Manchester isn’t known as the London of the North for nothing. Its amazing array of arts, culture, shopping and nightlife put it on a par with the capital city. The first stop for anyone visiting Manchester is to find a hotel, as one day is just not enough to truly experience this remarkable place. Fortunately, Manchester boasts a wide variety of hotels to suit all tastes and pockets. The Hilton Manchester Deansgate is a state-of-the-art hotel situated in the lower 23 floors of the landmark Beetham Tower, it lays claim to an open-plan restaurant, bar and lounge area on the ground floor as well as the chic destination bar on the 23rd floor. The Midland Hotel on Peter Street is the essence of old-school luxury, the building itself is a Grade II listed architectural diamond and the whole package attracts Manchester’s fabulous and well-heeled.
Manchester has just launched its Urban Culture Trail which allows you to take in the city’s finest arts and culture as part of a self-guided walking tour. The tours are designed to make it easier and quicker to take in all the Manchester has to offer, providing a ready-to-use itinerary and detailed maps of Manchester city centre. The first in the series of four themed tours is ‘Radical Manchester’ which incorporates the city’s museums and galleries including the Museum of Science and Industry, Urbis and the Manchester Art Gallery. ‘The Sound of Manchester’ tour assimilates Manchester’s rich musical history and takes in such delights as the Manchester Apollo, Sankeys and the MEN arena. ‘Creativity and the City’ features many highlights of Manchester’s contemporary arts scene; Odd Bar, Artland Gallery and CUBE are all part of the tour. ‘A City Performs’ celebrates Manchester’s glut of theatres; The Palace, The Royal Exchange and The Lowry are all applauded in this dramatic tour.
With pubs, bars and clubs on every street, you’re never too far from a watering hole in Manchester. At the far end of Deansgate stands the powerhouse that is Harvey Nichols, with its Second Floor Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie, it’s easy to enjoy a cocktail or three and watch the world go by. For the ultimate in exquisite attention to detail and sophisticated surroundings, Panacea on John Dalton Stree cannot be beaten. It’s golden ambient lighting and statement architectural design make it the best social experience in Manchester. For more excitement as the evening wears on, party-goers tend to congregate at The Printworks on Withy Grove. This area boasts two huge clubs: Tiger Tiger and The Birdcage, both offering the ultimate in exciting Manchester nightlife. Deansgate Locks is another well-known Manchester hotspot, comprising a row of popular bars such as Loaf, Baa Bar and Revolution. Also becoming more and more popular, due to its stint as the notorious ‘Fernandos’ on ITV1 dating show ‘Take Me Out’, is Bijou which is situated on Chapel Street and features some of the most decadent and flamboyant decor on Manchester. Most Manchester clubs stay open into the early hours, giving Manchester the same ‘the city that never sleeps’ title as its southern counterpart.Travelling to Manchester couldn’t be easier with the city’s network of motorways and abundant train services. The M6 connects Manchester with Preston, Blackburn and the rest of Lancashire and continues to the south to run through much of Cheshire and on to Birmingham. Much of Manchester city centre is made easily accessible by the well-positioned railway stations. Most long-distance travellers will experience their first taste of Manchester when they alight at Piccadilly station. Piccadilly’s main attractions are Piccadilly Gardens - the only botanic gardens in Greater Manchester - and the numerous hotels, including Ibis and The Portland. Manchester Victoria station deals with most local railway traffic, it is situated on Hunts Bank, to the north of the city and close to Manchester Cathedral. Deansgate railway station lies in the Castlefield area of Manchester and is heavily used by commuters on both the Manchester to Preston Line and the Liverpool to Manchester line.
Just as fashion is always changing, so is the area of Manchester you buy it from. King Street used to be the last word in style in the city, but it no longer dominates the Manchester fashion scene. The Triangle in Exchange Square has gradually prevailed over the well established shopping street and now holds the fashion crown of Manchester. Serious shoppers will want to visit here, as well as Harvey Nichols and the two huge shopping centres which govern the high street shopper: The Trafford Centre and The Arndale Centre. Also worth a browse are Manchester’s numerous department stores: House of Fraser on Deansgate, Selfridges on Exchange Square and Debenhams on Regent Crescent.
Manchester boasts restaurants of every cuisine imaginable. As well as numerous high quality eateries, Manchester is also home to many foodie events – from Young Star Chef Evenings to the annual Manchester Food and Drink Festival. Gaucho on St Mary’s Street offers finest Argentine fare in elegant monochrome surroundings, spread over two mezzanine floors in one of Manchester’s grandest Grade II listed buildings. The French at The Midland Hotel has one of the best reputations for its excellent service, opulent surrounds and sumptuous food. It is also famous for being the location of ex Manchester United player David Beckham’s first date with his now-wife Victoria.
After-dinner drinks can be enjoyed in The Wyvern Bar or Octagon Lounge, both situated inside The Midland, or you can decide to explore further afield. The Tempus is a plush cocktail bar just five minutes walk away on Manchester’s Oxford Road. The Tempus is situated in The Palace Hotel, itself being a famous Manchester landmark – the 217 feet high clock tower. Cinnabar is another must-visit venue, with its heady mix of ultra-modern architectural features and gorgeous Asian antiquities. It’s a 10-minute drive outside of Manchester city centre, but well worth the effort for the ambience and abundant celebrity-spotting opportunities! Catalan Square is a fairly recent development, but well worth a visit to peruse the menu of Manchester-born Mick Hucknall’s bar and restaurant, Barca. With its excellent canal-side location and modern, open-plan design, the Square becomes particularly popular with the Manchester crowds on warm summer evenings.