The Hotel Review: INNSIDE, Manchester
INNSIDE is a building with an unmistakable European vibe, which fits perfectly into cosmopolitan Manchester’s city centre scene. This is an impressive building decked out in glass, marble and fitted inside with uncluttered but sleek rooms and modern designer fittings.
Conveniently located just a short walking distance from Oxford street and Deansgate train stations and the cities best bars, restaurants and shops.
This is the first UK edition to be added to the modern European hotel brand and it does a great job of setting itself apart from other hotel chains that can be known to have a bland reputation.
Reception staff were welcoming and keen to offer assistance in terms of where to go in the city and the informal, friendly vibe was refreshing. We arrived before the allocated check-in time in order to take a pamper break at the hotels partner spa; Escape Spa Manchester. Lisa, the owner of Escape offers a full treatment menu at the spa and also offers a condensed spa menu for in-room treatments. I opted for one of the signature multi treatments which consisted of a back scrub and cleanse, neck back and shoulder massage and a mini facial – now this is the treatment to have for ultimate rejuvenation.
Escape Spa launched a little over a year ago offering Spa packages and individual massage services at INNSIDE and they can take group bookings, hen parties, baby showers and can put together a bespoke packages which cater to all spa needs. Escape Spa is partnered with INNSIDES Wellness suite which includes a Finnish sauna and aromatic steam room Use of the Wellness Suite is fully included in all spa treatment pricing. I’d certainly recommend booking a pamper pit-stop here, even if it’s just an express treatment to de-stress and unwind – this is a slick service for both leisure and business travelers alike.
At INNSIDE the hotel rooms are all surprisingly spacious, even at the standard room level, and all are decked out in sleek, cool shades of white, grey and pops of purple – unfussy and pretty chic, especially for the room rates charged. There are 3 room categories spread out over the 10 floors; King, Twin, and Executive King, all of which are bright and airy and feature city views, flat screen TV with satellite channels, mini-bar with complementary soft drinks and mineral water, tea and coffee making facilities or espresso machine. We stayed in an Executive King Room which, with its crisp décor and non-fussy furnishings was a great space and bathed in natural light from the floor to ceiling windows offering expansive views of the city.
If you want to dine in the hotel, The Street on 1st restaurant and bar pays homage to the hotel company Melia’s Spanish roots and serves dishes such as tapas and paella, and fantastic Serrano ham croquettes with an approach to the social aspect of Mediterranean sharing, but also brings in influence from Italian, Thai and British dishes serving pasta and noodles, burgers, steaks and traditional favourites such as fish & chips.
As far as city centre hotels go, this is a fantastic addition to the vibrant city of Manchester and makes a superb stop for a variety of occasions where you can eat, sleep and relax in sleek, chic surroundings and explore the surrounding city without breaking the bank.
INNSIDE Manchester
(+44)0161 200 2500). Prices start from £75 per night
INNSIDE | 1 First Street | Manchester | M15 4RP
Escape Spa, Manchester
“Escape Spa launched a little over a year ago offering Spa packages and individual massage services at INNSIDE and they can take group bookings, hen parties, baby showers and can put together a bespoke packages which cater to all spa needs. Escape Spa is partnered with INNSIDES Wellness suite which includes a Finnish sauna and aromatic steam room Use of the Wellness Suite is fully included in all spa treatment pricing.”