Staying one night on way back down to the South. Reception staff good and, on request, she showed us our room before we checked in as we'd chosen to go for something pricey (a Corner Suite) as a treat so wanted to see it first. This room type is very big, floorboards (which we will come on to later) and there are indeed views but of a rather interesting part of town (looks on to main street, a pawnbrokers, the local gay bar (which looked very nice!) and a derelict bit of land). The general rule that anything near a Station is a bit dodgy still holds true for me, I'm afraid. Having had a walk round the city, there are some really lovely bits East beyond the Royal Exchange, but it was much more different round the area of the hotel and I wouldn't have felt particularly safe out round the hotel of an evening, but that's maybe just because its not a city I know well.
Anyway, due to long day, had dinner in the hotel's tapas restaurant which was really good with great service. Hotel bar staff however are generally a bit rubbish (takes ages even for them to acknowledge you're there even though they aren't busy).
SO, back to the room, which was nicely done, nordic type style I guess but felt a little cold. However both me and my husband slept really badly. THere wasn't tons of noise but enough distractions to make it difficult to sleep - noise outside the door (hen party), you could clearly hear the guest in the room upstairs walking around on the wooden floor and taking a pee for example (!), which was pretty rubbish at that price, noise in street and low noise of function plus impossible to get the room to not be stuffy and hot!
Overall, if you are here on business I would definitely stay here as fresh, clean, near the station and with all the facilities you would want.
As a tourist, I would try somewhere else in a better part of town.










