Hard Day’s Night Hotel

Of course. We’re visiting Liverpool on a pilgrimage to see everything Beatles. Where else would we stay? This legendary hotel is the only Beatles-themed hotel in the world. And it is indeed Fab! The lobby, the music, it is all Beatles all the time. Just Imagine.

Each guest room has all the mod cons you would expect, with the added delight of unique Beatles-inspired artwork and tailored luxurious toiletries, all set against a stunning backdrop to guarantee a lasting memory.

The Hard Day’s Night hotel has several, 5 Star Suites named for John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and more. We’ll see the great photographic works by Bill Zygmant that adorns the walls of the hotel. I met Bill several years ago for coffee there and he is quite a colorful guy. We are trying to get him to drop in and say hi and maybe show off some of his early work with “the boys.”

The Logo

As you walk up the entry way, above your head you see a logo that is a bit peculiar. As you continue through the hotel it is everywhere - on the doors, on receipts, in the dining areas, on the door hangers, on your computer screen, even on your bedroom slippers. What does it mean - all these dots and squares? It must have a design purpose, a status quo, a reason for being. Indeed it does! Who’s idea is it? It was designed and is owned by Shannon, the artist who created over 100 paintngs for the hotel.

Shannon explains: Cavern Club owner, Bill Heckle called me a short time after I had signed the contract to create over 100 painting for the Hard Day’s Night Hotel. He said that hotel execs were having trouble coming up with a worthy logo idea that actually tied in with The Beatles. Bill sent me some of the sample ideas that were on the table. He was right! The designs consisted of flower power, hippy-ish graphics, and other 1960s hoopla. Nothing screamed “BEATLES”. Bill asked me to think about an idea, see what I could come up with. I took the challenge. It was knocking at my head the rest of the day but I was coming up short. I thought to myself, I am working nearly 18-20 hours a day on the hotel paintings - and now this. Then it happened! And here is the simple truth... Every morning I set my alarm with a CD/Radio/Alarm player. To catapult me into Beatle-mode the alarm was set with the CD, A Hard Day’s Night (The entire album). The next morning I awoke to that famous opening chord and the idea hit me like a ton of bricks. That chord! That wonderful chord! Being a musician, I know guitar tabs (tablature) and I thought - Would that chord work as a logo? I drew it out immediately but to my disappointment the famous G7sus4 chord did not work. I knew there were other chords played on guitar, piano, and bass so I did my research. What I found was an alternative chord - and it worked! The crazy things that fell into place afterward were magical . . .