Liverpool - Beattles Tours and accomodations

There are several reputable Beatles tours in Liverpool. Below are two from our guidebook that may be helpful as well as a hotel that might be in line with what you are looking for. You can find more hotels in Rick's England 2014 guidebook.

Magical Mystery Big Bus Tour--Beatles fans enjoy loading onto this old, psychedelically painted bus for a spin past Liverpool’s main Beatles landmarks, with a few photo ops off the bus. With an enthusiastic, live commentary and Beatles tunes cued to famous landmarks, it leaves people happy (£16, daily year-round at 14:00; also at 11:30 daily April-Oct, off-season weekends, and school holidays; often at other times as well--ask TI, call, or check online for schedule; 1.75 hours, buses depart from the Albert Dock near The Beatles Story and TI, tel. 0151/236-9091, www.cavernclub.org). As these tours often fill up, you’d be wise to book at least a day ahead by phone or through the TI (tel. 0151/707-0729).

Phil Hughes Minibus Beatles and Liverpool Tours--For something more extensive, fun, and intimate, consider a four-hour minibus Beatles tour from Phil Hughes. It’s longer because it includes information on historic Liverpool, along with the Beatles stuff and a couple of Titanic and Lusitania sights. Phil organizes his tour to fit your schedule and will do his best to accommodate you (£20/person, private group tour with 5-person minimum, can coordinate tour to include pickup from end of National Trust tour of Lennon and McCartney homes or drop-off for late-day tour starting at Speke Hall, 8-seat minibus, tel. 0151/228-4565, mobile 07961-511-223, www.tourliverpool.co.uk, [email protected]).

[$$$] Hard Day’s Night Hotel is the ideal splurge for Beatles pilgrims. Located in a carefully restored old building smack in the heart of the Cavern Quarter, its decor is purely Beatles, from its public spaces (lobby, lounge, bar, restaurant) to its 110 rooms, each with a different original Beatles portrait by New York artist Shannon. What could have been a tacky travesty is instead tasteful, with a largely black-and-white color scheme and subtle nods to the Fab Four (standard Db-£90-150, deluxe Db-£20 more, prices can spike dramatically during peak times, especially busy for Sat weddings in their own wedding chapel/reception hall, breakfast-£10 if you prebook, air-con, elevator, Internet-enabled TVs with music playlists, free Wi-Fi, Central Building, North John Street, tel. 0151/236-1964, www.harddaysnighthotel.com, [email protected]).

Thanks for your response

I'll chime in on my experience. We spent a couple of days in Liverpool doing the Beatles thing a couple years ago. We started out at the Beatles Story (that is also where you pick up the Magical Mystery Bus tour). We did the Magical Mystery Tour in the afternoon. We enjoyed them both, they were very good. Our only regret was not doing the National Trust tours of the insides of John & Paul's childhood homes. If you're a big fan you should try to do it, but book in advance. We also stayed at the Hard Day's Night Hotel. My husband is a huge Beatles fan and there was just no other place that would have done for him. It was a little pricey, but not too bad. It's a very nice hotel. It's also literally right around the corner from Matthew Street where the Cavern Club is. We were there on the weekend, so there was some street noise late into the night. Maybe a room that didn't overlook the street would be better. The Magical Mystery tour also ends there, so that was helpful. Yes, Liverpool is pretty compact. We were able to walk from the hotel down to Albert Dock to the Beatles Story. We also did the Mersey Ferry. (From the song: "Ferry across the Mersey"). That was a fun half hour or so, just to say we did it. Hope this helps.

We've been to Liverpool three times now, and it took until the third before we did the Magical Mystery Tour. It was well worth it.

First trip we stayed at the Aachen and it was fine, but that was back in 2000 so I can't really comment on how it would be now. Second trip was the Premier Inn at the Albert Dock (favourite) and then third time was the Premier Inn Liverpool One (cheapest). The Premier Inn didn't include brekkie but the restaurant was inexpensive. One morning we had brekkie at the cafe in the Anglican Cathedral.