WHEN looking for somewhere to stay on a weekend break there are lots of options.
While a hotel is a popular choice, staying in a self-catering holiday rental has its attraction, particularly as it will often give you more space to enjoy.
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But if, like me, you like the benefits of a hotel but with the space of an apartment, then you’ll be pleased to hear I found the perfect solution on a recent visit to Manchester – the superb CitySuites II Aparthotel, the perfect home-from-home.
Just a 15 minutes’ walk from Manchester’s Victoria or Piccadilly stations, opposite the Cathedral and two minutes walk from Manchester Arena, the aparthotel is ideal for exploring the city.
From shopping at the Arndale Centre to visiting the National Football Museum, just about everything you’ll want to see and do is within walking distance.
There’s also a free city bus, which connects to the tram and bus network, for those places a little further away.
As amazing as the apartments are at the CitySuites II Aparthotel it’s the wonderful reception staff who are the stars of the show. They are a font of knowledge and delighted to help in any way they can.
One top tip of theirs I would recommend you follow was to book a table for breakfast, as the restaurant gets very busy at peak times. There is a QR code at reception to allow you to access the booking system and it is very easy to do.
We were staying in one of their Two Bedroom Premium Apartments, perfect for a small family or two couples sharing.
Beautifully decorated in tasteful colours, it had the feel of an up-market loft. The master bedroom has its own en-suite with a walk-in shower featuring a rainforest overhead fitting.
The robes, slippers and complementary ‘Noir’ shower gel and shampoo from The White Company add to the luxury feel, as do the super-fluffy towels, warmed to perfection by the heated towel rail.
It boasted a fabulous Zanussi fitted kitchen and the living area had two large, and very comfortable, sofas, finished in a beautiful grey herringbone tweed with Sky TV and ultrafast broadband to boot.
The bedrooms too were super comfortable with ample storage and the master gets its own widescreen TV, with air conditioning throughout, ensuring the apartment is at a perfect temperature, day and night.
For dinner we headed to the Embankment Kitchen where chef Josh Singleton’s menu offers a wide range of well chosen dishes, using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.
From light-bites to sharing platters, there really is something for every appetite. We went for the Feast Seafood Sharing Platter which was absolutely as beautiful looking as it tasted – delicious.
As first meals of a weekend trip go, it was perfect, with top-class service, all in a beautiful setting.
Breakfast the next day set us up for a day of sightseeing. After a tour of the city centre and a visit to The Lowry at gallery, we were back at city Suites II for a well-earned rest.
Pounding the pavements is hard work and we rewarded ourselves with a swim in the pool, a splash in the jacuzzi spa and final treat in the steam room.
Towels are provided and there are showers and changing rooms there too. There is also a well-equipped gym if you fancy a quick work-out but sight-seeing was exercise enough for us!
GO: MANCHESTER
A STUDIO room with breakfast for two at City Suites II Aparthotel in Manchester starts from £130 per night.
Meanwhile, a Premium Two Bedroom apartment starts from £248 per night.
See citysuites.com.
A leisurely Sunday morning followed, after another gut-busting brekkie saw us relaxing on the sofas for longer than we’d planned.
But we did find time for some last-minute sightseeing before collecting our bags from the aparthotel and heading for the station to return home.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
We both agreed we’d had the best two nights in Manchester and that was down, in no small part, to our stay in the CitySuites II Aparthotel.
If you are planning to visit Manchester and are looking for your home away from home, look no further.
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