Travel: A little slice of northern soul in Manchester is good for the spirit

Manchester’s tallest building, Beetham Tower, is reflected in one of the city’s many canals.

After a noisy three hours on the train from Glasgow, I was in desperate need of some comfort and calm when my partner, Sean, and I arrived in Manchester.

This was my first time visiting the city, while Sean had been here many times for gigs. Much like Glasgow, Manchester has a vibrant music scene, as befitting a city that has produced the likes of The Stone Roses, Joy Division, Oasis and The Smiths, and boasts plenty of great gig venues.

We had a more laid back, relaxing weekend stay ahead of us, though. INNSiDE by Melia Manchester, located in the cosmopolitan First Street district in the heart of the city, proved the perfect base. As soon as we entered it, I felt a sense of calm as I took in my new sleek and stylish surroundings. After checking in, we took a lift to one of the higher floors and located our room. It’s not often that a hotel room takes my breath away, but it was hard not to marvel at our gorgeous lodgings.

The beautiful floral decor of the INNSiDE by Melia Manchester.

We were staying in one of the hotel’s spacious and stylish studio rooms, which boasted a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and a ridiculously comfy king-size bed with a big sofa at its foot that provided an ideal place to watch TV. There was also a desk that doubled as a dressing table for me, a stylish tea and coffee area, mini bar, and a gorgeous open bathroom with an enclosed waterfall shower. There was even a yoga mat for stretching out and finding your inner calm while gazing out across the city’s skyline.

After a quick rest, we were feeling rather hungry. Luckily, we didn’t have far to go for an incredible meal as the four-star hotel is home to Gino D’Acampo, Manchester. The TV chef’s restaurant opened earlier this year to offer premium Italian dining in a gorgeous setting.

I savoured the arancini al ragù, crispy fried risotto balls filled with a slow cooked beef ragù and mozzarella, followed by a divine seafood linguine, which included prawns, mussels, clams and calamari. The service was polite, attentive and impeccable – nothing was any trouble, even when a group of about 40 school kids staying at the hotel trouped in for some cake before bed (a disastrous combination for their teachers and chaperones, I’d have thought!).

The following morning breakfast was served in a bright and welcoming back section of the restaurant. The buffet included everything you could possibly desire, from eggs, sausages and bacon, to pasties, muffins, fruit, yoghurt, cereals and pancakes. Perfect fuel for exploring the city.

Our hotel was surrounded by restaurants, museums, boutique shops, theatres and art spaces but as we wanted to explore further, we used the Metrolink system and a weekend tram ticket for travel across the whole city cost £7 per person.

There is plenty to do in Manchester, much of it for free. While football fans will enjoy a tour of the iconic Old Trafford stadium and its museum, Piccadilly Gardens is a perfect spot to relax before visiting the nearby shopping district or Northern Quarter, packed with bars, restaurants and street art.

As the city is home to some wonderful museums, we travelled by tram to the Imperial War Museum North, which documents the First World War to present day.

The focus is on individual human stories anchored by their belongings on display, which was incredibly moving, such as Flora Sandes, the only British woman to fight in the First World War. Her exhibit included the 7.65mm pistol she carried after she joined the Serbian army. She was seriously wounded in actions and received the Serbian Order of Karageorge for her bravery.

From there we had another tram ride to Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum, which traces the city’s contributions to both fields over the years, from its booming textile mills to early computers. Manchester’s rich industrial heritage can also be seen in its network of canals on full view while travelling high on the tramlines across the city.

On the way to the museum, we took a wrong turn and unexpectedly stumbled across the Castlefield Viaduct, where the National Trust has transformed an overgrown 330m steel viaduct into a lovely urban park, with trees, plants and flowers sprouting in the unlikely setting.

While cramming everything into a city break seems to be the done thing, it was nice to slow down for once and take in some different sights. Manchester has so many sides to explore, I feel I’ll need a repeat visit. At least I know a super stylish hotel to stay in when I do.

P.S. The Imperial War Museum’s main room acts as a backdrop for a regular and incredibly moving multi-media presentation which is delivered using projected video, photos and audio of people who were lost during wars and those who survived them.