Step Off the Train and You're Almost There
Step off the Merseyrail train at Bootle New Strand and The Jollys is right across the road, which is the single best reason to book it. From that platform the Northern Line carries you into Liverpool Central in around twelve minutes, so a simple, good-value room above a Marsh Lane sports bar turns into a genuinely cheap base for a city break, a Liverpool or Everton match, the Aintree Grand National, a ferry arrival or a visit to family in the area. You trade polish for position and price, and for the right traveller that is a smart trade.
This is a budget pub-with-rooms, friendly and unpretentious, and the page tells you that plainly. Rooms sit above a welcoming local bar and are kept deliberately simple: carpeted, warm and well connected, with your own TV and streaming and free WiFi throughout. Location is its strongest asset, so come for the train and the value rather than for comfort or quiet.
Simple, Warm Rooms Above the Bar
The rooms are plain and practical rather than designed: cream walls, grey carpet, white bedding and the odd Beatles or Liverpool print on the wall, with big sash windows that let in plenty of light. Most rooms have their own private entrance, so you can come and go around the bar, and everything you need for a budget stay is here, from your own TV and streaming to a hot drink whenever you want one. On the better stays guests single out the comfortable beds, the heating and how much space you get for the money.
Be honest with yourself about two things before you book. Every bathroom is shared, with no en-suite anywhere, and the pub below means weekend nights can be lively, so light sleepers should pick a weekday or ask for a quieter room. Cleanliness can also be inconsistent, the most common gripe in the reviews, so this is a manage-your-expectations budget stay. Get those right and you have a clean, warm room for not much money, a couple of minutes from the train.
What to Know Before You Arrive
The thing that catches first-time guests out is check-in. There is no staffed 24-hour reception; you check in at the bar, which may be closed when you arrive, so you tell the team your arrival time in advance and use a key-safe code. Photo ID and the front of your payment card are needed within 72 hours of booking, payment for the stay is taken in full ahead of time, and a £100 refundable damage deposit is taken around arrival and returned within seven days of check-out after a quick inspection. The property takes Visa and Mastercard, so carry a card rather than cash.
There is no private car park, but the Bootle Strand multi-storey on Vermont Way (L20 4UX) is a few minutes' walk, and honestly the train is faster than driving and parking anyway. There is no restaurant and breakfast is not a standard inclusion, though the bar is right below you and Chinese takeaways and a couple of pubs sit within a hundred yards or so. A minimum-age policy applies and under-25s may need to be accompanied, so confirm the age rule at booking.
Why Book The Jollys?
The Jollys is strongest for travellers who want a cheap, transport-led base near Liverpool and are happy to trade en-suite bathrooms, a staffed reception and quiet for a low price and a station across the road.
Station across the road
Bootle New Strand station is about a 3-minute walk, with Merseyrail trains into Liverpool Central in around 12 minutes, so you can leave the car at home.
Genuinely budget
Rooms are simple but warm, with a flat-screen TV, streaming, a tea and coffee tray and free WiFi, all at a genuinely low nightly rate.
Football & Aintree base
A handy cheap bed for Anfield, Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium, the Aintree Grand National and Crosby Beach, all a short ride away.
Best-fit guests
Best for budget travellers, solo guests, couples and groups who want a transport-led base near Liverpool and don't need en-suite bathrooms, a staffed reception or frills.
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Interesting Points About The Jollys
- Bootle New Strand station sits across the road, roughly a 3-minute walk, with Merseyrail Northern Line trains reaching Liverpool Central in about 12 minutes, so a car is genuinely optional
- Every room shares a bathroom, with no en-suite anywhere, but most rooms have their own private entrance, towels and a hairdryer provided
- Four room types are bookable, from a small double to an economy quadruple, covering solo travellers, couples and groups taking several rooms together
- A £100 refundable damage deposit is taken around arrival, payment for the stay is taken in advance, and the property accepts Visa and Mastercard only, no cash
Rooms & Accommodation at The Jollys
Small Double Room
Sleeps 2 · approx. 14.9 m² · Shared bathroom · Free WiFi
The smallest and cheapest way into The Jollys, about 14.9 m² with a double bed, a private entrance and a shared bathroom with a shower, toilet, towels and a hairdryer. A flat-screen TV with streaming, a tea and coffee tray, an iron, a wardrobe and free WiFi come as standard. Choose this if you are a solo traveller or a couple who want the lowest rate and a station across the road, and you are happy with a compact room and a shared bathroom.
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Triple Room with Shared Bathroom
Sleeps 3 · approx. 19 m² · Private entrance · Shared bathroom
The best value for three, about 19 m² with its own private entrance, a desk and a shared bathroom with a shower, toilet, towels and a hairdryer. It comes with a flat-screen TV and streaming, a tea and coffee tray, an iron, a wardrobe and free WiFi. Choose this if you are three friends or a small family who want the cheapest room that sleeps everyone together, with the station across the road and easy trains into Liverpool for the football or a day out.
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Comfort Triple Room
Sleeps 3 · approx. 17.7 m² · Private entrance · Desk
A roomier, mid-upper option at about 17.7 m², sleeping three, with a private entrance, a desk and the full in-room kit: a flat-screen TV with streaming, a tea and coffee tray, an iron, a hairdryer, a wardrobe and free WiFi. The bathroom is shared, with a shower, toilet and towels provided. Choose this if you want a bit more space and a desk to work or spread out at, while still keeping a low rate and the station across the road; upper floors are reached by stairs.
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Economy Quadruple Room with Shared Bathroom
Sleeps 4 · approx. 19.5 m² · Largest room · Shared bathroom
The largest room at The Jollys, about 19.5 m² and sleeping four, with a desk and the standard in-room kit: a flat-screen TV with streaming, a tea and coffee tray, an iron, a hairdryer, a wardrobe and free WiFi. The bathroom is shared, with a shower, toilet and towels provided. Choose this if you are a family or group of four who want to stay together in one room on the cheapest possible footing near the station; it is the top-priced room here, but works out low per head.
Check PricesIs The Jollys Right for You?
Best Suited For
- Train-led travellers: Bootle New Strand station is across the road, about 12 minutes by Merseyrail from Liverpool Central
- Budget guests: good-value rooms, simple but warm, at a genuinely low nightly rate
- Football and Aintree fans: a cheap bed near Anfield, Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium and the Grand National
- Solo travellers and couples: simple, warm rooms with a flat-screen TV, streaming and free WiFi
- Groups and small families: a triple, a comfort triple and a quadruple sleep three or four together, and multiple rooms can be booked
- Visitors to family in the area: an easy, well-connected base in north Liverpool
Worth Considering Alternatives If
- You want an en-suite bathroom: every bathroom here is shared, with none private
- You need a staffed reception: there isn't one; check-in is at the bar by arrangement, so plan your arrival time
- You're a light sleeper at weekends: the pub below makes Friday and Saturday nights lively, so pick a weekday or ask for a quieter room
- You expect spotless throughout: cleanliness can be inconsistent, the most common guest complaint
- You want to pay cash: the property takes Visa and Mastercard only, and a £100 refundable deposit applies
- You need on-site parking: there is none, though a multi-storey car park is a few minutes' walk away
Amenities & Facilities
In-Room
- Flat-screen TV with streaming (e.g. Netflix) and satellite channels
- Tea and coffee maker with kettle and complimentary hot drinks
- Iron and ironing facilities
- Heating throughout
- Wardrobe or closet and clothes rack, linen and towels provided
- Hairdryer (in the shared bathroom)
- Private entrance in most rooms
- Not available: En-suite bathroom
Connectivity
- Free WiFi throughout, the best-reviewed part of the stay
Building & Services
- On-site bar (the sports pub below the rooms)
- Check-in at the bar by arrangement; key-safe code on arrival
- Shared bathrooms with shower, toilet, towels and hairdryer
- Not available: Staffed 24-hour reception
- Not available: On-site restaurant
- Not available: Pool, gym or spa
Parking & Transport
- Bootle New Strand station across the road (about a 3-minute walk)
- Bootle Strand multi-storey car park, Vermont Way, L20 4UX, a few minutes' walk (charges apply)
- Buses stop on Marsh Lane and Stanley Road
- Liverpool John Lennon Airport about 11 miles (roughly a 24-minute drive)
- Not available: On-site parking
Policies & House Rules
- Payment by Visa or Mastercard; cash is not accepted
- £100 refundable damage deposit, taken around arrival and returned within 7 days of check-out
- Check-in from 15:00; check-out by 11:00
- Minimum-age policy applies; under-25s may need to be accompanied, so confirm at booking
- Not available: Pets
- Not available: Smoking indoors
Across the Road from the Station, Minutes from Liverpool
The Jollys sits at 280 Marsh Lane in Bootle, postcode L20 5BW, a port town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton immediately north of Liverpool. This is a working, residential dockland area rather than a tourist resort, and its value is transport: Bootle New Strand station is directly across the road, putting Merseyrail's Northern Line and Liverpool Central about twelve minutes away. The Strand shopping centre and its bus links are a few minutes' walk, and a second station, Bootle Oriel Road, is under a mile away.
From here the whole Liverpool city region opens up. Anfield Stadium and Everton's new Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock pull in football crowds, and Aintree Racecourse, home of the Grand National, is under three miles away. North along the coast, Crosby Beach holds Antony Gormley's Another Place, the hundred cast-iron figures known as the Iron Men, scattered across the sand. A short train ride south brings you to the waterfront landmarks, the Royal Liver Building, Pier Head, the Beatles statue and the restored Royal Albert Dock with its museums and restaurants.
Getting here is easiest by train, but if you drive, follow signs for Bootle and the Docks via the A5036 or the Strand, then use the Bootle Strand multi-storey on Vermont Way (L20 4UX), as the property has no car park. Liverpool John Lennon Airport is about eleven miles south, roughly a 24-minute drive or about an hour by the 81/81A bus, and Manchester Airport is around 35 miles away.
- Bootle New Strand station: 300 yd · 3 min walk. Merseyrail Northern Line trains reach Liverpool Central in about 12 minutes, running roughly every 15 minutes Mon–Sat.
- Strand Shopping Centre: 0.2 mi · a few minutes' walk. Bootle's main shopping centre and bus interchange, currently part of a major council-backed regeneration of the town.
- Bootle Oriel Road station: 0.7 mi · short walk. A second Northern Line station, useful as an alternative rail option into Liverpool and beyond.
- Crosby Beach: 2.7 mi · about a 10-minute drive. Home of Antony Gormley's Another Place, the 100 cast-iron figures known as the Iron Men, spread across 3 km of sandy coastline.
- Aintree Racecourse: 2.8 mi · short drive. Home of the Randox Grand National Festival each April, one of the biggest dates in the racing calendar.
- Anfield Stadium: 2.9 mi · short drive or bus. Liverpool FC's historic ground, with the famous Kop end and stadium tours on non-match days.
- Royal Liver Building & Pier Head: 3.8 mi · about 12 min by train then a short walk. Liverpool's waterfront landmark topped by the Liver Birds, beside the Mersey Ferry terminal and the Three Graces.
- Royal Albert Dock: 4.4 mi · short train ride. Restored red-brick docks with museums, galleries, bars and restaurants on the Liverpool waterfront.
Getting to Key Locations
Anfield Stadium
Liverpool FC's home ground is under three miles from Bootle, an easy hop by bus or train plus a short walk. On match days the area around the Kop is electric, while non-match days bring stadium tours and the LFC museum, making The Jollys a genuinely cheap base for a football weekend.
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Royal Albert Dock
12 min train
About 12 minutes by train into the city then a short walk to the waterfront, the Royal Albert Dock is a restored complex of red-brick warehouses now full of museums, galleries, bars and restaurants. It is the obvious half-day out for a Bootle stay, taking in the Beatles Story and the Museum of Liverpool. The Maritime and Slavery museums are closed for a rebuild until 2028, and Tate Liverpool has moved to Mann Island while its dock building is redeveloped.
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Liverpool ONE
The city's open-air shopping and leisure district sits a short train ride from the door, linking the central stations to the waterfront. With high-street and designer stores, cinemas, bars and restaurants, it is the easy default for an afternoon in town before heading back to Bootle on the Northern Line.
View on MapHow to Get to The Jollys in Bootle
- By train from Liverpool: From Liverpool Central, take the Merseyrail Northern Line towards Southport, Ormskirk or Kirkby and ride about 12 minutes to Bootle New Strand. The Jollys is directly across the road on Marsh Lane, so it is a 3-minute walk from the platform.
- From the airport: From Liverpool John Lennon Airport, it is about 11 miles and roughly a 24-minute taxi or drive. By bus, Arriva's 81/81A runs from the airport towards Bootle New Strand in around an hour, or take a bus to Liverpool South Parkway and the train from there.
- By car: Follow signs for Bootle and the Docks via the A5036 or the Strand to 280 Marsh Lane, L20 5BW. The property has no car park, so use the Bootle Strand multi-storey on Vermont Way (L20 4UX), a few minutes' walk away, where charges apply.
- Checking in: There is no staffed 24-hour reception, so tell the team your arrival time in advance. Check-in is handled at the bar, which may be closed, and you will be given a key-safe code; check-in is from 15:00 and check-out by 11:00.
Bootle & Liverpool Area Guide
Bootle's appeal is practical and honest. It is a working dockland town immediately north of Liverpool, and what it gives you is a cheap bed minutes by train from the city's waterfront, museums, music heritage and nightlife. The regenerating canalside along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the Salt and Tar events venue have brought live music and street food to the town centre, the Strand shopping area is mid-transformation, and Crosby Beach with its Iron Men is a short hop north. A central, transport-led base like The Jollys, with Bootle New Strand station across the road, is the point: you swim, shop, watch the football and eat out in Liverpool without ever needing a car.
Demand here is event-driven rather than seasonal. Early to mid April brings the Randox Grand National Festival at nearby Aintree, with the National itself run on the Saturday. The football season runs August to May, taking in matches at Anfield and at Everton's new Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, which staged its first Premier League game in August 2025. Summer adds the canalside Salt and Tar music weekender and a calendar of Liverpool city events. Expect the highest prices and tightest availability around the Grand National and big home fixtures, so book early for those dates. For other Liverpool-area stays, see our pages below.
Is The Jollys worth it?
Yes, if you want a genuinely cheap, transport-led base near Liverpool and book it for what it is. Bootle New Strand station is across the road, around 12 minutes by Merseyrail from Liverpool Central, the rooms are simple but warm with a TV, streaming and free WiFi, and guests rate it good value. Skip it if you need an en-suite bathroom, a staffed reception or total quiet at weekends, as every bathroom is shared and the pub below is lively. Manage your expectations and it delivers price and location.
What Guests Say About The Jollys
Scores and review counts are aggregated from verified guest bookings on major travel platforms.
Passable
Guest opinion on The Jollys is polarised, and the page reflects that honestly. At its best, typically on quieter weekdays, reviewers rate it strong value with an unbeatable transport location, comfortable beds and good-sized warm rooms. When it falls down it is on cleanliness, weekend pub noise and the lack of a staffed reception. The strongest, most consistent praise is for the location and value; the most common complaints are cleanliness inconsistency, noise and check-in by arrangement at the bar.
Perfect for visiting family and friends and right by the bus stops. The bed is on the small side, more a king single than a double, and the front door is stiff to open, but none of that put me off. I would happily stay again.
Barbara
Great location for transport into Liverpool and for exploring Bootle, and good value too. Exactly what it says on the tin: an inexpensive, comfortable room with a perfectly decent bar downstairs.
Just right for what I needed. A simple, well-priced room and an easy stay.
The position suited us well and our room was clean. I had asked for a double bed as I was travelling with my partner but we got singles, and some of the decor looked a little tired. Still an enjoyable stay overall.
Clean and comfortable for the price. The only letdown was that the Wi-Fi and one of the lamps were not working during my stay.
I liked the size of the room and the heating was good. On the downside the property was dirty when I arrived, the toilet is shared and there was no receptionist, so it took a while to work out where to go.
A disappointing stay that did not work out for us.
Our worst experience here. The room was dirty and the toilets were blocked, and it did not come close to what we expected for the price.
Good to Know Before You Book
All bathrooms are shared
There are no en-suite rooms at The Jollys; every bathroom is shared, fitted with a shower and toilet, with towels and a hairdryer provided. The upside is that most rooms have their own private entrance, so you can still come and go without going through the bar.
A £100 refundable deposit applies
A £100 refundable damage deposit is taken on a card around the time of arrival and returned within seven days of check-out after a quick inspection. Payment for the stay is taken in full in advance, and the property accepts Visa and Mastercard only, so plan to pay by card rather than cash.
Plan your arrival, there's no reception
There is no staffed 24-hour reception. Check-in is handled at the bar, which may be closed when you arrive, so confirm your arrival time in advance and you will be given a key-safe code. Photo ID and the front of your payment card are required within 72 hours of booking.
Park nearby, travel by train, mind the age rule
There is no private car park; use the Bootle Strand multi-storey on Vermont Way (L20 4UX) a few minutes' walk away, then take the train across the road into Liverpool. A minimum-age policy applies and under-25s may need to be accompanied, so confirm the age rule when you book. Cancellation and prepayment terms vary by rate, so check the conditions for your chosen option.
Call The Jollys
Want to confirm your arrival time, ask about a room or the deposit? Call the property directly.
0151 922 2537Photos of The Jollys
Frequently Asked Questions
The Jollys is at 280 Marsh Lane, Bootle, L20 5BW, directly across the road from Bootle New Strand station. From that platform the Merseyrail Northern Line reaches Liverpool Central in about 12 minutes, running roughly every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday, so you can be in the city centre quickly without a car.
All bathrooms at The Jollys are shared; there are no en-suite rooms. The shared bathrooms have a shower and toilet, with towels and a hairdryer provided. Most rooms do have their own private entrance, which many guests value on a budget stay.
Yes. A £100 refundable damage deposit is taken on a card around the time of arrival and returned within seven days of check-out after a quick inspection. Payment for the stay itself is taken in full in advance, and the property accepts Visa and Mastercard only, not cash.
You can check in from 15:00, and check-out is by 11:00. There is no staffed 24-hour reception. Check-in is handled at the bar, which may be closed when you arrive, so tell the team your arrival time in advance and you will be given a key-safe code.
There is no private car park at the property. The nearest option is the Bootle Strand multi-storey on Vermont Way (L20 4UX), a few minutes' walk away, where charges apply. Because the station is across the road, most guests find the train into Liverpool easier than driving and parking.
There is no on-site restaurant and breakfast is not a standard inclusion. There is a bar below the rooms, and every room has a tea and coffee tray with a kettle. For food, Chinese takeaways and a couple of pubs sit within about a hundred yards, with Liverpool's full restaurant scene around 12 minutes away by train.
Pets are not allowed and the property is non-smoking throughout. A minimum-age policy applies, and under-25s may need to be accompanied by an adult, so confirm the exact age rule when you book.
It can be at weekends, when the bar below is busiest. Weeknights are generally quieter. If you are sensitive to noise, ask for a quieter room or pick a midweek stay, and bear in mind the rooms sit above a working sports bar.
Other Liverpool-Area Stays
Brownlows Inn Guest House, Anfield
Still known to everyone as The King Harry, six minutes on foot from Anfield with a licensed sports bar downstairs showing the match. Budget mixed dorms and a twin, shared bathrooms, key-code doors, lockers and a guest kitchen. Book it when match day matters more than a bathroom of your own.
Dinorwic Lodge, Liverpool
A guest house about 450 yards from Anfield Stadium, handy for match days and a short hop from the city centre.
The Podworks Hotel, Liverpool
A central Liverpool pod hotel with compact en-suite rooms, a good option if you would rather stay in the city itself than out in Bootle.
Ready to Book The Jollys?
Budget rooms a few steps from Bootle New Strand station and about 12 minutes by train into Liverpool. Simple, warm rooms with free WiFi, a TV with streaming and a tea and coffee tray; all bathrooms are shared.
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