Sachas Hotel in Manchester, part of the Britannia group, has a bit of a reputation.
It ranks 125th of 126 hotels in the city on TripAdvisor (The Merchants on Back Piccadilly ranks worst if you were wondering), averaging out at 2.0 out of five.
Reviewers have described it as ‘horrible’, ‘absolutely awful’, and even ‘hell’, with frequent complaints about rooms that are boiling hot.
And the one time one of our staff members stayed there, all he had to say was: “Not great to be fair… when I got there someone was getting f**gered in the foyer.”
But when you look at Sachas in Manchester on paper, it’s got a lot going for it.
There’s an art deco interior complete with a big chandelier, it’s in a prime location right on the edge of the Northern Quarter and Market Street, and it’s one of the city’s most affordable hotel options.
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There’s also the option to host your wedding here, and that’s a bit of a bargain too.
Sacha’s Hotel in Manchester, where you can get married for less than £1,000. (Credit: Booking.com)
In what might be one of the best-value wedding packages in the city, Sachas Manchester will throw you a full do, complete with a three-course dinner for your guests, a bucks fizz reception, and an evening buffet – for less than a grand.
The infamous hotel’s silver package comes in at £999 and also includes things like your table linens, cake stand and cutting knife, a private lounge bar for cocktail hour, and a red carpet welcome.
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Your wedding reception can take over the Washington Suite, with the option to have a civil ceremony here too.
Not fancy enough?
Can we tempt you with Sachas in Manchester’s £1499 GOLD package, which also gets you a stay in the ‘gorgeous bridal suite’, a full English the next morning, extra space for guests, tea, coffee, a stage, and a complimentary balloon arrangement?
Because nothing screams ‘just married’ like a complimentary balloon arrangement.
STILL not posh enough? Let’s dive into the £2500 Platinum Package, shall we?
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Now you’re in the Lincoln and Madison reception street, with an extra function bar, a changing room, chair covers (sashes are an extra 50p per chair), a bottle of prosecco for the happy couple, and the hire of the ceremony space.
The standard wedding space can accommodate 50 to 250 guests, but you can spill out into an extra room and fit up to 550 guests in.
So if you’re newly engaged and looking for a wedding venue in Manchester, maybe Sachas is the one?
Just watch out for the f**gering guests in the foyer on your way out…
Mollie’s Motel announces opening date in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Mollie’s Motel has announced the opening date of its hotel and diner in Manchester.
The brand, which promises value-luxe, design-led accommodation, will be opening in the Old Granada Studios next month.
This will be the most ambitious Mollie’s Motel to date, and its first city centre hotel and diner (the first were roadside sites in Oxfordshire and Bristol).
Inside, there’ll be 128 rooms across five floors, ranging from doubles to twins to bunk rooms, with prices starting at an incredibly reasonable £139.
There’ll also be studios and a selection of luxe suites featuring freestanding bathtubs, walk-in wardrobes and Peloton bikes – a new chapter for Mollie’s.
Also opening in the iconic former TV studio before the end of this year will be Soho House, with the members’ club taking over the top three floors.
Soho House Design has worked on the build of Mollie’s Motel to preserve the modernist facade of Old Granada Studios and make playful nods to the building’s vibrant history.
Studio IV at Mollie’s Motel in ManchesterStudio IV at Mollie’s Motel in ManchesterA VIP room at Mollie’s Motel ManchesterA VIP room at Mollie’s Motel Manchester
It’s part of St John’s, the neighbourhood that is also home to venues like Caravan, Fenix, The Trading Route and Courts Club, and will have cultural institutions like the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester Opera House and Aviva Studios on the doorstep.
Mollie’s Motel rooms in Manchester will nod to the building’s heritage with dark wood panelling, terrazzo and aged brass finishes, plus rainshowers, super king bed, Dyson Airwraps, GHD straighteners and Cowshed toiletries.
The sixth floor will be home to 23 bedrooms designed specifically for Soho House members, plus an 80sqm private apartment with two bedrooms and an open plan living room with kitchenette.
On the first floor, guests will have access to a state-of-the-art Soho House gym, with a free weights area, studio space, steam and sauna, plus a balcony with casual seating.
Mollie’s DinerThe green room at Mollie’s Motel ManchesterMollie’s Motel Manchester now has an opening date
As for the diner aspect, Mollie’s Diner will have 110 seats plus private dining for 30, all designed in a mid-century style with classic counter seating and luxe leather banquettes inspired by the interior of a vintage Cadillac.
It continues with Studio IV, an open-plan cocktail bar with live music and entertainment, VIP bar and snug, and an outdoor heated terrace.
Mollie’s Motel will work with local artists to create bespoke artworks for the rooms and public spaces.
Bookings for Mollie’s Motel Manchester are now open HERE.
Manchester Airport announces six traders moving into new Terminal 2 food hall
Daisy Jackson
Manchester Airport has announced the six food and drink traders that will be moving into a new food hall that’s part of the new-look Terminal 2.
The terminal has been going through a major £1.3bn transformation, the next phase of which will include a first-of-its-kind market hall-style food and drink offering.
There’ll be six street food kitchens positioned around a central dining area in the Great Northern Market – and Manchester Airport bosses have now announced what will be on the menu.
The new Terminal 2 market hall will include a Nashville Hot House serving buttermilk chicken and other Southern comfort food; The Black Iron Grill with smash burgers and loaded fries; and Kouzina, with Greek and Mediterranean-inspired street food.
There’ll also be Mexican food from La Casita, pan-Asian dishes from Palms Cafe, and Napoli Street Pizza.
Those kitchens are all inspired by some of our city’s finest street eats, but there’ll be a proper local face too – Gooey will be selling sweet treats including their legendary cookies and doughnuts here.
The new announcement comes from Manchester Airport’s Retail Director, Richard Jackson, speaking on the airport’s official podcast Manchester: Your Airport, MAN.
Richard said: “The Great Northern Market will be Manchester Airport’s own market hall – six kitchens in one, more than 1,000 square metres and 500 seats.
Manchester Airport has announced the six food traders moving into its new food hall. Credit: Supplied
“It’s going to be a real hit with the Manchester crowd. Whatever you want, there’s something for everyone – and there will be a takeaway option as well, so you can eat in this huge 500-seat market hall area with plenty of seating, or you can just grab something to take on your flight.
“As you can imagine, it’s a very complicated build because we’re not just doing the one kitchen, we’re doing six, but it’s coming along well and we’re really excited to share it with our passengers.”
Jake Ansbro, co-founder of Gooey, added: “Gooey was born in Manchester, and the city has supported us from day one. Opening at Manchester Airport feels like a dream next step — a chance to share a little bit of what we do with people travelling across the world.
“We’re so excited to be part of The Great Northern Market celebrating Manchester next to some other amazing operators.”
The Great Northern Market will be one of more than 20 new shops and restaurants opening in T2 as part of the second phase of the transformation programme.
Once complete, the project will more than double the size of Terminal 2 and turn it into Manchester Airport’s main hub, with Terminal 1 set to close.
Daisy Jackson -
5th January 2024 
