Hotel Indigo Manchester - Best Location in Town

*This post is in collaboration with Hotel Indigo 

If you follow me on Instagram you will know that I have recently collaborated with Hotel Indigo and headed up to Manchester, one of the most colourful and creative northern cities for a much needed child-free break. The last time I visited Manchester was over a decade ago and that was only for a couple of hours en route to Scotland so I was really looking forward to exploring everything this fashion forward city has to offer and I will be sharing my weekend guide with you very soon but for now I want to concentrate on Hotel Indigo Manchester and why it's the perfect spot for a vibrant weekend away.

Now as you may already know I am very passionate about staycations as the UK has so much to offer and many people seem to overlook that. With such excellent public transport networks in the UK you don't even need a car to get to most places and the train from South Wales to Manchester was much quicker than anticipated being just under 3hrs. The train usually comes into Piccadilly Station but was diverted to Oxford Street station so while I had planned to jump on the tram that would take us straight to the hotel we decided to Uber it instead although this was the only time we used a taxi service during the whole weekend as the city is easy to walk and has a nifty tram network.

Hotel Indigo Manchester has one of the best locations for a child-free break as it's only a short walk from the Northern Quarter which is without a doubt one of the most youthful, bohemian and vibrant parts of Manchester and also the best place to get food anytime time of the day or night. Plus, you also have the Football Museum right outside the hotel and Chetham's Library and Manchester Cathedral less than a minute's walk away.

The hotel is very new having only opened last year but it has still retains a strong connection to the cities past which is seen straight away as you step through the front doors into the original Victorian part of the building with exposed brick and high ceilings with cotton mill baskets hanging up giving a hint to Manchesters industrial past, this is followed throughout with small touches around the hotel.

After a quick and easy check-in we headed up to the 12th floor and one of the most breath taking views I've had from a hotel room with floor to ceiling windows looking out across the city. Hotel Indigo certainly makes style and comfort a priority and you quickly feel at home as the hotel rooms provide you with everything you need and a little more as each room is spacious with a desk, should you need to work, and extra seating to sit down and enjoy a glass of bubbly or simply soak in the view, and of course super-fast Wi-Fi. The bathrooms are fairly small but chic and have the spa feeling to them with a large rain shower.

After getting settled in I headed out across the city on the tram to meet up with a friend who was actually in Manchester for one day and we grabbed a bite to eat and had a little time to walk around and get more acquainted with the city before I headed back to the hotel and had some down time before heading downstairs for some cocktails.

As it had been a busy day I didn't want to go far and instead take advantage of what was on site so decided to head to Mamucium, the very hip hotel restaurant on the ground floor which is very proud about its heritage and serves up dynamic menu with many locally sourced ingredients - this passion was evident from the waiter who was very knowledgeable about the dishes on offer. We decided in the end to enjoy two sharing platters and cocktails and simply enjoy the surroundings (and having a moment without the kids). Both the food and ambience were sublime and I was really looking forward to waking up and enjoying breakfast in the morning.

It was bliss not having to get up before 8am and actually have a bit of lie in then taking a relaxing stroll downstairs to the smell of fresh coffee and pancakes. I'm a big fan of hotel breakfasts and find that often impact the way you feel about your stay and I was nothing but impressed with the efficient service and delicious food on offer. The ricotta pancakes were a dream as was the eggs Florentine and there were also plenty of vegan and healthy options to get you in gear for an action-packed day around the city.

The hotel also has a separate Scandi-inspired Cafe with light bites and a great place to stop and refuel as well as a relaxing lounge area and 24 hours health and fitness centre should you feel inclined to burn off all that amazing food. Hotel Indigo is exactly the kind of place you want to stay for a child-free break away with on the best locations in the city meaning you can really stake advantage of the late-night cafes and bars as well as the culture, retail and historical sites.

If you enjoyed reading this then pop over to my review of the Hotel Indigo Durham and a weekend guide to Durham - another northern city not to be missed.

* This post and Press-Trip is in collaboration with Hotel Indigo. Views are 100% my own