The Queen’s Hotel, Leeds: Secret tunnels hide beneath this ‘The Great Gatsby’ style hotel

Built in 1937, The Queen's Hotel holds a prominent position in Leeds' skyline being attached to Leeds train station.

While recent attention has been on the new restaurant opening inside the hotel as well as the multimillion pound facelift of public areas, many do not realise the secret subterranean tunnels that have existed since the 1930s. This network of tunnels is a nod to the hotel’s incredible past and are still used today as ‘back of house.’

The Queens was one the founding members of the British Transport Hotels. If you look up from the outside you can see LM & SR engraved above as it was built by the LMS railway. It was later sold in 1984 as part of the sell off British Transport Hotels by the government of the time.

Still today however it looms over the city centre with panoramic views of Leeds as well as tunnels connecting you to Leeds train station.

"Our connectivity to Leeds rail station is as direct as they come,” said Paul Priest, the business development manager.

He said: "We have direct access from the concourse of the rail station directly into the hotel's reception area.”

This is an ideal route when it’s poor weather conditions.

Mr Priest said: “Guests can actually come off the platform and come directly into the hotel without stepping outside, which is a great way to enter the hotel.”

The art deco interior is a nod to the illustrious heritage of the place.

“It was erected and and we opened these doors on 12th of November 1937, so it's been part of Leeds’ history in the prominent position right in the heart of the beating heart of Leeds, which is City Square,” said Mr Priest.

What people don't realise however is what lies beneath the hotel.

A network of subterranean tunnels are hidden in what staff call the lower basement.

Mr Priest said: “I'm not that brave to actually explore but there are tunnels that reportedly go towards the River Aire.

“They go underneath the City Square towards the Merrion Centre. There's various tunnels dating back to the 1930s, things used to get delivered in and out of the Leeds rail station, so they are there, they do exist.

“The motor room at the hotel, the motor fans that were in operation in 1937 they're still in operation today.

“Engineering back in the 1930s is still very much part of the city and the hotel.”

Nonetheless, you'd be forgiven for thinking The Queens Hotel is a shell of its former glory. That's if you haven't been for a few years since the hotel's £16 million refurbishment.

The reason the hotel looks so fresh for its 88th year is thanks to a combination of long lasting engineering and the millions pounds worth of renovation work in recent years.

Mr Priest said: "The hotel was beginning to look tired in a few areas, and the investment was spread so carefully well.

"It touched every part of the hotel, including extension of 17 bedrooms.”

"All our meeting and public areas were refurbished, our ground floor lounge and our cocktail bar and restaurant were all refurbished."

He added that all the meeting and public areas were refurbished, including the ground floor lounge and cocktail bar, which is now home to Cinnamon Kitchen - the first northern outpost by celebrity chef Vivek Singh.

Despite the facelift, key parts of this iconic hotel remain including the listed red lifts.

Mr Priest said: “A number of customers that love the hotel contacted the general manager at the time. when we were doing the work.

“He got so many emails and letters to say how fantastic it is having this work done, but don't spoil it.

“Don't turn it into something that it's not. It's a 1930s Art Deco style hotel.

“Such things as our red lifts, The Queens are synonymous with these red door lifts. They were listed, not that we wanted to do anything with them, but we weren't allowed to do anything with them, and they are still part of the hotel's DNA.”

The Queens was opened as a railway hotel by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. It was one of the first in Britain to have en-suite bathrooms.

Mr Priest said it's also renowned as a function venue.

He said: “The Queens Ballroom is the largest function space for a residential hotel in the city and we can up to 450 for a dinner dance.”

Mr Priest said most guests are happy to incorporate The Great Gatsby theme in the Queen's Ballroom.

“It almost feels like stepping back in time,” he said.

The Queens lives up to its name having played host to royalty, prime ministers and sports stars as well as Laurel and Hardy.

One of the recently refurbished rooms where VIPs stay is the Presidential Suite with a rooftop terrace overlooking the city centre.