Review: TRIBE Manchester Airport, Manchester, UK

Let’s be honest – airport hotels don’t usually conjure up much excitement. They’re invariably functional, forgettable places where lonely businessmen sup on overpriced whiskies ahead of an early morning flight. But every now and then, an airport hotel comes along that dares to mix things up a little. And at Manchester Airport, there’s a new addition that’s re-writing the script. Read on to learn how TRIBE Manchester Airport – Manchester’s biggest hotel with 412 rooms – comes with just enough edge to make you rethink everything you thought you knew about pre-flight accommodation.

The welcome

This is only TRIBE’s second hotel in the UK (the first being in London’s Canary Wharf) and we arrived in rather wintry conditions when the hotel was busy dealing with a recent flight cancellation. Now part of Accor, the staff on reception were very welcoming, inviting us to take a seat as we went through the formalities of check-in and were assigned our rooms.

The room

We were on the second floor of this 8-floor building, in rooms 228 and 229 – one was a spacious room on the apex of the building, with its own sofa that can double as an additional bed, and the other a more standard sized room but still offering more than ample space for a pre-flight rest.

The rooms at TRIBE are testament to smart design, making good use of the available space. Alongside the incredibly comfortable bed – with hotel sheets so crisp you’ll feel like you’re sliding into a freshly ironed shirt – you’ll find a soft-cushioned chair for relaxing and a thoughtfully designed workspace. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the room with daylight, while sleek blackout blinds ensure you can sleep soundly no matter the hour.

A minimalist desk and large TV strike the perfect balance between work and leisure, and precision lighting banishes the dimness often found in hotel rooms. The room is free from unnecessary frills – and that’s a good thing. For an airport hotel, it’s all about getting the essentials just right.

The bathroom

The en suite bathroom is well-lit, compact and practical with everything you need – a washbasin, WC and a rainfall shower that’s powerful enough to wake even the most jet-lagged of souls.

Toiletries are from Kevin Murphy’s Hydrate-Me range, apparently a favourite of actress Demi Moore. With bottles retailing for around £40 each, there’s no cutting corners when it comes to the products being used here.

The facilities

Taking centre stage on the ground floor of the hotel is a light-filled inner atrium billed as the TRIBE Social Hub. It consists of areas to lounge, an eye-catching bar at its heart, and the hotel’s restaurant.

The simply named TRIBE Table is the on-site restaurant, serving breakfast and offering an all-day dining experience crafted around authentic home Italian cooking.

The menu has a selection of sutzzichini, antipasti, pasta and pizzas, as well as some other mains. Try the Baked Aubergine Parmigiana for a hearty and flavourful starter in winter.

And from the mains, we’d recommend the Grilled Bavette Steak, Rocket and Parmesan Salad or the Wild Mushroom and Black Truffle Pizza. Both were delicious.

The dessert options were Venetian Tiramisu, Mixed Berry Pannacotta and a variety of ice creams.

If your flight is an early one, the hotel runs a 24/7 Grab & Go counter with barista coffee, snacks, drinks, and homemade meals. For those with a more leisurely start to the day, a daily buffet breakfast is available from 6am to 10am. As well as fresh fruit, pastries, tea, and coffee, there are the usual cooked options too.

We were cutting it a little fine, with a 7.30am flight, so we actually took the decision to check our luggage in at around 5.45am and to pop back and have breakfast. Such is the proximity of the hotel to the airport terminals that we were able to do this and get through security afterwards, all with ample time to spare.

Although we didn’t have time to use it on our brief visit, the hotel also has its own 24-hour fitness centre on the ground floor.

And another great asset is limited pre-bookable parking immediately outside the hotel (and therefore close to all terminals). We were fortunate enough to be able to take advantage of this, although it was a little challenging to work out the exact position of the bays due to the recent snowfall. As it turned out, we had parked perfectly, but we didn’t discover this until our return when the snow had melted!

The location

If you’re staying here, it’s probably because you’ve got a flight to catch. The hotel is just off the M56 and a 2-minute walk from Terminal 2 and Manchester Airport’s transport hub which includes the railway, Metrolink and bus stations. The airport’s other terminals are all easily walkable from here in less than 10 minutes. Despite its excellent proximity to the airport, we enjoyed uninterrupted sleep and it didn’t actually feel like we were in such a central airport location. Apparently, that’s largely down to a special fire-rated glazing that not only ensures safety but also provides high acoustic performance, with a sound reduction of over 50 decibels. This significantly diminishes the external noises of the airport.

For those on longer layovers, the hotel is well-connected to Manchester city centre and its many museums and art galleries, as well as its sports and music venues.

Other nice touches

Complimentary tea, coffee and water are provided.

The cost

Stays at TRIBE Manchester Airport typically start from just over £100 per room per night. As a member of Accor’s ALL (Accor Live Limitless) loyalty program, however, you can often get a room for just under that price (and registration for the program is free.)

The best bit

For us, the highlight was being able to enjoy a truly inviting and relaxing stay ahead of our short city break to Innsbruck. Without it, we’d have faced a 4am departure from home, at the latest. Instead, our holiday began on the perfect note, with a calm and unhurried start to our trip, all in very comfortable surroundings.

The final verdict

We very much enjoyed our stay at TRIBE Manchester Airport. From its welcoming staff, smartly-designed rooms and relaxed dining offering to the convenient proximity to the terminals, it proves that airport hotels can be both stylish and functional. TRIBE Manchester Airport offers a modern and practical solution for travellers, perfectly embodying the TRIBE brand’s ethos of “everything you need and nothing you don’t”.

Dislcosure: Our stay was sponsored by TRIBE Manchester Airport.