New and upcoming additions to Manchester's hotel scene
For residents of Manchester, a list of the best hotels in the city centre might seem a bit redundant - after all your own bed is just as comfy and significantly cheaper, plus you can guarantee there won't be those fiddly packets of pretend milk.
But that's where you are wrong. A list of the most interesting, innovative and luxurious hotels new to the Manchester scene is something every Manc should have in their back pocket. For a start, you never know when you might arrange an impromptu rendezvous or want a simple night away from the kids yourself, but perhaps even more importantly you can forward it on to those visitors who have been making noises about kipping on your couch. Not to mention the fact that many of them have public bars you can slide into and pretend you're a jet setter.
If you've come across this list as a visitor to our fair city, then welcome, come on in, we've got a lot to show you. And if a friend forwarded it to you, then read on for some options that are far superior to that couch anyway.
Read on for places you can party, relax, experience wellness, dine like a queen and drink at a bar inspired by the M62.
What: The Alan
Where: 18 Princess St, Manchester M1 4LG
When: open now
While the name might be strikingly unglamorous (apologies to all the very sexy Alans we know and love), the interior of this design-led hotel is anything but. Interiors and architecture nerds will swoon over design agency Red Deer's sensitive restoration of the space, which reuses and upcycles as much of the original material of the building as possible, such as the waste marble terrazzo for the ground floor. Creatives and artists have been involved in the process as much as possible including Robin Grasby, who designed the sculptural furniture, terrazzo room shelves and the bar front inspired by the M62.
The in-house restaurant is more than just an add-on, too. Chef Iain Thomas has designed all-day menus that rotate to stay seasonal, showcasing the best of local produce. The Alan embraces working with independents, including The Butcher's Quarter, Ancoats Coffee and craft breweries Pomona Island and Cloudwater Brew Co.
What: City Suites II
Where: 1 New Kings Head Yard, Manchester, Salford M3 7GF
When: open now
Hotels open new branches all the time but not many get their own sequel. City Suites II is the follow up to City Suites. A key selling point is the well-equipped gym with an 18-metre pool. If you're in Manchester for a night on the lash that might not be such a big deal (unless you like to sweat out your hangovers) but staying for a few days means that facilities such as these are really handy.
While apart-hotels are attractive to business types who may be visiting several times a year, we think they are also great for families coming to explore Manchester museums and culture. The kitchen facilities for randomly timed snacks and a washer-dryer can be a godsend with young kids.
What: Cow Hollow
Where: 57 Newton St, Manchester M1 1ET
When: open now
While not strictly new, Cow Hollow was an early example of how accommodation got cool with its boutique hotel set in a beautifully restored Victorian textile mill. Opening back in 2018, owners Muj and Amelia Rana took on a knackered former textile warehouse next to the police museum on Newton Street and turned it into a desirable place to stay. They eschewed a pool and decided that the personal touches would be key to bringing guests back. Compared to the others on this list, the mere 16 bedrooms makes it positively teeny, but that means the team can be all the more attentive.
What: Forty-Seven
Where: 47 Peter St, Manchester M2 3NG
When: May
Grade-II listed Forty-Seven, a former shipping warehouse, sits on the corner of Peter Street and Southmill Street. It was designed by Manchester architectural practice of Walters, Barker and Ellis and built in 1868. But that's not the only striking thing about it. The hotel sits above legendary city centre restaurant Asha's, brainchild of world-renowned Indian singer and actor, Asha Bhosle ( and yes you can order room service from the restaurant, we checked.) The bar, named The Peterman (slang for a safe cracker) promises "hand-crafted cocktails", while the rooms are bold and vibrant - modern art and exposed brick are complement by slashes of peacock and teal.
What: Hotel Brooklyn
Where: 59 Portland St, Manchester M1 3HP
When: open now
Hotel Brooklyn has been open for a while but we had to include it on this list because of its incredible commitment to accessibility. It is the first hotel in the UK with fully accessible Liberty suites and so a trailblazer in setting a new industry gold standard for accessibility. This includes 18 specially adapted rooms, with integrated ceiling track hoists and thoughtfully designed public areas. We recommend reading through the hotel's accessibility statement for the full details.
The design theme is based on Prohibition-era gangster stylings, which can be cheesy or charming depending on your point of view, but rooms are comfy and well done and you can take a virtual tour through the hotel to figure out which room is right for you, which is a nice touch. There is also a restaurant called Runyon's here (named after an American journalist and short story writer) serving up a menu of all-American classics.
What: House of Gods
Where: city centre tbc
When: end of 2022
If someone tells you this hotel is a model of restraint, make sure you look out for the handcuffs because they aren't talking about minimalist good taste. “Beige is blasphemy” according to the peeps at House of Gods, where the main religion is a love of opulence and a damn good cocktail. The styling of this boutique joint may be High Victorian Gothic meets Clara Bow’s boudoir, but the commitment to hotel-based debauchery is pure Chateau Marmont.
The first House of Gods in Edinburgh is famed for cocktail bar Lilith’s Lounge – named after the original Queen of the Damned - and guests can avail themselves of cabin rooms styled after the Orient Express, classic rooms inspired by Versailles or the Nirvana suite featuring cinema projector, gilded freestanding tub and a hand-built four-poster bed. Marble, wine-coloured velvet and a promise of excess come as standard. Manchester expects equality to its Scottish counterparts, so we will accept nothing less than a den of sin.
What: Leonardo Hotel
Where: 260 Great Ancoats St, Manchester M4 7DB
When: April 2022
This £35m project has already won a design award from the Manchester Society of Architects, who were impressed by its unique shape reminiscent of a half-played game of Jenga. The stacked blocks are actually tiers that will be filled with trees, shrubs and other planting selected to suit the microclimate of each space inspired by Milan’s Bosco Verticale (vertical forest). The Leonardo group say it "will be home to wellness and respite in the heart of Manchester", with 275 stylish bedrooms, Leo’s Bar & Restaurant, meeting rooms and wellness facilities for guests.
What: LEVEN
Where: 40 Chorlton St, Manchester M1 3HW
When: now
LEVEN opened in late 2021 on Canal Street in the spot once occupied by 1990s place-to-be-seen Mash & Air. Owned by two Sale-born brothers, Ben and Joshua Senior, there’s a distinctively Mancunian character to it (not always a given, even in a homegrown independent like this). Partly it’s thanks to the design and architecture - there are few things more "modern Manchester" than a stylishly converted textile warehouse - and partly it’s in the people running it, who are friendly and down-to-earth.
The apartments themselves are well-equipped with a full kitchen including a washer-dryer. Natural light, luxurious furnishings, and ample space make each one a pleasant place to relax or work without distraction. A co-working room downstairs provides a change of scene if you want one. As yet, there’s no restaurant but watch this space. The hotel bar does good coffee and gets a daily breakfast delivery from Didsbury bakers and Confidentials favourite La Chouquette.
What: Maldron
Where: 60 Charles St, Manchester M1 7DF
When: open now
The emphasis on coffee and meeting spaces in the hotel blurb tells you all you need to know - this is the ideal hotel for business visitors who have lots to do but also might want to take a moment to explore everything else Manchester has to offer. There’s an on-site coffee shop using beans from Red Bean Roastery, a restaurant and bar, and an array of high-spec meeting spaces with all the techy bits you might need for impressing a client.
Set on the doorstep of the Circle Square development just off Oxford Road, where you will also find the recently launched Hello Oriental, the hotel offers the ideal base for exploring Manchester’s cultural hotspots too, plus Manchester Central is a stone's throw.
What: Mollie’s Motel
Where: Old Granada Studios, Quay St, Manchester M3 3GS
When: early 2023
Described as “high-quality accommodation and dining, but at affordable prices” by the team and “boujie but won’t blow the budget” by a happy guest, this offshoot from Soho House offers an easy slice of the members' club brand without the commitment. The atmosphere is imported from the good ol' US, inspired by roadside diners and motels, but think chic not seedy. With innovative digital check-in, EV chargers and all the mod cons, it will be very different from your typical roadside fleapit. A Soho House will be opening in conjunction with Mollie's, you can read more about what founder Nick Jones has to say about the Manchester outpost of his empire.
What: Moxy
Where: 8 Atkinson St, Manchester M3 3HH
When: now
Moxy is the Marriott's young, hip spin-off brand, proving stylish rooms at affordable prices for bright young things who need a party crash pad for a night or two in the city. In fact, they are so committed to the party vibe that there is no reception. Instead, guests rock up to the bar to check-in and enjoy their first drink on the house. Rooms are simple but stylish - the assumption is that guests will be much too busy out on the town to appreciate fiddly details. Super-fast wifi is standard and four-legged friends are welcome.
What: Treehouse Hotel
Where: Blackfriars St, Manchester M3 2EQ
When: November
Last May we reported on the Manchester opening of Treehouse Hotel, which also has a London site, saying: "This will occupy the present shabby mess that is the concrete lump from hell called the Renaissance Hotel at the northern end of Deansgate."
Designed to appeal to "the youthful spirit in all of us", the whole site is being completely rethought in collaboration with independent design studio 93ft. The entrance of the hotel will be shaded by a treehouse canopy and the property will incorporate an "organic aesthetic to create a comfortable oasis and playful rooms". The hotel will also promote biophilia, or the concept of living well in conjunction with nature, through the introduction of roof gardens, living green walls and a kitchen garden harvesting rainwater.
A rooftop apiary will produce honey while the building's façade will also feature local artists' murals as an homage to the city and community; a top-floor restaurant and bar; stepping-stones in lift lobbies while the gym will feature custom-designed space hoppers.
What: Wilde
Where: 3 Dickinson St, Manchester M1 4LF
When: open now
This 256-room aparthotel opened on St Patrick's Day (appropriately enough, as we shall see) offering a range of studio and one-bedroom apartments. The design scheme is inspired by its namesake Oscar (not Olivia) with a subtle Irish theme running throughout - that mainly means lots of calming sagey greens and plenty of Oscar Wilde witticisms lashed about the place.
Located just off St Peter's Square, the 11-storey hotel is owned by Irish brothers Tom and Ger Walsh who also run the European aparthotel operator Staycity so the brand formula has already been road-tested. One for a visitor looking for reliability and affordability without settling for corporate blah.
Main image: The Lilith Lounge at House of Gods
Read next: The North West festival guide 2022: March to September
Read again: Arts, theatre, gigs: Manchester's cultural calendar for 2022
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