MANCHESTER CITY MOXY HOTEL REVIEW: GET AHEAD WITH A HAT

THEY say that to get ahead you should get a hat and Moxy Hotel Manchester City boasts a whole wall of them. 

The Marriott Bonvoy’s experiential hotel brand, officially opened in Manchester at the start of the year and presents its ever stylish vibe to the heart of Spinningfields. 

You can’t really get more City than where it is. 

With its pink neon signage on top of its metal panelled exterior, the contemporary neighbourhood hotel offers a youthful fun atmosphere to those looking for a place to be.

For those travelling by train, plane or bus, its centrally located and a nearby NCP car park accommodates those who travel by car - remember to download the app first though. 

The minute you walk in you know you are in for some sociable times. 

All guests arriving are offered a premixed cocktail (there’s a zero alcohol option too) just to kick off your free time. 

The lounge area of the hotel offers quirky furnishings with colourful scatter cushions and little nods to the surrounding culture and history. 

At Moxy City Manchester, you’ll find test tubes on shelves - a nod to the chemists that used to be there, cushions in the shape of knots - a reminder of the cotton that was made there,  and hats aplenty - addressing the old hat factory there. 

There were also old style gym lockers against one of the walls and a football table and annexed off of that a private office type space for board meetings or communal gatherings. 

At weekends there’s DJs behind one of the desks at the entrance and card and board games aplenty as well as books to read to pass the time. 

It’s got a cool, uncomplicated vibe and the smiles on guests faces says it all. 

On arrival one of Moxy’s artists was completing a colourful mural on the back wall. 

We checked in, got our welcoming drink, and caught a lift which was emblazoned with the lyrics Love Will Tear Us Apart - a tribute to Joy Division’s Factory Records link to the city. 

We encountered a couple of greyhounds waiting for their floor - as the hotel is pet friendly. 

The room itself was spotless and a sign told us everything had just been given a swoosh of anti bacterial liquid including the remote control (always comforting). 

The mirrors are perfect for selfies and the mood lighting is a perfect start to the weekend - with a motion centred light under the bed for those night time bathroom excursions. 

Closets are open walled and everything is minimalistic so there’s less clutter and more sleek lines. 

The platform beds had fresh white mattresses and the pillows had just enough bounce while in the bathroom there are walk in showers and the pink hand and body soap smelled lovely too. 

We resisted watching Netflix on the telly to explore the surrounding area of Spinningfields and its cool mix of shops and restaurants.  

We were a guest of Ducie Street Warehouse and loved the freshly made food and trendy atmosphere in spacious surroundings and also visited our favourite Chinese restaurant The Rice Bowl, with its gluten free vegetarian options and stylish tables, the following day. 

Breakfast at The Moxy is even better than you’d imagine. 

There is much more than muffins and cookies, as guests can enjoy a self service hot or cold buffet with cold meats and cheeses, breads, fruits, an extensive cereal bar, yoghurts, a traditional English brekkie, and a mix of hot and cold drinks. 

Machines will dispense regular breakfast drinks - with a separate fridge offering more choice to those who wish to pay a little extra for the drink of their choice. 

The Moxy bar has a host of cocktails on offer too with beers, spirits, wine, Moxy syrup blend, non-alcoholic Fauxy Moxy,or the booze fuelled Disco Diva in a disco ball with Vodka, Vanilla, Limoncello, Citrus Elderflower, Pomegranate, and Prosecco.

 There’s also a dedicated barista counter for a coffee fix, and Grab n Go snacks and beverages available 24/7 for those late night cravings. 

Staff at the nine storey hotel were so friendly and informative about the local surroundings and history. 

They went out their way to help with any requests too. 

The Moxy is perfect for an easy and energised staycation.  For full transparency we were a guest of the hotel for our stay but would definitely revisit. 

 Rooms are available from £99.

.To book your stay at Moxy Manchester city visit www.MoxyManchesterCity.com | @MoxyMcr  #PLAYON #ATTHEMOXY

 

DUCIE STREET WAREHOUSE REVIEW: FRESH AND FAB


Manchester has always been one of theshowbizlion.com’s fave places to go for a weekend and we always love a walk by the canal. 

Manchester’s Ducie Street Warehouse is right beside it in the centre and the venue was recently refurbished. 

It even even hosts a doggy friendly mini cinema. 

It’s vast with industrial style ceilings, and large enough for you to have your own space- important in these Covid aware days. 

It’s also warm and friendly enough for you to feel at home with plenty of pot plants and greenery to bring the outside in. 

Diners can choose to eat in the relaxed foyer area which acts as a reception area for the adjoining Nomad hotel or they can venture deeper into the bespoke restaurant at the back.

 It’s cosy despite the overall size of the place.

 There’s also an outside terrace overlooking the canal if you don’t mind a slight winter chill in February 

Kitted out with giant lampshades and Art Deco style mirrors alongside modern art prints it feels like you could be in New York. 

Funky music plays over the sound system as an eclectic mix of diners enjoy delights including spices parsnip hummus, king prawns in romesco sauce, whole roasted spiced celeriac shawarma or a 16oz roast sirloin to share. 

Theshowbizlion.com opted for the Loch Duart salmon with Asian greens and a soy dressing on the side. We cannot rate it enough. 

It was beautifully cooked, moist and the greens were perfectly al dente and fresh. It felt clean.

The hummus was an easy eat - and with just the right seasoning so it didn’t claw if you excise the pun. 

The tomato was definitely the main flavour of king prawns in Romasco sauce and they were succulent. 

The butternut squash and avocado salad also got a thumbs up from the lioness and the sugar snap peas were crunchtastic.

Dessert of date-based sticky toffee pudding proved a winner and we liked the gold leaf piece on top  and the gluten free veggie lioness went for the sorbet rather than the poached plums. 

A three course meal works out around £35 a head for food with all the trimmings.

FRANKIE & BENNY’S TREAT SCOTS STUDENTS WITH FREE VEGAN DOGS

FRANKIE & Benny’s have a special treat to celebrate the start of the new university year and a much-anticipated return to full in-person learning for students around the Uk.

 The talian-American restaurant brand recently completed phase one of a country wide free vegan hotdog giveaway to students. 

 When looking at how the brand could provide students with a tasty treat and some much-needed cheer, the ‘Vegan Hotdog University Tour’ was the obvious choice. 

The much-loved UK brand has for many years run their student offer (20% off food), as well as priding themselves on offering a broad choice of vegan and vegetarian options.  

 The first phase of the ‘Vegan Hotdog University Tour’ kicked off at Nottingham Trent University in late January 2022, followed by successful stops at Bristol Uni, Manchester Met, Leicester University, Birmingham City University, Nottingham Uni, Plymouth Uni, Sheffield Uni and Leeds Beckett. 

Off the back of phase one and following the overwhelmingly positive feedback from students across England, Frankie & Benny’s will continue with the activity, this time focusing phase two of ‘The Tour’ on Scotland and Wales. After a short break, the‘Vegan Hotdog University Tour’ will restart and head to the following sites:

 

• Glasgow University on 7 March

• Edinburgh University on 8 March

• Newcastle Uni on 14 March 

• Cardiff Met on 21 March

 

Be sure to continue to follow the tour and any relevant updates onFrankie & Benny’s social: @frankienbennys, as the brand will be handing out vouchers at their upcoming university stops (for freebies in restaurants), with students also in with a chance to win Frankie’s for a year when they sign up with the brand.  

 

The ‘hero’ of the whole tour has been the famous ‘Vegan Dog’, a new vegan option on the Frankie & Benny’s menu and one that is proving very popular with vegans and non-vegans alike! The juicy plant-based hotdog is served on a soft glazed roll, with fried onions, gherkins, fiery chillies, BBQ sauce and delicious vegan mayo.

Gabby Barysaite, Senior Brand Manager, Frankie & Benny’s, said: “Our recent ‘Vegan Hotdog University Tour’ has proved to be such a hit, and with such positive feedback from students across the country, it’s a programme that we’re committed tocontinuing – with a focus on universities in Scotland and Wales.”  

She continued: “We pride ourselves on our vegan and vegetarian menus and as a company it’s something that we’re always looking to adapt and update. We hope that some of the students that tried our vegan hotdogs at their universities were suitably impressed and will look to plan a trip to their nearest restaurant soon.”