The light fantastic in Manchester
Jon Perks enjoys a relaxing weekend break, Mancunian style.
Readers of a certain age might recall It’s Grim Up North, a 1991 single which consisted largely of a list of northern towns and cities, backed by a thumping techno soundtrack.
Heading through the spray and drizzle of the M6 northbound on a grey, unremarkable Friday afternoon, it seemed that might become the soundtrack to our weekend...
Manchester and rain go together like Ant and Dec or fish and chips, but amazingly it had stopped by the time we found The Light.
An ‘aparthotel’ in the centre of the city, it’s not been open for very long but clearly has already made its mark. Enough for Simon Cowell to have heard of it, anyway.
He and his fellow Britain’s Got Talent judges – Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden – were, apparently, staying in the penthouse, so Goodly Other Half and I had to make do with a room on the 12th floor.
I say ‘make do’, but with a pleasant lounge, smart kitchen and bedroom all furnished in showhome style contemporary design, it made for a good base for our brief stay in the second city (as the hotel website liked to call Manchester).
There are 45 fully equipped and furnished apartments at The Light; you can stay for one night or a month, but we had to get back to work on the Monday so we chose the former.
The 19-floor tower building, designed by Conran & Partners, is well placed for a weekend break; bang opposite shopping mecca The Arndale Centre (our balcony view wasn’t the most picturesque, but at least we could see the big wheel), The Light is also in the city’s Northern Quarter, packed with cool bars, restaurants, clubs and boutique shops.
Before dinner at the hotel’s restaurant The Bulb (Light, Bulb, see what they did there?), we headed out for a brief walk, and soon found The English Lounge, one of many interesting non-homogenous bars Manchester seems to have; over the course of the evening we picked three at random, and all proved to be worth recommending.
Back at The Bulb, and the food – an Italian-flavoured menu with well-priced dishes – was tasty, well cooked and interesting enough to stop you from wandering too far – a golden beetroot starter and pannetone bread and butter pudding two notable successes.
You’re not obliged to eat at The Bulb, of course; other food options (especially if you’re staying for more than one night) include a visit to the city’s Chinatown, or head up the Oxford Road past the university and into Rusholme for the best curry north of the Balti Quarter.
After food we strolled around the Nothern Quarter and found more great bars, including the hip Walrus and unpretentious Apotheca, complete with its displays of apothecary bottles; both had great drinks selections and good tunes – although everywhere that night seemed to be playing New Order at some point. Perhaps it’s a law up there.
The next day and we were treated to a pampering session at the hotel’s in-house Inner Sanctuary spa (www.innersanctuaryretreat.com) – a de-tox wrap and scalp massage the perfect way to start a Saturday, before hitting the shops.
Now at the risk of being hung, drawn and quartered by the Style Birmingham committee, I have to say Manchester’s shopping rocks. There’s the Arndale Centre for your high street names, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges (the two stores opposite each other at the end of Market Street) and a good clutch of independent shops – and brand’s own outlets that might normally be a concession in a department store eg Superdry, American Apparel and Camper.
Manchester, like Brum, has a big wheel; after a ride pop into nearby Sinclair’s Oyster Bar for a pint and something to eat (oysters, possibly).
Of course if shopping is not your thing, there’s plenty of other stuff to do and see; city centre museum Urbis (www.urbis.org.uk); the Imperial War Museum North and The Lowry in Salford Quays (catch their Art & Advertising exhibition before April 11).
Oh, and apparently they have a couple of football teams up there too...
* Fact File
Jon stayed at The Light Boutique ApartHotel
20 Church Street, Manchester M4 1PN
Tel: 0161 839 4848
www.thelight.co.uk
Rooms from £75 for a one bedroom apartment.
The hotel has no parking of its own but has a deal with the nearby multi-storey NCP car park – £5 if you park after 3pm and leave before 11am.
