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Best cheap hotels in Manchester: where to stay for value for money
Mancunian Cathy Toogood finds the best beds that won't break the bank
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If you’re looking for an affordable break, Manchester is a great city to visit, as many of its major attractions are free to enter, including the neo-gothic John Rylands Library and family-friendly National Football Museum.
And the city’s booming hotel scene means that you won’t have to spend a small fortune to enjoy a stylish stay. Just be aware that big football matches or events, such as Manchester Pride, can cause many room prices to rocket.
From hotels you’ll be desperate to share on social media, to rooms that are great for families, here’s the pick of the best value beds in the city.
The best budget hotels in Manchester are:
- Best for a night out: The Abel Heywood, Booking.com
- Best for mixing business with pleasure: Motel One Manchester - Royal Exchange, Booking.com
- Best for Instagram fans: INNSIDE Manchester, Booking.com
- Best for added extras: The Cow Hollow Hotel, Booking.com
- Best for families: Novotel Manchester Centre, Booking.com
- Best for chic home comforts: Roomzzz Manchester City, Booking.com
- Best for sports fans: Hilton Garden Inn Manchester Emirates Old Trafford, Booking.com
- Best for groups: Staycity Apartments Manchester Piccadilly, Booking.com
- Best for fun: ibis Styles Manchester Portland hotel, Booking.com
Best for a night out: The Abel Heywood
Neighbourhood: Northern Quarter
In Manchester’s hip Northern Quarter, this pub with 15 rooms is within stumbling distance of many of the city’s coolest bars and restaurants. The pub itself is decorated to look like a Victorian boozer, with leather booths and a large wooden bar; while the rooms are as trendy as their location with vintage radios, exposed brick wallpaper and Manchester cityscapes above the bed. Entry-level city rooms are snug, but more than adequate if you’re going on a night out, while loft rooms have more space. They have a sofa bed so up to four adults can share, and a record player with a vinyl collection to rifle through.
Price: Doubles from £95
Best for mixing business with pleasure: Motel One Manchester-Royal Exchange
Neighbourhood: Central Retail District
Manchester’s second Motel One is in the heart of the city action on Cross Street, surrounded by shops and restaurants, and over the road from the Royal Exchange Theatre. Despite the budget price tag, attention has been paid to the styling of its public areas, themed around Manchester’s 19th-century nickname “Cottonopolis” – there’s a paper art installation on the wall symbolising cotton, reels sit on shelves and puffy, cotton-wool-esque lights hang from the ceiling. Rooms are simple but have everything travellers need, including crisp linen, a choice of pillows, rainfall showers and USB charging points. Refreshingly, rates are fixed with the exception of a few stand-out dates such as Parklife and Manchester Pride.
Price: Doubles from £94
Best for Instagram fans: INNSIDE Manchester
Neighbourhood: First Street
Many a guest has posed in this modern hotel’s reception next to its pretty blooming tree or pointing out a local attraction on the “doodle pillar” by illustrator Dave Draws. Rooms are equally design-led with minimal decor, open-plan bathrooms and sketches of Manchester on headboards. Touches that make this hotel stand out from the crowd include a resident DJ at breakfast over the weekend, smart-casual staff and a complimentary mini-bar stocked with soft drinks. The hotel is next door to one of the city’s best art venues, HOME.
Price: Doubles from £98
Best for added extras: The Cow Hollow Hotel
Neighbourhood: Northern Quarter
This independent hotel aims to provide affordable luxury without any hidden extra charges. Rates start from £129 and include a continental breakfast bag, wifi, in-room Netflix, self-service hot drinks, prosecco and nibbles early evening, and milk and cookies before bed. The size and layout of the former textile warehouse means that standard rooms are small, but bursting with high-end details such as Hypnos beds, bronze rainfall showers and chic decor – think exposed brick, marble fireplaces and copper accessories. The cocktail bar has one of the best spirits and wine lists in town.
Price: Doubles from £129
Best for families: Novotel Manchester Centre
Neighbourhood: Civic Quarter
Kids are given a gift on check-in at this hotel (a colouring book or a cuddly toy), there’s a sofa bed in every room suitable for up to two under-16s to stay for free, and there’s a children’s corner in the restaurant. For adults, there’s a decent gym, a steam room, sauna and relaxation area. Rooms have been recently refurbished with statement walls, some with a Manchester theme, and useful touches such as USB points next to the bed. The central location means Manchester Art Gallery and Chinatown are just around the corner.
Price: Doubles from £95
Best for chic home comforts: Roomzzz Manchester City
Neighbourhood: Civic Quarter
This popular aparthotel, in a Grade-II listed building, is just over the road from Chinatown and a short walk from Canal Street. Each room is unique and have quirky touches such as double showers and sinks, or TVs you can watch in the bath, and there are huge windows in all but the rooms on the lower-ground floor (which are the quietest if you’re a light sleeper). Every apartment also has White Company toiletries and a fully-equipped kitchen, meaning guests can self-cater. There aren’t any public areas but with seating areas in every room, you don’t really need them.
Price: Doubles from £94
Best for sport fans: Hilton Garden Inn Manchester Emirates Old Trafford
Neighbourhood: Old Trafford
Sleeping in a room overlooking the Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground is a different way to see Manchester. Sport fans will love the unique setting of this Hilton Garden Inn, where 85 of the rooms have a pitch view, as well as the close proximity to Old Trafford football stadium. The modern hotel is bright with extremely comfortable beds and friendly staff. Free parking is available on non-match days and Old Trafford Metrolink station is just outside with links to the city centre.
Price: Doubles from £97
Best for groups: Staycity Aparthotels Manchester Piccadilly
Neighbourhood: Piccadilly
The one-bed apartments in this modern aparthotel can sleep up to four adults (two on sofa beds) and have fully-equipped kitchens, with washer-dryers, offering excellent value for money in the city centre. Just outside Piccadilly railway station, in a curved former office block, all apartments are spacious and bright with clean and simple decor, and splashes of Staycity’s signature canary yellow on cushions and artwork. If preparing meals in your room seems like too much of an effort, there’s a small café, which serves breakfast for £7.95, as well as pizzas and sandwiches throughout the day.
Price: One-bed apartments from £104
Best for fun: ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel
Neighbourhood: Piccadilly
The cheerful decor in this budget hotel takes its inspiration from Manchester’s notoriously unreliable weather. There are umbrellas suspended from the ceiling in reception and door handles on the entrance are in the shape of wellies. Rooms are decorated in a windy, summery or rainy theme, complete with cloud-shaped tables, umbrellas as table legs and deliberately wonky mirrors. A continental breakfast is included in the competitive room rates and the bar, which includes table football and a pool table, has a happy hour every day from 3pm-7pm.
Price: Doubles from £77
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