Hotels & places to stay in Manchester

The Creative Tourist pick of the best Manchester hotels this season

There are so many Manchester hotels – and different kinds of places to stay at that – that it can be hard to pick the best. Many of the city’s oldest hotels come complete with their own back story, too. Take the former Free Trade Hall, built near the site of the Peterloo Massacre and itself the site of an infamous Suffragette protest, which is now the Radisson Edwardian Hotel. Its original façade gives a flavour of a building that saw both political reform and musical innovation (this was where, in 1966, Bob Dylan was heckled as a ‘Judas’ for betraying his folk roots). Another historic hotel nearby is the Midland Hotel, which opened in 1903 as a monument to its owners, the Midland Railway Company. It is perhaps the city’s best known hotel, recognisable by the pink and brown terracotta tiled frontage, and boasts many famous guests: it’s where Charles Rolls met Henry Royce, where Winston Churchill dined and where Laurence Olivier stayed while filming Brideshead Revisited.

But don’t get lost in history. To make life easy when it comes to booking a hotel, nip over to the Visit Manchester site, which has the most comprehensive information on Manchester hotels, including the latest deals, discounts and offers.

And if that feels too much like hard work, here’s our pick of the best hotels this autumn:

The Princess Hotel: The Grade II listed former cotton warehouse is just about as central as it’s possible to get (located as it is on the corner of Portland Street and Princess Street and 10 mins from Piccadilly Station). Original, high ceilings and large windows remain, although the building has been brought up to date thanks to decent en-suites, free WiFi and preferential car parking rates at a nearby car park. 101 Portland Street, Manchester M1 6DF (0161 236 5122).

Manchester Marriott Victoria & Albert Hotel: Another hotel that makes use of its riverside setting, the Manchester Marriott Victoria & Albert Hotel is located on the banks of the River Irwell and a short walk to Spinningfields, the former Granada TV studios, MOSI and the city centre. A former Victorian warehouse, a £5.2m refit marries old architectural detail with contemporary flair, comfort and services – expect exposed brickwork and beams alongside free WiFi and well appointed bedrooms. Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ (0161 832 1188).

Mint Hotel: One of our favourite hotels and ridiculously close to Piccadilly Station (just walk across the pedestrian bridge at the station’s main entrance – the lack of traffic between station and hotel is a real bonus if you’re carting enough luggage to make Victoria Beckham blush). It has occasional art exhibitions, a decent restaurant and everything else you’d expect from a city centre hotel: iMacs in every room, free WiFi, Sky, flexible check-in and 24-hour room service. Piccadilly Place, 1 Auburn Street M1 3DG (0161 242 1000).

Crowne Plaza Manchester City Centre: a fairly new arrival on the hotel scene in Manchester, the mid-price Crowne Plaza is based in the Northern Quarter (the city’s self-styled creative quarter) and offers the perfect base from which to explore the rest of the city centre. All rooms come with free WiFi and LCD TV, while there are also interconnecting bedrooms if you’re travelling en famille. 70 Shudehill M4 4AF (0161 828 8600).

Holiday Inn Manchester West: Clean, straightforward rooms, close to the airport and reasonable rates: all in all, the Holiday Inn is always a safe bet for a city stay. Liverpool Street M5 4LT (0871 423 4942).

The Lowry: The 5-star Lowry, with its sublime restaurant and celebrity-friendly décor, is one of our favourite luxury hotels. It’s stone’s throw from both the delights of Salford’s indie art scene (such as the King’s Arms pub and Islington Mill) and city centre Manchester (walk across the gorgeous pedestrian bridge over the Irwell and you’ll find yourself just by Deansgate, Kendal’s and the People’s History Museum). If you’ve got the spare cash, The Lowry is worth a splurge – if only as this is the place Kylie chooses to stay when she’s doing gigs at the nearby MEN Arena. 50 Dearmans Place, Chapel Wharf M3 5LH (0161 827 4000).