If you’re heading to Manchester and looking to stay at a city centre hotel, I’d guess that you’re probably not there for a quiet night! And when choosing a hotel, you’re going to be looking for location, proximity to whatever it is you’re going to be doing there, and a comfortable room. Well, the Manchester Deansgate Hotel will tick all your boxes and more.
First off, this centrally located hotel in the middle of Deansgate means you’re in reach of Manchester’s nightlife, live music venues, restaurants, bars, arts and culture, the canal and Salford’s Media City (should you be heading down their for work or play.)
The Manchester Deansgate at Beetham Tower also happens to be home to the city’s highest cocktail bar – Cloud 23 – a plush, impressive destination bar on the 23rd floor boasting panoramic views.
The lobby is huge. The highest of ceilings, home to the hotel’s restaurant Podium and the check in desk where you’ll be given your key card and directed to the lifts. Our room had floor-to-ceiling windows and a great view of the Deansgate railway station – surprisingly therapeutic to watch the trains pulling in and out of the platform at night. With a shower above the bath, table and chairs, built in wardrobes, TV, wifi and air con, rooms range from classic up to skyline to suite.
The Manchester Deansgate’s 20m pool, sauna and steam are ideal if you have a bit of chill out time while you’re in the city. Unwind in the bubbling jacuzzi or take a dip in the water where you’ll find underwater viewing panels – a unique touch and reminder of just how high you are! There’s also a full fitness centre with the latest TechnoGym equipment and while I didn’t use it, I had a quick look around and it seemed to have everything you’d need for a gym away from home.
Executive lounge access is available to higher grade rooms and to me, is always worth the money. From 6.30pm on weekday nights and 6pm on Fridays, you can head up to the 23rd floor and enjoy snacks and small plates as well as complimentary drinks. The lounge is also open for breakfast giving you the option to eat here or in the main restaurant downstairs. Doubling up as a pay-as-you-go co-working space through the day (£20 day pass) is an excellent use of the otherwise empty lounge and the views across the city definitely fuelled my creativity and motivation the next day when I spent the afternoon working here.
A visit to Cloud 23 while you’re staying at The Manchester Deansgate hotel is a non-negotiable. It’s a light, bright, airy space with awesome views, a cool vibe and some really excellent concoctions. The drinks list oozes with Mancunian nods to the city and we loved the Worker Bee (a tribute to Manchester’s industrial heritage) made with Manchester’s own Decorrum rum, which uses honey sourced from the Printworks’ hives.
Heaton Park meanwhile is served with all the drama – a lively libation resembling an ice cream made with 42 Below, Crème de Cassis and Chambord. The theatre comes with the creation of the bubble top using a bubble gun which had the next table to us taking photos for the ‘gram!
Dinner is served downstairs at Podium which is a contemporary looking restaurant on the ground floor of The Manchester Deansgate and their 2AA Rosette menu is not to be underestimated! They are serving up some delicious food at the moment and the holy grain sourdough with Lancashire cheese custard, onion tea and salted butter is an absolutely divine. I’d gladly travel the two hours to Manchester from home just to eat this! The katsu chicken pie was also excellent – a proper pastry case, a good amount of filling and a fragrant curry sauce with plenty of chunky chicken.
We ate back here the next morning where there’s a good hot and cold selection, teas, coffees, juices and pastries.
With so much choice on offer when it comes to hotels in the centre of Manchester, you can’t really go wrong when you find one that does everything. Rooms, gym, pool, a great restaurant and a killer cocktail bar. Recently taken over by IHG, The Manchester Deansgate Hotel delivers on all of its 23 levels.