Having just returned from a week away on a course in the Manc, I thought I'd let my friends at Ciao know about the fantastic accomodation available at the Palace Hotel.
The Palace is a grade 2 listed building on Oxford Street, Manchester - the former headquarters of the Refuge Insurance ... Read review
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Advantages: fantastic architecture, plush rooms, great food Disadvantages: bars are a little poor
...fantastic accomodation available at the Palace Hotel.
The Palace is a grade 2 listed building on Oxford Street, Manchester - the former headquarters of the Refuge Insurance Company. The Hotel has been extended in recent years into adjacent buildings, and now boasts 267 en-suite bedrooms, a number of which are in the exclusive "Excalibur Suite" which, thanks to the generousity of my employer I am able to write about.
... ...bodes well against it's four star rivals - and in some ways gives Manchester's only 5 star a run for it's money!
The first thing that strikes you about the hotel is the reception. It is huge with a domed roof, marble floor, curved reception desk and large stained glass panels. Reception contributes greatly to the air of grandure around the hotel.
Reception leads to the first of the hotels bars which also serves afternoon ... more
Having just returned from a week away on a course in the Manc, I thought I'd let my friends at Ciao know about the fantastic accomodation available at the Palace Hotel.
The Palace is a grade 2 listed building on Oxford Street, Manchester - the former headquarters of the Refuge Insurance Company. The Hotel has been extended in recent years into adjacent buildings, and now boasts 267 en-suite bedrooms, a number of which are in the exclusive "Excalibur Suite" which, thanks to the generousity of my employer I am able to write about.
The hotel is rated as four star though bodes well against it's four star rivals - and in some ways gives Manchester's only 5 star a run for it's money!
The first thing that strikes you about the hotel is the reception. It is huge with a domed roof, marble floor, curved reception desk and large stained glass panels. Reception contributes greatly to the air of grandure around the hotel.
Reception leads to the first of the hotels bars which also serves afternoon tea throughout the afternoon and a selection of bar snacks. Although the variety of bar snacks was good, the prices charges were expensive and the quality only reasonable. Full marks for effort here but the service provided from this bar was found wanting.
The restaurant itself offers an evening Table D'hote menu which although not pushed by the hotel is of a fantastic quality. The prices here are comparable to the bar snacks, the service was faultless (so much better than The Royal York, another hotel owned by Principal) and the food was superb - although the menu was perhaps not as extensive as it might have been. If you stay at the hotel do treat yourself; don't just settle for room service, make your way downstairs and dine properly!
The bar snacks were a little bit ropey - so for the price I'd recommend dining in the restaurant - the restaurant itself is in the same hall as the bar - a feature of the architecture. This did detract somewhat from the "specialness" of dining in the restaurant and perhaps the cosyness of the bar - perhaps thought could be given to transferring the restaurant to the adjacent room (also linked to the kitchen) and working on developing the food in the restaurant because although prepared to an excellent standard, we noticed that very few guests were dining.
There is another bar under the hotel which is open to non-residents and is accessed through a seperate entrance on the side of the hotel. This bar is called "Copper Face Jacks" and is themed as a lively Irish bar. No offence to the staff of this bar who were clearly doing their best under ridiculous circumstances but this particular Irish bar had no Guinness(!) no other Irish Stout (!), no draft Stella.... you get the picture, the bar was hopelessly understocked and this was the situation all week - but having said that there are so many other bars in this area of Manchester that it was simplicity itself to find another.
The room itself was of an excellent quality - the furnishings were superb, the carpets luxiourious, the curtains and bedding plush and the facilities available (iron, trouser press, bath, shower, kettle, TV with Sky 1, all Sky Sports and pay-movies, plus a built-in playstation!) were more than satisfactory.
Maid service cleaned the room sometime during each day and each day the room was serviced to the same high standard. The usual complimentary biscuits, teas, soaps, shampoos and so on were replaced daily as required - or rather daily because I'm tight and always pinch them!
Mid week, an expensive bottle of red wine appeared on my table - I called reception to ask why this was and they promised to get back to me. They didn't call me back, but in fairness, they haven't charged me for the wine either!!
The building is fantastic, the location convenient for most meetings in Manchester and the service is second to none. Manchester only has one five star hotel so there's to my mind not much better accomodation to be had in the city.
Advantages: Clean comfortable and very historical Disadvantages: quite hard to find with Manchester one way systems
...from a function at the Palace Hotel in Manchester. Firstly I would say it's not the easiest hotel to find, not knowing Manchester too well locals knew where it was but did have difficulty in directing me, however just head for the Palace Theatre and its on the corner opposite, there is an NCP car Park ( Palace) just along the side road next to the Palace theatre, and then its just a few minutes walk to the front of the building and to the entrance, ... ...is the Palace Hotel, Look skyward and you will see the sign on the wonderful clock tower).
On entering the Hotel the you come into a magnificent entrace hall which is circular, and the original turning circle for the horses and carriages is under the tiled floor. The whole building exudes history and has a deffinate presence about it, it is supposedly haunted, and there is a strange something about the atmosphere (not frightening or nasty) maybe ...
pusskat 18.05.2005
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