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Standing in the beautiful glass-domed reception of the Palace Hotel, it’is hard to imagine this building as a bustling Refuge Assurance office.
Nearing the completion of a multi-million pound and painstaking period of renovation the hotel and its 271 rooms, ballroom and suites will soon fully reopen.
And for the first time, visitors can take in the historic building’s full behind-the-scenes glory, including exploring the basement vaults, hearing ghost stories and secrets, learning about how the venue recovered from bombing during the war and seeing its intricate interior design details up close.
We took an exclusive first look tour with guide Jonathan Schofield, ahead of the launch tonight.
The vaults
The vaults at the Palace Hotel
Deep down underground number of huge brick red-coloured safes are hidden, that stored thousands of valuable documents, a fascinating relic of the pre-digital era.
Life insurance and pension company Refuge Assurance employed 2,000 staff at the Grade II listed building, staying in business through two world wars, between 1895 and 1987, with the building constructed in stages between 1891 to 1932.
The reception
The reception area at the Palace Hotel
The current glass dome was installed when the building was converted into a hotel. It was taken from a train station in Scotland.
The vast reception area, which used to be completely uncovered, still has visible external drain pipes. As entrances go, it’s not too shabby.
Staircase…so much staircase
A staircase at the Palace Hotel with specially-designed stained-glass windows
Designed with several types of marble, including a green style from Sweden the staircases especially embody the building’s rich terracotta, fatience and glazed brick architecture.
Each window in one of the grandest staircases has a stained-glass window dedicated to the coat of arms from other famous refuges around the country.
Ballroom
The ballroom at the Palace Hotel
Previously used as a dining room for employees, women and men were seated separately and staff were treated to waiter service.
It is now a popular venue for corporate and live music events seating up to 1,000 guests.
Courtyard
The courtyard at The Palace Hotel
Created as part of several new features of the hotel, the outdoor shows-off the difference in brickwork colour used in each stage of the contruction.
The late-Victorian architecture (white walls) design was chosen to create more light in an already industrial and dark city. After two street parties as part of Manchester Pride, this hidden street is ready to be revealed to the rest of the city.
The Refuge by Volta
The Refuge by Volta at the Palace Hotel
The stunning new restaurant and public bar which will have also feature a gin parlour, changing art exhibition and private events. The first city centre project by the West Disbury bar and restaurant Volta, The Refuge will open its doors on September 14. There’s also the Den, a semi-hidden room with pool tables and fusball.
Director’s suite
Director’s suite at the Palace Hotel
A grand room. It has been restored to its former glory. Make sure you don’t duck out of the tour early, as a special slide show comes right at the end.
Tours, which cost £10, take around one and a half hours. Booking is essential.
Currently there are only four dates available, which have limited availability, and can be booked online here .
Tuesday, September 6, 6pm
Saturday, September 10, 1.30pm
Sunday, September 11, 1.30pm.
The Palace Hotel
If you worked at Refuge Assurance or have any memories regarding the building, contact Jonathan via email jgschofield@btinternet.com and the best ones will earn a free tour (including a guest) in return.
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