Today’s review is by regular contributor Graham.
Housed in a former 19th-century warehouse, Manchester’s newest boutique hotel offers a good night’s sleep—where you will certainly get your 47 winks! The stylish hotel’s owners, Kro Hospitality, also own the popular Velvet Hotel in the city.
Forty-Seven have worked with designer Kerry Davies, known as the Sleep Doctor, to ensure that all 32 of the hotel’s 32 rooms are conducive to a good night’s sleep. This includes crisp white linen sheets, a very comfortable bed, mood lighting, blackout curtains, and soothing shades of green, blue, and gold.
In this post:
Location
The hotel is centrally located, being situated a few minutes’ walk away from the Town Hall and St Peters Square, where there is a tram stop that takes you to the airport. Entertainment venues such as Albert Hall are on the hotel’s doorstep, along with restaurants and the adjacent Manchester Central Conference Centre.
Reception
On arrival, we were slightly disappointed to find no one behind the reception desk. It transpired that the receptionist was showing another guest to the room. After a five-minute wait, an apology was received for the delay, and a typical northern welcome was given, including details regarding the restaurant—Aisha’s, a stylish and glamorous venue with a sophisticated touch.
The Room
We stayed in one of the Duplex Suite rooms, which was compact yet very cosy. The large television seemed a tad too big for the room, which could be viewed from the corner settee. A small kitchenette also had a fridge, though I was surprised to discover that there was no fresh milk provided to go with the coffee and tea supplied – you had to go down to reception and request this. Although this was readily supplied this is an area where the hotel could save guests time and effort.
A mezzanine led to the attic bedroom where space was at a premium with the huge super king bed taking up most of the space. A shelving unit had an integrated clothes rail though you had to watch that you did not bang your head when accessing this. A novel touch was the Bluetooth speaker so that you could listen to your music. Again a huge flat screen television dominated one of the bedroom walls.
Rooms start with the Cosy King leading up to the Asha’s Suite – an indulgent feast inspired by the Bollywood star Asha Bhosle and the ultimate in high end accommodation – the Forty-Seven Suite.
The Bathroom
The compact bathroom came with a range L’ Occtaine toiletries a powerful, responsive rain shower. With space at a premium all the facilities seemed ergonomically placed.
Breakfast
This is served at the on-site Asha’s restaurant for one of the best fresh breakfasts I have eaten. Everything is cooked to order, being Asian themed do not expect bacon or pork ingredients, instead expect delicious chicken sausages and turkey bacon. The pastries were fresh, plentiful, and tasted like they had come direct from a French Pâtisserie. The high-quality breakfast exceeded our expectations and is somewhere we would visit again just to experience good service and fresh ingredients eaten in sumptuous surroundings.
Conclusion
With an array of accommodation in Manchester and new hotels opening, Forty-Seven has found a niche in the hotel market for providing a service that stands out from the norm. A homely, northern welcome is matched with an elegant and stylish hotel worthy of the attention of any discerning traveller.
