A Night at the Philharmonic with Embassie Hostel Liverpool

I am very lucky to have a brother who is a very talented musician. What is not so convenient for me is that he lives in London, and weekend trips from where I live in Sheffield to go and watch him perform can end up being quite expensive. So when Danny excitedly announced that he was going to be playing with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra I was eager to book a ticket.

With train and concert tickets reserved, all that was left was to find somewhere to stay for the night. I had a browse of some Airbnbs and, whilst some were reasonably priced, they tended to be quite a trek from the city centre and all of the main attractions. Hotels were conveniently placed but pricey. It was then that I stumbled upon Embassie Hostel. Located at a ten-minute walk from the Philharmonic Hall and at only £30 a night (cheaper on weekdays), it seemed like the ideal place to stay!

I was excited to be spending a weekend in Liverpool, having studied there for three years and fallen in love with its vibrant music scene, buzzing atmosphere, and friendly locals (the warm-heartedness of scousers and their undying passion for their beloved city is truly unmatched). My three years living in the Capital of Culture unfortunately came to an abrupt end when the first Covid lockdown hit in March 2020 and I was forced to jump on a nearly empty train and spend (what ended up being) the next five months in my family home in rural Devon. Unintentionally, I had not really returned to Liverpool since then, and I was looking forward to being in a place where I held so many fond memories.

It is fair to say that the atmosphere I felt at Lime Street station upon my arrival was a stark contrast to the last time I had been there (eerily quiet, masked up, and with an uncertain feeling about the future). Stepping off the train, I felt a rush of excitement at the busy, bustling, barrage of people on their way in and out of the station. My excitement was definitely not hindered by the fact that the sun was shining and everyone around me seemed to be in shock and awe at the first warm, sunny day of the year.

Thankfully, I managed to spot Danny’s partner, Jason, through the crowds, who was also in Liverpool for the concert, and we started making our way towards the hostel. A 1pm check in time meant that we had the option of dropping off bags at the hostel, freshening ourselves up, and being able to spend the whole afternoon exploring Liverpool, without the burden of any heavy luggage weighing us down. That being said, we did end up getting side tracked on route to the hostel by 69A; a quirky vintage and antiques shop filled with treasures, a giant monstera plant, and its own, resident cat. After a few minutes of browsing, taking some photos of the shop’s very ‘instagrammable’ interior, and purchasing one of their many records, we continued up the road to the hostel.

Embassie hostel, whilst being an easily walkable distance from the city centre and main attractions, feels nicely detached from the hustle and bustle of the main streets of Liverpool. Located on a picturesque Georgian Square and overlooking a park, the setting felt like a calm escape from the crowds we had just been swimming through at Lime Street Station (the hostel even has its own bee hives in the front garden!). We walked through the front door of the hostel and along the corridor to the kitchen to be greeted by Kevin – one of the hostel owners – leant over a tourist map of the city, in the midst of explaining to three new hostelers all of the places they would be able to see live music in the city that evening (I think he had already circled about four or five places when we arrived and was not stopping there). ‘If you’re into rock music then this is the place to go’ he would say, and would then continue with ‘but if you’re into more folky stuff then try this pub, or over here if you’d like to hear a jazz band’. It seemed that Liverpool really did live up to its reputation of being the ‘capital of culture’, with art and music of every genre and style oozing out of nearly every pub, bar, and venue in the city. And Kevin knew them all!

Kevin later explained to me that his dad (Kevin senior, who runs the hostel alongside his son) is Liverpool’s oldest Beatles guide. With the hostel having been owned and run for over 30 years by this dynamic father son duo, it is no surprise that they are experts on the goings on in their home city, and rightly proud to show off to their hostelers all that Liverpool has to offer! Being run by a father and son, you can tell the hostel has a friendly, familiar feel to it. Kevin consolidated this feeling to me whilst showing me to my room, explaining that he likes the hostel to feel like a ‘home away from home’ for visitors.

A well stocked kitchen and calm tree lined view

The rooms and amenities certainly lived up to the ‘home away from home’ environment described by Kevin. The dorms were clean and calm, with windows overlooking gardens and parks. Bathrooms were conveniently placed on multiple floors, and the kitchen was well stocked with tea, cereal, bread, milk and juice in the fridge, and (most importantly) Kevin’s fresh Columbian coffee. Feeling at home already, Jason and I ended up staying in the hostel dining area for a while, having a beer and a chat with Kevin and a father and son hosteler duo who had travelled down from Cumbria to spend a weekend in Liverpool together. After some time chatting, drinking, and jamming on the ‘hostel guitar’, we realised it was already time for us to meet Danny for a pre-concert meal. We quickly finished our drinks and headed out to meet Danny.

Danny and the colourful Renshaw Street Market

Danny seemed pleased with how the final rehearsal of the concert had gone, and we all seemed in good spirits as we talked and shared a meal at the popular Renshaw Street Food Market; and indoor market with a large number of food vendors serving mostly Asian cuisine. After slurping down a tasty kimchi soup, Jason and I walked Danny back up to the Philharmonic Hall and left him to get ready for the concert whilst we got a final pre-concert drink in the sun at the Queen of Hope Street, located right outside the Philharmonic Hall.

Whilst I was already enjoying the places and people I had seen in Liverpool, the concert was my main reason to be visiting the city for the weekend, and I am pleased to say it did not disappoint. Being the proud sister that I am, I had managed to book a seat directly in front of the double basses, and Danny looked appropriately embarrassed when he walked out on stage to spot me right in front of him, waving excitedly. Thankfully, Danny is very professional, and my presence mere metres away from him did not hinder his ability to play a fantastic concert with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Liverpool Philharmonic Choir. It had been a while since I had been to a classical concert, and so the sheer, impressive sound that such a large group of amazing musicians is able to make almost took me by surprise. I enjoyed every minute of the varied and exciting programme of the concert and left the concert hall feeling refreshed and inspired….and luckily not too tired to head back to the Queen of Hope Street pub to get a celebratory ‘end of concert’ pint with Danny and some of his friends from the orchestra.

The musician at work and a celebratory drink

It was comforting, as I drank my pint, knowing that the hostel was only a ten-minute walk away from where we were sat. In fact, in a wider sense, it was motivating to know that there was a reasonably priced and convenient hostel so close to the Philharmonic Hall, should another concert pop up on their programme that I would like to see. Hosting a wide range of well renowned acts, from classical, to folk, to jazz, to comedy, film and much more, there is always something worth seeing at the Philharmonic Hall. And why not book in a stay at Embassie Hostel while you’re at it?