DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Liverpool

I only stayed one night and didn’t bother to give feedback at the time, but the stay was disappointing. The room was spacious and in an excellent location, and the bed was firm and comfortable. Breakfast was standard, like at other hotels, and was good. The pillows were much too soft. The room heating didn’t seem to work, so it was cold. Hot water from the bath tap was only lukewarm, and the shower looked like it needed some repair work, as in the pictures. Then, unexpectedly, a staff member knocked and came into the room the next day. I hadn’t asked for that, and I hadn’t checked out online.

At 4AM someone pounded on our door, apparently thinking he was in his own room. His traveling companion corrected him and he stopped. Alcohol may have played a part, though I can’t be sure. I was surprised the noise didn’t alert hotel staff. I don’t know how security is handled there, and we didn’t report it until the next day. We booked at the last minute because of train trouble and weren’t sure what to expect, since Doubletrees can vary in age and quality. The hotel is older but in good shape, about three blocks from the train station. We felt comfortable walking around nearby at night. Service was very good, and the front desk were friendly and helpful. We ate at the bar that evening and the wait staff, especially our waitress, were very friendly. It was a comfortable place to unwind after a long day. The room was very good, with plenty of space, a clean bathroom and fine beds and pillows. Despite the door incident, we had a good stay and would come back.

The location is great, with easy access to everything and a very short walk to royal Albert docks and museum. The small fitness centre was never crowded. Its equipment was very old, but it worked. Most of the staff were friendly, though one person at the front desk wasn’t. I got a last-minute reservation after problems with another property, and check-in was a breeze. The front desk staff member was really nice and friendly, though I’m sorry I missed his name. A few minutes later I realised it didn’t seem to be a Hilton-owned hotel. I checked ChatGPT, which confirmed it’s a franchise, so don’t expect the same level as the Doubletrees we Americans are used to. It’s a historic building and seems well maintained, but the bathrooms have been renovated and the rooms haven’t. They clearly need some care. The carpet and furniture were way past their useful life and should have been replaced about seven years ago. There was a fridge in the room, but it didn’t work, and the front desk couldn’t help. Breakfast was Hampton Inn level at best. It was included because of my Gold status, but I wouldn’t say it’s worth paying for. I’m not usually a fan of coffee chains, but the nearby Costa Coffee had better coffee and a sandwich for less than breakfast cost.

Our wedding day was beautiful and memorable, but the hotel’s service issues tarnished it afterwards. The venue and hotel are stunning. It’s a shame they’re run with such poor customer service. I’ve made a formal complaint to Hilton. Please read reviews carefully before booking your wedding here. Guests asked me afterwards whether they should hold their weddings at this hotel, and I definitely didn’t recommend it. Weeks later, a friend who attended brought up again how bad the food service was, so the embarrassment is still going on. The owner, MARWAN KOUKASH, was at the centre of what happened. In-house miscommunication led to them asking me to pay for things two weeks before the wedding because of their disorganisation, even though I’d already attended a meeting to go over the contract. It caused me so much stress and anxiety. Communication was appalling, and replies took numerous days while I tried to get the issue sorted. I also spotted errors in the food menu and told them, worried as the day got closer. But on the wedding day, guests complained that food arrived late, the rice was missing, and there were no waiters to serve the main food as I’d been told and reassured. My family was left embarrassed, and my mother-in-law was livid. Food is an important part of our weddings. For religious reasons, we’d kindly asked that no male staff work on or around the venue that day. That request wasn’t followed, and a male staff member was there all morning. At first, when I contacted the hotel, I raised only the missing food we’d paid for and asked for some kind of compensation. I never said it had to be money. I got no reply for a week and a half and tried several ways to reach them. Then the owner, Marwan Koukash, responded, and I was shocked by what he said. He said I’d “DEMANDED” and “INSISTED” on services and that my wedding had caused them substantial financial losses. But they were the ones who contacted me with a “special rate,” which I accepted, and I have everything in writing. He also claimed I’d requested the missing food and that they provided it, even though I sent him their menu showing that item clearly. He threatened to audit my whole wedding and send an invoice with legal costs for broad items outside the contract, including “extra labour, product and services.” When I asked for a breakdown, he refused. He also brought up early venue access for two or three hours the night before. Under the consumers right act, they can’t charge for access that wasn’t agreed to beforehand or listed as a charge in the contract. I didn’t demand early access. I was happy to come in at midnight, the start of the wedding day I’d paid for. The back-and-forth emails were shocking, with no professionalism or good customer service. Instead of apologising for the stress and inconvenience and offering a small compensation, he was defensive from the first email and twisted the situation to make it sound like they’d done me a huge favour and I should be grateful despite the poor service and communication. I’d paid thousands for this wedding. The owner’s response made an already beautiful day feel tarnished right afterwards.