Hotel of the week

WHY AND WHERE

Location is king at Yotel Manchester. On the corner of Deansgate, it’s smack bang in the middle of the action with many of the city’s best shops, bars and restaurants nearby.

Its trendy colour-clashing interior mixes a funky open-plan bar and restaurant, graffitied mannequins and pink neon signs bearing quotes from the likes of Liam Gallagher.

The hotel is forward thinking, with techdriven guest experiences and sustainability at its core. There are no mini toiletries to sneak into your case here – full-sized bottles are replenished instead.

Contactless check-in means you can be in your room in a flash, but there are friendly staff on hand for those who aren’t technically confident or who prefer human interaction. And it’s pet friendly too.

Our Premium King room made economic use of space with a wraparound headboard unit incorporating lights, sockets and shelves, plus a TV at the end of the bed.

All rooms have an organic handmade mattress, rain shower and laptopsized safe. There were no tea- and coffee-making facilities in the room, but each floor offers free drinks at a self-service galley.

ON THE MENU

A central bar dominates Motley restaurant, which offers a hotchpotch of booths, sofas and tables where you can drink, with or without food. The modern menu features a range of small plates and sides, or make a meal of it with a main.

My lamb kofta flatbread’s combination of flavours had a real kick, while my daughter’s pulled BBQ mushroom burger scored points as a delicious deviation from standard veggie options. I’d had high hopes for the hotel’s Gin Terrace but was a bit deflated when I realised it basically amounted to a series of pavement tables and chairs.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE

An on-site gym offers workout classes as well as state-of-the-art equipment. There’s also a private karaoke room that guests can hire.

Across the road is the Spinningfields district, with a choice of high-end shops, restaurants and bars. Take in 360-degree views of the city from 20 Stories’ rooftop garden terrace, or get a culture fix at the Opera House.

Manchester’s footballing heritage is legendary and the superb National Football Museum is a short stroll away.

WAKE UP CALL

Rooms start at £75 a night, yotel.com