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
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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
Popular bar chain The Alchemist to rewind back to 2010 with cocktails and dishes for £6 next month
Emily Sergeant
One of the UK’s most popular bar chains is celebrating its sweet 16th birthday next month by winding back to 2010.
Money is always tight in January, right?
Once Christmas is over with, and so is the festive feasting and drinking, many like to use the first month of the new year to lay low and save some money back up – which is why The Alchemist is launching a limited-edition ‘2010 Revival Menu’, bringing back some of its most iconic early cocktails and dishes – all at their original prices from 16 years ago.
For the whole month, you can enjoy the curated throwback selection starting from £6, which i perfectly timed for a month of saving without sacrificing going out.
The Alchemist is rewinding back to 2010 with cocktails and dishes for £6 / Credit: The Manc Group
The 2010 Revival Menu includes the return of the fan-favourite White Chocolate Raspberry Martini for £6 on the cocktail menu, which was an early Alchemist staple, alongside other fan-favourites like the Colour Changing One and Virgin Pornstar, both for £6 again.
When it comes to food dishes for £6, you can tuck into a selection of different refreshing salads, while stretching your budget up to £10 will get you things like Chicken in a Basket, a Cheeseburger, and Fish and Chips.
Other iconic Alchemist cocktails returning for a fraction of the price next month include the popular Smoky Old Fashioned, and Dead Read Zombie – both for £8.
The Alchemist opened its original bar in Manchester‘s swanky Spinningfields district all the way back in 2010, and quickly became a popular and stylish destination with its high ceilings and industrial features, and has since developed into a much larger chain – with not only more Manchester destinations, but others across the UK too.
A candlelit Queen tribute concert is returning to Manchester
Danny Jones
Yes, you read that right: a candlelit tribute concert to the one and only Queen is coming to Manchester city centre.
In fact, it’s coming home, as this wonderful event started right here in 0161 back in 2021.
Concerts by Candlelight themselves host concerts up and down the country at various points throughout the year, but their much-loved ‘Queen by Candlelight‘ special knows all about lighting up Manc venues.
Having since gone on to become an internationally acclaimed live concert experience, we’re glad we still get to see the ‘Princes of the Universe’ on our doorstep.
Credit: Concerts by Candlelight (supplied)
With the likes of Bridgewater Hall and the magical Manchester Monastery all having played host to the promotion on many ocassions, this time Queen by Candlelight is coming to the legendary Manchester Opera House in the new year.
One of our most historic and legendary theatres, it’s only fitting, really, that they be chosen to welcome a night of equally iconic tunes.
But it’s worth reminding more casual fans that these aren’t just British rock and pop anthems; Queen‘s discography is one that still has global recognition to this day.
That’s why this specific show has been taken to virtually every corner of the world, with the incredibly talented cast of singers and musicians delighting audiences in Dubai, Australia, New Zealand and New York, to domestic crowds here in town and down in London’s West End.
‘Queenies’ or ‘Darlings’, as Freddie Mercury used to call them, can expect all the big hits, from ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘We Are The Champions’, to ‘It’s a Kind of Magic’ and ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ and plenty more from the back catalogue.
Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store this coming January:
With tickets already flying out fast, we really would recommend securing your seats early before they inevitably sell out.
To quote the promoters themselves, “this spectacular celebration of Queen’s biggest hits is guaranteed to rock you.”
Coming to the Manchester Opera House on Tuesday, 6 January, you can book your tickets for Queen by Candlelight right HERE.
And if you’ve never been to one of their candlelit events before, you only need to see how much of a ball we had at their country event earlier this year to find out how much fun they are…
The Manc -
12th July 2021 
