HOTEL OF THE WEEK
KIMPTON CLOCKTOWER Manchester
WHAT AND WHERE: The towering red-brick silhouette of Kimpton Clocktower is a true city landmark.
This Grade II-listed building was once the headquarters of a Victorian insurance company, but the vast, shiny lobby with its domed glass ceiling feels more like stepping into a golden-age museum. While checking in, make sure you take a snap with the hotel’s “mascot”, a towering bronze sculpture of a horse.
Skip the lift at least once to take in the grand staircase, too.
Our room, in the northern “wing”, was impressive, with high ceilings, double-height windows, cool artwork, beautiful bathroom, stylish grey and emerald furnishings, and a host of “industrial chic” touches.
We were in a “Double Double”, with two incredibly comfortable double beds side by side.
ON THE MENU: Breakfast and dinner are served in The Refuge Dining Room, with its arched pillars, a mirrored cocktail bar, and a retro tile mural celebrating Manchester’s industrial past.
Breakfast is a mix of buffet and a la carte, while the evening menu is an eclectic global affair based on small sharing plates.
Highlights included chicken thigh with chorizo, apricots and mint (£10.50) and zhug-spiced burrata with black olive and sundried tomato (£9).
WHILE YOU’RE THERE: The hotel is an easy walk from the city’s main shopping district.
Fans of the beautiful game can hop on a tram and take a tour of either Old Trafford (Man United) or the Etihad (City), or visit the National Football Museum. There are theatres and music venues too, or take a tour of Coronation Street’s famous cobbles.
WAKE-UP CALL: Kimpton Clocktower’s “Double Double” from £149 a night room-only. kimptonclocktowerhotel.com