Hotel Review
Location
CitySuites is located on Chapel Street in the heart of Manchester city centre and just a five minute walk from Victoria Station. For guests arriving by car, discounted parking rates are available at the adjacent Q-Park Manchester and Exchange Square with its Metrolink tram station is close at hand. The aparthotel us also conveniently placed for shopping with branches of Selfridges and Harvey Nichols almost on the doorstep.
Arrival and check-in
Check-in is from 3.00 p.m. but as our arrival by train was just over an hour earlier, we called in to drop off our bags but were pleasantly surprised to be able to access our room straightaway. We’d already completed a quick on-line check-in the previous day leaving us worry free about waiting around in the lobby once we arrived.
Travelling in these unusual times requires stringent safety standards and it was evident that CitySuites had pulled out all the stops to make guests stays as safe as possible. Even the room keycards had been placed through a virus fogging machine to eliminate any traces of virus before being handed out to guests.
The Room
There are two large lifts each with bottles of sanitisers inside the doors and social distance markers attached to the floor indicating where to stand. Our city view one bedroom apartment was up on the 14th floor and the powerful lift whisked us up there in seconds.
On entering our spacious apartment, it felt so luxurious that it was unlikely that we would ever want to leave. The suite had everything we could wish and more, with a fully fitted kitchen.
At our fingertips were the latest Smeg appliances including a washer/dryer, dishwasher, microwave, oven and hob. Drawers and cupboards were stacked with quality bone china and the pans, cutlery and utensils were also of a high standard. A large fridge-freezer had enough space to accommodate a week’s shopping and the Nespresso coffee maker came fully supplied with a variety of pods with extra supplies being available on request from reception.
In the open plan living/dining area there was also a large dining table which could easily be used as a desk as there were numerous sockets/USB charging points next to it. A large comfortable sofa was perfectly positioned to take in the breathtaking city views from the large windows and and also for watching the 55″ wall mounted television which came complete with Sky Plus HD.
The bedroom was carpeted and separated from the living area by means of a sliding door. It boasted a king size bed with the finest Egyptian bed linen, bedside tables, lamps and even more charging sockets. Facing the bed, on top of a chest of drawers was a second television, ideal for watching whilst sitting up in bed and also useful as an alternative to the one in the lounge to avoid channel disputes!
The entire apartment has lots of storage and our large wardrobe had one of those sensor lights that comes on as you open the door. I really need these at home to help me find things hidden in dark corners! The room comes complete with stylish bathrobes, a GHD hairdryer, iron and ironing board.
As could be expected, the en-suite bathroom was also luxuriously appointed with both a bath and a rainfall shower providing me with the perfect combination of a relaxing bedtime soak and an invigorating morning shower to bring me back to life. Complimentary Noir toiletries from The White Company and a large supply of soft, thick towels complete the line up.
Dining
CitySuites in-house restaurant, Embankment Kitchen looked gorgeous and is usually open daily serving breakfast and bistro meals throughout the day. Owing to the on-going pandemic it was still closed but due to re-open shortly. It would have been so nice to have enjoyed a meal there but as we had such a lovely apartment with a well equipped kitchen, we didn’t feel to have missed out too much.
The Facilities
The aparthotel has all the features of a high-end hotel including 24 hour reception and concierge services. By the entrance is an attractive lounge with views towards the cathedral and riverside.
Also on the ground floor, there’s a huge 18m indoor swimming pool solely for the use of hotel guests complete with a jacuzzi and pool side seating. Changing rooms, showers, lockers and towels are also available but guests can also pop down in the bathrobes provided as we did.
For the energetic and keep-fit enthusiasts there’s also a state of the art gym fitted out with all the latest equipment to keep guests in shape.
Out and About
There’s so much to see and do in the centre of Manchester and here are a few suggestions.
Start off with a short walk over to the Medieval Quarter and visit the cathedral to take a look at its impressive interior and wood carvings.
Continue along to vibrant Exchange Square and enjoy drinks and a bite to eat in front of the historic Corn Exchange where you can happily while away an hour or so watching the world go by.
Later, get your fix of retail therapy along New Cathedral Street with its collection of luxury brands and in the huge Arndale Centre where you’ll find all the usual high street names.
Shopping over, head over to Castlefield the former industrial heartland of the city for a leisurely stroll along the towpath of the Rochdale Canal pausing for a drink out on one of the terraces of one of the waterside bars.
On other days you could take the tram to the foodie hotspots of either Altrincham or Didsbury Village in the leafy Manchester suburbs. Both equally attractive, and favourites of mine.
For those interested in history, board a tram to Imperial War Museum North, take a self guided tour of the museum then cross the footbridge over the Manchester Ship Canal to explore the attractive Salford Quays and the MediaCityUK hub where both BBC and ITV have their studios.
Back in the city make sure you visit Chinatown. It’s the second largest in the UK with an impressive Imperial Chinese archway and lots of authentic restaurants, bakeries and grocery stores.
In need of some exercise, then take a tram to Heaton Park. Really easy to get to as it has its own tram stop close to the entrance gates. This vast park has a large boating lake, with a woodland trail surrounding it.
Despite many of the city’s museums and attractions currently closed there’s still lots to see and do in Manchester and it’s an ideal destination for a short break.
Overall
I believe that CitySuites offer everything you could ever need to make your stay as comfortable as possible with the comfort and safety of a home-from-home environment, coupled with all the benefits of a luxury hotel.
Details
CitySuites 16 Chapel Street, Manchester, M3 7NH. Tel: 0161 302 0202
During our stay we were guests of CitySuites and as always, all views and opinions are entirely my own.
For more inspiration of things to do in Manchester you may also like:
Love Travelling Blog 
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A dishwasher and Egyptian bed linen … yes, I can understand why this aparthotel is recommended 👍🏻.
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Well you don’t want yo be washing up when you’re away from home do you! We felt really pampered there especially as it’s right in the centre but in a quiet position. Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to comment.
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Looks like a lovely apartment.
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It was a gorgeous place to stay in central Manchester.
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My youngest son finished his studies at Manchester University this year, so I have really enjoyed the posts about the city. Of course, he wasn’t expecting to finish in the way dictated by Covid. He’s still in two minds whether to go back but that will be job dependent. Anyway, I have always enjoyed our trips to Manchester and the last time I went, he introduced me to Didsbury which – as he anticipated – I loved!
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So pleased you are a fan of Manchester too and especially Didsbury. Manchester University has an excellent reputation. What has you son been studying?
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Aerospace Engineering!
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Brilliant, please send him my congratulations.
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Thank you, I will! It was definitely tough going at times.
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I am very excited to see Heaton Park – my local park – on a travel blog 🙂 .
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That’s great! You are so lucky to have such a lovely big park on your doorstep. Thanks for taking an interest in my posts on Manchester.
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As usual, you leave nothing out. Thank You.
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It’s my pleasure, thank you so much for your positive feedback, CitySuites is a great place to stay.
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It is always great when you get early access to your room. Online check in is a smart way to go. Lucky you being guests. As you have a huge blog following, I Imagine this happens often?
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Thanks for taking an interest in my Manchester posts and our lovely stay at CitySuites Amanda. Since starting my blogging adventure I’ve been very fortunate to receive invitations to many lovely places, attractions and hotels – something I would never have originally anticipated. To maintain the authenticity of my blog though I only accept invitations to places I would want to visit anyway. Have you taken any weekends away to other places in Queensland recently?
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We have had no holidays away since moving house, Marion. As I live by the sea, it seems silly to visit another seaside location just to go to the beach. Ordinarily, I would be making lots of dsy trips this time of year as it isn’t too hot yet from road trips in the car. Where are you off to next?
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It must be lovely to live so close to the sea Amanda. Do you get many tourists or is it usually just locals along the beachfront ? We’re heading down south this weekend to attend a family wedding so that should be nice to look forward to!
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Hi Marion, I hope you are enjoying your family wedding. They are always a wonderful occasion with much merriment.
We do have a few tourists but nowhere near so many as the surf beaches to the north and south. I kind of like that we are tucked away and as we have an island off the coast, there are tourists that go whale watching in the bay and visit the Island Resort but by and large we are a destination for families. Much quieter and that is totally fine by me.
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Where you live sounds perfect Amanda and I hope you are enjoying a good weekend. We’re just gone out for breakfast and then will return to the hotel to get changed before the wedding. It’s quite dull and a bit chilly so hope the sun comes out later for the big day.
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A bit chilly is probably a relief for the guys who I assume are wearing suits?
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They are indeed!
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That kitchen beats all the hotels I stayed in during my travel years. Excellent!
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Thank you Ian, CitySuites is a perfect home from home / luxury hotel rolled into one.
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you certainly have nailed Manchester! the apartment looks absolutely brilliant!
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Thanks Andy, I’m pleased to learn you enjoyed my posts on Manchester. CitySuites is a lovely place to stay in the city. Hope it’s not too long before you can start globetrotting again.
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Wow – nicely covered with elaborate content and great images. Cheers
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Thank you for taking the time to comment. I’m pleased you enjoyed reading about CitySuites Manchester.
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City Suites looks really smart and right in the centre of the city. Ideal for a visit, may have to check out the prices and see how it looks. Any covid restrictions on pool use currently?
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It’s. Great place to stay Jonno. There were no restrictions for the jacuzzi or pool as it’s only open to hotel guests so was quiet but if it did get busier you could just pop back later if needed.
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The suites look really lovely Marion; a lovely place to stay – your meal looks pretty good too…
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The suites are gorgeous Sue and perfectly placed for exploring the city.
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Looks like an incredible place and one I hope to visit eventually. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks for taking the time to comment Cindy. I’m certain you would enjoy visiting Manchester with a stay at CitySuites.
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Oneday hope i can visit the Manchester. Thank for nice post.
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Thank you for commenting Jan. I do hope that one day you are able to visit Manchester and perhaps consider CitySuites.
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Ok 😄 I’ll try to remember it.
Hv nice day
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You are so lucky to be able to see and explore these neat places! The pictures were wonderful as always. What a cool room you had all I thought to myself was wow.
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Thank you for your kind words Sheryl. Manchester is a wonderful city to explore and CitySuites my favourite place to stay, just perfect for a post lockdown break.
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Looks awesome. Thanks for sharing. Allan
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Thanks for taking an interest in CitySuites Allan. It was a lovely place to stay and certainly has the edge over hotels in the current climate.
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Nice post and Beautiful pictures.
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Thank you Sri. CitySuites is a lovely place to stay in Manchester.
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That looks like a nice place to stay. I am understanding they may have a limited way to go to England and England to come here via people from places with few cases. NYC now has a low count for a while. They are talking of a corridor with no quantantine.
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Thanks for taking the time to comment Sharon. Yes, I read that recently too. So hopefully you might be able to come over to the UK soon and enjoy a well deserved holiday.
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