Manchester. The northern city symbolised by the Manchester worker bee, Old Trafford, its 90’s Madchester music scene and of course its out and out diversity.
With so much to do and explore in Manchester, it’s hard to fit everything into just one weekend…we gave it a good go, in summer this year.
Hyatt House: the home from home…with a view!
Situated in the city’s innovation district, Hyatt House, part of the Hyatt Group of luxury hotels, is an aparthotel offering fully equipped, spacious suites and one bedroom apartments. Guests staying at Hyatt House have the added luxury of using all the facilities at the adjoining Hyatt Regency Manchester Hotel, which means you get the best of both.
Our journey from Leeds across the Pennines took far less time than is usual for a bank holiday weekend, this of course was a great start to our Manchester jaunt!
Check in at Hyatt House is at 15:00 and as we were early, we made a plan to drop our bags off with the reception team and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the hotel over a cocktail in the bar.
Parking is available at the nearby University of Manchester – Car Park D and whilst it is less than a 5-minute walk from the hotel, it is not that easy to find. The post code directs you to a building opposite, so make sure you know exactly where it is in relation to the hotel before you set off.
Despite arriving early, we were made to feel extremely welcome; nothing was too much trouble. Front Desk Manager, Eirini introduced us to the Laureate Restaurant and Graduate Bar and soon we were settled on one of the comfortable sofas in the luxurious Graduate Bar. We were pleasantly surprised to find such an extensive and quirky cocktail menu; not something you would expect from a hotel.
The service we received over the course of the weekend from Graduate Bar Manager, Martinez, was second to none – and since we were spoilt for choice on the cocktails, we were soon receiving expert advice from the Graduate Bar’s very own cocktail expert.
Having quaffed our chosen cocktails and enjoyed some delicious nibbles from the bar menu, I asked Martinez about the rooftop event space I had heard about. Unfortunately due to Covid-19 restrictions, the space was closed to the public, but we were offered a sneak peak.
This rooftop event space really has the wow factor! The space is split into different sections, from a comfy seating area with plush sofas, an area for dining and not forgetting the fabulous terrace with the most amazing views of the city and Pennine hills. This space would be perfect for any special occasion or business event – if you’re looking to impress your guests or business associates, then this is the place to do it.
It wasn’t long before our apartments were ready to move into. We were given adjoining apartments, which I thought would be ideal for small groups or larger families. Both apartments were extremely spacious and included a kitchen, fully equipped with a coffee machine including complimentary coffee capsules, a hob, oven, microwave, fridge-freezer and dishwasher.
Both bedrooms boasted a huge comfortable bed, ample wardrobe space and off the bedroom, a spacious bathroom including a bath, shower and luxury toiletries.
As I was allocated a suite it included a separate seating area with a sofa bed and a huge TV. This apartment suite would be ideal for guests staying for a longer period, but would also comfortably accommodate a family of four.
After settling into our new home and enjoying the amazing views over the city, it was time to freshen up and get ready for our next stop… Hard Rock Café.
Rockin’ up at Hard Rock Café
The Hard Rock Café, Manchester is located just 3 miles from the hotel; a 30-minute stroll, or a 15 minute taxi ride away. As the temperature had dropped, we opted for a taxi.
Having not been to a Hard Rock Café since my teens, I was admittedly a little skeptical about what to expect – I needn’t have been, because we had the best night; made even better by the amazing service we received from our server Leroy and his right-hand woman Krissy.
The first thing that struck me was the atmosphere; vibrant and exciting, and I knew we were in for a good night. We were shown to our table which was located on the top mezzanine, allowing us a birds-eye view of the whole venue and all its fantastic memorabilia from British and International music legends.
Settled into our comfy booth, it was time to order. The menu is as you would expect, packed full of American delights, from juicy burgers, baby-back ribs, pulled pork or chicken sandwiches, a choice of salads and a good selection of sharing plates too.
To start we shared a lobster roll sandwich and a bowl of deliciously sticky chicken wings. My friend followed with the Aberdeen Angus Original Legendary Burger and I chose the Baby-Back Ribs, which come glazed in the Hard Rock Cafés very own homemade barbecue sauce.
The quality of the food was outstanding, but the portions [in true American style] were too big for us to finish and we made a mental note to only order one starter to share next time. Definitely too full to fit in a dessert, but there’s always room for one more cocktail. Hard Rock Café offers a selection of signature cocktails and we opted for the ‘Hurricane’, a 1940s New Orleans classic, including Bacardi Superior Rum, a blend of orange, mango and pineapple juice and a number of other cheeky ingredients to send you merry on your way.
Despite being rushed off their feet, our servers Leroy and Krissy found the time to chat to us, giving us a wonderful experience. One thing’s for sure, Hard Rock Café is fun and friendly, delivered by great music, great food and great people. With initial scepticisms well and truly gone, we are already looking forward to our next visit.
Sunday Funday
A new dawn, a new day and we were feeling good and ready for the day ahead, but not before fueling up on a sumptuous breakfast.
Breakfast, which is served in the Laureate Restaurant is a semi self-service affair. There is an extensive choice of continental breakfast, from various types of bread, croissants, Danish pastries, cereals, cold meats, fruit and a choice of hot and cold drinks. In addition to this already plentiful selection, there is a hot buffet to choose from. As you move along the line, your selections are plated by the chefs, ready for you to tuck into as soon as you return to your table.
After trying our best to eat a light breakfast to leave plenty of room for our later planned Sunday lunch, it was soon time to take a trip out of town to the Trafford Centre.
Adventures under the sea
Bank holiday Sunday and we were in the mood for a little adventure. Well-known shopping mall, The Trafford Centre, is located just 5 miles (15 minute drive) west of Manchester. Not only is it home to a collection of high-street retailers, but it is also the home of Manchester’s Sea Life Centre.
Sea Life, Manchester is mostly aimed at families with younger children. With an array of sea life, from Sting Rays, Turtles, Sharks and more varieties of fish than we could ever have known, this is a fun and educational way to keep the younger members of your family entertained.
Depending on how you wish to spend your day, there are a number of ticket options to choose from. But if you prefer to get up close and personal, the centre also run VIP Experiences and events where you can choose to snorkel with sharks or with resident turtles Ernie and Cammie, meet the magical Sea Life Mermaids, or join the Octonauts in the search for Captain Barnacles.
With no children in tow we opted for a more tranquil experience, taking our time to encounter as many sea life creatures as possible. With so much to wonder at, time had flown by and we were just about ready for Sunday Lunch.
Feed the Soul
Back in the center of Manchester, we soon found ourselves walking through the doors of ‘Three Little Words,’ a beautiful cocktail bar, located just a stones-throw from Manchester’s most notable landmark, The Beetham Tower.
From the team behind Manchester Gin and The Spirit of Manchester Distillery, Three Little Words is not only the place to go for your gin cocktails, but also for their ‘Feed the Soul Sundays’ – a Sunday experience including live music, fantastic cocktails and of course that all-important Sunday lunch.
On arrival we were swiftly shown to our table, but having clocked an empty booth, I asked if we could move and they were happy to accommodate.
Settled into our new dining space, it wasn’t too long before we were sipping on our first gin cocktail. The Sunday menu is kept simple; choose from roast beef, roast chicken, or the vegetarian option, or if you’re not in the mood for a roast, you can opt for one or more of the small plates. The smaller menu is certainly not a bad thing, as you will need plenty of time to peruse the extensive, but helpfully categorised cocktail menu; but fear not, help is on hand if you can’t decide.
After a discussion about whether to order different roast dinners and share, we quickly scrapped that idea and both of us opted for the beef. While we were waiting, we were given complimentary nibbles which went perfectly with our cocktails and shortly after, our meals arrived. Medium-rare roast beef, homemade Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, a selection of roast veggies and a pot of rich homemade gravy. Was this the best Sunday lunch we’d ever had? Probably not, but it was certainly a good one. Feed the Soul Sundays are about the whole experience and not just the food – it’s the jazz, the gins and yes the food too, but ultimately, it’s everything put together that really feeds the soul.
Sunday’s here are extremely busy, so make sure you book in advance. If you’re not in a rush and you’re happy to wait, then why not prop up the bar and sample some of the quality gins.
Soaking up the vibes
After such a big dinner, we decided to take a 20-minute walk up to the Northern Quarter. Sunny bank holiday weekends are few and far between, so we were extremely lucky to be sipping cocktails on terraces and rooftop bars in the 20c + sunshine.
After soaking up the bank holiday vibes, we headed back to our apartments for some R+R and to enjoy the amazing views of Manchester in the evening sun.
We had it on good authority that we simply ‘had’ to try a one of the hotels delicious sourdough stonebaked pizzas, so after some rest and a freshen up we headed downstairs to The Graduate Bar. The recommendation was a good one, because these freshly made pizzas are up there with the best. We finished our meal and bottle of wine and after such an eventful, gastronomic and boozy day we were ready for a good night’s sleep.
A [not so] final farewell
After another good nights sleep, we woke up feeling refreshed, but a little sad at the realisation that this was almost the end of our fabulous weekend in Manchester.
We made sure that we had a long lazy breakfast which we enjoyed on the outside terrace. Accepting that all good things have to come to an end, we headed back to our rooms to finish packing before bidding our final farewell… but not before one last cocktail!
Manchester, we will be back.
Review by Sarah Cox (@coxyskitchen)
