Hotels are opening in Manchester city centre at a rate that’s hard to keep up with, diversifying the overnight offering with every passing minute, and they’re also some of the very best in the UK.
We’ve got plenty of familiar boltholes if you can’t tear yourself away from the familiarity of a Premier Inn purple bedroom, or the reliable comforts of a Hilton, but also plenty of smaller names offering a stylish place to rest your head.
We’ve rounded up a dozen of the very best that Manchester has to offer – expect rooftop pools, riverside terraces, grand architecture and celebrity chefs.
And not all of them come with an eye-watering price tag…
If you want a hotel with loads of atmosphere as well as a grown-up space with a dark, moody interior, then Dakota is absolutely the one for you.
This beautiful hotel opened back in 2019; a huge £30m black box on the outskirts of the Northern Quarter that has seen celebrity guests such as Hugh Jackman, Molly Mae-Hague, Mel B and many more.
Formerly Hotel Brooklyn – we all know Manchester has a habit of drawing comparisons to New York, albeit a smaller, soggier version, – voco Manchester still has all the glamour as was originally intended.
The hotel first opened at the worst possible time, being thrust in and out of lockdowns within weeks of opening, but since then it’s attracted rave reviews and been named among the top 20 ‘hottest new hotels’ by Traveller’s Choice among many glowing reviews.
Even after being over by IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) in December 2023, the 189-room hotel has taken on a new life, boasting the in-house Runyons Restaurant which still keeps those US connections, as well as an open-plan lobby lounge featuring a big screen for live sport and entertainment.
It may be different from what it was but there’s still plenty of style to be seen here.
Just across the border into Salford is The Lowry Hotel, and a big, sweeping curve of pure class sticking out above the river. It’s got a global reputation and it’s no surprise when its guestbook features some of the biggest celebrities of all time.
Remember when Taylor Swift rented out the entire place, or Jose Mourinho decided to just live there, rather than find an apartment, during his time as Manchester United manager? Not to mention Britney Spears, David Beckham, Rihanna, Take That, Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue and countless others.
Having undergone a £5m bedroom refurb, The Lowry has one of the smartest and brightest interiors in the north of England, one of the region’s most expensive hotel rooms (a casual £4,500 a night for the presidential suite), as well as a super high-tech spa. We also enjoy just heading there for the Lowry bottomless brunch, to be honest.
The Kimpton Clocktower – previously known as the Palace and Principal Hotel, among multiple other monikers – oozes timeless sophistication, a relic of Victorian grandeur but with a boutique hotel feel to it.
The lobby is one of the most impressive spaces in Greater Manchester, all polished tile and marble beneath a glass-domed ceiling, setting the scene for the rooms themselves (high ceilings, big windows, and plenty of historical details).
Another big plus when it comes to the Kimpton is its in-house bar and restaurant: The Refuge, which is a cut above the average hotel offering and is very much its own entity with a reputation for fabulous late-night and seasonal events, a divine bottomless brunch and plenty of other distinct draws.
The lobby at Kimpton ClocktowerOne of their many stylish roomsCredit: Kimpton/The Manc Group
5. The Midland
If only walls could talk, The Midland Hotel would have some of the best stories on Earth.
The landmark hotel has been part of the fabric of Manchester for more than 100 years, with 312 luxurious rooms, and it’s storied that it’s where Charles Rolls and Henry Royce (of Rolls Royce fame) were introduced.
Then there are the communal spaces, even fancier now after their £14m refurbishment, including restaurants Adam Reid at The French and Mount Street Dining Room, and the incredible circular champagne bar in the middle of the lobby.
It’s also the place to come for a traditional afternoon tea and has a truly cracking spa. This place doesn’t need any kind of sale pitch: it’s unquestionably one of the best hotels in Manchester – if not the best.
The curb appeal of Whitworth Locke is something else, from its decadent bar housed in a Parisian-style conservatory and fine culinary offerings (Peru Perdu and a Foundation Coffee House are both in here), to its incredible location right on the edge of the Gay Village.
Each of the rooms is a self-contained haven, from studio apartments all the way up to two-bedroom duplex suites, decorated in a Pinterest-worthy palette of greens and pinks (a muted sample of the terracotta bricks outside).
There’s a free workspace area that spills into a truly stunning conservatory bar, as well as a packed calendar of events too, so whether you’re an out-of-town guest or a local Manc looking to fill a few hours, you’ll be kept busy enough.
Safe to say we’re big fans of this much-loved Manchester hotel.
7. King Street Townhouse
You have, almost without a doubt, seen photos of the King Street Townhouse before – this is the hotel that introduced the infinity pool to the city centre, with views of the Town Hall (well, currently of scaffolding).
The hotel has its own cinema room, a rooftop terrace bar, a new gym, and incredible afternoon teas.
The smart rooms range in size from ‘snug’ to ‘cosy’ to ‘comfy’ to suites, with suites priced at around £430 a night.
From afternoon tea and lunch deals to spa offers, big group events, private screening and so much more, King St Townhouse isn’t just one of the best hotels in Manchester, it’s also one of the most well-rounded in terms of its overall hospitality.
One of the newest hotels to open in Manchester (and they are popping up like daisies) is The Alan, which has stripped the old Princess Street Hotel back to expose and celebrate its original features.
There are 137 bedrooms, each with high ceilings and warm textures, an open-plan kitchen, a restaurant and bar, as well as event spaces.
The devil is in the detail here and the design has been carefully thought-out. The floor is made from a collage of discarded marble, and the dried flowers illuminated beneath the bar were actually foraged by the hotel’s owners at the time they secured plans for The Alan… while they were broken down on the side of the motorway.
It’s gone on to become comfortably one of the best luxury hotels in Manchester since it opened in 2022.
9. Stock Exchange Hotel
Famous names absolutely litter Stock Exchange Hotel, which is easily one of the grandest spaces in all of Greater Manchester.
Not only does it come from Gary Neville’s rapidly-booking hospitality empire, but it’s also backed by world-famous hotelier Winston Zahra, not to mention high-profile chefs and hospitality figures like Tom Kerridge and The Schofield Brothers having run the kitchen.
You could be looking at as much as £1500 for a night in the suites, but the rooms start at a much lower rate – and then there’s ‘The House’, an enormous fully serviced, ultra-exclusive penthouse apartment with its own roof terrace.
The newest addition to Manchester’s ever-growing hotel and resort sector, The Reach has landed just a short walk from Piccadilly Station and is only a few minutes away from the bustling Northern Quarter, meaning that like Dakota, it’s picked a prime logistical and cultural location.
But enough about topographical perks, this place is simply sublime, serving exquisite food and drink from its Lock 84 restaurant overlooking the Rochdale Canal, with rooms that are just as spacious as they are luxurious.
Perfect for business or pleasure, The Reach is already becoming a popular choice for those visiting Manchester and has comfortably landed itself on the list of the very best hotels we have to offer here in the city centre.
Mélange by Red Hall is a jewel in the crown of Bury’s burgeoning hospitality scene
Danny Jones
We recently had the pleasure of staying at the understated and most definitely underrated Red Hall Hotel over in Bury, and got to try their stunning new Mélange restaurant while we were at it.
Now, we say underrated not because it hasn’t received glowing reviews in the past; the AA-star hotel has enjoyed plenty of plaudits over the years and currently averages 4.5/5 from over 900 reviews.
However, what we will say is that the food now being served from this quaint little outpost located in the tiny hamlet of Walmersley, just on the border of Ramsbottom (regularly voted one of the best places to live in the UK), is well worth more than the hotel’s three-star rating on it’s own.
Not only did we have the pleasure of staying in this charming little village getaway, but we were treated to a whopping 11 courses, followed by a morning meal, for a truly wonderful bed and breakfast vibe with all the added luxury of a Kayak Awards and 2021 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice-winning destination.
The Mélange restaurant at Red Hall HotelSuch a striking room when you first walk in.Credit: The Manc Group
The first thing that struck us about the local favourite venue is that, despite being located beside Manchester Road, once you’re inside, it’s a quiet, tranquil and calming little escape from what is already a nice out-of-the-way escape from the bustle of the city and even Bury town centre.
Even if not, how inviting the actual Mélange restaurant itself is definitely will; the golden sign glistening from the soft white dangling bulbs immediately catches your eye, and then you walk in to see the big conservatory and almost orangery-esque windows, with sloped ceilings and lots of light.
You get just as warm a welcome from the staff as well, which is a feeling maintained throughout your entire dining experience, as they really do communicate that sense of comfort whilst “drawing from mamma’s childhood memories and unforgettable holidays” through the food.
Speaking of which…
Mélange – which quite literally translates to ‘a mixture’, often even hinting at things that don’t usually fit together – promises a fusion of British and Mediterranean cuisine, and delivers both familiar flavours but with plenty of contemporary punch and visual appeal.
We may have begun our meal with something as simple but satisfying as a mini round loaf of bread freshly baked in a cast iron pot with some acidic, tapenade-esque chutney, along with a couple of very refreshing and lemon-forward spritzes, but it didn’t take long before we dove headlong into indulgence.
See, the trouble was the mezze: we wanted to try a little bit of something from each section of the menu, but we couldn’t help but be drawn in by starting with three selections from what was advertised as ‘small plates, big flavours’.
In actuality, what happened was a board featuring our trio of choice appeared, and the bowls that sat upon it were pretty filling on their own. It’s a good job we didn’t spring for the eye-catching charcuterie board as well, otherwise we really would have struggled to finish this feast.
We went for these naughty ‘nduja arancini, some ever-so-smoky chicken wings in a slightly spiced aioli, and quite literally the best halloumi fries you’ll ever try; we don’t know if it was the light fried batter, the perfectly tearable texture of the cheese, or the subtle hot honey dip, but they were incredible.
We also opted to try two more delicate, lighter bites to somewhat cleanse the palate – the corn and duck salad, both of which were fantastically balanced and still not skimpy on the portions either.
The point being is that, at this stage, we started to worry this, plus our main courses of maple-baked salmon (paired with the most impressively smooth and sweet potato purée imaginable), gambas al ajillo (giant black tiger prawns in garlic) and a stuffed, herbaceaous, rolled pork number might be overkill…
Perfectly soft, gooey arancini with a slight heat to them.You could see the quality of the prawns before tasting it.That tweal on top alone was packed with flavour.Light, seasonal and yet more than a few mouthfuls.
Having said that, we still found time/room for another round of cocktails – again, sticking with the spritz theme (’tis the season, after all) – and just about managed to squeeze in two desserts.
The lemon posset was just tangy enough without being too tart and was devoured within seconds, while the cheesecake with an extra dusting of pistachio on top was superb. Topping each with a thin, honeycomb-design biscuit felt like a nice little Manc finishing touch as well.
We’ll confess, a fair few belt notches were loosened throughout the duration of this meal, but we kept persevering for a number of reasons: we wanted to get a comprehensive sweep of what’s on offer, we didn’t want to waste a morsel of food if possible, and most importantly, it was stunning.
Honestly, there wasn’t so much as an average mouthful of food all night. We can’t believe it’s taken us this long to try what’s being served out of the Mélange kitchen; pair that with a brilliant breakfast and relaxing stay at Red Hall itself, and it’s up there with one of the best hotel packages in the area.
Plenty of food and drink spots help, but the great in Greater Manchester, and we can’t say where exactly we’d rank this amongst all 10 boroughs, but we firmly believe you won’t find many better all-round hospitality offerings in Bury – if, indeed, at all.
There are plenty of lovely day and evening walks nearby.Or you can just curl up content on the sun-soaked terrace.
Manchester Airport is hosting a summer sale with bargain return flights for under £80
Danny Jones
If you’re in need of a sunny escape but are looking to keep things within your budget as much as possible, the current summer sale on flights at Manchester Airport should get your attention.
Best of all, not only can you make the most of this opportunity right now and whisk yourself away pronto, but the deals for a complete return trip.
And when we say this is an offer you can’t refuse, you really will have a tough time resisting the urge on this occasion, because some of the flights in question will set you back less than £80.
We reckon it’s time you book in some annual leave, don’t you?…
Flight deals from Manchester Airport – Summer 2025
So, you’re obviously wondering, ‘Where can I fly to? And for how much?’ Well, let’s not waste any more time. Here’s what is on offer.
1. Majorca – Balearic Islands
Monika Guzikowska via Unsplash (supplied)
First up is Majorca, where you can fly via Ryanair on Wednesday, 9 July and return a week later on 16 July from just £28pp return. With more than 90,000 making the trip to the regular Spanish destination last month alone, its reputation speaks for itself.
Whether you want to be at the heart of the party scene in Magaluf, popular parts like Palma or Cala Millor, or more family-friendly areas like Puerto Pollensa and Alcudia, there’s something for everyone.
2. Naples – Italy
How about visiting the home of the now four-time Italian football champions and the land where pizza itself was invented? Napoli is on many people’s travel bucket lists, and now you fly there with Ryanair on Saturday, 12 July and return on 25 July from just £49pp return.
Tom Podmore via Unsplash (supplied)
It’s the gateway to the Amalfi Coast and the isle of Capri, where fresh gelato, ice cream and Aperol flow like the Sarno River, not to mention it has some of the best street food in the world. With Mount Vesuvius and the ruins of Pompeii also looming over the city, the place needs little advertisement.
3. Brindisi – Italy
Sticking with Italy, why not consider a trip to the Puglia region, which you can fly to (once again with Ryanair) from just £49pp return.
This particular part promises some of the country’s best sandy beaches and a balmy Mediterranean climate, as well as plenty of wine, olive oil and fresh-baked focaccia. It was even the home of Ernest Hemingway for a time, with the city even naming a beach after him.
How about visiting a French region that’s not only known for centuries of fine wine, a stunning coast with top-notch seafood and popular resorts like Valras and Cap d’Agde, but is also twinned with… Stockport?
That’s right, located in the southwest of the country, this underrated destination already has connections to Greater Manchester, not to mention famous water parks, white beaches and an archaeological site named Ensérune, located just outside the city. Return flights start from £56pp.
Pixabay (supplied)
5. Jerez – Spain
Jet2.com are up next are they’re offering you return travel to Jerez from just £77pp,departing on 12 July and returning on 26 July.
Southern Spain is usually as pretty busy in the summer, but Jerez’s position on the country’s Atlantic coast – between southern Portugal and the Strait of Gibraltar, rather than on the Med – means it’s not too crowded, plus it’s well worth a visit to nearby Cadiz.
Jordi Vich Navarro via Unsplash (supplied)
6. Pula – Croatia
Over to Croatia now, and you get to one of the best value-for-money parts of the country compared to tourist traps like Dubrovnik or the Dalmatian coast, starting from as little as £59 per person, flying with Jet2 on Thursday, 10 July and coming back on 24 July.
Two weeks on the Istrian peninsula may not be as well-trodden as its counterparts, but the view across the Adriatic and some of the world’s best preserved Roman arenas should at least be considered.
Pixabay (supplied)
7. Rhodes – Greece
From ancient Greece to ancient Rome, Rhodes is known as one of the greatest cities that ever was, and besides the heaps of history to be soaked up, there are also 300 days of sunshine, plus plenty of shopping in the Old Town, stunning classical architecture, not mention the famous ‘Butterly Valley‘.
Once again with Jet2, return flights are going for £58pp and upwards.
Pixabay (supplied)
8. Paphos – Cyprus
Last but not least, we’ve got more gorgeous Grecian territory for you in the form of Paphos in neighbouring Cyprus, which still remains one of the most affordable holiday destinations going – and that’s even before the summer sale on flights from Manchester Airport.
You’ve got beach resorts and some of the best Mediterranean cuisine at your fingertips. Fly with Jet2.com this July and return from just £58 per person too.
We all need a break sometimes, and with prices like these and the weather across Europe looking great this season, no one could begrudge you getting away from it all for a bit.
Meanwhile, these aren’t the only destinations that might tickle your fancy this summer, especially if you’re prone to those lazy lounging on a beach type holidays.
Daisy Jackson -
9th November 2024 
