Enjoy a Lovely Luxury Manchester City Break on a Budget with Groupon #Review

Enjoy a Lovely Luxury Manchester City break on a Budget with Groupon #Gifted

After working hard, we all want to get the best out of our well-earned pennies, this is where Groupon gives us the opportunity to enjoy a luxury five star champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget.

The generous Groupon discounts offered are exceptional value, literally jaw dropping, and enable you to live it up and enjoy life to the full, now let me show you exactly why Groupon got you gorgeous peeps covered!

4* Luxury Manchester: King Room for Two and Optional Full English Breakfast at The Midland Hotel

You know that it’s a fabulously fancy pants hotel when there is a Rolls Royce at the entrance! Just gives you the perfect excuse to get dolled up, such fun!

Gorgeous Groupon have scored us all an incredible deal with this Manchester stay located within the impressive four-star Midland Hotel which includes a stay in a King room for two with the option to add a full English breakfast.

Due to the historic prominence of the building each room is unique and has it’s own character and charm. Throughout the hotel décor is a refined neutral colour palette, feature air conditioning devices, large TVs, sitting areas and tea and coffee making facilities.

The beautiful breakfast options are amazing and I would highly recommend paying the extra to enjoy such an extensive breakfast.

Guests can also sit back and relax by making use of the onsite spa facilities* which include a full thermal suites, swan neck fountain, pool and jacuzzi.  

Now, your based in Manchester city centre right in the heart of the action why not head out on the town and again Groupon have you all sorted.

Two Course Meal with Bottles of Wine at Mamucium

Groupon greatness continues when you can enjoy their two course meal with a bottle of wine, with the option to add on extra wine, at Manchester’s Mamucium restaurant.

Unwind in style, sit back and enjoy the finest contemporary British cooking featuring seasonal ingredients and showcasing the best flavours.

The brilliant Beef & Ale pie with mash, greens and lashings of gorgeous gravy and the Fish & Chips with all the trimmings are top pick dishes that is for sure.

Delicious desserts included the pretty in pink cheesecake and the classic scrummy sticky toffee pudding. and all washed down with a bottle of wonderful wine what’s not to like.

Afternoon Tea with Prosecco for Two or Four at The Lowry Hotel

Now, just when you though things could not get any better Groupon have scored a hat trick with this third offering; An Afternoon Tea with Prosecco, with an option for two or four persons, at the lovely Lowry hotel.

The Lowry hotel is an opulent five-star Manchester property located on the tranquil River Irwell providing a superb scenic spot for you to enjoy some scrummy sweetness.

The expansive restaurant adorned with captivating artwork and floods of natural light created a relaxed ambience for the Groupon afternoon offering which included delicious delicate sandwiches, wraps, and a super selection of sweet pastries, accompanied by teas and of course a glass of prosecco.

Want to make your luxury leisure time go off with a champagne pop but without breaking the bank? Well Groupon vouchers are the way to go so what are you waiting for go and #GetyourGrouponon

Thank you for reading 😊

Melanie xx

*Advanced booking is required and use of the facilities are all subject to availability.  

A Suite City Escape at the Manchester Marriott Victoria and Albert Hotel #Review

A Suite City Escape at the Manchester Marriott Victoria and Albert Hotel #Gifted

The Manchester Marriott Victoria and Albert hotel located in an enviable postcode right by the beautiful Manchester city centre canal network is an ideal home away from home for both business and leisure.

The stunning Grade II property has a mix of a neutral and warm colour palate with many of the original wood beams and metal columns still in place.

A warm welcome is always provided from the moment you walk in the building and you just know that everyone of the team will make your stay memorable for all the right reasons.

The hotel offers a range of accommodations including their divine Duplex Suites which are the perfect way to enjoy a super Suite Manchester city escape in style.

The duplex suites are on two floors, starting with a downstairs bathroom including bath, overhead shower, toilet, bason and complimentary toiletries to use throughout your stay. 

Leading onto a lovely lounge area, with a complimentary tea tray and bottled water, that is spacious and packed out with original wood detailing.  The sympathetic renovation marries a mix of contemporary and traditional extremely well.

Now, when it comes to celebrations of any kind this hotel has got you covered.  They can arrange all sorts of extra goodies, surprise moments, such as this beautiful birthday package with banner, balloons, bubbles, birthday brownie platter and a cute card, so I would highly recommend checking out their perfect packages as they have something celebratory for all budgets.

As previously mentioned, this superb duplex suite has another level and the suite is next level for sure. Head upstairs where there is a second bathroom, snug bedroom with robes, slippers, a vanity area, and a huge balcony with sweeping city views. 

Room service breakfast anyone…yes please! Make things easy like a Sunday morning and enjoy some of the Marriott Manchester’s Suite Signature service.

Head downstairs and there you have it a beautiful breakfast lounge setup just for you and your guests, I could not think of a better way to spend a morning.

Room service was impressive with a variety of items such as the full English, omelette, pretty porridge bowls, pastries, tea and coffee, just perfection!  

Fuelled and ready to go Manchester city centre has so much to see and do so you will be spoilt for choice. After a busy day of exploring The Manchester Marriott’s Victoria and Albert Hotel has the best place to relax, The Chop & Plant restaurant.

The onsite Chop & Plant restaurant offers a cool eclectic space for you and your guests to wine, dine and generally chill out, kick back and relax.

The restaurant and bar has something to suite every palate and was well worth a visit.  They have small plates, main meals, desserts and an extensive range of drink offerings. Please do try out a few of their cocktails, the excellent Expresso Martini and mega Margarita, mixed to perfection and tasted delicious!

Summer Fun in the City with Accor: Ibis Manchester Centre 96 Portland Street Hotel #Review

Summer Fun in the City with Accor: Ibis Manchester Centre 96 Portland Street Hotel: #Gifted

The Ibis Manchester Centre 96 Portland Street Hotel is perfectly located right in the heart of Manchester City centre.  The hotel has a cool chic lounger and bar area perfect to enjoy a coffee or cocktail and people watch.

Warmly welcomed, by the lovely Ibis team as per usual, we headed up to our room. The bedrooms are cosy and snug; the double bed provided an excellent night’s sleep.

There is a spacious wardrobe, a desk area with a plug port so you can ensure all your gadgets are on full charger before exploring all that Manchester has to offer.

The Bathroom hub has all you need including a shower unit with complimentary toiletries to use during your stay. There is also a fully stocked tea and coffee tray ideal for a cuppa while you plan your city adventures.

Once you are all settled in it’s time to head out and explore all that Manchester city centre has to offer. There are art galleries, museum’s, plenty of activities and shopping are just a few of my suggestions.

After building up an appetite why not head over to The Exchange Food and Drink Lounge, located in the Ibis’s sister Hotel Novotel Manchester Centre, as it is the perfect place for couples, family, and friends to enjoy good food and good times.

What is really lovely about The Exchange Food & Drink Lounge, within the Novotel Manchester City centre, is how superb the whole team are, from the chef to the servers, and for me this makes you feel instantly at home.

Décor is contemporary, cosy and chilled providing guests home away from home vibes, now onto the all important food and drinks.

The Exchange lounge food and drinks menu is extensive, there is something for everyone, it is next level. The all new starter boards are amazing and the perfect way to share a few nibbles while waiting for your mains. The choice of cheeses, fresh vegetables & fruits, olives, humous, dips, meats and breads are superb.

Mouth-watering mains include the fabulous Fish & Chips with mushy peas and all the trimmings along with the Prawn Linguini you have two winning dishes.

Now, if you fancy some sweet stuff why not go for a pre-dinner cocktail and if you have left some room, I would highly recommend sampling the delicious desserts including the Bakewell tart with fresh berries and custard and also the luscious rice pudding with pear and chocolate sauce, this was a real winner! All washed down with a liquor coffee.

The best part is that your snug Ibis room is literally a hop skip and a jump away so you can take it easy, sit back and relax.

Divine Drinks in the Sky #Review

Divine Drinks in the Sky #Gifted

Spring is here and with the Summer Season looming, hence sharing my favourite sky and rooftop bars which I am sure you will love just as much as I do.

So, in no particular order, here are my recommendations, enjoy your divine drinks in the sky you lovely people…

Sky Lounge – Leeds

Located in Yorkshires bustling Leeds city centre, the Sky Lounge in Leeds is well worth a visit.

City views, cocktails, champagne, spirits, fabulous food and drinks with a positive vibe and atmosphere all you need to get the party started.

Cloud 23 – Manchester

Hidden on level 23 right at the top of the Hilton Hotel’s Beetham Tower, Cloud 23 is about enjoying city life in the clouds.

Offering a high octane energy, an extensive drinks list and with breaktaking Manchester city views you will definitely be flying high.

SIX Brasserie Rooftop Bar & Restaurant – Cambridge

The SIX Brasserie Rooftop Bar & Restaurant at the Varsity Hotel, located in the stunning and beautifully iconic Cambridge, provides views and plenty of yummy food and beverages.

This chic and classy, rooftop terrace bar is the perfect place to sip on your bubbly champagne while soaking up all that Cambridge life has to offer.

20 Stories Restaurant & Bar – Manchester

Manchester city centre, is the location of the 20 Stories a Manchester city centre rooftop restaurant and bar with enviable city views.

The outside space has been designed with you in mind, with intimate spaces, private areas and more communal areas if you want to get your mingle on.

Chinese New Year Celebrations at the Novotel Manchester Centre Hotel #Review

Chinese New Year Celebrations at the Novotel Manchester Centre Hotel #Gifted

The 4-star Novotel Manchester Centre is located, within the heart of Manchester city centre, near to all the main transport hubs such as Manchester Piccadilly & Oxford Road train stations is perfect for business or leisure.

Just a hop skip and a jump away from Manchester’s China town The Novotel Manchester Centre is perfectly located to take advantage of the Chinese New Year Celebrations. The 2023 Chinese New Year Celebration marks the year of the rabbit and makes for an exciting time to be in the city for sure.

Every time without fail, we have always been greeted with a warm welcome and this time was no exception.  As always, knowledgeable team members on check in and were checked in and had all the key information explained in no time.

Our room provided us with a huge Queen bed, 55-inch LCD TV, sofa area, work/vanity desk, providing a modern and contemporary space to relax and unwind. As you can see, the wall artwork of Manchester city is absolutely amazing!

The bathroom has all you require including rainfall power shower and complimentary upgraded toiletries.  There is also a separate toilet area, a spacious sink area with fully illuminated mirror and plenty of mirrors to beautify yourself.

Importantly, there are fluffy robes and slippers for use during your stay, a complimentary tea tray, Nespresso coffee machine, hair dryer, iron and a safe.  We also had use of the hotels complimentary Wi-Fi while onsite so we could still keep connected while we enjoyed some chill time.

Now you are all settled in, I would recommend heading down to the hotels onsite Exchange Bar & Restaurant as they serve some fabulous food and it’s the perfect place to enjoy a few drinks, because the place has an amazing atmosphere with just good vibes.

Starters It is always nice to enjoy a glass of bubbles and/or rose along with some scrummy starters including a perfectly presented salad, pad thai and some poutine.

We opted for casual bites, so our marvellous mains included burger & fries, Fish & chips with a good pint of beer to wash it down with.

Enjoy the Dining with Distinction Christmas Lunch on the East Lancashire Railway #Review

Enjoy the Dining with Distinction Christmas Lunch on the East Lancashire Railway #Gifted

The East Lancashire Railway is a volunteer organisation, run through passion, determination and sheer grit keeping part of Britain’s railway heritage alive and steaming!

At the Bolton Street Station stop at Bury you can immerse yourself in the traditional age of steam and learn all about our historical industrial heritage.

Now, one noticeable point, from the moment you arrive everyone is welcomed with plenty of smiles and open arms, it literally makes your heart melt.

Whistle blown, so all aboard, one of the beautifully restored Pullman carriages, for the experience of a lifetime, a fabulous festive Feast on one of the East Lancashire Railways Steam hauled trains.

The East Lancashire Railway Dining with Distinction service team know how to pull out the stops with all the bells and whistles. Expect only the very best with crisp white lining, luxurious furnishings.

The Christmas Lunch is just under a 3 hour steam hauled journey through the picturesque Irwell Valley. Included is a sparking glass of fizz on arrival and a super scrummy 3 course meal with mince pies along with tea or coffee.

Furthermore, if you would like to organise any additional extras, to add onto your package, to make your journey even more spectacular, such as flowers, a bottle of wine, champagne etc the team are more than happy to help.

The glass of welcome fizz makes for the best start and the winter warm vegetable soup, with bread roll and butter was wolfed down…delicious!

Cosy and snug in your First Class Pullman carriage, enjoy a hearty roast lunch with options such as Turkey and the lush Brie and cranberry parcel with all the trimmings and lashings of gravy.

Indulge in your Football Fantasy at the Manchester Marriott Victoria and Albert Hotel #Review

Indulge in your Football Fantasy at the Manchester Marriott Victoria and Albert Hotel #Gifted

The Manchester Marriott Victoria and Albert is the perfect place to enjoy a business or leisure stay right in the heart of the city centre, with onsite facilities including a restaurant, bar and riverside terraces, so you are spoilt for choice.

Immediately on arrival not only do you notice the stunning Grade II property details and structure with many of the original wood beams and metal columns still in place which makes the place feel like a home away from home feel, but the staff warmly welcome you with open arms which is always welcomed.

Now, I mentioned about Indulging in your Football Fantasy at the Manchester Marriott Victoria and Albert, well excitingly the hotel now has a range of Manchester United Suites, including the marvellous Manchester United Trebble Suite.

This suite is all about the details and after a long travel it was nice to see a full complimentary tea tray with tea, coffee, bottled water and some biscuits too, so it was time to unpack, sit back and enjoy this super suite.

The football theme is standout, but not vulgar, and has been completed to create a classy theming including the cool wardrobe area, with bench, made to be a mock-up of a player’s fitting room, and with signed team shirts encased within glass style display cabinets, you know that you’re on the winning team staying in this suite.

The Bedroom is separately divided from the lovely lounge, that has a writing desk area, with a flatscreen television on both sides of the room, so ideal if you have children, as different programmes can be viewed.

Football design details are everywhere including the football pitch rug, subito picture, team cushions on the sofa and a display cabinet all of things football memorabilia related.  The ideal place to sit back, relax and enjoy a night or two away from home.

Slide the wood panelled door to reveal a beautiful bathroom, with complimentary toiletries and an illuminated mirror, again it has that players shower vibe and it the perfect place to refresh after a busy day exploring all that Manchester has to offer.

Now if all this was not enough, the lovely team decided to provide birthday beautifulness for my milestone 40^th and gave us a winning welcome with a cute cake plate, personalised card and a bottle of fabulous fizz to ensure a celebration full of sparkles and bubbles.

The onsite Chop & Plant restaurant has something to suit every palate and I can assure you is well worth a visit.

An Amazing Anniversary Hotel Stay at Novotel Manchester Centre #Review

An Amazing Anniversary Hotel Stay at Novotel Manchester Centre #Gifted

The 4-star Novotel Manchester Centre is located, within the heart of Manchester city centre, near to all the main transport hubs such as Manchester Piccadilly & Oxford Road train stations is perfect for business or leisure.

Make your way through the revolving doors, into the bright airy reception area, and prepare to check in for a sensational stay.

Warmly welcomed by the reception team, who checked us straight in and provided lots of useful information about the hotel, including the use of their complimentary Wi-Fi while onsite, and instantly made us feel at home.

The Executive Rooms provide guests with a huge Queen bed, 55-inch LCD TV, sofa area, work/vanity desk, providing a modern and contemporary space to relax and unwind. 

Shower room was wonderful, with complimentary upgraded toiletries, and a refreshing rain shower with a unit that has a silent privacy screen, if you want to see into the bedroom while showering. There is also a separate toilet area, a spacious sink area with fully illuminated mirror and plenty of mirrors to beautify yourself.

For our Anniversary, the team’s attention to detail went above and beyond, creating a fabulous floral rose petal display for us as well as including some lovely extras such as complimentary peanuts, crisps, bottled water and two bottles of wine – all of which were really appreciated.

As standard, within the Executive rooms there are fluffy robes and slippers for use during your stay, a complimentary tea tray, Nespresso coffee machine, hair dryer, iron and a safe.

Now as if that is not enough to make sure that you have a memorable stay, why not head down to the onsite Exchange Bar & Restaurant for a few glasses of wine, some yummy food and the perfect place to sit, chat and enjoy the good vibes.

Dan, Gaskey and all the food & beverage are a dream team, real diamonds that make sure they always go the extra mile, so guests leave happy.

The Exchange Bar & Restaurant has an extensive drinks offering including plenty of gins, spirits, beers, lagers, Ipas, wines and of course cocktails.

Enjoy a ‘Suite’ Life at the INNSIDE by Meliá Manchester Hotel #Review

Enjoy a ‘Suite’ Life at the INNSIDE by Meliá Manchester Hotel #Gifted

INNSIDE by Meliá Manchester located in the vibrant First Street Development is the perfect place to explore all that Manchester has to offer. A standout architectural hotel, that provides an even bigger and warmer welcome.

On arrival you will notice the effort and energy the hotel goes to, as the attention to detail is second to none, the blooming marvellous floral displays, that are due to the hotels collaboration with CitiBlooms, are breath-taking giving out amazing autumn vibes.

All the way up to the tenth floor, you know that you have hit the big time when you step into the Townhouse Suite, a huge 51 m2 open plan studio suite with a jaw dropping city skyline view.

The lovely spacious open plan layout gives guests a massive area to work, play and stay. Ideal for couples, family or that important worktrip.

The Welcome to Manchester display, that the hotel had personalised onto our bathroom vanity mirror area, was wonderfully thoughtful.

The bathroom space perfect for a pamper has a walk-through layout with bathtub, rain shower, two wash basins and complimentary INNSIDE Lande Eco-friendly toiletries to use throughout your stay.

The room benefits from Wi-Fi, flatscreen TV, working desk space, air conditioning, tea and coffee making facilities and a mini fridge which had a lovely extra touch of a mini prosecco and a pale ale – yippee!

There has been an exciting development and now the hotel is proud to present the First Street Bar & Kitchen with Gino D’Acampo.

A beautifully presented space, that feels chilled out and even better news is that the drinks are divine and the fabulous food is spot on.

Staying at the hotel has its perks, from no time at all you can whisk yourselves from your suite to the restaurant, and be sipping a glass on fizz in no time at all.

Super starters included the Caprese Classic tomato, garlic & fresh basil salad with buffalo mozzarella and the amazing Arancini crispy rice croquettes stuffed with creamy taleggio cheese & peas served with a tangy sauce all washed down with Champagne and Italian Prosecco Rose.

Mouth-watering mains included the lush Lobster tagliatelle and the deliciously cheesy ravioli pasta with truffle, a real winner.

Plenty of options for desserts, but the moment we saw the chocolate fondant, we knew it was one each, no sharing this time and it was a good job, as we cleared these off the plate in no time.

The range of drinks on offer is impressive, the cocktails are crafted to perfection, and we even finished with a traditional Italian Limoncello – Saluti!

Morning marvelousness is pretty chilled in the Townhouse Suite, as there is a yoga mat for some suite stretching to refocus mind, body and soul.  There is even an onsite wellness suite with Finnish Sauna, aromatic steam room, gym and relaxation area, if you need a bit of zen.

Also, there are the super snug gowns and funky feet slippers to get snug, enjoy the view, as you browse the Manchester book of where to play out while in the big city.  

Room service breakfast is brilliant easy and plenty of hot and continental offerings. The full English breakfast, pastries, fruit and beautiful muffins all went down a treat.

The INNSIDE by Meliá Manchester Hotel has all you need to make your  Manchester stay memorable.

Thank you for reading 😊

Melanie xx

Manchester Marriot Victoria and Albert; The Manchester United Treble Suite #Review

Manchester Marriot Victoria and Albert; The Manchester United Treble Suite #Gifted

The Manchester Marriot Victoria and Albert is a striking Grade II building, located in the vibrant and happening Spinningfields District, right in the heart of Manchester city centre, the perfect place for both business and leisure.

The hotel has had a full refurbishment providing guests with a clean and contemporary environment with onsite facilities including a restaurant, bar and riverside terraces.

Warmly welcomed by the reception team, we could not wait to experience all this beautiful hotel had to offer. Excitingly the hotel now has a range of Manchester United Suites, the Manchester United Treble Suite was to be our home for the night, and the room defiantly had the wow factor.

Immediately on entering the room, the football theme is standout and has been completed to create a classy theming, on the right was a wardrobe made to be a mock of a players fitting room with signed team shirts encased within glass style display cabinets.

Take a seat on the bench and imagine that match day tension and those serious locker room team talks which hopefully result in a team win.

The Bedroom is separately divided from the lovely lounge, that has a writing desk area, with a flat screen television on both sides of the room and finished with a wall print of a very cool Manchester map. It is also nice to see the buildings original wooden feature beams sympathetically worked into the design of the room.

Football design details are everywhere including the football pitch rug, subito picture, team cushions on the sofa and a display cabinet all of things football memorabilia related.  The ideal place to sit back, relax and enjoy a night or two away from home.

Bathroom brilliance begins right here, slide the door to reveal a very cool team shower style hub that you can enjoy all to yourself, as you dream about your team scoring those wining goals.

Fully stocked with complimentary toiletries, offering an illuminated mirror and large mirror you can pamper in style.

Serious team talks require some refreshments and the Manchester Marriot Victoria and Albert have you covered with a well-stocked tea tray, including biscuits, so you can dunk them into your branded mugs., as you plan your time out in Manchester.

The onsite restaurant is the ideal place to fuel up and enjoy some liquid refreshments.  All the team are absolutely amazing and really do know how to look after their guests.