Whitworth Locke Hotel, Manchester
For my recent trip to Manchester I stayed at the Whitworth Locke in the Civic Quarter. I’m a fan of the Locke brand - a global chain of “one of a kind, locally inspired design aparthotels”, available for short and long stays. For this trip I was keen on having a ‘home away from home’ experience with some of the assistance and service of a hotel.
Only ten minutes walk from Manchester Piccadilly station, close to the centre and a Tesco express located directly opposite it was the perfect location for everything I had planned.
What did I book?
For two nights via Booking.com (booked during Black Friday) it cost £162 + an additional £10 for late checkout on the Sunday (1pm departure) & city tax.
I booked the Locke Studio, my room, 411 was located on the 4th floor facing the front on the building.
Likes
I loved the room; the interiors looked great and it was spacious, very clean and well equipped. There was milk in the fridge on arrival (dairy, so we didn’t drink but appreciated the gesture) and some herbal teas available for us to enjoy. I always enjoy my hotel experiences more when it comes with a SmartTV that I can cast music and movies onto for a more personalised stay. The bathroom came with dual shower and full tub which I didn’t get to use, unfortunately. The bed was quite comfortable, which made for a relaxing stay and a couple of good night’s sleep.
The staff at reception were welcoming and when we had an issue and contacted the whatsapp number provided for help it was resolved promptly. I actually arrived just after 10am on the Friday morning and my room was available for check-in at no extra cost.
We didn’t explore much of the property so can’t speak for all the facilities, but you can read more about them on their website. To be honest the room was so comfortable we didn’t really want to leave.
Dislikes
The gym although functional was extremely limited and underwhelming. Apparently there used to be a pool which was underutlised and has now been converted to a tattoo parlour (my mum wasn’t very keen on checking it out).
Despite having a comfortable sleep I would loved a heavier duvet and fluffier pillows for a more premium feel. Once the heating was cranked I was fine, but the bedding felt a little flat.
I’m guessing the hotel is an old industrial building that has been converted resulting in some very narrow hallways and steep staircases. We found them rather uncomfortable to navigate and something to be mindful of when lugging a heavy suitcase to your room.
Final thoughts
Loved my stay at Whitworth Locke and would definitely stay again in future. Having stayed in other locations previously I know that some of their smaller rooms can be quite small, so I advise booking the studio or similar if space is important to you. As this is an aparthotel they don’t clean the rooms daily, nor do you have the luxury of services like room service or a phone in the room. Not a problem for me given the type of hotel it is, but manage your expectations accordingly to ensure a pleasant stay.
