Hyatt Regency Manchester

Just off Oxford Road, The Hyatt Regency offers a luxurious base for any visit to Manchester, but it’s particularly ideal for those connected with any of the three higher education institutions on its doorstep. Right in the middle of the city’s Knowledge Quarter (that’s a thing, apparently), it’s a popular spot for parents wanting to check in on their dear fledglings while checking out of the more raucous aspects of student life.

From the moment you enter the lobby, everything about this place feels sleek and sophisticated – all polished marble, high ceilings and elegant design touches, with endless windows flooding the building with natural light. The streamlined check-in follows suit as we get our first taste of the brilliant hospitality here – the epitome of ‘friendlier up north’.

Lucky us. We’re given a suite on the 17th floor, eye-to-eye with Manchester’s multiplying skyscrapers. If cityscapes are your thing, these are some of the best seats in the house, with more of those floor-to-ceiling windows maximising the view. Inside it’s all about understated luxury, with soft neutral tones and ambient lighting making it feel like a place you actually want to hang out in. Naturally, every modern amenity is present. There’s even a kitchenette – great for those longer stays.

Time for a drink. In an ambient alcove on the ground floor, a cheerful barman guides us towards two stars of the cocktail menu. Sweet and sour flavours collide perfectly in The Catalyst, made with cherry purée, Chambord, Havana, lime and apple juice. But it’s The Elements – made with cognac and chase marmalade vodka – that steals the show, complete with a cinnamon salt rim and a bubble of smoke perched on top (which pops just before I hit the shutter. You can’t win them all).

Just around the corner is the restaurant, set in an elegant, wide-open space, with beautiful plants dotted around. Despite Oxford Road – one of busiest bus routes in Europe – being just a stone’s throw away, this place feels like an escape. The exceedingly friendly staff help. Our waitress Andrea can’t do enough for us, guiding us through the wine list and the food menu, which combines contemporary British dishes with Italian fare.

We’re in the mood for a spot of carb loading, so we go down the latter route, with some decadent cheesy nachos and salty padron peppers to start. For main, the homemade flatbread four cheese pizza packs a real punch, while the penne pasta with parmesan cheese sauce is just as creamy and indulgent as it should be. But the star of the meal’s yet to come.

The pudding menu is small but perfectly formed. Quality over quantity and all that. Topped with a honeycomb tuille, the Manchester Bee Honey Parfait is beautiful to look at and beautiful to eat, rich in flavour but feather-light – just what the doctor ordered after all of those carbs. My dining partner, braver than I, goes for the sticky toffee pudding, whose caramelised depths descend into a totally unnecessary but totally delicious miso butterscotch, while on top is perched a dollop of vanilla ice-cream wearing a brittle wafer fascinator.

The same space is transformed for breakfast, which really does seem to be the most important meal of the day here. It’s a mix of buffet and made-to-order style, and there’s a dizzying array of options, including your classic fry-up fare, a selection of continental favourites, and freshly made pastries. Everything’s executed faultlessly, and once again, each of the waiting staff are a pleasure to speak to.

Adding into the mix a 24-hour, state-of-the-art gym and an oddly specific 441 square metres of meeting and event spaces, there are few boxes that Hyatt Regency leaves unticked. If you’ve done your research and the Oxford Road area is the place you want to stay, you’d really struggle to do better than this.