There have been so many new hotels opening in Manchester recently that you might have missed The Alan, a new design-led hotel, bar and restaurant which opened in February. The Alan has taken over the impressive Grade II listed building which used to be the Arora Manchester Hotel on Princess Street.
Owners, Aspen Hotels Limited have given the venue a complete image overhaul as part of a £1.5 million development. This unique 6-storey hotel now features 137 rooms with an open-plan kitchen, bar and pop-up event space.
Created with an emphasis on championing local makers, art and design play a leading role at The Alan. The industrial-chic interiors pay homage to the building’s rich heritage, uncovering the beauty of the building’s past. Many of the building’s existing features have been carefully refreshed to create new focal points - from the stunning lobby floor made from a collage of fragmented and discarded marble pieces to the exposed brick walls and double height ceilings found throughout.
Interior design agency Red Deer aimed to counter-act the wastefulness of the construction industry by celebrating the inherent value found in old materials that may be classed by some as ‘defective’ or ‘broken’. These materials seem to be useless when viewed individually but make sense within the space.
The hotel’s 137 rooms range from ‘The Standard’- generously sized yet intimate rooms featuring high ceilings and warm textures; ‘The Midi’- bigger spaces ideal for both work and play; ‘The Master’- larger rooms with lounging areas perfect for longer stays; and the inimitable Alan Suite - impressive corner suites offering unrivalled city views and an abundance of natural daylight.
The building’s original guest rooms were large but lacking in many of their original proportions due to having lowered ceilings, large amounts of boxing in and cluttered with furniture. These have since been opened up to expose original heritage features such as historic brickwork and pitted stonework.
All rooms feature Emperor sized beds dressed in luxurious 200 thread count Egyptian cotton, 50” Samsung Smart TVs with Google Chromecast and pay-per-view movies, superfast Wi-Fi and Audio Pro Bluetooth speakers.
The tech-forward hotel is also one of only four in the UK to offer Google Nest smart concierge in all its rooms, making guest comfort and convenience more seamless than ever. In the rooms, guests can enjoy locally roasted coffee from Ancoats Coffee Co (recently named as one of the top 20 coolest in the world), specially selected tea by Bohea Teas, magazines by Yuck! and Aesthetica, rainfall showers with 100% organic Haeckel's natural skin care products and bathrobes and slippers on request.
The Alan also brings a new restaurant and bar to the area - featuring an all-day, seasonal menu of dishes and drinks designed to share, created using local suppliers. Diners are welcome from morning right through to the small hours, whether it's breakfast or coffee, a light lunch, dinner with a view of the open kitchen or wine and cocktails in the bar.
Heading up the kitchen is Iain Thomas, whose previous experience includes stints at Edinburgh Castle and Establishment, where he trained under renowned chef David Aspin. Iain brings with him a love of seasonal cooking and a passion for locally grown produce - some even come from his very own allotment. The provenance of ingredients is hugely important to Iain and the menu at The Alan reflects this.
Small plates include Cheshire Beef tartare, confit egg yolk with sourdough; A salt baked celeriac elevated with truffle and sherry vinegar, and Lamb Fat Cabbage - hispi cabbage with braised lamb shoulder and rosemary.
The bar is well stocked with local producers including Manchester craft breweries Pomona Island and Cloudwater Brew Co, as well as a selection of independent winemakers and distilleries - such as local gin purveyors, Ancoats Distillery. The bar aims to shake up new takes on classic serves too - with a regularly changing menu of innovative and balanced drinks, whilst stocking all the essentials for any classic cocktail.
If you’re looking for a creative space or a change from working at home, The Alan is available as a co-working space. A day pass is available from Monday to Friday for £15 per guest and includes a special co-working lunch menu served from midday, unlimited tea and coffee (10am to 4pm), superfast Wi-Fi and curated playlists too keep you energised.
Nestled in the heart of the city, just a short walk from both Piccadilly and Victoria railway stations, The Alan is the perfect location for travellers exploring the city and locals looking for a smart hangout and dining space. Later this year, the hotel will introduce Situ, a pop-up events space housed in the lower ground floor. Follow @thealanmcr for regular updates.
The Alan Hotel, 18 Princess St, Manchester M1 4LG.
Bookings can be made online here.
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