Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Manchester
The Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is a striking landmark in the heart of Manchester, famous for its magnificent clock tower and terracotta-clad exterior. Originally built between 1891 and 1932 as the headquarters for the Refuge Assurance Company, this Grade II listed building is a masterpiece of Victorian design by the renowned architect Alfred Waterhouse, who also designed London’s Natural History Museum.
Inside, the hotel is a treasure trove of historical detail. You’ll find stunning stained glass, glazed brickwork, and marble staircases that reflect its grand past as a corporate palace. A unique focal point in the lobby is a massive three-metre-tall bronze horse sculpture created by Sophie Dickens, the great-great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens. Fans of architectural curiosities might also notice the glass dome in the reception area, which was salvaged from an old Scottish railway station.
The building is as famous for its “Refuge” bar and dining room as it is for its rooms. With its high ceilings, towering pillars, and a massive 30-foot granite bar, it has become a destination in its own right for locals and visitors alike. If you are feeling particularly adventurous, some say the hotel is even home to a ghost of a grieving war widow who haunts the staircases.
Its central location makes it a perfect starting point for exploring. The iconic Palace Theatre is located immediately next door, and you are just a short walk away from the city’s best cultural spots, galleries, and the vibrant atmosphere of the Northern Quarter.
Expert reviews
“The Clocktower Hotel offers contemporary comfort and boutique-hotel chic for history buffs. After a renovation costing more than 25 million pounds, the Clocktower has kept intact the lovely period faience in hallways, and the glass-domed ceiling in the spacious lobby, while converting former clerks’ offices into wood-paneled bedrooms with soaring ceilings and sleek subway-tile bathrooms.”
Featured in New York Times’ 36 hours in Manchester.
“In an imposing terracotta Victorian building, with ornate original features and one of Manchester’s most popular bars, the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel combines classic good looks with a cool streak. And, despite its grand public areas, it’s warm and welcoming, with thoughtful extras for all guests, from families to dogs.”
What guests liked
- Top location
- Friendly staff
- Great breakfast
- Comfortable beds
- Free Wifi
Location
Recent guest reviews
3 June 2026
Exceptional
The breakfast was delicious. And the hotel was absolutely chocked full of character and brilliant decor.
3 June 2026
Fabulous hotel and staff
Fabulous clean hotel with amazing staff and facilities and rooms are massive
Beautiful hotel with great sized rooms
2 June 2026
Exceptional
Location to our concert venue was perfect, Staff were so helpful Bedroom was beautiful Free social hour The best shower and the products smelt amazing Complementary snacks Fresh milk in the fridge
Absolutely nothing
2 June 2026
Lovely hotel, great staff
The hotel is so lovely and the staff cant do enough for you and so friendly.
The bed was too hard, breakfast on 1st day was cold but was offered hot food to compensate but had to be somewhere. Cleaner didn't come to room until 5pm ish which is when we were back in room to get changed etc so turned her away.
2 June 2026
Lovely stay
Amazing staff, great location, gorgeous room, fantastic breakfast, car parking discount
Nothing
1 June 2026
Excellent
Room was comfortable
31 May 2026
Without doubt the best hotel in Manchester. Fantastic renovation of a Manchester institution.
The breakfast was superb. Lots of choice and very attentive staff. Location was fantastic.
Nothing really.
31 May 2026
A truly wonderful stay!
What a lovely hotel. The location is great, the hotel itself is beautiful and the staff are very helpful and friendly. Our new Manchester go to! Thank you Kimpton
Nothing!
30 May 2026
Night away in Manchester to watch Puressence.
We always use this hotel when we come to Manchester, location is great for most music venues and the theatre. The bar is just superb, lovely laid back atmosphere with great music and the breakfast is great. The rooms are really nice and the staff always helpful, professional and polite.
Nothing, all good.
30 May 2026
It’s a good hotel to stay in Manchester
Location is good and hotel interior is grand. Room was spacious
The shower was stuck, too many knobs 🫠
29 May 2026
Fabulous
Magnificant, characterful building in a prime location. Friendly professional staff. Excellant breakfast. Hotel was immaculately clean throughout. Complimentary Happy Hour was a very nice touch 😁
29 May 2026
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will definitely be back! Overall, it was a perfect mix of luxury, comfort, and outsta
We had an absolutely wonderful stay at the Kimpton Clocktower in Manchester city centre. The building itself is incredible — so full of history and character, and honestly one of the most beautiful hotels we’ve stayed in. From the moment you walk in, the architecture and atmosphere are just amazing. Our room was fantastic: spacious, comfortable, and finished to a really high standard. The hotel facilities were excellent throughout, and every member of staff we encountered was super helpful, friendly, and welcoming. The location was perfect for exploring Manchester, and parking nearby was easy to find which made everything really convenient. Breakfast was also extremely good with plenty of choice and high-quality food. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will definitely be back!
There was nothing to not like, it was super.
29 May 2026
Best stay at an awesome hotel.
Beautiful hotel. Friendly, polite staff. Had a very enjoyable stay. Location to the train station was ideal. 100% happy with my stay. Will book again. Xx❤️
There was nothing I didn't like.
28 May 2026
Exceptional
Fantastic building and excellent service.
27 May 2026
Beautiful Hotel, we had a lovely stay
What a beautiful hotel, the lobby is absolutely stunning. Lady at check in was lovely. Our room was great, comfortable bed and lovely bath. We appreciated the little extras in our room. The room was also nive and quiet and nuce cool air con too. Great drinks at the bar although we didn't eat there. Would definitely stay here again as the location was great.
Nothings, we had a lovely stay.
26 May 2026
Brilliant … would stay there again
High ceilings, fantastic staff , great restaurant experience
26 May 2026
We had a great time! We had a gig in the area and because it’s been on my list of places to stay for years I thought I’d
Loved everything! Patrick checked us in, he was great, informative and friendly. We had a great time staying.
Nothing!
25 May 2026
Great experience
Amazing staff Comfortable accommodation Good location
Sometimes noises from nearby rail lines were noticeable
25 May 2026
Excellent staff throughly enjoyed our visit
Central to where we needed to be
Nothing
24 May 2026
Amazing hotel Amazing staff we will be coming back again we had a Amazing time lol thank you all
I had booked it as a break for myself and my wife as our first ever city break i knew I made the right choice when I saw the look on her face when we entered the lobby and she saw the decor and after that the room she absolutely loved the room we even went around in the evening taking pictures of the hotel just so she could show our friends and family where we stayed .
24 May 2026
I’d stay again but maybe not have breakfast
Lovely building, extremely clean
The food was lovely however, the breakfast was just warm
23 May 2026
Brilliant stay, great location, fantastic room and friendly staff. Thank you
Looks great, brilliant facilities and friendly staff
Loved everything!
22 May 2026
Very nice break during a business trip
The monumental building, the space and cosyness of the room, the support of the staff.
Nothing
21 May 2026
We had a very restful night sleep and the breakfast was delicious.
Beautiful building and very comfortable bed.
17 May 2026
Exceptional
Beautiful building, nice spacious room. Dog friendly and great location.
17 May 2026
The spacious room made for a comfortable and quiet stay
The property is superb as it was the Refuge Assurance Building and its prestigious location along Oxford Road in Manchester is second to none . The spacious Room was tastefully appointed.The Front Desk , Concierge and Housekeeping was most efficient and prompt .
Nothing
15 May 2026
Would definitely return
The thing that stood out for me was the welcome I got at reception (Kate I think her name was) on arrival. Very warm and I was made to feel truly welcome. She had exceptional customer service.
Nothing
14 May 2026
Great central quality location
For businesss. Great location stunning hotel
Nothing
13 May 2026
Good value for money.
Location
Electricity plugs are very few.
12 May 2026
Excellect location
Beautiful
Nil
12 May 2026
Excellent location
Beautiful architecture and friendly staff
Nil
12 May 2026
Love this place
It's a stunning Hotel, really enjoyed it.
This is NOTHING to do with the hotel but there are heavy roadworks on Oxford road.
11 May 2026
Brilliant really liked it. Would stay agian
Such a beautiful building and atmosphere
10 May 2026
Good location. Reception staff were helpful
Good breakfast. Reception helpful. Room facilities were good
Noise around the rooms until 3am kept us awake
10 May 2026
Perfect Hotel, would go again 👌
The Hotel is in the perfect place for everything, shops, pubs and attractions. Really friendly staff, regular interactions to make sure we were okay, really nice atmosphere. I also love the Den, very peaceful and there is a pool table. There was a Gym included in our stay too which was amazing.
9 May 2026
Highly recommend, facilities and staff outstanding
Walking in the hotel was spectacular, staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Nothing was too much trouble.
That is couldn't stay longer
9 May 2026
Excellent from arriving at reception to the moment I left, a great experience
Upgraded room, the ballroom and great reception staff
N/A
8 May 2026
I would recommend and I look forward to staying there again.
The property was stunningly beautiful, the room I stayed in was spacious and comfortable.
There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about the property.
7 May 2026
Fabulous
The room and bar
The price
7 May 2026
Pampered and relaxed
Service and staff was exemplary The building is amazing
Nothing
5 May 2026
Interesting architecture , friendly welcome.
Decor , location , reception staff , size of room .
Poor breakfast , very slow service - had to request veggie breakfast . Not good value. Scaffolding obscuring light and view.
4 May 2026
Exceeded expecctations
Loved the ambience, the extras in the room , the comfort. Beautiful food.
Service at breakfast was a little slow
4 May 2026
Good old fashioned hotel
Good staff attitude
Bit of a maze
3 May 2026
Great stay
We love staying here. Beautiful hotel with lovely rooms, great restaurant and bar.
Nothing
30 April 2026
Very good
Staff are so friendly and helpful. Room is beautifully decorated. Breakfast is fabulous.
Bed was hard.
30 April 2026
Characterful, high quality hotel in a great location.
Very central location. Amazing building with loads of Manchester character. Even though it has a central location the room was very quiet. Room spacious and really nicely furnished with a great bed, high ceilings and massive windows which felt very luxurious.
Struggling to find anything to complain about.
29 April 2026
Good stay. Nice room. Friendly staff.
Good breakfast. Lots of choice.
Difficult to order room service. Couldn't find number in room.
27 April 2026
Gorgeous hotel in Manchester.
Gorgeous hotel, lovely staff. Great rooms and facilities. Would defo stay again when in Manchester. Opposite train station.
26 April 2026
Exceptional
Everything about the hotel was brilliant
Nothing
Hotel facilities
Food & Drink
- - Restaurant
- - Bar
- - Breakfast in the room
- - Snack bar
- - Kids' meals
- - Coffee house on site
General
- - Room service
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Facilities for disabled guests
- - Family rooms
- - Lift
- - Safety deposit box
- - Packed lunches
- - Heating
- - Allergy-free room
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
- - Designated smoking area
- - Minimarket on site
- - Pet basket
- - Pet bowls
Business facilities
- - Meeting/banquet facilities (additional charge)
- - Business centre
- - Fax/photocopying (additional charge)
Reception services
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Express check-in/check-out
- - Currency exchange
- - Luggage storage
- - Concierge service
- - Invoice provided
Activities
- - Fitness centre
- - Games room
- - Nightclub/DJ
- - Fitness
- - Bicycle rental
Cleaning services
- - Laundry (additional charge)
- - Dry cleaning (additional charge)
- - Ironing service (additional charge)
- - Daily housekeeping
Entertainment & family services
- - Board games/puzzles
Parking
- - Parking garage
Accessibility
- - Wheelchair accessible
- - Toilet with grab rails
- - Lower bathroom sink
- - Emergency cord in bathroom
Outdoors
- - Outdoor furniture
Miscellaneous
- - 24-hour security
- - Key card access
- - Smoke alarms
- - CCTV in common areas
- - CCTV outside property
- - Fire extinguishers
- - Breakfast takeaway containers
- - Delivered food is securely covered
- - Access to health care professionals
- - Thermometers for guests provided by property
- - Face masks for guests available

More photos

3 June 2026
Everything was fab