One of Manchester’s newest hotels has been named as one of the best in Britain just a year after it opened.
Leven, a canal-side spot in the Gay Village, only opened its doors for the first time last December and has already gained itself some serious recognition.
The Times has published its list of The Best Places to Stay 2023, and Leven was the only Manchester hotel to get the nod from the prestigious guide.
Leven took over a former 20th century warehouse on the corner of Canal Street and Chorlton Street last year and turned it into a stylish, luxurious hotel.
Each room includes a free pair of limited-edition branded socks as well as a breakfast smoothie, plus bespoke furniture, natural mattresses and fast wifi.
Its penthouse suite sprawls over two floors, complete with sitting room, large kitchen and dining area, plus a terrace, two bedrooms, and three bathrooms.
Leven has kick-started a new life for this beautiful building in the Village – just this week plans were unveiled for an ambitious art deco restaurant on its ground floor.
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Maya will take over three floors, from a canal-side brasserie space serving modern-European classics to a lower ground-floor, elegantly designed dining room that will centre around an ingredient-led, locally sourced and seasonal menu.
Leven hotel in Manchester. Credit: Mariell Lind Hansen
In its review, The Times said: “The Leven is housed in a handsome red-brick, former cotton warehouse on Canal Street. It’s now a mix of an intimate boutique hotel and an aparthotel, with an industrial design that provides personality without fuss.
“This is the spot for the kind of person who might book an Airbnb but wants the services, style and location of a hotel. Many of the rooms come with handy kitchens and are great value for money if you want an apartment without the price tag.
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“Bedrooms come with tone-on-tone greys, black Crittall windows, exposed brick, green velvet sofas and blue velvet bed frames.”
The paper was particularly impressed with Leven’s location, writing: “This is where the Leven really scores. It’s on pedestrianised Canal Street in Manchester, alongside the Rochdale canal, lined with alfresco tables and chairs and strung with overhead lightbulbs — great for a glass of wine and people-watching.
“The Gay Village has a thriving LGBTQ+ community, where Saturday night spills over into Sunday afternoon.
“The Leven looks over the canal towards Kampus — a cluster of newly renovated warehouses on cobbled streets that’s home to indie outlets such as Pollen sourdough bakery, Beeswing wine bar, Kampus General Store, and Madre for tacos and tequila.”
‘Once in a lifetime’ package holidays to Iceland from Manchester have returned for winter
Emily Sergeant
Jet2 has relaunched its ‘once in a lifetime’ trips to Iceland direct from Manchester just in time for the winter months.
It’s no secret that Iceland is a common feature on people’s bucket lists, right? Packed with natural wonders and home to culture-filled capital city, Iceland is the ultimate winter getaway.
No matter whether you want to sample fresh seafood, explore everything Reykjavik has to offer, or use it as a base for some unforgettable excursions, Iceland is known for delivering the perfect mix of adventure and city break appeal.
And now, with holidaymakers already flocking in their thousands to book flights to this stunning Nordic destination for next winter, the UK’s largest operator of city breaks has just relaunched its biggest-ever Iceland programme – with dozens of direct flights from Manchester Airport.
People travelling from Manchester can choose from up to six weekly flights, meaning they have even more opportunity during some of the most popular winter travel periods.
Jet2 has relaunched its ‘once in a lifetime’ winter package holidays to Iceland direct from Manchester / Credit: Nicolas J Leclrercq | Tom Podmore (via Unsplash)
As well as providing customers with ‘plenty of flexibility’ when it comes to which month or period they want to travel, Jet2 says the flights are also ‘perfectly timed’ for those who are keen to get a chance at witnessing the spectacular Northern Lights in all their glory.
As it stands, scheduled Monday and Friday services will operate throughout the season from 4 October to 6 December 2027, before resuming from 28 January to 24 April 2028, and this increases to up to six weekly services during school holidays.
There’s both direct flight-only trips to book, or package options with Jet2CityBreaks direct from Manchester – which include flights with Jet2.com, 22kg hold luggage, transfers to and from the airport, and a choice of hotels in central Reykjavik, all for a deposit as little as £60 per person.
‘Enough is enough’ – Andy Burnham issues emphatic statement on Avanti West Coast nationalisation
Emily Sergeant
Avanti West Coast is set to be nationalised from next spring, the Government has confirmed.
After it was revealed back in 2024 to be the UK’s most ‘unreliable’ train operator, according to a shocking study, with 15.36% of its trains cancelled or delayed on average, it has now been confirmed that Avanti – which runs the West Coast Main Line from Manchester to London – will be transferred over to public ownership in March 2027.
Before this, the company had previously been given until 1 April 2023 to continue running the route, but was told it needed to ‘drastically improve’ its services if it was to stand any chance of having the contract extended further beyond that date.
Despite many customers continuing to voice discontent with level of services during this time, the Department for Transport (DfT) under the previous Conservative government deemed ‘significant improvements had been made’.
Avanti West Coast is set to be nationalised from next spring / Credit: Avanti (Press Images)
Now though, in the year 2026 with a Labour government in power at Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the helm, it has been confirmed that Avanti West Coast will be nationalised.
The Government says the services will be ‘run in the interests of passengers, not private sector shareholders’.
“From 7 March, taxpayers will no longer be paying fees to a private operator. Instead, every penny will be spent for the benefit of passengers,” the Labour Party said in a statement.
Andy Burnham has also issued his own emphatic statement on the matter.
Enough is enough.
For years, people have been expected to put up with Avanti’s cancellations, delays, overcrowding, and a service that has failed them time and time again.
So my Labour government is bringing Avanti West Coast into public ownership at the earliest opportunity in…
He wrote on X: “Enough is enough. For years, people have been expected to put up with Avanti’s cancellations, delays, overcrowding, and a service that has failed them time and time again.
“So my Labour government is bringing Avanti West Coast into public ownership at the earliest opportunity in March next year. That means passengers, not shareholders, will come first.
“More investment, fewer delays, and a renewed focus on getting the basics right.
“We’re putting essential services back in public hands and building a railway that actually works for the people who use it.”
Andy Mellors, who is the Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, added in his own statement: “Over the coming months, we’ll work closely with the Government to ensure a seamless transition into public ownership while remaining focused on delivering for our customers and communities.”
Daisy Jackson -
8th December 2022 
