Emyr Thomas visits The Malmaison Manchester Hotel.

We are fortunate in London that we’re based in a travel hub to the rest of the world, with flights to large parts of Europe at little more than 2 hours in duration.

Of course, this doesn’t include the travel time to and from the airport, the early arrival at the airport, or the queues at security, but it’s worth the sacrifice to be able to visit another country and experience its culture in a short weekend break.

We often forget, however, that there are vibrant cities, bustling towns and quaint villages worth exploring all across the UK as well, with one such place being Manchester, a mere two hours by train from London Euston.

If limiting your travel time is a priority for you, then look no further than the Malmaison Manchester, which has a perfect setting a short stroll from both the train station and the main shopping district.

The Malmaison Manchester’s entrance is dark and sultry with plush velvet sofas and dimmed mood lighting, a theme that continues throughout the hotel with its signature black and red colour scheme.

Each of the 167 rooms at The Malmaison Manchester have all the modern features you could wish for, including satellite TV, iPod docking station and wireless internet, and the Malmaison-branded toiletries come with a sign encouraging you to take them home, so it really would be rude not to indulge.

The wifi is free for up to 30 minutes anywhere in the hotel, or it’s available for longer, uninterrupted, periods at £7.50 for 8 hours or £10 for 24 hours.

The Malmaison Manchester hotel has a number of suites, the most popular of which are the ‘True Blue’ and the ‘The Best’, each a homage to Manchester’s football heritage, and the ‘super suites’ – the theatrical ‘Moulin Rouge’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ – both of which have a raised bath tub and big plasma screens in the living room.

The Malmaison Brasserie offers simple, classic British fare with a focus on locally sourced ingredients, including Lancaster smoked salmon and trout and Goosnargh chicken and duck.

The menu is already reasonably priced, but the brasserie also offers a special menu of two courses for two people with a bottle of wine and coffee for £30, which is great value by any standard.

The hotel offers a 24-hour room service menu and I can vouch that both the bacon sandwich and cheese on toast make ideal midnight snacks.

The Mal bar continues with the dark, seductive mood, which spills out to the reception area in the early evenings, creating a buzzy and convivial atmosphere that’s a perfect complement to the warm, friendly and welcoming service from the front of house staff.

The Malmaison Manchester’s five meeting rooms and private dining room are in high demand and feature all the modern facilities and audio-visual equipment you could hope for, and for those who want to be pampered, ‘le petit spa’ features a sauna, solarium and spa with ESPA products as well as a dedicated nail and fake tan booth.

The great location, welcoming service and reasonable price make the Malmaison Manchester an ideal spot for a weekend city break and, better still, you’ll be back home on the Sunday in less than three hours.

Our luxury travel service would love to plan your next weekend getaway – contact us now to book your next trip. For further inspiration, read our review of Lime Wood Hotel and Coworth Park in Ascot.

Looking for similar content? Read our guide to the best luxury hotels near London.

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