Kimpton Clocktower Hotel

"The Kimpton Clocktower is in a very handy location for visiting Manchester The Building - now this is a breathtaking building, we were very excited to stay here. However, on arrival we struggled with the heavy double entrance doors trying to get our cases in, it was all a bit ungainly. Only on one occasion during our stay the doors were set to automatic and on Friday night there was a greeter/security man at the door. The staff - The reception staff were lovely and very helpful and made us feel welcome. However, we went to the post room on the first day where I topped my water bottle up and politely asked for some ice, the female I spoke to said we don't have any ice (really?!) They were busy with delegates but surely I could have been guided to somewhere to get ice. The room - our room was gorgeous, we loved everything about it. Amazing ashthetic and high ceilings. Comfy bed, although because it was on wheels it moved if you leaned on it. The bathroom was spacious and the shower was good. The tea, coffee and snacks were a nice touch. The fridge had some fresh milk and bottled tap water. The only criticism was the bottles were not replenished daily, the drinking water was a 'one off'. You could get water in the Post room though but having it replenished in the room would have also been helpful. Food - The breakfast cost £24 each. I found some bran flakes and yoghurt but there was no nuts and dried fruit, which is the norm at most hotels and what I like to eat. That said I would not expect to have to pay an extra £8.70 supplement for anything cooked to order e.g. waffles, hash brown and chorizo. The only cooked to order items with no surcharge was porridge or poached eggs. I also felt it would be nice to have a refilled coffee given that I did not eat anywhere near £24 worth of food. Social hour - what a lovely gesture! However, we tried the social hour one night of our three night stay and it was rammed, with no seats so we had to go and sit at a random table outside the post room, not very 'social' so we didn't return. That said all in all we had a good stay but for 5* I would have expected fresh water and no breakfast supplements unless it was for champagne and caviar! I have stayed at a lot of 5* hotels all over Europe and in Manchester I've usually stayed at The Gotham (now The Rex).I found them a little more guest orientated particularly with breakfast and water in rooms at the very least. Extras - we did love having a turntable and getting LP's delivered. It would be nice if we could physically look at what's available and pick a couple of Albums and swap them daily ourselves but it was a nice touch all the same. We did find at times the Clocktower to be more geared towards conferencing where we felt at times we had to fit in around the delegates. It could get very busy but I suppose that's a big revenue for the hotel. Verdict - All in all we enjoyed our stay and might return but this time cherry on the top was missing for a five star hotel."

"Wow, amazing hotel. From start to finish, you’re made to feel welcome and valued as a customer. Andre at check in & check out was fabulous, so friendly, helpful and informative, nothing was too much trouble. Equally, Jeanie in Refuge restaurant was amazing. Helped us make choices with the menu, very attentive and an absolute joie de vivre! Manchester has an amazing choice of restaurants but I would recommend you dine here, the chefs are absolutely first class, we’ve eaten here before and most certainly will again when we’re back with family in December. The lovely lady who did our turn down service, wow, just the little thoughtful touches and to all of the housekeeping team, our room was absolutely beautiful and spotless! Thank you to all of you"

"I stayed one night at the clockhouse for a business trip. While it’s a beautiful, historic building it felt a bit odd as a hotel. Long dark corridors, hard to navigate, no obvious staircase to get from one floor to another etc. Also, it’s very noisy. Not only the train station opposite but it’s really creaky, you can hear people walking around in neighbouring rooms all the time. If I’d spent my own money to stay there I’d be really disappointed and probably would have asked to be moved. As it was paid for I just hoped there was a sizeable discount, it’s very expensive for what it is."