Liverpool’s historic Lime Street station hotel is set to reopen as the 201-bedroom luxury Radisson RED after a £30 million makeover.
The historic 10-storey city centre building, formerly the North Western Hotel, is located close to the edge of the Fabric District opposite St George’s Hall.
Work is now nearly complete to restore the hotel to its stunning 19th century former glory, with original features such as grand arches, pillars, high ceilings and spiral staircases all lovingly renovated.
The history of the North Western Hotel
The building was designed by Liverpool-born architect Alfred Waterhouse and opened for rail travellers in 1871, before closing in 1930 and being turned into student accommodation and offices in 1996.
It was bought by the Marcus Worthington Group in 2018, but the organisation went into administration in October 2019.
The new Radisson RED Liverpool will be the North West’s first Radisson RED site from the Radisson Hotel Group – a multinational company with more than 1,100 hotels worldwide.
Restoring the building’s original features
The Radisson RED Liverpool blends the building’s Renaissance design and Victorian-style turrets with modern elements which pay homage to Liverpool’s cultural and musical heritage.
Its five high-tech meeting rooms are named after Liverpool’s iconic buildings – Lime, Walker, Empire and St. George – while the fifth is named after the hotel’s architect, Waterhouse.
The refurbishment of the building matches with the ethos of the new hotel – to bring out the best of what Liverpool has to offer and restore its significance as a European Capital of Culture.
One particularly striking feature is the refurbishment of the hotel’s grand staircase, with an original six metre stained glass window above the staircase also restored. The hotel will also have a new modern steak restaurant and a fitness centre.
A secret door from Lime Street station
Also restored is a historic eccentricity – the ‘secret’ door which links the hotel bar and Lime Street train station.
The ‘secret’ door was an essential part of the original North Western Hotel when it was first built by Waterhouse and was designed specifically to benefit rail travellers.
Where is Radisson RED
The Radisson RED is one of the four landmark buildings on Lime Street, along with St. George’s Hall, Lime Street station, the World Museum and Central Library.
The hotel will stand in one of Liverpool’s prime city centre locations, next door to the Empire Theatre and just a stone’s throw from not just the Fabric District but other major attractions like the Tate Gallery, The Beatles Story, Anfield and Goodison Park stadiums and the city’s universities are within walking distance.
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