I am a born and raised Londoner, but if I had to pick another British city to live, it would be Manchester. The place is the definition of 'a vibe', and whenever I get the chance to visit, I never say no. As a travel enthusiast, birthday trips with friends have become a ‘go-to celebration’ and when a very close friend wanted a birthday staycation, INNSiDe by Meliá Manchester made sense!
If you say Deansgate to any Love Island fan, most will know an ITV reality star who has called it home at one point or another. Located a stone's throw away from Manchester’s city centre, INNSiDE Manchester is nestled in between a bridge and a Junkyard Golf venue. Floral assets flow throughout the lobby meeting new restaurant Gino D’Acampo upon arrival, and the decor captures Manchester’s unique personality.
Did someone say a sleepover at INNSiDE?
The modern twist fed through to our spacious room. With floor to ceiling windows, our room naturally light filled which was refreshing for me as a person who favours bright spaces. But don’t worry, when night falls and you draw the blackout curtains, there is not one unwanted ray of sunshine peeking through.
INNSiDE gave a new definition to open plan living, with their bathrooms. Whilst there is a door to the toilet, the sink is technically in the bedroom and the shower door opens straight into the room too. One word for the shower, rainfall (magical).
As long distance friends, having a sleepover night during our trips has become a favourite tradition and INNSiDe’s hotel rooms are the perfect place for one. Our room already had refreshments available in the refrigerator, with free healthy drinks and a kettle for my tea-loving bestie and a Chromecast on the TV which meant we could pick what we wanted - Bring It On was the choice!
This celebrity chef understands a breakfast spread
Legend has it, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and let’s just say Gino understood the assignment. Located on the ground floor of the hotel, Gino D’Acampo Manchester offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and we were lucky enough to start our days with a breakfast spread that ticked every box.
From a hot breakfast buffet with every item needed for the perfect English breakfast, with poached eggs and hash brown available by order, to a great selection of fruits, pastries and cereals, plus cold cuts, cheese and juices - and wow is their milk choices very inclusive!
Little tip - treat yourself to the double chocolate cookie.
Exploring the city's sweet spots
Whilst me and my bestie could’ve stayed in the hotel and called it girlhood, our city break wouldn’t be complete without a little trip to the shops, especially when the city centre is only a short stroll away. If Deansgate didn’t scream reality tv star enough, we stayed on brand and chose an influencer favourite, Sexy Fish. And let’s just say, the women’s bathroom decor could rival other popular hot spots… the girlies know.
Luckily enough for us, INNSiDE is perfectly located in the heart of everything. After a takeaway in our room and the first half of a pamper section, we took a couple steps around the corner and ended up at HOME Manchester, the performing arts theatre, which had a bar, restaurant, stages and cinema screenings - so we opted to see Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling’s Fall Guy.