More about Macdonald Manchester
Great Rooms, Great Location
by TripAdvisor Member beckyboo74
We have just returned from a night at the MacDonald, Manchester. The hotel is perfect position right next to train station and close to the city centre. The only problem was when leaving the station we left via the wrong exit and got slightly lost.
The rooms were great. It was a good size with a huge comfy bed. The bathroom had a bath and a seperate shower cubical. which was a nice suprise. We just wish we had took the i pod as there was a docking station in the room.
We found the reception staff helpful and friendly as were most of the bar staff. Just a shame that one of them seemed stand-offish.
We would definatly stay here again if we visit Manchester
Should be a great addition to the hotel choice in Manchester
by TripAdvisor Member MichaelEdinburgh
The hotel was brand new and only just opened when I stayed there for business - still work going on to get it finished, in fact, which will have been completed by now (I'd hope!). The rooms were excellent, as were the bathrooms, both roomy and well fitted out and very quiet, and the food was great - interesting and unusual selections even at the buffet-style lunches.
Dont expect breakfast in the morning
by TripAdvisor Member smudgeykitten
We stayed at this hotel on a Saturday evening and although the hotel is nice with some good perks - Ipod docks in the room etc we went down to breakfast Sunday morning to find a large queue all the way down the stairs of the resturaunt and into the main reception waiting to be seated for breakfast - an estimated waiting time of 40 minutes!! when we asked at reception if there was any other options we were rudely told that it was a busy period and room service would take even longer!
Recommended City Hotel
by TripAdvisor Member bluysky
We stayed at this hotel because we were seeing a show at the Apollo and this hotel is in walking distance from both the venue and into town. If you know Manchester, the hotel is the old BT building as you com into the city via Piccadilly.....
The venue is great if you're arriving into Piccadilly train station and will be spending time in town.
The rooms are decorated fashionably and are very 'now' and because the hotel is brand new everything looked really good - the bathroom was lovely and big for a city hotel.
There is a spa adjoining the hotel so if you can get a deal on the room/treatments I'd definitely recommend for a girls weekend away.
Would agree about the queue for breakfast - it was the only thing that let the hotel down in my opinion.
Friendly staff but poor service
by TripAdvisor Member poodlepants
Well located hotel, but not straightforward to find if you don't know exactly where it is, so I rang the hotel for directions and was told "it's near the station, and everyone in Manchester knows where it is", well this may be true if you live or know Manchester well but is pretty pointless if you don't.
Large comfortable rooms and nice looking bathrooms, but the level of service is terrible - my and colleagues rooms weren't cleaned on one day of our stay, room service took ages to come, despite chasing. My colleague's shower leaked causing pools of water on the floor - this seemed to be a design fault. "Free" bottles of water unavailable, room fridge not restocked on a daily basis.
Room service breakfast hamper was highly recommended, and the food in the restaurant was good, but the niggles on a daily basis were so apparent that I wouldnt stay there again.
great location
by TripAdvisor Member TheStandardGuest
After a little mix up with some confusion over the upgrading, the management were kind enough upgrade us free of charge.
The location was ideal only minutes from the city centre and a stones throw from picadilly station. It is a large new hotel, very professional and helpful in our experience. Check in was prompt and the Concierge was extremely informative. We had a double double executive room which was of a moderate size great for two friends sharing. It was clean, with the most comfortable beds and the room was promptly made up the next morning with fresh towels and toiletries.
The hotel had all the usual facilities of a Macdonald, tea& coffee facilities, mini bar, toiletries, i-pod docking station, flat screen tv & robes. The air conditioning wouldn't go below 16 degrees and it did feel a little stuffy as we could not open the windows. We were on the 2nd floor and the view wasn't great but nevertheless nice big windows! The bathroom was a good size with a separate bath and walk in spacious shower. The shower was powerful with different nozzle options, nice touch. We didn't experience a queue on Sun or Mon for breakfast at all, but we weren't in a rush and didn't go down until about 10ish. The breakfast choice was sufficient and stocked well, the waiting staff were very pleasant and efficient. We didn't have time to use the Spa as we were only there two nights. Actually, there is alot to fit into three days. We did our research and went to the City Cafe for dinner with friends, very nice attention (great vegetarian menu). We had also pre-booked Cloud 23 (bar at the hilton) again, experienced a fantastic friendly service and we were taken straight up to our booth, leaving the queues behind! We had afternoon tea with champagne in the Lowry Hotel, it was sublime! The Lowry Gallery was also a must and breakfast in the Urbis is great. In our short visit, it appeared that Manchester was a very friendly and interesting city to visit. We managed to easily get to galleries, shopping and evening dates from our hotel.
Wonderful Hotel
by TripAdvisor Member KirbyUk
i have stayed in this hotel twice in the past few months now with my boyfriend.
the hotel was at one time a business center so the rooms are big.
on our first visit we we had a huge room with a massive bathroom. big deep bath and separate shower
remember to bring your i pod as theirs speakers their for it. which is a nice touch. listening to music while having a long bath after a day of shopping was heaven.
on our second visit to the hotel we where given a disabled persons room which seemed fine at first. but the bath wouldn't have suited was a bit to small for two people.
so i asked to move. and the staff where very friendly and moved us to another room straight away.
the rooms are very big, request a room with a separate shower. most rooms their have one.
breakfast you can choose a hamper brought to your room or breakfast in the restaurant. having done both. i would deferntly recommend breakfast in the restaurant it was very quiet and their was lots to choose from.
the staff are brilliant! very helpful and friendly.
room service is very expensive and so is the mini bar (so deferntly take some snacks with you, to stop you being tempted)
or their is lots of food shops in the train station right next to the hotel.
Love a McDonald (Hotel)
by TripAdvisor Member DoubleBubble
Have used this hotel continuously since November 2007 apart from weekends for work in the city. I highly reccommend this hotel. Only opened late last year. Everything in the hotel is brand new, the rooms are of the highest standard, lucious double bed, fantastic bathroom, with separate shower to the bath. Best shower i have encountered. In fact i asked for the make and went out and bought one for my home. When booking ask for the 8th floor as you get an excellent view of the skline from the absolutely massive windows. Staff are very freindly and will bend over backwards to help, and if you are a regular like me, then they will call you by your name. If you like your breakfast, you are in the right place. Self service breakfast, best bacon and blackpudding i have tasted anywhere (apart from my mums of course) If you don't see what you want ask and they will endevour to get the food for you. I have stayed in hotels all over the country including London Mayfair, and this the MaccyD knocks spots off the other hotels. Will be back soon, and will stay again.
25 minutes for a cup of coffee but no other problems
by TripAdvisor Member FaeGlasgow
I was booked into this hotel following a mix up with another booking and very quickly realised that i had landed well lucky. Modern rooms with free internet, fabulous bathrooms and proper milk with in room coffee. The hotel also supplied wine glasses in the room as well as decent sized water glasses.
The only problem was going to breakfast. On the first night that we stayed there was no problem with breakfast, coffee and toast came quickly but this got progressively worse over the course of the stay. On my final morning, I waited 25 minutes for coffee and toast which I don't think is acceptable. This brought down what was a particularly nice and fresh breakfast, which is difficult to achieve in a buffet.
Overall a very good stay with only a slight breakfast blip.
great, but breakfast experience could be better
by TripAdvisor Member pootle27
Stayed one Saturday night in May 08 for a concert at the MEN Manchester. Hotel is one minute walk from Piccadilly train station (take the lower exit). Got a corner room on the third floor, lots of windows. Lovely large room with LCD TV, and Bose Ipod dock. Bottle of sparkling water in room is free which is nice. Great bathroom, with large bath and separate shower (which was very powerful). Front desk staff very polite. Bed very comfy (in fact one of the only times I have slept right through in hotel). Only two things let it down - the breakfast restaurant is a very strange design with a thin corridor area where people are sitting eating, other people queuing for hot buffet and staff trying to squeeze past! weird. The food was great but service not so good, we asked twice for coffee and it didnt come so husband shared my single pot of tea. Not really a big deal but you might find this annoying, especially when you pay £150 per night for a room with breakfast. Only other thing was 10 minute queue to check out in the morning. Didnt bother me as our train wasnt for about an hour later but if you were in a hurry this is not good service. Would definitely stay again though as nice, modern and clean and very handy for the train. Takes about 10/15 minutes to walk to main shopping area and 30 minutes for MEN.
Photos
Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, UK.
Some of the gang in Hard Rock Cafe
John Rylands Library
Gluewin Sign
Forum Posts
Place to stay overnight
by Arial_27
I'm going to be spending 1 night in Manchester because of a flight that doesn't leave until the morning after I arrive there. I'm a student on a tight budget traveling by myself, so any safe/affordable places you know that are reasonably close to the airport would be very helpful.
Thanks!
Re: Place to stay overnight
by davesut
Affordable places near the airport are non existent as far as I know. All the hotels nearby capitalise on the need to stay close by.
My best suggestion is to get the train to Manchester Picadilly. Change trains to get to Manchester Deansgate and stay at the Manchester City Centre Youth Hostel which is excellent value and about 5 mins walk from Deansgate station. I suppose it depends how much time you have if it is worth the effort. You could check out a few bars within walking distance of the Hostel if you feel the need/have the energy or funds.
Check out the train times & prices on http://www.thetrainline.com
Manchester Youth Hostel http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/north-west-cities/hostels/manchester/index.aspx
Re: Place to stay overnight
by RABSAD
Davesut is right, accommodation around the airport is very expensive. Since you're a student why not try university accommodation, sometimes they rent rooms on nightly basis during summer vacation. Also try University Accommodation Website:http://www.accommodation.manchester.ac.uk/currentstudents-adviceandinformation/hotelshostels/
They have a good list of hotels.
REMEMBER TO CHECK WHERE THESE HOTELS ARE, They could badly located and you'll have to pay for taxis, choose ones that are near the public bus or the Metrolink (tramway).
In this case you have to catch the train form the Airport to Picadilly Station, then walk towards the bus station or metrolink stop, both at Picadilly Gardens, it is about 5 minutes walk. There is an info kiosk there, give them the address of the hotel and they will tell you whih bus or tram to take to your hotel. Alternatively you can catch a taxi just outside Picadilly station to the hotel if it is nearby.
Unfortunately I am away from Manchester and will be during the Summer, otherwise I would be there to assist you.
Have a pleasant stay at Manchester
Rabsad
Re: Place to stay overnight
by XenosUK
It depends what you call affordable of course, but the Premier Travel Inn at Heald Green has rooms from £54 a night - http://www.premiertravelinn.com/pti/hotelInformation.do?hotelId=23890&iscsell=. It's only a mile from the airport and I think they may have a free shuttle bus. But even if you have to get a taxi, it's got to be cheaper (and a lot more convenient) than staying in the city centre and getting buses and trains each way.
Sign in with Facebook
