Whitworth Locke is a classic but stylish mill-converted-to-aparthotel right in the centre of Manchester’s Civic Quarter. 

This means that it’s just a short stroll from the town hall, Chinatown, and all major transport links—great for first-timers or those who regularly pop in and out of the city.

Like all other aparthotels go, each room here is kitted with a bedroom, full kitchen, and bathroom—talk about independence and self-sufficiency, indeed! We also dig the free toiletries, fast Wi-Fi, and smart telly, making sure guests are perfectly sorted out.

But wait, there’s more, especially for digital nomads: guests can enjoy all-inclusive access to the coworking space, gym, and communal laundry. 

While the stay and staff are warm and lovely, it would’ve been better if the breakfast and more frequent room service didn’t cost us extra. Nonetheless, Whitworth Locke is still worth the stay for comfort and efficiency with a touch of luxury.

Lovely place to retire for the night

“The hotel is set in a great location, next to canal street and the village, within a lovely building connecting a winter garden bar, coffee house, and stylised rooms.

The staff were all extremely friendly and engaging, providing a great Manchester vibe!

The rooms were a lovely design, spacious and well equipped. It was a nice place to stay and retire too. Will be looking forward to a return!”

Tony Balen, Google Review

Accessible and reasonably priced stay

“Floors and carpets could do with some TLC but otherwise can’t fault anything. Reasonably priced nice accommodation in the city centre near canal and bloom st.”

Tom Roberts, Google Review

For a cosier, more private vibe, Cove Minshull Street in Piccadilly has you covered. This aparthotel has only five rooms in total—a perk we think those who aren’t too keen on busy lobbies or communal spaces will definitely enjoy.

Each room here is homey yet a wee bit posher than usual, given that no two rooms look alike (we’re not complaining). A full kitchen, washer, dryer, speedy Wi-Fi, and gym access cap off the amenities that make staying here efficient. 

The front desk is open 24 hours, ready for any request.

That said, Cove Minshull isn’t without flaws—booking might be a challenge for groups or families, since only two rooms can accommodate up to five people. 

Also, turnaround for room service could be more timely, and the soundproofing of the premises could be improved to drown out street noise at night better. 

Surprising and commendable stay

“What a surprise! The apartment was fantastic, very modern, every facility you could need and all working. The bed was so comfortable and the location for theatres, restaurants, pubs and clubs was perfect. Ebenezer on reception couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly too.  If you want to stay in central Manchester for one night or for a week, I totally recommend you stay at Cove on Minshull street”

Andrew Coplestone, Google Review

Guaranteed repeat visit

“Currently here with my partner and 3 kids and it’s absolutely fantastic. The apartment is top notch. Staff are so friendly and welcoming. The location is central to everything. I will definitely stay here again. Manchester is absolutely fantastic.”

Alan Monks, Google Review

Staycity is a big name in the aparthotel industry, having started its operations in Dublin in 2004 and operating in 21 cities in Europe today.

One of its gems is that it’s in Manchester Piccadilly. We can’t ask for more regarding accessibility because it’s literally just beside the train station.

The ‘flats’ here are pristine and tastefully styled with modern taste: minimalist and with full living and kitchen spaces (laundry is a bit of a hit or miss, per room). We highly recommend it for groups of three to eight persons—the rooms seem made for families.

Speaking of facilities, this stay is still a top choice for business travellers, too. There are meeting rooms, a gym, a café, and fast Wi-Fi! 

We were bummed about the additional charge for luggage storage when we came in a bit earlier than check-in time. Even so, the staff are also splendid in keeping the whole thing running smoothly, 24/7.

Quirky and with everything you’ll need

“Directly above Piccadilly station so extremely easy to get to from off the train. Rooms are large, super clean and come with everything you could possibly need from dishwasher to hair dryer. Good quality curtains, exceptionally quiet and a lovely comfy bed ensured we had a great couple of nights sleep. The staff here are amazing – very friendly and helpful. I particularly loved the quirky signs around the hotel and apartments that made me chuckle more than once. I will definitely stay here again when I come up for another gig – highly recommend 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻”

Lisa May, Google Review

An aparthotel to recommend

“The accommodation was fantastic.   I was greeted by kind staff at the reception (mr. Mo), I received the key to the room and the necessary information very quickly.   I plan to try the gym next time.   The apartment was well equipped and clean.  The location is also great.  Right next to Piccadilly station.  Many buses, trains and trams are available in 2-3 minutes.   I can only recommend it!”

Katalin Forgacs, Google Review

Native is a four-star aparthotel establishment apt for those looking for an upgraded group stay. The structure housing it is the Ducie Street Warehouse—repurposed tastefully to be modern, yet brilliantly incorporating features of yesteryear.

We see that the biggest perk of staying here is its proximity to everything. It’s a short walk from the train station, bus stops, and is a great jump-off point when visiting the Northern Quarter.

Native truly shines for guests travelling for leisure because of its buzzing social scene. Scrumptious food at its restaurant, banging DJ sets at the lounge, and even the latest films at its mini cinema are certainly worth experiencing.

However, no business is perfect—one notable area for improvement here is the service. Although we didn’t experience it ourselves, some previous guests have noted that the front desk needs some fine-tuning to match the four-star level expected.

Albeit the hiccups, Native is still a noteworthy entry, especially for lively accommodations.

Absolutely brilliant

“Absolutely amazing. Loved the whole experience from check in to check out. The apartment was fantastic and had everything we needed. So much space! Environment downstairs was just lovely. Staff were friendly and helpful. I’d definitely stay here next time I’m in manchester.”

Helen P, Tripadvisor Review

Fully equipped rooms, but mind the resto schedule

“Rooms are huge! Didn’t expect a fully equipped kitchen with washing machine, dishwasher and oven either. Not sure how many people actually use these. The room was spotless and bed comfortable. Only weird negative was going to the Restaurant downstairs at 730pm on a Sunday to be told the kitchen was closed. Saturday night was noisy – as it has a loud night club vibe and the drinks make a lot of noise as they leave. But this did distract from the great hotel that this is.”

Tim Lewis, Google Review

Wilde Aparthotels offers a reasonably priced flat + hotel living situation around St Peter’s Square. It comes recommended if you’re looking for Mancunian stays that feel just like home and can accommodate up to four people in a room.

The rooms here are as basic as any modern aparthotel is: cosy, minimal decor with complete amenities such as kitchen and laundry implements. The gym and bar are also sweet touches, making this Wilde branch a place for well-rounded fitness and fun.

However, we’re not all praises. That’ll be a bore.

Firstly, soundproofing is workable but could be better, given the location. We’re also not big fans of its cleaning policy—only stints of seven days or longer get the complimentary mid-stay clean, and it’ll cost extra for requesting one for short-term stays.

All in all, for the basic aparthotel in a great community location, Wilde is a splendid choice.

Lovely place to stay in again

“Really lovely and clean. Genuinely friendly helpful staff who also all seem happy in the workplace. Good amenities, lovely well stocked bar and little pantry shop bit, a well stocked with pots pans plates cutlery and cooking utensils kitchenette in the room. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff they all went the extra mile and I felt really welcome. The birthday wishes were the icing on the cake. 12/10 will definitely stay there again. Perfect location too.”

Fred Muppet, Google Review

Modern but still has room for improvement

“Nice modern aparthotel. Could do with a rug on the floor in the room. Water pressure could be stronger. Touchscreen light switches take a bit of experimenting to get right.limited range on hot breakfasts… no full English :(“

Jonathan Nish, Google Review