Well, maybe not all tourists, but my friends and I agreed that, when it comes to cheap hotels, Manchester really is the tourists’ paradise.
It was our first trip in the UK, and we were quite nervous about what we would find, especially since we had been told that the locals are a little cold and the hotel staff is usually quite strict when it comes to late arrivals, noise and youngsters messing around.
We therefore divided our two-week holiday in half and decided to find accommodation in two different hotels, to make sure we could enjoy at least one perfect week. It was the best choice we could have made.
On our first week, we stayed at the family run Lennox Lea Hotel. The hosts are probably the friendliest people on earth, but just when you feel like talking and hanging out, as they can also be very discreet.
Our rooms were comfortable and bright. The bed was as soft and comfy as a water bed, the sheets were clean and soft, and the night felt like a trip to heaven. But what was best, we were only 10 minutes away from downtown Manchester and a 5 minutes walk from Sale town center.
We had a party in the “Kitchen Room”, we delighted ourselves with the gourmet recipes from Alexander’s Bistro and we had the time of our lives over the joyful beer and wine assortments at Alexander’s Lounge Bar.
The Manchester City Stadium, the Old Trafford, the Trafford Centre and the Sale Water Park were the last we visited before the end of the week. Saying goodbye to our lovely hosts, we realized this is probably a jewel among the cheap hotels Manchester shelters.
Luckily for us, our next destination was quite close and it turned out we had nothing to fear. In fact, we were astonished to discover the 4 stars rated Belforte House as the perfect combination between comfort, beautiful interior and exterior design and incredibly affordable prices.
The family-run impressive Victorian residence was just overwhelming, and we forgot all about our childish jokes and fooling around. If it had not been for the friendly welcoming we received, we would not have believed those wonderful rooms were for us: color TV, beverage tray, telephone and wireless internet connection.
And when we finally decided to leave our rooms, the bar and the restaurant were like the Promised Land. It was quite a fight we had to put with ourselves to finally leave there and explore the nearby Sale Leisure Centre, Manchester City and Conference Centers, the Lowry, Worthington Park, and the Bridgewater Canal.
Both weeks were like a dream so painful to wake up from that we arrived at the airport sad and almost crying, but confident we would manage to raise the money we needed to come back in a couple of months.
A piece of advice: It does not matter if you want expensive or cheap hotels, Manchester vacations are unforgettable when wrapped in the comfort and friendly atmosphere of these two corners of heaven.