Abode Manchester

Well placed for Piccadilly train station. Reception staff were friendly and the once grand building has more charm than a new hotel. On the minus side: a major issue was that the lift wasn’t working the whole weekend. We had to schlep our luggage up to the third floor. As we set off from reception we were casually asked whether we wanted help but there wasn’t anyone extra at the desk to do the job. The men’s loos in the restaurant were also out of service. The room was tired looking. Leather seats were dry and stained, the blinds were broken so constantly down and couldn’t be opened. The windows are secondary glazing and the originals were broken and rotting. The bed frame was worryingly wobbly. There was no lamp in the nook with the desk in so you would need to put the overhead light on at the other side of the room. Service and facilities: the complimentary conditioner was empty and there were two complimentary tea bags per day for the room, one each. Breakfast is limited and probably cheaper to buy in the restaurant than add it to the room. You’re permitted only one hot drink and one choice from the menu. After that you pay extra. When I asked for a basket of bread and pastries for the table of 3 we got some toast and one croissant to share. We had to ask for butter and sauces with the breakfast and they were wordlessly dropped on the table. I would recommend staying at a cheaper chain than here.

I had wanted to try this hotel for quite a while and was happy I did. It is conveniently situated for Manchester city centre and although there had been a stabbing in Piccadilly Gardens a day or so prior, the hotel felt safe and was extremely comfortable. Shout out to the wonderful Asad on reception, together with Omar who was also helpful. I am grateful too to the General Manager Louise who dealt efficiently with my booking. The customer service here is excellent. Breakfast was good, but do book it either when making the booking or on check in to secure the offered rate. Breakfast staff were also quick and efficient. Without a doubt I will return. Well recommended

The exterior and interior of the hotel are gorgeous, lots of original features, parquet flooring, stained glass and industrial features, it’s very cool to look at. The room we had on the third floor was large, bed comfortable, nice bathroom and well decorated. The negatives were the heat and the service at breakfast. The hotel room has an aircon unit mounted but it wasn’t operational. One window nailed shut and the other opened about an inch. We asked for a fan and were given a small aircon unit to plug in but it didn’t do much given the size of the room. It was a hot stay, leading to a disrupted sleep. Breakfast is à la carte rather than a buffet and the menu choices are great. However, the staff were not responsive, and on both days there, we didn’t receive everything that we ordered. Staff didn’t check in on us and seemed hassled, as if they couldn’t wait to get away. It was never explained what was included in our (prepaid) breakfast so we weren’t aware of what we could order either. The food quality was alright, croissant very doughy and not fully baked, avacado clearly straight out the fridge. I understand cost of living price increases prevents buffet breakfasts but they’d be better to employ half the staff and offer a buffet, given the level of service provided - it was really poor. Overall a gorgeous and really well situated hotel with responsive reception staff, but poor breakfast and baking hot inside.