Adelphi hotel employees left retiree without ‘place to stay’

Another person who witnessed the fight offered Glo a bed in her own hotel room, which had two single beds – which she politely declined. While Glo wasn’t expecting the most luxurious stay at the Adelphi, one thing she certainly wasn’t expecting was the poor customer service.

She said: “I read some reviews that said the paint is peeling, the windows don’t close and the bath might be unusable, but I thought, I’m only staying for one night and for £42, that’s fine. “

After leaving the Adelphi, Glo wandered the streets for over an hour, trying to find a place to stay. “It felt like a lifetime,” she said. “I’m retired and quite elderly. I was a bit scared in Liverpool, alone, walking the streets. At one point I saw someone sleeping in a doorway and thought, maybe that’s where I’ll end up tonight. At my age, no I can sleep at the door!

“I was angry and upset, but I was also worried. I thought, what should I do now? I had an overnight train ticket. Otherwise, if I could have gone straight home by train, I think I would have.”

She tried a pub hotel, which had no more rooms. She continued to try several others, but they either did not respond to visitors or refused cash payments. “I wouldn’t go through that again,” she added.

In the end, she went to a Premier Inn, after a good experience on a previous visit. Although the hotel doesn’t normally accept walk-ins, Glo jumped at the chance.

Fortunately, after hearing her account of her ordeal, the man at reception was happy to accommodate her. She said: “He went out of his way to help me. He was just a young man, but he was very kind and helpful.

“Although I was very grateful, it cost me £83 for just one night, double the price at Adelphi. But they had to charge additional fees such as late booking fees.”

Glo was visiting Liverpool to look at a house in Garston. Before her ordeal, she was eager to move to the city. She said: “I’ve always imagined myself getting off a train at Lime Street station. I’ve always had this fascination with Liverpool. The first time I visited it felt like I’d come home, I don’t know why.

“After that happened, I thought: Do I really want to move there? that horrible experience.”

Although Glo loves the city, her bad experience at Adelphi cast doubt on her decision to move here. She said: “I made an offer on the house in Garston. I got a call from the estate agents asking if I was withdrawing the offer. “I told them I don’t want to live there anymore. But there’s still time to change your mind. I’ve calmed down a little.”

The Adelphi Hotel, run by Britannia, has been branded “an embarrassment to the city” in recent years. The hotel was once considered the city’s hospitality crown jewel and favored by famous guests including former prime minister Harold Wilson, but in recent years it has become a source of scorn and derision.

Last year, Britannia, owner of the Adelphi, was named the UK’s worst hotel chain for the 11th year in a row. This added to a series of bad headlines for the hotel, including following the tragic death of Chloe Haynes, who was crushed to death by a wardrobe in one of the Adelphi’s rooms in 2022.

Britannia Hotels has been contacted for comment.