There’s a fine line between ‘tastefully retro’ and ‘your nan’s spare room’, but the city’s newest hotel – Mollie’s Manchester – lands firmly in the former.
Designed by the same team behind Soho House, this (surprisingly affordable) mid-century hotel feels like stepping into the 1950s… if the 1950s had Pelotons and Dyson Airwraps in the wardrobes and enough aesthetic lighting to make everyone look faintly famous.
Whether you’re booking the classic rooms, usually priced from £109, or the huge suites, you can expect the same level of design detail.
Think terrazzo tiles, teak panelling, sage greens, burnt oranges, and interesting textures on every sittable surface.
And unlike some hotels that punish you for booking the ‘basic’ room by giving you a view of an air conditioning unit and a kettle balanced on a luggage rack, every room type at Mollie’s feels far more premium than the actual price tag.
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For our stay, we were welcomed with batched cocktails and a mini fridge filled with treats like canned wine (which feels deeply respectful of modern traveller needs), plus a Grind coffee machine, fluffy robes, giant TVs, rainfall showers, and Cowshed toiletries.
If you end up on the better side of the hotel, you’ll have views of the city skyline from your bed, your sofa, or your bath.
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Design details in a Mollie’s Manchester roomGrind coffee machine in the roomA Dyson Airwrap in the wardrobe of a studio roomAnd an actual Peloton bike in your room, tooThe beautiful bedroomA bunk room at Mollie’s Motel ManchesterViews from your bedA Mollie’s Motel suite
There are bunk rooms you can book too, where up to four people can climb into stylish wooden sleep pods, so cool I’m immediately planning a girls’ night out where someone can hand me a martini as I climb into a luxury bunk bed.
Downstairs in Mollie’s, which has taken over the former Granada Studios, you’ll find a cocktail bar that seems to pay homage to the building’s history.
Studio IV has vintage TV screens above the bar, music performances and DJs on stage, and cocktails inspired live music you can enjoy from a loungey vintage-patterned sofa.
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Breakfast at Mollie’s ManchesterCocktails in Studio IVMollie’s Diner is open nowBurgers and fried chicken at Mollie’s DinerStudio IV cocktail barInside Mollie’s Motel & Diner Manchester
Then there’s Mollie’s Diner, which fully commits to recreating 1950s Americana. Inspired by a vintage Cadillac, the interiors are all deep burgundy leather booths, glowing globe lights, and polished chrome details.
The menu is exactly what you want from a diner like this: thick milkshakes, burgers, steaks, and fried chicken in the evenings; waffles, French toast, eggs any style in the mornings.
Mollie’s Manchester may be inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood – but it’s heralding in a new Golden Age of hotel for Manchester too.
‘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 -
10th May 2026 
