Manchester has always been one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the UK, and now it’s been officially named as one of the hottest in the world – or at least, one of its hotels has.
The Brooklyn Hotel has only been open a matter of weeks but it’s listed in the top 1% of hotels on Trip Advisor and makes an exclusive list of the best 25 new hotels in the world.
Situated on the trendy Portland Street, Brooklyn Hotel has already been attracting lots of positive attention despite the fact it only re-opened its doors on 17 May and has been trading for just over 27 weeks.
It’s not just the location close to Manchester city centre that makes the Brooklyn so sought after – here’s a look at some of its highlights.
Tapping Into Hot Trends
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One of the biggest attractions at Brooklyn Hotel is what you’ll find in the basement: Napoleon’s Casino and Restaurant.
But this is no dingy gambling parlour tucked away in the dark depths; Napoleon’s is a glamorous space where diners can enjoy a sumptuous dinner while overlooking the huge range of casino tables.
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You don’t need to book dinner to head to Napoleon’s for some fun. The high-class cocktail bar is the perfect way to start the evening before taking your pick of the many gaming tables including poker, blackjack and roulette. There are also the latest slots and a heated terrace area where guests can smoke while taking a break from the action.
No other hotel in Manchester has a casino facility, and Brooklyn taps right into the heart of current trends. 2020 created an insatiable appetite for online entertainment and gaming, and casinos have rocketed in popularity. The diversity of what’s on offer is pivotal to its success; gone are the days of the basic table games and roulette tables with the surge of so many new variations of roulette available online. Players can now find many versions of their favourite games, and if they head to Napoleon’s, they’ll be able to play while soaking up the real-life atmosphere of a land casino.
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A Bite of the Big Apple
The global pandemic has made it more difficult for people to travel but as the name suggests, the Brooklyn brings a slice of Brooklyn, New York to the UK. It may not be easy to travel to the Big Apple right now, but you can still enjoy a nibble on its sights and sounds.
The hotel channels the über-cool New York scene with yellow cabs and a big projector showing American classics in an amphitheatre just off the lobby. Panoramic views across the skyline may not give quite the same cityscape as New York, but enjoy the cocktails and order a plate of brownies, and pretty soon you’ll be having too much fun to care!
The supersized rooms are similarly luxurious with floor to ceiling windows which are reminiscent of an American loft. Ten of the first-floor bedrooms have an outside terrace where you can relax with a coffee while gazing out over Portland Street and the Village.
Surrounded by all the coolest gadgets you can imagine inside your room – including a Smeg fridge and Kitsch vintage radio – the Brooklyn Hotel delivers comfort and relaxation in the most exuberant way possible.
If you’d like to find out more, check out sa gaming.
Manchester
Keely Hodgkinson and Sarah Lancashire among famous Greater Manchester names on 2025’s New Year Honours list
Emily Sergeant
Keely Hodgkinson and Sarah Lancashire are among famous Greater Manchester names on 2025’s New Year Honours list.
A new year is here, and that means 2025’s New Year Honours list is out.
This year’s coveted list of names – which is published annually ahead of New Year’s Day, and is used to recognise a person’s merit in terms of achievement and service – has everything from community champions and impressive young people, to sporting stars, acting greats, and major public figures being a part of it.
More than 1,200 recipients are receiving honours this year across all sectors, and two of those famous recipients are two of Greater Manchester‘s most impressive talents from 2024 – Olympian Keely Hodginkson and actor Sarah Lancashire.
Hodgkinson appears for the first time on an Honours list this year, being awarded an MBE for services to Athletics.
Congratulations to everyone recognised in HM the King's New Years Honours 2025! 🎉
The Atherton-born middle-distance runner was already an Olympic medallist prior to heading into Paris 2024, having taken home a silver in the 800m in Tokyo back in 2020, but it was last year’s competition that saw her become an Olympic champion – bagging the gold in that same event.
While 2023 may have been the year that Sarah Lancashire was at the forefront of the public’s praise, most-notably during the final season of ITV’s Happy Valley which got the whole nation talking, it’s hard to deny that she deserves an Honour this year.
Sarah Lancashire as Sergeant Catherine Cawood in ITV’s Happy Valley / Credit: ITV
Lancashire – who was born in Urmston, before spending the majority of her upbringing in Oldham – has been named an CBE in 2025.
In releasing this year’s recipients, the Government in a statement: “The Government is committed to ensuring that honours are awarded to outstanding people from across the whole of the UK and the system reflects the best of society.
“The list ensures that people from underrepresented communities and a wide variety of types of work are rewarded, to celebrate the fantastic contribution of people throughout the country.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer added: “[Those honoured] represent the very best of the UK and that core value of service which I put at the centre of everything this Government does.”
Featured Image – British Athletics (via Twitter) / Keely Hodgkinson (via Instagram)
Manchester
Popular Manchester city centre club forced to close on New Year’s Eve due to flooding
Daisy Jackson
The heavy rain that hit Manchester on New Year’s Eve has caused flooding across the region, including the city centre.
One city centre venue had to close early on one of the biggest nights out of the year as water rushed into its basement.
In a statement shared today, Joshua Brooks shared that it had to close its New Year’s Eve party prematurely ‘to ensure everyone’s wellbeing’.
The popular city centre club had moved revellers upstairs to its clubhouse, rather than its basement, but ultimately feared the ‘unknowns regarding electrical safety’ and shut down early.
Luckily, party-goers were able to ring in the new year before the venue shut at around 2am.
Joshua Brooks shared: “Unfortunately, in the early hours of New Year’s Eve, we had to make the difficult decision to close the club prematurely due to unexpected flooding in our basement. The heavy rainfall in the Pennine mountains caused the River Medlock and several tributaries to overflow, impacting multiple venues along the riverbank, including ours.
“Our top priorities are always the safety of our ravers and the preservation of our equipment. As water levels continued to rise, we considered moving the party to the clubhouse upstairs. However, there were too many unknowns regarding electrical safety, so we ultimately decided to shut down the event around 2 AM, just under two hours before the end of the night, to ensure everyone’s well-being.
“We understand the inconvenience and disappointment this has caused you and sincerely apologise for disrupting your New Year’s Eve celebrations.
“Our warm-up DJs were absolutely smashing it, and Alan Fitzpatrick was playing great until the moment we had to close.
“While this type of incident is rare and hasn’t happened in years, there is always a risk due to our location. We want to assure you that we are taking this matter seriously and exploring all options to minimise the chances of this happening again.
“Thank you for your understanding and continued support.”
Luckily, Joshua Brooks hasn’t been left with any lasting damage to its main bar area, and is set to go ahead with its New Year’s Day party this evening.
The Manc -
12th July 2021 
