Before travelling to Manchester for the first time, I knew that the city prides itself for the two football clubs and the universities. Little I knew that Manchester is becoming one of the leading sustainable meeting destinations in Europe. So over Easter I decided to head up north and discover more about it.
I have a lot to share with you from this short but busy trip, so I will do it over two posts, firstly telling you about my fantastic stay at the Renaissance Manchester City Centre Hotel and secondly presenting you some of the sustainable venues.
What makes Manchester so attractive for business, among others, is its location- it’s very central, just between London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and Newcastle. During my stay I had the pleasure to stay at the Renaissance Manchester City Centre Hotel which is part of the Marriott group. The hotel is conveniently located in the city centre, about 15 min walk from the Manchester Piccadilly train station where I arrived from London, and within a short walking distance from the shopping district, bars and restaurants. The property has 203 bedrooms and 11 meeting rooms, the largest of which caters for over 350 delegates.
After checking-in I headed to my first meeting at the Manchester Metropolitan University also just walking distance from the hotel and enjoyed seeing more from city’s architecture.
My second meeting was back at the Renaissance. It has excellent meeting and conference facilities and regularly hosts events for associations, media and press conferences, Christmas parties and other corporate and private events.
On the day there were no events (Just before Good Friday), so I had the chance to see most of the conference facilities.
Bernini Suite
Medici Ballroom (which can be also split into two rooms)
Michelangelo Suite 2
Galileo Suite
Da Vinci Lounge
All the rooms are multifunctional and can be set up in theatre style, boardroom, U-shape, classroom, cabaret style, buffet reception, dinner and dance floor. You can find the detailed floor plan capacity here.
Back in the room, it was time to relax a bit before going for dinner. My room on the 10th floor had a very nice view over Manchester. Last year the hotel has undergone a £2.5 million bedroom and lobby refurbishment and my room was one of the fully renovated rooms. I liked the fact that the iron and ironing board were in the room. It is so convenient! Once I had a very frustrating experience staying in a (4*) business hotel where I had to pick it up from the reception.
When I travel I like to leave space for spontaneity, and therefore I asked the hotel concierge for some recommendations for dinner. He recommended me a place called the Dough Pizza Kitchen, saying it’s the best Pizza place in town. I did a reservation there and wasn’t disappointed. The pizza was very delicious and the service very friendly (what made us to return there on the second night as well). For after dinner drinks and entertainment he recommended us a Jazz bar called Matt & Phreds, where live music is played every night. The waiter at Dough noticed that we weren’t locals, so he also recommended us the same bar, which is actually just few minutes’ walk from the restaurant. So we went there and enjoyed live Jazz music and good atmosphere. That was a perfect way to finish a long and busy day.
The breakfast at the hotel on the second day was very good. It included a variety of cereals, cheese, English breakfast and hot and cold beverages but you can also ask for additional hot dishes such as porridge or omelette from the Chef.
I had a perfect stay in Manchester, combining business meetings and leisure. After all “you spend your life working. You should discover the world as you go”. Renaissance team really helped to make this trip pleasant and memorable and I hope to visit again.
Disclaimer: Marketing Manchester, the agency charged with promoting the City on a national and international stage assisted me with organising the trip. A big thank you to the Renaissance Manchester City Centre Hotel for hosting me during my trip and for the impeccable hospitality. All opinions expressed above are mine. For prices, packages and availability please contact the hotel directly.
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