Travel & Tourism

You can get married at Manchester’s most notorious hotel for less than £1,000

A cheap wedding, for sure...

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 5th January 2024

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.”

So yeah – the Stock Exchange Hotel, this ain’t.

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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
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…

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

Travel & Tourism

Kenyon Hall Farm’s massive pumpkin festival has returned, with THOUSANDS of pumpkins to pick

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Kenyon Hall Farm pumpkin festival

Did you know that there’s a massive pumpkin festival just outside Greater Manchester, where you can pick from tens of thousands of pumpkins?

Kenyon Hall Farm’s popular Pumpkin Festival is back up and running for another year, with fields full of pumpkins of all shapes and sizes.

You can grab yourself a wheelbarrow, then get exploring the fields for your perfect gourd, whether it’s a classic round orange one, a dinky white one, or a weird and wonderful wonky one.

This is an ideal autumnal activity for when the leaves start turning, and is always popular with families every year.

As well as the pumpkin picking itself, Kenyon Hall Farm also has loads of photo opportunities dotted around, like a house built of pumpkins, a giant throne, a vintage tractor, and a love heart frame.

There’s even a Hollywood sign-style sign screaming PUMPKINS as you enter.

At Kenyon Hall Farm, you can also browse a pop-up market packed with autumnal treats, including more pumpkins, novelty homewares, seasonal goodies and plenty more.

Photo opportunities at Kenyon Hall Farm
Photo opportunities at Kenyon Hall Farm
Photo opportunities at Kenyon Hall Farm
Photo opportunities at Kenyon Hall Farm
Photo opportunities at Kenyon Hall Farm
Photo opportunities at Kenyon Hall Farm
Photo opportunities at Kenyon Hall Farm pumpkin festival. Credit: The Manc Group

There are even tattoo transfers you can buy to give your pumpkin more of an edge than a regular carving.

And after you’ve had your fill on the farm, you can refuel in the gorgeous on-site cafe, newly extended for this year and now serving a menu of pumpkin-inspired specials including spiced lattes, scones and soup.

There are loads of seasonal items in the award-winning farm shop too (alongside masses of fresh produce), like gonks, candles and keyrings.

What could be more cute and autumnal than rummaging around in a field in the late September sunshine, hunting for your perfect pumpkin?

See more HERE.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Travel & Tourism

10 rooftop bars and restaurants in Manchester with amazing views

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson YES bar has one of the best rooftop bars in Manchester

The Manchester skyline is ever-changing, and there’s nowhere better to soak in the views of our city than up high in a rooftop bar or restaurant.

Our city used to be pretty terrible for outdoor drinking space full stop, and even worse for sky-high terraces, but there’s been a real switch in recent years.

Now, there are glamorous restaurants perched way above our heads, cosy pubs spilling onto their rooftops, and even hotels with secret terraces and gorgeous views.

Manchester recently gained a brand-new rooftop terrace in the form of Chotto Matte, which had us thinking about where else to head for a sky-high cocktail or three.

Have a read of the best rooftop bars, restaurants and terraces in Manchester.

Chotto Matte, St Michael’s

Chotto Matte opens in Manchester on 10 October
Chotto Matte opens in Manchester on 10 October
Cocktails with a view
Cocktails with a view

The newest, shiniest addition to the city centre is Chotto Matte, a glamorous restaurant serving a Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei menu that includes sushi, robata, and plenty more.

This stunning new restaurant at Gary Neville’s St Michael’s development has 360º views of Manchester, and from its 348-capacity rooftop terrace, one of the best outlooks in town.

The all-weather rooftop terrace overlooks Albert Square and the Manchester Town Hall, which is slowly but surely emerging from behind its scaffolding.

Read more about it HERE.

YES, Charles Street

YES bar has one of the best rooftop bars in Manchester
YES bar has one of the best rooftop bars in Manchester
YES bar has one of the best rooftop bars in Manchester

YES has not one, but two amazing outside spaces – one a ground-floor terrace that’s weirdly just across the road, the other a gigantic rooftop terrace.

There are cocktails on tap, great happy hour deals, and a few different food spots to order from like Pepperoni Playboy and the Trippy Chippy.

And back downstairs, YES hosts regular gigs and club nights in its iconic Pink Room.

20 Stories, Spinningfields

20 Stories is Manchester’s highest rooftop terrace, and probably our city’s best-known spot for a sky-high dinner.

Perched way up above Spinningfields, you can see most of the city centre from up here, in a swanky setting.

Dining here at any time is a special event, with breathtaking panoramic views adding an extra bit of oomph to the equally top-tier food and drink offering.

King Street Townhouse, off Albert Square

Spritzes on the King Street Townhouse terrace
Spritzes on the King Street Townhouse terrace
The terrace at King Street Townhouse hotel
The terrace at King Street Townhouse hotel

Tucked up on the sixth floor of the award-winning boutique hotel King Street Townhouse, you’ll find a rooftop terrace with beautiful views of the city’s skyline.

As Manchester buzzes along beneath you, you can tuck in to everything from full charcuterie grazing boards to seasonal snacks and small plates, all served alongside an impressive wine and cocktail list.

This often-overlooked local spot is a firm favourite of those in the know, thanks to its sheltered location that basks in the sun all afternoon, and when the Town Hall refurbishment is complete it’ll have the best view in town.

Big Hands, Oxford Road

Miles away from the glitz and glamour of the city centre rooftops is Big Hands, a cool, weird and wonderful bar that’s seriously popular with students and gig-goers, thanks to its proximity to the Manchester Academy venues.

With decent prices catering to those gigging on a budget along the busy university strip of Oxford Road, a lovely dimly-lit aesthetic complete with gig posters galore; a rooftop garden terrace adorned with twinkly lights and plenty of plants, it’s a pure vibe in here.

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The views might not be the best, but the vibes are right up there, and you can grab some amazing Italian street food from Rizzo’s – formerly T’arricrii) while you’re here.

Climat, Blackfriars House

Climat. Credit: The Manc Group
Climat. Credit: The Manc Group

Most of Climat is long and narrow, following the expanse of the open kitchen – and that happily means that almost every table gets a front-row seat to the views from this rooftop restaurant and wine bar.

Popped up high on Blackfriars House (but not so high up that everyone feels like an ant beneath you), it’s got a spectacular outlook over historic landmarks like the Barton Arcade, St Ann’s Church, and the Royal Exchange.

There are more than 250 different wines on the menu as well as a menu of ‘food you want to eat’, as if you needed any more temptation.

Terrace, Thomas Street

Now this is a proper Manchester OG rooftop terrace – a surprisingly sizeable rooftop terrace jammed into the middle of the Northern Quarter.

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Grab a craft beer, a marg, or a sangria, and sit up here just away from the madness of Thomas Street buzzing along beneath you.

Then you’re in a prime spot to hit up the rest of the Northern Quarter bars straight after.

Brewdog, Fountain Street

Look, say what you want about Brewdog, these guys know how to build a rooftop terrace – and Manchester is no different.

The top floor of the Brewdog Doghouse Manchester Hotel has its very own rooftop bar, a stone’s throw from the horrors of Market Street.

You know the sort of beers on offer here – they’re mostly Brewdog’s core range.

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Atlas, Deansgate

It might be a bit of a stretch to call this one a rooftop terrace, but it is a terrace, and you can see a lot of rooftops from up here.

Atlas has been part of Manchester’s bar scene for some 25 years, with a sizeable collection of gins.

There’s also a vast draught and bottled beer range, if you don’t fancy a gin and tonic.

The Deansgate, Deansgate

The view from The Deansgate's roof terrace has been covered by a new skyscraper
How The Deansgate rooftop terrace used to look

When The Deansgate opened under new ownership, the thing that had everyone excited was its multi-storey outdoor terrace.

At the time of its refurb, the rooftop had incredible views over towards Deansgate Square and was a right sun trap.

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Sadly, that view has now been obstructed by a massive tower that literally wraps around two sides of the pub – but it’s still a fantastic outdoor drinking spot in all weathers.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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