City Centre

Manchester’s brand new aparthotel with huge penthouse ‘super suites’

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 19th January 2022

A new aparthotel is opening in Manchester city centre, with enormous penthouse ‘super suites’.

The new luxury development from CitySuites has opened just next door to its first, at Embankment West.

The brand new building contains 142 apartments ranging from compact studios to three-bedroom giants, right on the border of Manchester city centre and Salford.

Its facilities include an 18-metre swimming pool, spa pool, steam room and state-of-the-art 24-hour gym.

The pool at CitySuites II. Credit: Louis Cannell

Every single room has been designed to blend ‘the luxury touches of a hotel with the space, privacy and comfort of home’.

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Guests will sleep on Mattison beds and make use of bespoke bathrooms, as well as having access to their own fully-fitted kitchen (with washing machine, dishwasher, oven, Nespresso coffee machine and fridge-freezer), ultrafast broadband, and GHD hairdryers.

CitySuites II‘s crowning glory is its five high-end penthouse apartments, which have views of the nearby Manchester Cathedral and city skyline.

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CitySuites II in Manchester. Credit: Supplied

The largest of the penthouses spans 265 sq metres across the 16th and 17th floor of the building, and comes with a wrap-around balcony overlooking the city.

All of them have floor-to-ceiling windows, SieMatic kitchens, BORA ovens, Lutron electric blinds, home theatre systems and walk-in steam shower rooms.

The CitySuites II apartments can be booked for anything from a one-night stay up to a year-long visit.

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There’s a 24-hour concierge on site, laundry and dry-cleaning services, and residents-only co-working spaces.

  • Inside CitySuites II. Credit: Louis Cannell
  • Inside CitySuites II. Credit: Louis Cannell

The arrival of the new aparthotel also comes with new food offerings for the city.

Both its in-house brasserie and bar Embankment Kitchen and its coffee shop the Embankment Cafe are open for business.

Gavin Bailey, operations director of CitySuites, said: “CitySuites II is an evolvement of CitySuites as you know it in Manchester, everything we already are and more.

Read more: Greater Manchester Tory MP defects to Labour party with scathing letter to Boris Johnson

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“The perfect combination of comfort and luxury remains at the core of our design and approach, but with additional facilities, community areas and services we are going a step further in being able to really tailor and personalise experiences for each and every one of our guests.

“The Super Suites will offer a hotel experience currently unparalleled in the city.

“Manchester is the fasting growing city in the UK and the level of hospitality needs to rise alongside this.

“For guests who want beautiful accommodation that is spacious, high-quality yet functional, with all the amenities and services of a 5-star hotel at hand if required, then CitySuites II will be the place for you.”

Featured image: Supplied

City Centre

The best foodie freebies you can get in Manchester on your birthday

Danny Jones Danny Jones free birthday food and drink offers manchester city centre

Nothing says ‘Happy Birthday’ quite like free food and drink simply for being born, especially when you can get it right here on your doorstep in Manchester, don’t you think?

There’s no doubt tonnes of different places that do special complimentary offers on your big day throughout the 10 boroughs, but that inevitably gargantuan list is for another day.

For now, we thought we’d simply put together a quick and easy round-up of the best birthday freebies you can get in and around central Manchester.

You can thank us later when you’re all full up and your wallet isn’t even the tiniest bit lighter.

Places that offer free stuff on your birthday in Manchester

1. Money off at J.W. Lees

Start your birthday off right with a pint from one of Greater Manchester’s most famous beermasters: J.W. Lees Brewery, who’ll give you a tenner off when you visit the bar on your birthday.

All you have to do is quickly sign up for their mailer to get your £10 voucher; they’re also the legend behind the ongoing Boddingtons revival, so you already know how best to spend it.

2. Complimentary chicken at Yard and Coop

Next up is a Manc favourite that’s never shyed away from dishing out the odd freebie – spoilers, but it usually involves some kind of chicken…

In all seriousness, be it free wings for students with ‘Yard Card’ or kids eating at no cost when the adults book in a family meal, the kings and queens at the Coop are always looking out for us Mancs. It’s not different on you’re birthday either, when you get a free main meal by signing up to the newsletter.

offers at yard and coop nq
yard and coop chicken manchester
Credit: The Manc Eats

3. Bar tab on Simmons

Next up, you’re going to need something to wash down all that lovely salty fried chicken, so why not queue up some cocktails at Simmons over on Deansgate?

These still relatively recent London exports are so kind as to offer a £25 bar tab when you book a table with them for your birthday; you can sort yours HERE.

4. Nell’s Pizza freebies

Ok, so now you’ve whetted the whistle and can probably line up your next bit of scran – we’re assuming you’re going to do what we do and cram all these into one single day – so it’s time to grab some pizza at Nell’s if you ask us.

Better yet, not only are their slices reasonably priced, but you can also cop yourself a voucher free ‘Birthday Cake’ flavour (yes, the pretty one with the sprinkles) ice cream sandwich when booking online. You’ve also got a new venue you can enjoy this deal at, too.

Inside Nell’s MediaCity as local pizza legends open new site with karaoke and shuffleboard
We’ve had a free ice cream sandwich at Nell’s in Manchester on our birthday for at least the last three years.

5. Bonus baked goods at Gail’s

If a little ice cream sandwich hasn’t quite satiated your sweet tooth, then you’ll be glad to know that the growing presence of Gail’s Bakery in Greater Manchester not only involves some unreal tastes and smells, but some brilliant birthday freebies, too.

For those who are members of Gail’s Loyalty Programme, where customers can also collect stamps to earn back coffees, cakes and more completely gratis, you are also entitled to a free sweet from their baker’s table treat during your birthday month. Say no more.

gail's bakery altrincham
gail's bakery menu manchester
Question is, which treat will it be?… (Credit: The Manc Group)

6. Good old Greggs

Room for more dessert (they do say it’s a second stomach, after all)? Well, if there is, you can’t go wrong with a Northerner’s first love: Gregg’s, who also keep things nice and straightforward by simply congratulating you on being born by giving you a free sweet treat you can claim via the app.

Oh, and by the way, I was once genuinely given a Gregg’s gift card by a mate for my birthday and don’t sleep on it – that was genuinely one of the best things in the haul that year.

6. Free regular-size Barburrito

Ok, it’s all feeling a bit sugar-heavy at the minute, so let’s swap back onto the savoury and another brilliant chain that isn’t just beloved here but actually started the fast-food burrito culture here in 0161.

Many of you may have already copped this freebie in the past, but in case you still need to be initiated, Barburrito have been handing out free birthday burritos since like forever – the only catch nowadays is you need to download the app and make sure you’ve spent at least £6 before the date rolls around.

8. Chopstix for cheap

Last but not least, how about some late-night noodles to finish things off? We here at The Manc (Eats, specifically) are guilty of getting a last-minute takeaway to round off a long work day or spice up a weekend evening spent at home.

That being said, it’s a very easy plan to fall back on during your birthday week if you don’t have much booked in for an insignificant number in your 20s, let’s say; simply sign up for the newsletter and select the small box of your choosing. It isn’t just food they’re doing these days either…

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Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

City Centre

Manchester’s magical Christmas Parade is back to take over city centre again for 2025

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Manchester’s magical Christmas Parade is returning for 2025, and it’s set to be one of the most heartwarming events of the festive season.

Returning this December and now in its fourth year, the annual parade has been a favourite with Mancs since first taking place in the city in December 2022 – and this year, it’s back once again to delight children, families, and anyone young at heart when it makes its way through the city centre‘s main shopping streets.

Organisers are not just spreading the festive cheer this year, they’re also giving community groups across Greater Manchester a chance to join in and be part of the Christmas magic.

That’s right – you can be a part of the parade in 2025.

A call has gone out to community groups of all kinds to come and be part of the parade and play their part in helping fill the event with Mancunian spirit.

Manchester City Council is hoping to make what is already the UK’s best Christmas Parade even more magical this year.

Manchester Christmas Parade will be making its way through the city centre this festive season / Credit: Manchester City Council

You can expect 2025’s parade day on Sunday 7 December to be filled with music and laughter, as well as the return of Manchester’s very-own Elf Express, complete with VIP passenger Santa hitching a ride on his way to the North Pole, together with his trusty team of elves.

Not only that, but you can also expect also to see Nutcracker-inspired toy soldiers sweeping their way through the parade on segways whilst happy to stop and pose for saluting selfies, a roaming Christmas tree, a pair of gentle giant-sized reindeer, a stunning arctic fox, and Jack Frost himself.

Brand-new for this year will be the fantastic Festive Fantasy Candyland Castle, which stands over three-meters tall and is truly the stuff of fairytales.

And of course it wouldn’t be the Manchester Christmas Parade without the Snow Queen, right? Everyone’s favourite enchanting visitor will mesmerise crowds as she sits in her giant snow globe sliding her way through the city streets.

Live bands and orchestras will be playing classic Christmas tunes, and don’t forget to watch out for plenty of pop-up festive fun around the city on the day.

“There’s nowhere that does Christmas quite like Manchester,” commented Cllr Pat Karney.

“Seeing the joy and wonder on the faces of everyone as they watch the Parade would melt even the hardest of hearts, and this year, we’re going all out to put on an unmissable show that makes memories for children and families that last a lifetime.”

Organisers are encouraging local community groups to apply to join in / Credit: Manchester City Council

This year’s Christmas Parade will follow a route that starts and ends at Manchester Cathedral, taking in many of the city centre’s main shopping streets like Deansgate, Cross Street, Market Street, and more along the way.

Exact timings of the parade will be confirmed nearer the parade date, so keep your eyes peeled.

Read more:

Community groups interested in taking part are asked to make contact with parade organisers here, with the closing date for expressions of interest being Monday 27 October.

You can find more information about Christmas in Manchester here.

Featured Image – Manchester City Council

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