Lowry Hotel Manchester

Manchester’s Luxury Hotel: The Lowry

There is no place quite like England. Pints for lunch and shepherd’s pie for supper. While we all love stomping round London in our wellies, there’s a second city worth visiting in the motherland. Gone is the dirt and grime of the punk 80’s street culture and in its place is a fresh faced business mecca in the form of Manchester.

One of the major lures of this fast paced entrepreneurial city is the Lowry Hotel. Settled in the heart of Manchester, the luxury property is a contemporary place overlooking the banks of the River Irwell, and a hop skip and jump from the Trinity bridge landmark. The Lowry opened its doors in 2001 and have focused on top notch customer service and serious attention to detail ever since.

Of course, it is a Rocco Forte Hotel, so the standards are pretty high. The brand is a family (not a chain) of 13 uber boutique hotels, each with its own charm and character. Specifically at the Lowry, we found a unique ‘personality’ of a hotel that stays classy with luxurious suites and well tailored customer service. (They even take the time to respond to every single customer review online, good or bad).

The 165 bedrooms all have walk in wardrobes, marble ensuite bathrooms and most of them boast riverside views. The Charles Forte penthouse suite is above and beyond the ultimate indulgence. The most prestigious hotel room in Greater Manchester (probably), it has a breathtaking panoramic view of Manchester and Salford. The master bedroom has a dressing room and huge walk in closet for the vintage Louis Vuitton trunks you’ll inevitably be travelling with. Baby Grand Piano? Check. On demand Private Chef? Check. There’s also a Bath Butler who literally comes to make sure your relaxing bubble time is all it can be and more.

Room service is typically an issue for larger hotels—the food comes cold, something has spilt, the menu is limited. Not the case here. Authentic British cuisine (no scoffing please, Bangers and Mash have long been banned from fine dining menus in the U.K.) with a modern twist, and the most accommodating chef we’ve ever met. 24 hour availability for those who never adjust to jet lag, and they have a special Home from Home room service menu where they offer comfort food to really make you feel like you’re in front of your own telly. If it’s not on the menu, ring the restaurant and they will do their very best to create it for you, whether it’s beans on toast or an old fashioned jacket potato you fancy.

From the outside, this luxury haven is a bit unassuming…but once you check in and hit the sheets you’ll understand the infatuation. Just don’t forget your brolley. It is still England, after all.