Aloft Manchester City Centre review: a stylish Deansgate stay with kids

The hotel has 22 floors and is built alongside (and into) the existing viaducts

My verdict

The new Aloft Manchester City Centre is a smart, modern and very well-located hotel that works great as a base for a family weekend in Manchester, particularly if you’re arriving by train and want to be close to the action without being right in the thick of the late-night chaos.

Set on Deansgate, right beside Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink and train station, it’s handy for Manchester Central, Spinningfields, Deansgate Square, Oxford Road and the Arndale Centre. It’s also within a 20-minute walk of Manchester Victoria, though I say that as someone whose children are six and four, so “walking distance” also means “be prepared for some theatrical sighing and at least one backpack-related complaint”.

The hotel itself is fresh and polished, with a spacious lobby, bold design touches (including a mural paying homage to the old 19th-century GJR network) and a sophisticated W XYZ bar area. We stayed in a superior room on the 19th floor, which had brilliant views across the Deansgate skyline, excellent air conditioning during a very hot July weekend and enough room for two adults and two children.

Aloft’s branding is subtle from the outside - if you’re not paying attention, it’s easy to walk past

Families are catered for through Camp Aloft, which was a thoughtful touch and a big hit with our children. That said, the in-room tent was more for playing in than sleeping in and both were happy enough with their shared sofa bed that was already made up for us.

The main downside for us was the bar pricing. £8 for a pint of Inch’s and £3 each for J20s made a casual family drink feel rather less casual. The hotel’s evening food service also wasn’t fully up and running during our stay, so we headed out for dinner instead. More on this later.

A huge glass facade covers the hotel lobby - a lovely detail but it did let the blinding sun through at sunset

Overall, Aloft Manchester City Centre is a stylish and practical addition to Manchester’s hotel scene. I’d recommend it for families who want a central base, good transport links, modern rooms and a bit of novelty for the kids. Just factor in the cost of drinks if you’re planning to spend much time in the bar…

How we tested

We stayed at Aloft Manchester City Centre for one night over a weekend in early July, travelling by train from Leeds to Manchester with our two children, aged six and four.

After arriving at Manchester Victoria, we took a black cab to the hotel on Deansgate. Traffic on Deansgate was busy, as you’d expect on a Saturday afternoon, but the hotel was easy to find. It sits alongside the existing tramline arches, which made for quite the entrance if, like us, you have two train-obsessed children. Less charming, perhaps, if you’re having breakfast with a slightly sore head while tired and a tram rumbles overhead.

Inside, a huge mural pays homage to railways of previous years

We used the hotel as a base for a family weekend in Manchester, including shopping at the Arndale Centre, dinner out, watching the first half of England’s World Cup match against Norway in the bar and a slow walk back to Manchester Victoria the following day before our train home.

During our stay, we tested the room setup, Camp Aloft family package, breakfast, bar, location and general practicality for a family city break.

What are the rooms like?

We stayed in a superior room on the 19th floor, which gave us fantastic views across Manchester and the recognisable Deansgate Square skyscrapers.

We stayed on the 19th floor, which gave us fabulous views of Deansgate

The room felt modern, spacious and very tech-focused. There was a king size bed for us and a sofa bed made up for the children, plus a large screen TV, mini fridge, kettle, hot drinks, open wardrobe storage, iron, ironing board, safe and extra towels. The bathroom had a walk-in rain shower (oh, how we love a rain shower), toilet and sink basin.

The rain shower was a lovely sight to see, and the drybar toiletries smelt rather nice

(L) an ironing board in-room, and (R), extra towels and wardrobe space

The air conditioning deserves its own small round of applause. We stayed during one of the hottest weeks of the year in early July, so being able to set the room to 19 degrees and cool everyone down quickly was hugely appreciated. There are few things that test family harmony quite like four people sharing one hotel room in the heat.

The buttons above the AC control are for housekeeping

One of the things I really liked was the two-door entry to the room. I suspect this is more about reducing noise and giving guests in the superior rooms a bit of separation from the main corridor than anything specifically child-safety related, but as someone who once had a two-year-old escape from a hotel room in Tenerife, I welcomed the extra barrier. It made the room feel more private and gave us a little more peace of mind.

The entry way into the loft we stayed in - a second door for privacy and security

Our youngest is going through a strong “I do it” phase

There was also a clever housekeeping system by the door where you can press green for cleaning or red for do not disturb. This changes the colour of the lit-up room number outside, so housekeeping knows whether to come in or leave you be. 

My husband and I spent a while trying to work out why some door numbers were red and some were green, because apparently this is what passes for entertainment once you’ve had children. It’s worth noting, though, that if you’re staying for more than one night, you should activate the “Make My Room” button before 9am each morning. 

What activities are on offer?

Aloft is very much positioned as a social, city-break hotel rather than a resort-style family hotel, so you won’t find a kids’ club, pool or endless organised activities. For a central Manchester stay, though, there was enough to keep our two happy.

Inside our room, the tent was already pitched and sofa bed made for our DC

The big family feature is Camp Aloft, the brand’s in-room programme for children aged 2 to 12. In our room, this included a pop-up play tent, a huge Manchester bee plushie, Connect 4 and a jar of sweets.

My eldest nabbed the bee plush before his little brother could 

The tent was fun for playing in, hiding in and generally creating chaos around, but it wasn’t something our children were realistically going to sleep in. That may vary by child, of course, but ours treated it as an indoor den rather than a bedtime solution.

The boys enjoyed playing pool with their Dad in the lobby area

Downstairs, the W XYZ bar area also had a pool table, which our boys enjoyed attempting to play with their dad. “Attempting” is doing a lot of work there, but they had fun, and that’s often the best you can hope for.

What amenities are available for kids?

As mentioned, for children, the main draw is Camp Aloft. The setup made the room feel more exciting for our six-year-old and four-year-old, and the bee plushie was a lovely nod to Manchester’s famous symbol.

The Connect 4 was a good addition too, because it gave them something to focus on in the room that wasn’t a screen. The sweets were a thoughtful touch, though I’ll admit my first thought was that the last thing my children needed in a hotel room was more sugar. Still, it’s a weekend treat, and plenty of families will appreciate it.

The Connect Four game and jar of sweets were a nice treat for the kids

The room setup worked well for us as a family of four. The sofa bed was already made up for the children, there was enough space for our bags and the bathroom was practical, with a walk-in shower rather than a bath. Some parents of very young children may prefer a bath, but at six and four, ours were fine with the shower.

The 12pm checkout was another big family win. Nobody wants to be hurling toothbrushes into bags at 9.45am while someone is refusing to put their shoes on, so having that extra time made the whole morning feel much less frantic.

Is there a gym at Aloft Manchester?

Yes, but sadly my husband didn’t have a chance to try it out himself during our short stay. That said, we did have a wander down to have a look and it gained the approval of my gym-obsessed DH. 

You’ll find the gym on the second floor of the hotel, and you can use the facilities 24/7 with key card access. 

Inside the gym you’ll find treadmills, weights machines and more

There’s also free weights available to use

What’s the food and drink like?

The hotel’s evening dinner service wasn’t fully functional during our stay, so we didn’t eat dinner there. Instead, we let our eldest choose where we went and ended up at Nando’s. A “Cheeky Nando’s”, obviously, because apparently that’s now part of the cultural education of British childhood.

Sadly the dining service wasn’t yet ready so we couldn’t sample it

You can certainly tell the dining areas are built under the viaduct arches

Breakfast, however, was a real highlight. It’s available from 6.30 to 9.30 am during the week and on weekends, from 7.30am until 11am, which I loved. So many hotels wrap breakfast up by 9.30am or 10am, leaving families either rushing or missing the good bits. Here, we could wake up at a civilised pace, get ready without barking instructions at everyone and head down without feeling like we were on a military operation.

Breakfast was lovely, and we appreciated the extended duration until 11am

There were a few sore heads after the England vs Norway match…

As part of Camp Aloft and the hotel’s family-friendly offering, children can design their own waffles at breakfast. They tick off the toppings they want, the chefs make the waffles fresh to order, and then, if your children are anything like mine, they choose absolutely everything before eating approximately half. Naturally, we had to help them out with the leftovers - an awful hardship, as you can imagine.

Our kids had the chance to order their own fresh waffles

The waffles were scrumptious - though rather large for small kids! We had to help… 

The rest of breakfast is what you’d expect from a decent international hotel buffet: cold cuts, cheeses, fruit, yoghurts, cereals, pastries, fresh toast and a hot breakfast selection including sausages, eggs, bacon, hash browns and other trimmings. Nothing surprising, but all the basics you’d want or need, and enough choice to keep adults and children happy.

(L) hot breakfast foods like eggs, bacon and sausages and (R) your typical breakfast pastries - the chocolate croissant was yummy!

Cereals for adults and kids and also fresh fruit, yoghurt and juices were available

The 11am finish also worked well after a late night watching the England match, and there were definitely a few sore heads around us making the most of the slower start.

The bar is stylish and comfortable, with plenty of booths and tables. It felt more like a lounge bar than a rowdy pub, so we were comfortable sitting there with the children in the evening while they drank J20s and watched their Kindles. Probably not the best parenting we’ve done. But we never do it… And this was a treat. 

The bar is located next to the lobby and is a lovely area to lounge, rest and enjoy a drink

Apparently my six-year-old orders his own J2Os now? 

The prices, however, were steep. My husband’s pint of Inch’s was £8, my bottle of blue WKD was £4.50 and the children’s J20s were £3 each. For a family of four, a single round came to just under £20, which felt eye-watering even for Manchester city centre. It became accidental entertainment watching people buy a round and visibly process the cost.

In our youngest’s own words: “lights under the table! I can find my cars easily!” 

My husband stayed up for the second half (and extra time) of the World Cup match

For parents wanting a relaxed drink after a day out, that pricing could be a deterrent. The bar itself is a good space, but Aloft could do with nudging those prices down a little if it wants families to linger IMHO.

The Re:Fuel station was handy to pick up a snack or refreshment

Finally, for those in need of a refreshment or snack at any time of day, the Re:Fuel grab-and-go bar is located next to reception. Prices started at £3 for a protein bar or Soreen bar for kids. 

What is there to do nearby?

Location is one of Aloft Manchester City Centre’s biggest strengths. The hotel is on Deansgate, close to Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink and train station, with Manchester Central Convention Complex nearby. Spinningfields, Oxford Road, Deansgate Square and the Arndale Centre are all within reach, making it a convenient base for shopping, eating out, sightseeing, events, concerts or matchday stays.

We ventured towards the Arndale to complete some holiday shopping

We used it as a base for shopping at the Arndale Centre and dinner in the city centre, and it worked well for that. The hotel is around a 20-minute walk from Manchester Victoria, which is perfectly manageable for adults but more of a mission with two young children and backpacks. 

That said, our two managed it on the way back and described it as an adventure (and we may have been bribing them with the LEGO Store…).

We walked back to Manchester Victoria with ease on a peaceful Sunday morning

The hotel’s position beside the tramlines was also a novelty for our children. They loved seeing and hearing the trams, though it’s worth knowing that you can hear them at times, including from the breakfast area and in the bar. It didn’t bother us, but if you’re sensitive to noise, it’s something to keep in mind.

What are the staff and service like?

Check-in was straightforward thanks to a lovely staff member called Victoria at reception, which is just to the left as you enter the lobby. The hotel felt easy to navigate, with the bar straight ahead, seating to the right and lifts taking guests up through the 22-floor building.

Thank you to the staff who were lovely and attentive throughout our short stay

The Camp Aloft setup was already in place in our room, which made a good first impression with the kids and saved any faffing around after arrival. The sofa bed was also made ready for them, which is always appreciated. There’s nothing more joy-sapping than arriving in a family room and discovering you have to call down for bedding while everyone slowly unravels.

Guests staying should be aware of the Manchester City Visitor Charge (£1 per room per night)

We didn’t need much from staff during our stay beyond the usual check-in and hotel basics, but everything we used felt smooth and well organised. The tech-led housekeeping system was also a nice touch, making it easy to indicate whether we wanted cleaning or privacy.

Final verdict

Aloft Manchester City Centre is a strong choice for families who want a stylish, central Manchester hotel with good transport links, modern rooms and a few thoughtful child-friendly extras.

It’s not a traditional family hotel with soft play, pools or endless activities, but that isn’t really the point. It’s a grown-up city hotel that has made an effort to welcome families, and for a weekend in Manchester, that worked well for us.

The view from our room in the sunshine

The room was comfortable, cool and practical; the views from the 19th floor were brilliant; Camp Aloft gave the children something fun and memorable; and the late breakfast and 12pm checkout made the whole stay feel less rushed.

The main drawbacks were the expensive bar prices and the fact that the evening food service wasn’t fully up and running during our visit. Families planning to eat on-site should check what’s available before relying on it, particularly with tired children in tow.

Would I stay again? Yes, especially for a weekend where we wanted to be close to Deansgate, the city centre, the tram and Manchester’s main attractions.

About the author 

Rebecca Roberts is a Leeds-based writer and editor at Mumsnet. She commissions, writes and edits the sort of no-nonsense content parents actually need. While typically focused on lifestyle and home, she’s a mum of two young children - making her well equipped to try out trips on behalf of Mumsnet. 

Plus, as a mum herself, she’s very familiar with the reality of travelling with small kids - including the logistics, the snacks, the “where’s the nearest loo?” and the question of whether something is genuinely worth the money. She looks at places through a practical parent lens: what makes the stay easier, what’s good for kids, what’s bearable for adults, and what you’ll wish you’d known before you booked. 

About the editor

Jenny Wonnacott is a Content Editor at Mumsnet, where she writes, edits and optimises family-focused content designed to make everyday parenting that bit easier.

As a mum of three, Jenny brings first-hand parenting experience to everything she writes, with plenty of trial-and-error along the way. Her family travels have ranged from UK camping trips to more adventurous long-haul breaks, giving her a clear understanding of what really matters when travelling with children - from location and layout to those small but crucial details that can turn an average family trip into the best holiday ever.

She regularly researches and reviews family travel options, combining expert insight with real parent feedback from the Mumsnet community to help other families plan holidays with confidence.

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