We sent our writer, Rachel McAlley to check out a new hotel and restaurant in Manchester. The remit was to spend the night at the hotel, have dinner in the hotel restaurant, and then to report back to let us know what she thought. In her words…
When you think of a relaxing night away from home you wouldn’t necessarily think about staying at an airport hotel in Manchester, but let me change your mind.
I checked in to the Holiday Inn Manchester Airport, the newest hotel within the IHG collection of hotels. It only opened a couple of months ago, so you can be assured that everything is brand new and in perfect condition.
The reception team were upbeat, welcoming, and most of all friendly. I had so many questions about the hotel, from how long it takes to walk to the airport terminal, to whether the bedrooms were quiet with the airport being so close. Both were answered instantly, the walk to Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport would take approximately 3 minutes, and the bedrooms on all floors were very quiet even when the planes were flying over. I was happy with both.
The hotel team had booked me and my fiancé in for dinner at their newly opened Turkish restaurant, Firin. So, we ventured to our room on the fifth floor, found room 545 and made ourselves at home before getting changes for dinner.
The Room
Inside the room it’s exactly what you’d expect from a Holiday Inn, comfortable bed, good sized wardrobe, smart TV, fridge, and excellent shower room. The one thing I wasn’t expecting was to be upgraded to a Premium Room, which also included a large relaxing sofa bed, and mini bar with complimentary drinks and nibbles.
Once back downstairs we were taken to our table next to the window in Firin. This Turkish restaurant was so good it exceeded any expectations we had of dining in an airport hotel restaurant. The service from the staff, not just to us, but to every guest was second to none. The chefs in the kitchen greeted everyone with a hello, and the food, well the food was fantastic.
The Restaurant
We ordered a selection meze starters, a Pide (a Turkish style pizza), and a main course each. We were told that as the food was ready it would be served, and we didn’t have long to wait as the Cacik (yogurt, cucumber, dill, mint) and Flat Bread (£7) arrived straight away. It was closely followed by Fried Mediterranean Calamari, Prawns, and Anchovies with a Lemon and Garlic Mayo Dip (£10.50). At the same time they brought a dish of Oven Baked Halloumi with Tomato Sauce, Garlic, Parsley and Flat Bread (£8). I must say that these starters were outstanding especially the Cacik and Halloumi.
The Menu
After a short rest the Pide (£14) was delivered to the table, and we’d chosen the Afyon, which didn’t disappoint. The Afyon topping included Sucuk Sausage, Kasar (cheese), Mozzarella, Izmir (mild spice), Baharat (spice), and Red Chilli. It was simply divine!
Our mains included Chicken Shish (marinated chicken, paprika, mixed spices) served with Marinated Red Onions, Lemon, and Flat Bread (£14). Equally our second main was the Lamb Tandir (braised lamb shoulder) was served alongside Spiced Bulgar, Roasted Tomatoes, and a large Green Chilli (£19.50). This was the stand out dish from a flavour perspective, it was everything you could wish for in a lamb dish.
Not that we had room for dessert, but we were temped into sharing the Pistachio Baklava (£8). Turkish desserts are super sweet, and this pistachio treat was perfect in its sweetness, it was a great ending to the meal.
The Food
So, if you were thinking of going Turkish, we would highly recommend visiting Firin Restaurant as the food was unbelievably good.
We strolled across to Terminal 2 for a wander, it was quite late and the flights had finished. However, I can confirm that it does only take 3 minutes to walk from the hotel to Terminal 2. Well worth knowing for your next overnight stay at the airport.
After a hot chocolate and coffee from the in-hotel Starbucks it was time for bed. Back in the room we watched TV, and fell into a deep sleep. The mattress was very comfy, and you could tell it hadn’t been slept in very much. It had that pure comfort feeling you can only get from a brand-new bed.
Breakfast is served in the open lobby, buffet style. Plenty to choose from including pastries, cereal, continental, fruits, yogurt, and hot food. Equally, there’s the option to order eggs how you like them; boiled, poached, omelette, plus pancakes and porridge too. What more could you possibly want before you head for a flight or head home.
The Nitty Gritty
For those enquiring, breakfast is served from 5.30am until 10.30am, and if you’re boarding a flight earlier there’s the option to order ‘breakfast to go’. Another plus for this hotel is that kids aged 17 and under stay for free when sharing their parents’ room, and up to 2 kids aged 12 and under eat free per adult (up to 4 kids per dining party).
Our Premium Room was priced at £159 and it included breakfast, but prices vary as per demand. Cars can park overnight outside the hotel at a charge of £25 per car per night.
Visit IHG to find out more or book a room at Holiday Inn Manchester Airport.
A Night In Manchester But Not Where You’d Think – Words by Rachel McAlley
