Hotel Brooklyn opened on 14th February this year, in the burgeoning Northern city of Manchester. The 189-room design-led hotel pays homage to the rich culture and industrial heritage shared by both Manchester and the eponymous New York borough, steered by leading design companies Squid Inc and Motion Spot.
The hotel foyer was bright, airy and welcoming – despite the wrath of Storm Ciara looming outside. Park benches, exposed brick walls, towering plants and strolling hotel guests created the sense of an urban park setting. Past the main reception area was a flight of stairs scattered with cushions, which faced a large screen playing a reel of vintage films, providing a comfortable space for guests to chat, read or work. We were immediately greeted by the friendly staff who led us to some iPads and, with a few taps of the screen, we were checked in and handed our room keys.
The room’s contrasting black and white furnishings met with moody-hued textiles could have fooled you into thinking you’d stumbled onto the set of a David Lynch film. Small details included a
selection of books to the tune of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Damon Runyon, a rotary dial telephone, and a letter board to customise. On the left wall was a bespoke floor-to-ceiling line-drawn mural of a New York street scene. I pulled the curtain to find panoramic views of the busy city below, but it was perfectly silent except for the muted hum of the vintage Goodmans Radio.
The design team behind Hotel Brooklyn flawlessly integrated this thoughtful aesthetic with another key design objective: to make the hotel a pioneer in accessible design. With 18 accessible rooms, the UK’s first fully accessible suites and the first hotel in Manchester to offer a ceiling track hoist for guests, it has truly set the Gold standard.
On my way up to the evening event, I was half expecting to bump into Patrick Bateman in the lift (thankfully, I did not). The hotel’s event space, Salvation Bar, consisted of a large, ambient, room
with a stage, dance floor, bar area and towering windows offering views over Manchester. After a fun evening dancing and socialising to a New-York style jazz quartet, I headed to the low-lit Runyon’s bar on the ground floor to enjoy a night cap.
Once I’d checked out of the hotel, I had plans to meet my sister who lived nearby. While I waited for her, I took time to enjoy The Snug – a cosy sanctuary away from the chattering foot fall of hotel
guests. Here, I made use of the numerous discrete plug sockets to charge my various electrical items and quietly enjoy a read before heading out into stormy Manchester city.
