Some Late Room Deals in Manchester

Having almost a year going to the same group of hotels I decided the time was right for a change. A colleague had told me about
laterooms and I’d checked it out as a site. It looked good to me as it was showing a number of expensive hotels at highly competitive prices. I was spoilt for choice but as I recognised The Princess on Portland Street as a hotel close to my normal one I decided to give this one a go.

I have popped into the reception of this hotel on a previous occasion and having been told the price I had decided not to book myself in, because although I’m staying on expenses I feel I have to get the best deal for me and my company. The booking was easy and I’d opted for a single night stay in this 4 star hotel and was pleased that when I arrived everything was in order. I asked if I could be booked into a quiet room and was given an executive room on the fifth floor. The carpet in the lift looked a bit worse for wear and I was beginning to wonder if booking into this old cotton mill had been wise, but as I left the elevator on the fifth I entered a large square landing with 4 rooms off it. Mine was one of them and this looked OK. On the landing was a couple of small sofas and although the red carpet was looking a bit tired this was generally a welcoming sight.

The entry card into my room worked on the first attempt and a large well-decorated room awaited me. There were two queen-sized beds in the room (I can only sleep in one of them!), a settee, and a good work space next to the TV. The Princess on Portland offers free WiFi so I was able to catch up on some of my e-mails as well as check putting the finishing touches to a couple of IGOUGO journals. There was a good selection of drinks - tea, coffee (both caffeine and caffeine-free) and drinking chocolate and although the milk was a little short I was fairly convinced that I could get more from reception. Indeed when I returned from my night out I was given a jug of fresh milk from the kitchen.

The bathroom was well kitted out with a shower and separate bath and plenty of soap and shower gel and back out in the bedroom was a trouser press and an iron. Not that I would be doing any pressing of clothes but it’s a nice touch that is useful if you’re away for more than one night.

The room was exceptionally quiet which really surprised me as the hotel is on one of Manchester’s busiest roads and that together with a really comfortable bed gave me a real good night’s sleep. The wake up call came through dead on time and having showered I made my way down to get breakfast. The dining room was busy and entry was slow as the waitress and Assistant Manager (more about him later) took people’s order for breakfast. The routine was, before getting a table you ordered tea or coffee and then confirmed what you wanted for your cooked breakfast. I decided on the full monty (that’s a full English) less mushrooms and having chosen my table made my way to the buffet to select cereals. There was plenty to choose from on the buffet table with fresh fruit, cheeses, cold meats, breads, patisserie, fresh juices etc. I selected my cereal and juice and returned to my table by which time my tea was brought to me.

All good so far!

But …. Firstly I notice that my cup has a crack in it. Not a good start, but it replaced without fuss, a fresh pot of tea delivered and an apology. I’d finished by cereal and nibbled on a slice of toast and noticed that things were getting a bit frantic in the kitchen. The Assistant Manager had taken off his jacket and assumed control in the kitchen giving the cook explicit directions and obviously concerned at the time the breakfast was taking to prepare. I signalled the waitress and enquired as to the problem – apparently it could be another 15 minutes before my breakfast was ready. That was not good news and I let her know that in a friendly way and she responded with a sympathetic smile and an assurance that she would expedite my order. True to her word she went straight to her manager and after a brief discussion I noted that my order was moved along the bar.

Within 5 minutes by freshly cooked breakfast was at my table. But….. The egg was cooked like a bullet and the sausages pale and anaemic looking. This was not what I’d call a well-cooked meal and so I sent it winging back to the kitchen and expected the Assistant Manager to come over to me. He didn’t so I headed for him. He was courteous (as was I) and explained that they always cook their sausages in that way but accepted that the egg was not acceptable. He offered to re-do my breakfast immediately and refund the cost of my breakfast. That was an offer I couldn’t refuse so I settled down to wait, for the second time, for breakfast to arrive.

This time the sausages were cooked just how I like them, the fried egg had been transformed into scrambled eggs and the mushrooms that I didn’t want were on the plate. Hey. Ho I’ll just get on with it. I ate the breakfast pushing the mushrooms aside and when the Assistant Manager returned to check out if everything was Ok I made a joke about the transformed meal. He looked mortified, apologised profusely and set off to arrange my refund.

At the end of the meal, other than the fact that I was later leaving the restaurant than I would have liked I reckon the front of house staff had done their best to put right the problem. The Assistant manager said that he hoped I would return and he could assure me that things will be better next time. "We will improve" he said with a high degree of certainty.

I’m not sure that I’ll ever know!

II wanted to check out the look of the Abode Hotel before I booked it on late rooms. I knew it was much nearer to the centre of town (in fact it’s only a step away from Picadilly Station) and on a balmy night I sauntered intro town to suss out this designer hotel. I knew it was yet another hotel that’s made use of an old cotton mill and it looked to be a great old building. Checking it out meant that I’d pop in to reception and get a feel for the place as well as, if I liked the ambiance, asking if they had availability for the following week.

It felt different to anywhere I’d stayed in whilst visiting Manchester and so I made enquiries of the receptionist who checked on availability. Yes there were rooms but at just short of £100 there was no way that I was going to book. I mentioned that I’d look at booking on "Late rooms" as I could get a better rate. The receptionist paused and then said she’d check if she could improve the rate. Within a few moments she’s reduced the room by £20 a night. Over both nights this was a better deal than "Late Rooms" so I confirmed that I wanted to proceed. However, I didn’t have my wallet with me to secure the booking, but the receptionist, helpful as ever, agreed to confirm the booking without this requirement and I was duly booked in. Let’s just hope that the room is waiting for me next week when I turn up!

There was no problem whatsoever when I checked in at 6 o’clock and I was cheerfully and efficiently booked into this chic boutique hotel. Although it’s very close to station I was surprised how quiet the bedroom was. This room was well kitted out with stylish modern furniture, sleek lighting and although it’s was what the hotel group call a comfortable room (there are 4 levels of room – 61 rooms in total - starting with comfortable and moving up to desirable then enviable and finally fabulous).

The stunning parquet flooring was covered with a central stylish rug and a single modern leather armchair gave a comfortable sitting area next to a small window. There was a great choice of teas (earl grey, "normal" wild berry, peppermint, chamomile) alongside hot chocolate and coffee and a modern flat screen TV and DVD player. A nice touch was the addition of a music CD for some easy listening and an electronic safe – real handy as I was here for a couple of night. The bathroom had one of those monsoon showers with some "luxury toiletries" including grapefruit soap.

This converted cotton mill has been well and tastefully modernised but it retains the period characteristics of this Victorian building. There are the original steel beam, ironwork columns, tiled stairwell and of course those polished parquet floors.

I was real comfortable in this roomy bedroom and after a bit of a problem linking up to the free wi-fi I was provided with a broadband connection. Soon I was able to hook up to the internet and working at the small but accessible table on catching up with my emails from earlier on in the day. Of course it also meant that I could record my ABode experiences on IGOUGO.

ABode is part of the Epoque hotel group but there are only ten other cities in the U.K served by the group, with the others being spread across the world. Indeed Manchester, a four star hotel, is the latestest addition of the UK chain, joining Nottingham, Brighton, Edinburgh, Canterbury, Exeter, Glasgow, Inverness, Liverpool and London.

I though breakfast was a bit pricy at £13.50 but the hotel is so close to the town centre that I just fancied the experience of eating out. I did enjoy the experience of the Abode hotel and at the reduced rate of £79 for the room I reckon it’s competitive with its neighbours.

I’ve walked past the Palace Hotel on a few occasions and it looked a bit smart. Having got a bit more au fait with booking procedures and last minute deals, I rang the hotel direct knowing that I could secure a room and breakfast at "LastMinute.com" for £89. My opening line to the receptionist was "what was the best deal that they could offer" for a single night’s stay. A slight pause and the he came back with the same rate. Being of the firm belief that booking direct is by far the best process and having checked out their cancellation policy I confirmed my agreement.

On the hotel’s web site it is described as "a historical grade II listed building dripping in history and character" and having recently undergone a £7 million refurbishment to bring the hotel's 257 bedrooms up to four-star standards I was expecting a decent stay. I’ve actually eaten in The Tempest Bar , the hotel’s restaurant, before and that was quite impressive.

The hotel has a dominant position on the corner of the busy Oxford Road and Whitworth Street and is only a stride away from Manchester’s China Town and perhaps a 15-minute walk to the City Centre or Piccadilly Station. It’s impossible to miss the Palace Hotel, as it’s arguably one of Manchester's most distinctive and iconic landmarks on the southern side of the city. It was designed by Alfred Waterhouse and as was often the case in Victorian England was completed by his son (family businesses were common place) between 1891 and 1910. The red bricks were specially commissioned to complement and match the terra cotta surface decorations and this tall three-storied building has long high windows, a quirky corner turreted gable entrance and a 220-foot tall "campanile" clock tower.

Underneath the tower is a covered entrance, the porte cochère, neatly completed with ornate wrought iron and bronze work. These are some of the finishing touches by Paul Waterhouse who designed and completed the second phase. Originally built for the The Refuge Assurance Company this Grade II Listed Building is affectionately referred to, by locals as "The Refuge"

Inside the grand entrance hall, with its huge stained glass dome, I was pleased to see that the hotel had retained the period features of the day and I’m now hoping that the rest of the place measures up to the grandeur that I’ve seen so far. Having painlessly checked in, one receptionist did extremely well to manage a building queue, I head for the lift in search of my bedroom for the night. This search for the room is an adventure in itself and despite directions I manage to get lost. My room number is 5116 and the receptionist assures me that it’s on the first floor and the 5 relates to the wing number and can be disregarded once I get out the right lift.

I ascend and confidently exit on the first floor and head for the signs to 5116 until the 5 prefix disappears. I remember what the receptionist said and disregard the "5" but the electronic fails to open the door. I try it several times until the door is opened from within. I’m outside the wrong door. I head off descend to the ground floor, walk across to another lift, exit on the first floor and finish outside the same room. I’m less than amused and start my quest again and finally end up on the "5" block and in my room. It’s a large pleasant room with more windows than "you can swing a cat at", but although happy with the room I’m less pleased when I open the bathroom. What a stench! I hesitate only briefly before ringing reception who promises to move me within the next 5 minutes. They are true to their word and a knock on the door heralds the arrival of a manager who escorts me to my new room on the fourth floor.

This room is much pleasanter, although and matching oak furniture – a coffee table wardrobe, chest of drawers and a desk. The centrally positioned bed is thankfully much firmer than the one is the previous room and I settle down to relax with a cup of tea and a clotted cream shortbread biscuit. There’s plenty of tea, coffee and drinking chocolate and the room turns out to be real comfortable.

Broadband is available at a rate of 50p a minute (quite expensive I thought) and the room facilities also include a hairdryer, fridge, and a trouser press. The bathroom, complete with sunken bath is well provisioned with shampoo and shower gel and this one is odour free!

As I walked on the corridors of the Palace Hotel there are plenty of period features and this small hotel chain (Principal Hayley) boasts that your stay will "not only be positive and memorable, it will be exceptional" Now I reckon that’s a bit of an over-statement, but the building is certainly a fascinating place and the rooms of good size with quality furnishings.

It’s worth a stay (if you can get a good deal) just for the experience of sleeping in this grand Victorian edifice. I had a great night’s sleep with no noises from in or out side of the hotel and I headed off to the restaurant for my breakfast feeling fully refreshed. Breakfast was self-service other than tea and toast that was delivered to the table. The buffet bar was full of everything that you’d expect to see. There were numerous fruit drinks, a range of cereals, fresh fruit, cheeses, cold meats, nice breads, and of course a full range making up the cooked breakfast including eggs, sausage, bacon, tomatoes, beans, black pudding, mushrooms. It was a great breakfast and I thoroughly enjoyed it taking the "full Monty" and following it up with a croissant or two and toast and marmalade. Unfortunately I had to draw the line at the muffins but the choice of these was magnificent and I only wished I’d spotted them earlier.

Just at the point that I was thinking perhaps I was a bit harsh about the hotel I visited the gent’s toilet. It reeked terribly and when asked by the receptionist if I’d enjoyed my stay I just had to tell her of my odour experiences. She was duly apologetic, but I can’t help feeling that this really is NOT what you expect from a four star hotel!

The Atrium was destined to be different experience and one which works out cheaper if you’re staying for more than one night. With two days to go before my trip I checked out laterooms.com and the price for this serviced apartment accommodation was real cheap. On the off chance of a better deal I rang the Atrium direct and surprisingly was offered a studio apartment for one night for £62. That sounded a bargain so I agreed the deal and confirmed my details with a very helpful receptionist. He happily gave me directions to the Atrium and sent me an email confirming the arrangements

Although I couldn’t place the building I knew exactly where it was situated and it was real convenient for the City Centre and China Town. If it was decent weather I’d be well placed to find a restaurant with outside seats and I looked forward to spending a pleasant night in Manchester City Centre.

There’s a hotel style reception and I was checked in with all the usual efficiency and given with a swipe card which would gain me access to the apartments and then my individual studio. After 10.00 the apartments are no longer supervised and my card would give me access to the main foyer.

My studio apartment was on the first floor and had a limited view across the wrought iron work of the atrium to the building towards Canal Street. Although I could not even catch a glimpse of the canal and indeed the small window gave limited natural light and made the apartment a little bit claustrophobic.

Entering the apartment from the corridor I was straight into the bedroom zone of the L-shaped room. A desk area near the narrow window gave a perfect work area and for a fee (£6 an hour, £12 a day or £28 a week) you could make an internet connection. A pleasant sitting area with a coffee table, a comfortable settee, a TV and DVD player was perfect for relaxing and this in turn led into a compact and well fitted out kitchen. I was pleasantly surprised that there was an ample supply of coffee and tea and in the fridge was half-a-dozen small milks.

A modern bathroom completed the picture and with decent soaps and shower gels. Not that it bothered me, but there wasn’t a hairdryer and I know that this will be a down side for many people. Certainly my wife would have been less than happy.

The room was equipped with an iron and there was a free safe available, although the previous occupants had not followed the instructions and had left the safe firmly locked. As I was only here for one night I didn’t bother to get this sorted with reception.

The Atrium doesn’t "do breakfast" and although I originally planned to eat out I decided that I’d prefer not to walk the streets looking for a suitable breakfast venue. The Breakfast Box was not brilliant but for £7 I got a reasonable ‘continental’ including cereal, yoghurt, fruit, croissant, jam, cheese, plenty of milk and tea and coffee. I put it in the fridge overnight and settled down to watch a bit of TV before retiring to the comfort of the Atrium’s firm double bed.

I was pleasantly surprised that the room was quite quiet and I real pleased that I had taken the option of the Breakfast Box that had been delivered to my room.

The Atrium gave me a comfortable base and although I wouldn’t rush back (I decided that I like the availability of a good hotel buffet breakfast) it would certainly give a visitor to Manchester a decent room in a central position in town. The walls had a variety of modern pictures hung on them and fresh modern furnishings gave it an upmarket feel.

If you can get a good rate then it might be worth a try.

Despite efforts to get a better rate by booking direct this hotel stubbornly stuck out at £12 more than the best rate I could get on "laterooms.com", so of course that’s how I was planning to book. Until, that is, I discovered that you could book direct onto the hotel’s website Arorahotels.com, and as this promised the "best available rate" I decided this would be my preferred route to securing a room. Some cautionary voice warned me to check out the alternatives and I was pleased I did as the hotel’s web site’s "guaranteed best available price" was a full £10 more than late rooms.

The "grumpy old man" quickly emerged and I was soon onto the hotel complaining about this injustice. The young man (well his voice sounded young) was clearly disinterested and after discussing the semantics he suggested that the problem was more mine than his and when asked what he would do to "right the wrong" he emphatically replied "nothing!" I sarcastically thanked him for his honesty and settled to pen an email to the website (I guess this semi-retiree has too much time on his hands).

I really didn’t, based on the attitude of the desk clerk, expect a response but was gratified to have a prompt reply from the "revenue co-ordinator" who happily offered me a rate at that offered by laterooms.com and when I later spoke with her she was most apologetic for the attitude of the receptionist. So I was now contented having saved my company a few pounds and made a significant point to the hotel group! Just confirms that it’s always worth pursuing the point. "Grumpy Old Men" rule!

Putting the booking experience behind me I was happy to give this understated quality hotel a test drive at a competitive rate. The hotel is nice and close to St Peter’s Square and China Town and only a stride or two away from Piccadilly Train station (well about a 10-minute walk). This old building has been tastefully updated and the lofty reception area has a fresh feel to it with modern down-lighters, bright red planters and a "space-age" lit reception bar. The greeting I received was professional and friendly and already I was pleased that I’d put my previous prejudices behind me.

My bed room was on the ground floor and the receptionist advised me that I had been up-graded. Certainly the room was extremely pleasant and so quiet that I could hardly believe that I was in the centre of the city. Two comfortable double beds held "centre stage" and a spacious sitting area with a stylish leather settee and matching chair offered a comfortable area to relax in.

As you’d expect there was a TV with the main terrestrial and a few cable channels and for a fee you could rent movies. A reasonable selection of tea and coffee were "hidden" from view in a cupboard and there was a fridge available for use by guests. The hotel did offer the service to stock it to your specifications but a note was more suggestive that it had been installed as a service for guests. There was an iron, hairdryer and free use of a digital safe.

I shouldn’t get excited about bathrooms but the one in my room was impressive with sleek modern lines, lavish "Grohe" fitments and soaps and gels that had the look of designer products about them.

I was able to get some office work done at a comfortable work- station and broadband was available if I’d have wanted it.

I was really pleased to have booked in to the Arora International and slept soundly in this room that was extremely well insulated for sound and enjoyed the comfort of the heating / air conditioning that could be set to my personal requirements. The modern and stylish bedroom instantly felt "familiar" and I was soon thinking that this is a hotel that I’d happily return to.

I’d booked breakfast as an extra and the restaurant, on the lower level, offered a pleasant and relaxed environment for the "first meal of the day". The lighting was colourful but calming and the restaurant well laid out with an extensive selection of foods on the "running buffet". Tea and coffee was served at the table but everything else was self-service. I asked for a couple of poached eggs and these were served quickly and were perfectly cooked and I selected bacon, sausage, hash browning, tomato and beans to accompany it.

There was no shortage of foods and the variety meant that together with my "English Breakfast" I enjoyed fruit juice cereal with some fresh fruit, bread with ham and cheese, toast and marmalade. But I failed to try the yoghurt, croissants and some of the many other preserves.

What a superb meal, in a great setting in a thoroughly relaxing and comfortable hotel. I’m sure that I’ll return