Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel

For many hotels with landmark status, it’s hard to shake off the dust of the past. Not so with Manchester’s Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel. Seemingly risen from the ashes of Manchester’s Free Trade Hall, a building with a history as epic as a Hollywood blockbuster, the hotel beguiles guests the moment they step foot through the revolving door.

A soaring glass atrium looms high above the entry, the focal point of the space a huge multi-colored steel sculpture of a rooster hunching forward. At first it seems oddly out of place, but upon closer inspection it holds a planter, with the tall blades of a snake plant shooting out the back of its neck. In a city famous for inclement weather, it’s nice to see what nature can still accomplish, to say nothing of the WOW factor visible right from the front door.

A Nod to the Past

Cool shades of grey ensue in the adjacent lobby with a crystal chandelier out of Phantom of the Opera, moody contemporary art and an open gallery balcony overhanging the comfortable sitting area. Two large hobby horses on display upstairs underline Radisson Blu’s intent to transport you to another time and place. That’s accomplished via oversized iconic pieces here and there like a big stone statue of an Asian goddess perched on a pedestal as you head to the elevators. Perhaps this is all to connect you with the building’s cultural DNA and its imposing history. In its day Free Trade Hall was the locus for creativity, living some of its most storied years as a concert hall and rock venue. It welcomed a diverse range of famous (and sometimes infamous) stars and on the second floor is a display of autographs of the many acts that performed here. Many of them such as Louis Armstrong, Judy Garland, Shirley Bassey and Bob Dylan are immortalized in the hotel’s Pennine Suites.

Striking historical touches like an array of friezes climbing toward the sky above on the way to the Sienna Spa downstairs or the series of plaster coats of arms above reception that identify the old craft guilds, combine to create an environment that is a beautiful mixture of new and old, modern and classic.

Rooms that Work

After checking in, let concierge Gary Roberts whisk you to your room. As you step out of the elevator and view the downtown cityscape in front of you, you’ll realize that the entire hotel is a brand spanking new building joined to the original Free Trade Hall. The clever connection was overseen by Radisson Blu and retains the building’s original brick colonnades in the façade.

Standard rooms here are compact, indeed, but contain everything necessary for survival in Manchester’s urban jungle. Thankfully, the chambers are not decorated with football memorabilia but are tastefully fitted out with contemporary furnishings and accessories. Think built in sleeping areas and work stations, an adjoining chest of drawers fitted out with all manner of accoutrements for tea, coffee or cocktails and petite combo shower/baths that actually work.

Opt for a city view for maximum enjoyment of the changing face of Manchester’s version of Big Ben. Or choose one of the 15 open plan Alfresco Suites which will amaze you with floor to ceiling windows and sliding glass doors leading to an enclosed patio. Or go all out and choose The Bassey Suite, an oversized one bedroom, with separate living room and a south facing balcony that runs the entire length of the suite.

Dining, Drinking and, of course, Tea

Elsewhere, Opus One, a sleek restaurant and bar, serves a modern British menu using fresh, locally sourced ingredients and on any given night you’ll be face to face with the city’s footballers, fashionistas, and millennials. Alternatively, Steak & Lobster offers 10 oz. dry-aged rib eye steaks and fresh whole lobsters on the half shell (wow!). A full tea service is available in the afternoons, of course, this being England after all.

All told the hotel encompasses two restaurants, a bar and the full service Sienna Spa with a 12 meter swimming pool, the only one of its kind in the city.

*Complimentary Wi-Fi