Sometimes as a freelance journalist, it’s hard to find time to relax. There’s always a new idea running round your mind, and even when you do your best to unwind, you’ll find a spark of inspiration in the people you’re in the company of, the television shows you’re watching, or the music you’re listening to. So, when Jurys Inn offered the chance to stay over for a ‘stay-inn-cation’ in their Manchester hotel, I jumped at the opportunity! Time to finally turn off (as much as possible) and enjoy 20 hours or so of peace and quiet.
In an easy-to-find and convenient location on Great Bridgewater Street in Manchester’s City Centre, Jurys Inn boasts an impressive foyer where visitors are able to check-in from 2pm, using self-service machines and chatting with one of the many incredibly friendly and helpful staff on-site. The check-in process was a very smooth one, taking just a couple of minutes to tap details into the computer and be handed the keys to our room.
Situated on the fifth floor, we took the elevator upstairs and quickly found our digs for the day. The rooms are truly a sight to behold; they’re modern, housing an incredibly comfy large bed, a lot of well-lit desk room to get any necessary work done on your trip, or to enjoy the tea and coffee left for visitors, and a spacious bathroom which of course had all of the essentials for our stay; just remember your own toothpaste! In each, there’s enough room for up to three adults, or two adults and two children sharing.
In marketing themselves as the perfect place for a ‘staycation’, Jurys Inn may want to look into adding Netflix or similar streaming applications to their televisions. It was something I tried to do myself, but without the ability to access menus, I was unable to do so. It also meant that the Samsung iPad or iPhone mirroring apps, which would allow anything you watch on your devices to be ported to the television screens, didn’t connect to the TV.
Still, there was freeview channels available on the TV, as well as free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, so anybody who really struggles without their Netflix binge each night can connect their own devices to the net and get watching.
Room service is available for guests, with a service charge of £5 applied to anything ordered off the generous menu. Plenty of options are available for those feeling a bit peckish, or a little thirsty, with the full menu available from 12pm to 10pm, and a smaller night menu between 12am and 6am.
In order to get the full Jurys Inn experience however, we decided to dine in the Oddsocks Bar and Kitchen for dinner. I opted for the nachos (£7.50) to start with a BCM burger (bacon, Monterey Jack cheese and mustard mayonnaise; £15 single, £17 double, £19 triple), which was off the Signature Oddsocks menu and came with French fries. My friend went for the salt and pepper squid (£7.50) to start, which was served with a citrus mayonnaise, and the pork and leak sausages (£13.50), which came with creamy mash and rich onion gravy.
The food on the whole was very tasty and well presented. Some of the price points were a touch too high, but it was hard to complain when we left a pair of empty plates behind. Plus, the service given by the staff in the Oddsocks Bar and Kitchen was undeniably fantastic. They were forever on hand to ensure we were enjoying our night, our glasses were kept full, and our food was hitting the right spot.
We put our room service to use after we made our way back to our rooms, deciding to enjoy our desserts in bed with a bottle of wine and the latest episode of Love Island. We shared a rick chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream (£6), and the Madagascan vanilla cheesecake with a raspberry coulis (£6), and both were the perfect way to top off a delicious meal and fill in any gaps that may have been left! Fed and watered, the bed provided the perfect comfort to sink into relaxation.
For breakfast the next morning, there was plenty of food available in the Oddsocks Bar and Kitchen. From 6am, there were continental options including cereals, pastries, fruits and more, and for those who wanted an extra hour in bed and some hot food to start their day, 7am saw the arrival of everything you need for a Full English.
Check-out came at 12pm, allowing plenty of time to enjoy breakfast before returning back to the room for a peaceful bubble bath and swift pack-up session. Just be careful when getting in and out of the bath; as is the case in most hotels, it can be quite tricky to ensure you don’t slip, so make good use of the handrails provided both on the wall and on the sides of the tub.
Staff were once again incredibly helpful upon checking out, with guests allowed to wait for taxis or pick-ups in the communal areas that fill the foyer. There’s even an all-day Costa so you can get a cheeky coffee before heading home!
So, what did I make of our ‘stay-inn-cation’? I absolutely loved the experience! It was one of the most relaxing times I’ve had in recent memory and put a real shine on what would have been just another dreary weekend! Thank you to all of the staff who helped make the stay such a great one; I can’t wait to come back in the not-too-distant future.
Tagged in Manchester hotel review