Harley Young steps inside a time machine on Atherton Street and is transported to mid-century America
Manchester’s not short of city centre hotels. In fact, most streets will have at least one or two occupying them. But hotels with character? Real character - none of that white wall, long grey corridor, tattered lone chair, naff stock image of the skyline over the headboard kind of stuff…those are few and far between.
When I first took a hard hat tour of Mollies Hotel & Diner last year, prior to its opening, and saw the design spec and room plans coming together, I knew this place had serious potential. Even more so when I came back a few months later and the diner area was in full swing, buzzing with customers chowing down on American style grub and marvelling at the fit out, clearly as excited as I was by the 50s-style maroon banquette seating and soft bubble lighting between booths. None of which felt gimmicky or tacky - just very well executed.
I’ve visited a few times since; catching up with mates over chicken and waffles, or finding a cosy nook in the lobby to sip a coffee, crack on with some work and watch the world go by.
But what I really fancied trying, since hearing about this bold Manchester opening when it was still just a concept, was the full experience: walking through those large double doors like I’d just stepped into a time machine and been transported to mid-century America. A beaming receptionist ready and waiting at check in. Zipping my suitcase down long, dimly lit corridors decked out in mustard tones. Flopping onto the bed and dialing down to reception to book a table at the diner that evening before a late night soiree in the swanky bar below.
After all, Mollie’s promised all this and more - a traditional-meets-contemporary experience, complete with all the mod cons you could ask for from a 21st century hotel-cum-destination.
Checking in
As I arrived to check in, parked right out front of the hotel was a brand-new, very expensive-looking Land Rover Defender, proving that the Oxfordshire-born hospitality brand had already made quite the name for itself here in Manchester in just a few months since opening.
The lobby-slash-cafe area had a nice buzz to it. Some guests waiting to check in chatted over coffee, a few leaned back into the deep, comfy armchairs and read their papers - if you swapped the handful of laptops for typewriters, I would’ve genuinely thought I’d experienced a time slip at some point between opening the entrance door and walking through it.
I took a left through a set of glass doors and found the check in area; an inviting space that had been carved out to have the same look and feel as the rest of the hotel (no sterile white desk with a bell or ‘back in five’ notice in sight) with its own coffee counter and plenty of artisanal snacks to purchase should you get any late night cravings.
I received a warm smile from the lady manning it before she took some details from me and gave a quick run down of the amenities available, including free tea and coffee available at the reception.
“If you need anything, please let us know. Reception is available 24 hours,” she added.
I hopped in the lift and tapped my room card against the keypad before selecting my floor. I glanced over at the digital screen at the other side of the elevator which flashed a message that read ‘You’re only reading this because there’s no Wi-Fi here.’ which gave me a good chuckle. I love a bit of tongue in cheek marketing.
A doorbell chime rang signifying that I’d reached my floor and I stepped out into the mustard corridor I’d been dreaming of. Arctic Monkeys’ Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino immediately began to play in my mind.
I tapped the same card against the keypad outside my room for the night and swung open the door, instantly greeted by a modern take on a mid-century bedroom. Practical and functional, but still with plenty of elements of decorative charm to make it look and feel like a home away from home, I was instantly put at ease.
No grubby white walls and stained carpets - instead a calming mossy green interior complimented with wood panelling and light wooden floors. My biggest hotel pet peeve is hard-to-clean carpets, especially in dog-friendly rooms where hairs and debris can get trapped between threads, so I was very glad to see this wasn’t the case here.
A green tiled bathroom with a marble-design flooring and shower tray sat behind a sliding panel door. There was a slight pong coming from the shower drain (a somewhat common occurrence in high-rise hotels in built-up areas) but after running the rainfall shower for a few minutes it seemed to dissipate.
Directly opposite the bathroom was a vanity following the same design and colour theme, complete with a large mirror and two globe-shaped lights at either side that could be controlled with a dimmer switch beside the door.
The bed itself was simple but very comfortable; plush, bright white bedding decorated only with a pair of heavy scatter cushions and, thankfully, no runner (another pet peeve of mine - I often have nightmares about how frequently hotel runners get washed and always immediately demote them to the chair as soon as I enter a room with one).
At the foot of the bed sat two chairs either side of a round wooden table - one rattan, one leather - and a tea tray with two mugs, two glasses, a jug for water, a caffetiere and two sachets of ‘Mollie’s Blend’ coffee.
I flicked on the TV and clocked the ‘Welcome, Harley’ messaging (a nice touch) before browsing the extensive menu - including ‘Book a Table’, ‘Things to Do’ and even ‘Mollie’s Mix’ which directs you to a series of smooth playlists dependent on your mood - tapping the Chromecast option and binging a few YouTube videos before deciding it was time to head downstairs to Mollie’s Diner.
Time to dine
By now, my fiancé had arrived to join me after finishing work and was eagerly scanning the menu, reading out all the items that caught his eye. I began to do the same.
“Salted caramel shake…I bet that’s good,” I said.
We opted for a portion of frickles, monkey bread, mac and cheese, a Mollie’s burger, fries and one of the aforementioned salted caramel shakes.
The shake arrived first in all its thick, over-the-top glory. This thing was huge, but exactly what you picture when you imagine an old-timey American diner. Thick (but not so thick that it wouldn’t budge up the straw) and topped with about half a can of whipped cream, the shake towered above the table and lasted us right until the end of the meal. Not because we didn’t enjoy it - we really did, the flavour was spot on - but down to the sheer size of the thing.
Food portions are also of great quantity. Actually, I think we’d bitten off a bit more than we could chew with our order, though we gave it our very best shot and were reluctant to leave anything as it all tasted great - especially the mac and cheese and monkey bread.
On the verge of a food coma, we decided that a drink downstairs in the Studio IV bar might bring us back to life and made our way down the impressive spiral staircase in the middle of the lobby.
Live from Studio IV
It was Friday night and it was pretty lively in Studio IV, with both staying guests and visitors waiting by the doors to be escorted to a table. We managed to bag a table for a quick nightcap before it was needed back 50 minutes later - plenty of time to unwind, let dinner digest and marvel at one of the live bands that take over Mollies’ Studio IV bar on weekends.
Just after 9pm, a four-piece took to the stage to perform live lounge style versions of soulful classics and modern R&B tracks that had been expertly fused together, flowing from one to another, turning Studio IV into a sultry 70s-style haunt with its retro TVs hanging over the bar, showing a live stream of the band, a live stream of cocktails being made by bartenders, and an old, black and white tape of a baseball game for good measure.
I ordered the Broadcast Breeze, an alcohol-free cocktail boasting passionfruit flavours whose name pays homage to the area’s history as Granada Studios, while Dave opted for the Posh Lager which arrived in a tall tankard.
A couple of songs later, it was time for us to sip the last of our drinks and retire to the plush, king-sized bed for the night.
An all American breakfast
I woke to my alarm ringing out at 8am, though without it I wouldn’t have been able to tell it was daytime as the thick curtains did a good job of blocking out any sunlight - perfect for those who enjoy a Sunday morning lie-in.
I hopped in the shower and decided to take advantage of the Cowshed toiletries and high-spec hair styling tools over by the vanity; a Dyson dryer and GHD straighteners as standard in every room.
Refreshed (and with a nice, bouncy blowdry), my partner and I headed back down to the diner for one final hurrah; an all American breakfast.
With a challenge to make mine as ‘American’ as possible, I ordered an oreo and coffee butter French toast with a Dr Pepper float, completely disregarding that it wasn’t even close to midday yet out of pure gluttony and a need to satisfy my sweet tooth cravings.
Dave kept things slightly more civil, ordering a full cooked breakfast with a banana shake.
All of which was absolute dynamite.
Checking out
Set up for the day and absolutely buzzing from the amount of sugar I’d just consumed, I lifted a shaky hand to the counter at reception and reluctantly checked out, not ready to step back out those front doors and be instantly transported back to modern day Manchester.
This place isn’t a gimmick. It’s the real deal. A place where the energy shifts and you can’t help but feel all fuzzy inside upon entering. Partly from the attention to detail from the stellar fit-out, but mostly from the warm hospitality from the people that make up Mollie’s Manchester.
Mollie’s Hotel & Diner, Old Granada TV Studios, 2 Atherton St, Manchester M3 3GS
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