An iconic Manchester hotel is being turned into a TREEHOUSE hotel
From a brutalist icon to a green oasis complete with a 'secret forest' treehouse canopy and new top floor restaurant and bar, there's an exciting new development coming to Deansgate
It’s all change for the long-standing Deansgate hotel the Renaissance, as London developer Starwood Capital Investments reveals it is taking over the building and turning it into a new treehouse hotel complete with a ‘secret forest’ treehouse canopy.
Suffice to say that the brutalist icon is set to be completely transformed at the hands of London design company 93ft – and the plans sound pretty magical to us.
Designers will be working within the existing structure to create a new, green oasis, adding in some sustainable design features like a kitchen garden that will harvest its own rainwater and a rooftop apiary that will produce the hotel’s own honey.
Plans for the first phase of development include a new top-floor restaurant and bar, with another ‘crowning’ rooftop venue offering striking views across the city centre from the location at the end of Deansgate.
And fun features like stepping stones in the lift lobbies and a unique ‘living wooden art piece’ guest book – which you’re actually encouraged to carve your name into – will introduce some childlike wonder to the redevelopment.
ADVERTISEMENT
Elsewhere, alongside 216 smart new guest rooms, the hotel will also boast a communal gym complete with bespoke space hoppers designed especially for the Treehouse brand.
The site will be the second Treehouse Hotel to open in the UK, following the flagship boutique hotel in Marylebone, London.
ADVERTISEMENT
The existing Renaissance site, originally built as an office in 1972, is being redeveloped by Starwood Capital Investments (part of the vast IHG Group) in partnership with Property Alliance Group.
It’s not the first hotel Starwood Capital Investments has developed in Manchester, either. The company previously renovated the Principal Hotel in 2017, now known as the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel.
Speaking on the new development, Starwood Capital Group chairman and chief executive Barry Sternlicht said:
“I’m really excited to launch our second Treehouse Hotel in the UK. Manchester is as much a destination for travellers as a gathering place for its energetic local community.
“Our Treehouse will introduce a new execution of fun and witty, and provide an imaginative hospitality experience. As a sustainable brand, we will reuse and repurpose the existing building. We are thrilled to set roots in the city of Manchester.”
Alex Russell, managing director of Property Alliance Group, added: “We’re absolutely delighted to be bringing Treehouse, one of the most exciting global hotel brands, to Manchester which will be their second UK location after London. The brand will inject much-needed life and personality into this prominent landmark site, changing the perception of the building and driving footfall and activity to the area.”
The new Treehouse hotel is expected to open in 2023.
Feature image – Starwood Capital Group / 93ft .
News
Work begins on new £500m ‘culture hub’ with a cinema and performance spaces in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Work is finally beginning on a new £500 million culture hub in Manchester.
The first phase of plans to transform Wythenshawe Civic has entered an exciting new chapter, with Manchester City Council and placemaker Muse officially commencing construction of the new Culture Hub – which is tipped to provide a ‘major boost’ for budding artists, and creative groups and organisations in the area.
The hub is set to include space for food and drink on the ground floor, while the first floor is home to a mix of artist studio spaces and flexible areas for workshops, exhibitions, classes, and community events.
Locals can also expect a brand-new 40-seater cinema, which has been included following feedback given during a public consultation, and 200-seater performance space for a diverse range of performances.
Everything from dance and drama, to music and modern art will fill the performance spaces once the hub opens.
Expected to be completed in 2027, the Culture Hub sits within the first phase of a wider plan to ‘refresh’ Wythenshawe Civic, and will come to life thanks to £20 million of funding from the UK Government and a further £11.9 million from the Council.
What Wythenshawe Civic Centre looks like currently, before being transformed / Credit: Wikipedia Commons
“Listening to local people over the last year and more, we know that Wythenshawe residents want more from their town centre – more things to do, opportunities to spend time in Civic and night time attractions that give the area a lift and attract visitors,” explained Cllr Bev Craig, who is the leader of Manchester City Council.
“This is the drive behind the Culture Hub – a place for local people with an interest in the arts to take part in creative activities, see a show, or enjoy the cinema space, right in the heart of their community.
“This is another exciting chapter in the transformation of Wythenshawe town centre.”
Joe Stockton, Development Director at Muse, called the construction of the new Culture Hub an ‘exciting moment’ for Wythenshawe.
He added: “Our aim is to create a space for the town’s talented artists and creatives to come together and give them the facilities and the space they’ve asked for, to put on amazing shows, live performances, and workshops.
“It’s all part of the wider plan to create opportunities for residents, new homes and jobs, as well as a thriving high street for people to spend time in.”
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
News
Police launch investigation after man found ‘injured and unresponsive’ in Manchester road
Emily Sergeant
A police investigation has been launched after a man was found ‘injured and unresponsive’ in the middle of a road in Manchester.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) was called out Plymouth Grove, in the Longsight area of Manchester, at around 9pm this past Friday (30 January), and when they arrived at the scene, found a 61-year-old man lying in the road.
After being found ‘unresponsive’, the man was immediately taken to hospital, where he is currently being treated for head injuries.
At this time, it is currently unknown how than man came to be in the road.
With so many questions left to answer, and a police investigation now underway being led by GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, officers are now urgently appealing to the public for witnesses and information.
“We have an open mind as we investigate how this man became to be injured,” explained PC Megan Stockton in the appeal. “However, there is the possibility he was struck by a vehicle.
“We are appealing for anyone who may have been in the area at the time, particularly anybody who may have dashcam footage taken in the area on Friday night.”
Can you help? If you have any information that could assist GMP’s investigation, then please contact police on 0161 856 4741, quoting incident number 3421 of 30/01/26, or by calling 101 or using the LiveChat at www.gmp.police.uk.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Georgina Pellant -
1st September 2021 
