The best hotels in Manchester

Just arrived at Piccadilly and need somewhere to stay, or want to be slap bang in the middle of it all? ABode couldn’t be more conveniently located – with a wealth of NQ bars and nightlife to stumble upon you once you’ve unpacked. The hotel itself has two bars and yet another incredible restaurant in the form of the Brasserie. The rooms are spacious, and decorated with an eclectic sort of cool, plus there are Nespresso machines to get you out of bed in the morning.

This former textile warehouse has been turned into a fabulously chic and trendy hotel right in the centre of the trendy Northern Quarter. There’s plenty of cheeky little perks that come with your room including Netflix, free prosecco at the bar and a cracking little takeaway brekkie. There is no restaurant, but who needs one when you’re this close to the wealth of eating and drinking spots at nearby Stevenson Square?

A stylish hotel over on Ducie Street on the edge of the Northern Quarter, Dakota has made a starry splash since opening in 2019. A deluge of A-listers have stayed here, most likely staying in the city’s biggest (and most expensive) penthouse suite. Add in some amazing steak at the Dakota Grill, a dedicated champagne room and even a cigar garden and you’ve got one seriously class act indeed. And whether you gravitate to Ancoats, the Northern Quarter or Canal Street to cut loose, you’re well situated for all of them.

We really love a good skyline view don’t we? Expect a show-stopping one at Hotel Gotham. This hotel – which is as mysterious and intriguing as its fictional namesake – is located in the upmarket King Street area. Think exclusive rooftop club-bar, plush rooms and a 2 AA Rostette restaurant. A more sultry spot we couldn’t think of.

With just 40 rooms, King Street Townhouse genuinely earns the moniker of ‘exclusive’. In a historic, gothic building you’ll find it right in the heart of all the city centre’s major galleries, boutiques and up-market restaurants. All the rooms are extremely luxurious, but not over-the-top – think chic retreat, rather than glitz and glamour. The spa features a ‘thermal experience’ – which is lots of different hot, cold and steamy rooms – but the main attraction here is that well-documented infinity pool, with views of some of the prettiest rooftops in the city centre.

Perhaps the hotel most synonymous with visiting footballers and rockstars, The Lowry Hotel sits on the ‘other’ side of the Irwell, but is less than a 10 minute stroll from Deansgate (less still, if you’re in a limo). The decor is classic glam, with loads of marble and wood panelling. Guests and non-guests can take advantage of the gym, pilates studio and spa – which features a cryotherapy chamber, for those who enjoy a high-tech treatment. The River Restaurant, which unsurprisingly has expansive views of the water, serves modern French bistro food. Simply put, it’s exactly what you’d want from a stay in the city.

Arguably Manchester’s most famous hotel, The Midland has stood proudly on St. Peter’s Square since 1903. It used to serve those who came into the city via Manchester Central railway station, but now it’s a place you’ll find tourists, business travellers and food and drink enthusiasts. Not long refurbished within an inch of its life, everything here from the rooms to the spa is steeped in classic glamour. The French by Adam Reid, the restaurant is no exception. The Belle Époque style dining room serves up elevated bistro classics, and is recommended in the Michelin Guide.

A relative newcomer on the aparthotel scene, Native is about as close to Piccadilly as it’s possible to be, without literally being on one of the platforms. Part of Ducie Street Warehouse – a former warehouse building full of the hallmarks of urban cool like exposed brickwork and ventilation pipes, an independent cinema, and a high-end workout studio – Native is a luxury hotel for people who find luxury hotels a bit stuffy. There’s a whole host of different apartments available, whether you just want a studio to lay your head at the end of the day, or an expansive loft to make your home-from-home.

An iconic tower that pre-dates the Manchester skyscraper boom, Kimpton Clocktower Hotel – once the Refuge Assurance Building – is a beacon of grandiosity on Oxford Road, sitting atop The Refuge restaurant. The decor nods to the building’s palatial design – lots of dark wood panelling and gold details – but it’s also modern, fresh and comfortable. You’ll feel transported back to a more glamorous age. Plus, locations don’t get more central than this, you’re mere metres away from theatre, gigs, nightlife, football and, crucially, Archie’s. What more would you want?

This pastel-hued aparthotel is equidistant between Oxford Road and The Gay Village, which immediately puts you in the heart of great food and drink. The rooms are modern, cool and ever so Instagram-worthy. The entrance is a stunning foliage-filled atrium, and with neighbouring restaurant Winsome – absolutely worth a visit on its own innumerable merits – responsible for the cocktails, you’ll find it difficult to leave.

Owned by former United star turned developer Gary Neville, this one – no prizes for guessing – is housed in the former Stock Exchange on Norfolk Street and fittingly, everything feels expensive, from the marble checkerboard floors to the complimentary champagne on arrival. The sultry cocktail bar in the basement – Sterling – is run by the ever-so capable people from Schofields’s, and the restaurant, with a focus on steak and British classics, also oozes opulence.

Treehouse Hotels have branched out, taking root just off Deansgate, where it intersects with Market Street. And the tree theme doesn’t just mean the decor, they’re all about sustainability, from the products used in the rooms, to the ingredients sourced for the Mary-Ellen McTague-fronted restaurant, Pip (then honey comes from the apiary on the roof, for instance). Rooms are full of light wood, organic textures and colourful textiles. For a city centre stay, it’s distinctly un-city centreish, and that’s why we love it.

The Free Trade Hall on Peter Street is famous for a load of reasons. It stands on the site of the Peterloo Massacre, Charles Dickens passed through it at one point, and it was the venue of that infamous Sex Pistols gig in 1976. Today it’s the home to The Radisson Edwardian, a sleek city centre hotel with a spa, pool, skyline views and the celebrated Peter Street Kitchen.