January 14, 2008

Europe | England | Liverpool

Here Comes the Sun

By Sandra Ramani

At last, your opportunity to sleep with a Beatle.

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A new year, a new European Capital of Culture: Over the weekend, Liverpool took on the mantle bestowed each year by the EU to showcase the arts and culture of an often-underappreciated city. (Sibiu, we hardly knew you.) Though the 2008 title is shared with Stavanger, Norway — oddly, one non-EU city also gets an annual nod — it’s the famed English port town that’s been basking in the sunshine (at least figuratively speaking), despite a highly contentious run up to the year’s program. The 52 weeks of mostly free activities include Gustav Klimt at the trendy Tate Liverpool; King Lear with native son Pete Postlethwaite; and a bevy of concerts from The Who to the Liverpool Philharmonic.

Though a McCartney-Starr reunion isn’t in the cards — Sir Paul will headline the June 1 Liverpool Sound concert, while Ringo just launched the festivities — the fab two are honored in the long awaited Hard Days Night Hotel, opening February 1. Located next to the Cavern Club in the city’s Beatles Quarter, the bolthole’s focus will be a happening bar and luxe guestrooms with Beatles memorabilia and original artwork (the Lennon and McCartney Suites also boast white grand pianos). This is just one of a slew of new lodgings making its Mersey debut: a Hilton and Novotel are also set to open along the water by next year. We half expect fellow Liverpudlians Frankie Goes to Hollywood to get a Relax hotel any day now.