raikje
Nov 15, 10, 1:23 pm
Location
In the new MediacityUK development, in a mixed hotel/office block - reception, bar and restaurant are on the ground and mezzanine levels, rooms are on floors 8-16. Building work still ongoing around the site, but mainly interior work so no noise issues.
Not a huge amount around, as the development is mainly the BBC buildings, flats and offices, though the Lowry Outlet Mall nearby has a few restaurants. I'd say a more convenient location than the Manchester West and East properties, but not as generally useful as the new Oxford Road HIX. Obviously handy if you need to be around that area though!
Rooms
Rooms are nice looking, fairly well laid out (though the bathroom light switch is in an odd place). I like the desk that faces back into the room, rather than stuffed against a wall. Beds are a bit hard for my liking. Full length windows, good for watching the rain batter off the glass :)
Okay water pressure in the shower, a few teething problems with things like taps difficult to turn off. Toiletries on the wall are Gilchrist and Soames brand.
Free wifi throughout the hotel, offering 2Mb/s synchronous. Fast and reliable. The TV system offers PVR functionality, so you can set programmes up to record and watch later. Full spread of Freeview channels available. Minibar in all the rooms.
No explicit Plat welcome, but I have received some form of upgrade on 2 out of 3 stays so far. First to a corner room (xx31), which is bigger but suffered from banging pipes all night. Other upgrade was to an Exec room. Exec rooms are on the 16th floor, same layout as the standards but with:
- 2 small bottles of water, 2x two-finger Kit Kats (both replenished daily)
- robe + slippers
- a tray with "loose" toiletries (rather than bolted to the wall)
- a rainfall-type shower head
Gym on the 8th floor apparantly, haven't used. Lifts could be a bit faster given the height of the building, but I think they're sorting out the programming a bit - waits appear to have come down.
Food
Breakfast is standard HI fare, but fairly well executed. If the hotel is quiet, cooked items available to order, otherwise it's a buffet. Dinner in the restaurant is a bit expensive for my expense budget, but aiming fairly high (sea bass with chorizo and crispy squid, that type of thing). Cheaper options available in the bar downstairs, which appears to match the room service menu. Slightly dubious option of the "MediacityUK" sandwich (Beef, Bacon, Ciabatta, Pickle, Egg, Emmental, Lettuce - the BBC are the main tenant on the site, and the development has been built by Peel. I think they came up with the name, then found ingredients to fit)
Transport
Parking £5/night in the adjacent multi-storey, or the tram. Unfortunately the MediacityUK tram stop has been closed for a few weeks because of signalling problems, so you need to walk to Broadway (<10 minutes). Even if it reopens, currently trams only stop at MediacityUK until about 7pm.
Photos
http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab241/raikje/HI-mcuk1.jpg
One of the larger corner rooms
http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab241/raikje/HI-mcuk2.jpg
Different angle on above
http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab241/raikje/HI-mcuk3.jpg
Bathroom in standard room
http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab241/raikje/HI-mcuk4.jpg
The normal size room - as above, just squashed in
http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab241/raikje/HI-mcuk5.jpg
View towards the city
Generally, a good modern HI, especially if you need to be in the area. Still dealing with a few teething problems, but generally staff very helpful and enthusiastic.
In the new MediacityUK development, in a mixed hotel/office block - reception, bar and restaurant are on the ground and mezzanine levels, rooms are on floors 8-16. Building work still ongoing around the site, but mainly interior work so no noise issues.
Not a huge amount around, as the development is mainly the BBC buildings, flats and offices, though the Lowry Outlet Mall nearby has a few restaurants. I'd say a more convenient location than the Manchester West and East properties, but not as generally useful as the new Oxford Road HIX. Obviously handy if you need to be around that area though!
Rooms
Rooms are nice looking, fairly well laid out (though the bathroom light switch is in an odd place). I like the desk that faces back into the room, rather than stuffed against a wall. Beds are a bit hard for my liking. Full length windows, good for watching the rain batter off the glass :)
Okay water pressure in the shower, a few teething problems with things like taps difficult to turn off. Toiletries on the wall are Gilchrist and Soames brand.
Free wifi throughout the hotel, offering 2Mb/s synchronous. Fast and reliable. The TV system offers PVR functionality, so you can set programmes up to record and watch later. Full spread of Freeview channels available. Minibar in all the rooms.
No explicit Plat welcome, but I have received some form of upgrade on 2 out of 3 stays so far. First to a corner room (xx31), which is bigger but suffered from banging pipes all night. Other upgrade was to an Exec room. Exec rooms are on the 16th floor, same layout as the standards but with:
- 2 small bottles of water, 2x two-finger Kit Kats (both replenished daily)
- robe + slippers
- a tray with "loose" toiletries (rather than bolted to the wall)
- a rainfall-type shower head
Gym on the 8th floor apparantly, haven't used. Lifts could be a bit faster given the height of the building, but I think they're sorting out the programming a bit - waits appear to have come down.
Food
Breakfast is standard HI fare, but fairly well executed. If the hotel is quiet, cooked items available to order, otherwise it's a buffet. Dinner in the restaurant is a bit expensive for my expense budget, but aiming fairly high (sea bass with chorizo and crispy squid, that type of thing). Cheaper options available in the bar downstairs, which appears to match the room service menu. Slightly dubious option of the "MediacityUK" sandwich (Beef, Bacon, Ciabatta, Pickle, Egg, Emmental, Lettuce - the BBC are the main tenant on the site, and the development has been built by Peel. I think they came up with the name, then found ingredients to fit)
Transport
Parking £5/night in the adjacent multi-storey, or the tram. Unfortunately the MediacityUK tram stop has been closed for a few weeks because of signalling problems, so you need to walk to Broadway (<10 minutes). Even if it reopens, currently trams only stop at MediacityUK until about 7pm.
Photos
http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab241/raikje/HI-mcuk1.jpg
One of the larger corner rooms
http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab241/raikje/HI-mcuk2.jpg
Different angle on above
http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab241/raikje/HI-mcuk3.jpg
Bathroom in standard room
http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab241/raikje/HI-mcuk4.jpg
The normal size room - as above, just squashed in
http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab241/raikje/HI-mcuk5.jpg
View towards the city
Generally, a good modern HI, especially if you need to be in the area. Still dealing with a few teething problems, but generally staff very helpful and enthusiastic.