5
Nice, Friendly Hotel at Manchester Airport... ...but...
I've given the rating an 'Excellent', even though I'm going to chuck in some hefty criticisms. 'Excellent' was based upon my own needs. I use a wheelchair but can walk short distances with two walking sticks, so the issues I'll highlight weren't a problem for me. Someone with more complex needs would probably give a completely different score.
First big plus, this hotel is right on the doorstep at Manchester Airport. Literally, less than a five-minute stroll/roll from the airport railway station, so an excellent location.
We stayed twice, the night before flying and the evening after we returned, in January/February 2026. The staff were all excellent, very friendly and helpful. I was asked about a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan on both check-ins. Because I can walk short distances (even further when a fire alarm is sounding!) and can manage stairs, I don't require assistance with PEEP's, but it is always good to be asked.
The room... Okay, so here is where I get critical. For me, it was fine. But, I can't help feeling it was designed by someone who was imagining what it is like to have a disability, rather than actual, lived experience. For starters, the rug under the bed. Why? As you can see in the photos, it got caught up in the wheelchair. To my mind, rugs under beds offer no real value and are simply a trip hazard for many people and awkward for wheelchair users. I did report this, and my opinion, on check-out, and they took note, so who knows, perhaps they are gone now?
Second, the colours in the accessible shower. Now personally, I quite like the style. However, the lack of contrast may be an issue for people with a visual impairment. It took me a moment before I saw the shower taps, and I knew what I was looking for. It is unlikely to get changed, but again suggests a lack of thought.
Sticking with the shower/toilet, the sink in both rooms (different accessible rooms on both visits) is really badly positioned. I'm not sure if they were trying to position it so someone could wash their hands while still sitting on the toilet? But to me, that suggests you aren't finished yet! Regardless, in both rooms, I found they were in the way, and I actually used them as a grab rail on a couple of occasions. Otherwise, the grabs are reasonably well-positioned. My usual complaint of metal grab-rails in accessible showers, vertical grabs are slippery when wet/soapy, but there is a horizontal bar, so that's okay.
Lastly, the potentially 'big one', or, more accurately, 'not big enough' one. The gap between the bottom of the bed and the wall is a pinch-point. Someone with a large wheelchair would really struggle to get past (see image). I suspect a power wheelchair user wouldn't be able to get to the toilet. Ironically, the walls are not parallel. If the bed had been placed a couple of feet closer to the en-suite, it would have opened the space up enough. But the headboard, light switches & lamp are all wired into the wall, so not an easy fix. It felt like 'so close'. This was the room on the return, I don’t recall it being a problem in the room we had on the way out, so either it simply didn’t stick in my mind, or some rooms are not a problem. If you are a power wheelchair user, I’d recommend phoning them up to confirm the room is appropriate.
The food was decent, and a nice bar, although not cheap! A bit of a shock to the wallet, having returned from the Dominican Republic, where I could pay £5 for two portions of delicious chicken, rice & beans, to paying "HOW MUCH???" for a burger & chips, but it is to be expected at an airport hotel.
Rooms were okay price-wise, about £80 for the night. Outbound, I got a breakfast included rate, but the same price, without breakfast on the return leg. The included breakfast was decent enough (standard, cooked breakfast, buffet style), but wasn't worth the full price, so we skipped it and got a sandwich at the train station.
In short, for me, it was a nice stay, and I will happily return when flying out of Manchester again, but for some people, it wouldn't be great.
I've given the rating an 'Excellent', even though I'm going to chuck in some hefty criticisms. 'Excellent' was based upon my own needs. I use a wheelchair but can walk short distances with two walking sticks, so the issues I'll highlight weren't a problem for me. Someone with more complex needs would probably give a completely different score.
First big plus, this hotel is right on the doorstep at Manchester Airport. Literally, less than a five-minute stroll/roll from the airport railway station, so an excellent location.
We stayed twice, the night before flying and the evening after we returned, in January/February 2026. The staff were all excellent, very friendly and helpful. I was asked about a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan on both check-ins. Because I can walk short distances (even further when a fire alarm is sounding!) and can manage stairs, I don't require assistance with PEEP's, but it is always good to be asked.
The room... Okay, so here is where I get critical. For me, it was fine. But, I can't help feeling it was designed by someone who was imagining what it is like to have a disability, rather than actual, lived experience. For starters, the rug under the bed. Why? As you can see in the photos, it got caught up in the wheelchair. To my mind, rugs under beds offer no real value and are simply a trip hazard for many people and awkward for wheelchair users. I did report this, and my opinion, on check-out, and they took note, so who knows, perhaps they are gone now?
Second, the colours in the accessible shower. Now personally, I quite like the style. However, the lack of contrast may be an issue for people with a visual impairment. It took me a moment before I saw the shower taps, and I knew what I was looking for. It is unlikely to get changed, but again suggests a lack of thought.
Sticking with the shower/toilet, the sink in both rooms (different accessible rooms on both visits) is really badly positioned. I'm not sure if they were trying to position it so someone could wash their hands while still sitting on the toilet? But to me, that suggests you aren't finished yet! Regardless, in both rooms, I found they were in the way, and I actually used them as a grab rail on a couple of occasions. Otherwise, the grabs are reasonably well-positioned. My usual complaint of metal grab-rails in accessible showers, vertical grabs are slippery when wet/soapy, but there is a horizontal bar, so that's okay.
Lastly, the potentially 'big one', or, more accurately, 'not big enough' one. The gap between the bottom of the bed and the wall is a pinch-point. Someone with a large wheelchair would really struggle to get past (see image). I suspect a power wheelchair user wouldn't be able to get to the toilet. Ironically, the walls are not parallel. If the bed had been placed a couple of feet closer to the en-suite, it would have opened the space up enough. But the headboard, light switches & lamp are all wired into the wall, so not an easy fix. It felt like 'so close'. This was the room on the return, I don’t recall it being a problem in the room we had on the way out, so either it simply didn’t stick in my mind, or some rooms are not a problem. If you are a power wheelchair user, I’d recommend phoning them up to confirm the room is appropriate.
The food was decent, and a nice bar, although not cheap! A bit of a shock to the wallet, having returned from the Dominican Republic, where I could pay £5 for two portions of delicious chicken, rice & beans, to paying "HOW MUCH???" for a burger & chips, but it is to be expected at an airport hotel.
Rooms were okay price-wise, about £80 for the night. Outbound, I got a breakfast included rate, but the same price, without breakfast on the return leg. The included breakfast was decent enough (standard, cooked breakfast, buffet style), but wasn't worth the full price, so we skipped it and got a sandwich at the train station.
In short, for me, it was a nice stay, and I will happily return when flying out of Manchester again, but for some people, it wouldn't be great.
For additional detailed accessibility information, please contact: hb731-RE@mytribehotel.com
