so wrong. In less capable hands a Beatles-themed hotel, right around the corner from the Cavern Club, could easily have resulted in a nightmare of kitsch. But the Hard Days Night, against the odds, doesn’t try to coast on theme alone — were it not for the portraits and the memorabilia (which, granted, are central to its appeal, but anyway) this place would still be big news on the Liverpool hotel scene.
In fact it’s stylish enough, and plush enough in that very British boutique sub-luxury sort of way, that even Beatles agnostics would be hard pressed to find a better option in town. And fans, needless to say, will be over the moon, especially in the McCartney and the Lennon suites, the latter of which comes complete with a white grand piano.
The restaurant, the bar, and the brasserie/lounge are strengths as well. More than a meeting place for Beatles die-hards they’re among the city’s most in-demand nightspots, again, easy on the kitsch, and heavy on the authentic Liverpool history. The Hard Days Night is one of the anchors of something of long overdue dining and entertainment renaissance in this town — despite the obvious nostalgia, there’s something oddly forward-looking about it.
author watson@mouselink.net, source www.tablethotels.com