Velvet Hotel, Manchester
Expert reviews
“Nineteen beautiful bespoke rooms each oozing style: there’s the sleigh bed in room 24, the double bath of room 34, the saucy framed photographs of a stripped-down David Beckham (this is Gay Village, after all!). Despite the tantalising decor and location, this is not an exclusive hotel and is as popular with straight visitors as it is with the same-sex crowd.”
“On Manchester’s vibrant Canal Street in the city’s Gay Village, Velvet Hotel is an unashamedly grand boutique option with individually styled rooms. The buzzy bar is a great place to start an evening out and, if you’re embracing the local nightlife, a discounted clubbing package is available including a bottle of fizz.”
What guests liked
- Top location
- Comfortable beds
- Friendly staff
- Bar
All you need to know
With its 19 exclusive rooms, the Velvet Hotel provides a uniquely personal experience right in the center of Manchester. It is situated on Canal Street, towering four floors above the Velvet Bar & Restaurant.
Being just a stone’s throw away from Piccadilly Station and Arndale Center, the rest of the vibrant city is ready for you to discover during your stay at the Velvet Hotel.
Each of the hotel’s 13 King Rooms are individually adorned, featuring luxuries such as superior quality bed linens, soft towels, extra large beds, and attached bathrooms.
The rooms are brimming with personality, showcasing elements like bare brick walls, striking wallpaper patterns, and diverse pieces of art.
The trio of Balcony King Rooms offers more space compared to the other King Rooms, boasting beautiful views over Canal Street. Every detail in these rooms has been meticulously considered; one room features a four-poster bed, another has a double rain shower, while the third boasts a sumptuous, large soaking tub.
The hotel’s ultimate treasures are its three Penthouse Suites. These suites are generously spacious with distinct areas for living, dining, and meetings.
Hotel deals & lowest price guarantee
We collaborate with Booking.com and Agoda. These two reservation platforms assure you the lowest possible rate, ensuring you always get the finest bargain for this hotel. If you’ve found a more favorable rate elsewhere, simply reach out to the booking platform and they’ll reimburse you the difference right away. You have the option to compare prices until the day preceding your check-in.
Location
Recent guest reviews
24 July 2025
Fabulous
10 min walk from the the station, very friendly staff. Great breakfast tray sent to the room in the morning. Welcome prosecco is a good touch.
The room is on the smaller side, the hight of the dressing table and chair is comfortable to eat breakfast on.
23 July 2025
Very good
Welcome drink
Room slightly smaller than imagine
22 July 2025
Wonderful stay in the perfect location.
Exceptional staff, champagne on arrival from the wonderful receptionist. The amenities both inside and outside were a pleasant welcome. The cocktail seating area outside was a true hit with both me and my partner. We were in a perfect location from transport, to bars, to the best nightlife. The room was lovely, we were given an upgrade to a beautiful, spacious room. There were drinks and snack provided which they deducted off of a holding fee if you were to consume/use anything, although we didn’t it was a bonus for if we did want anything as we would just be refunded the remaining balance. The room had a street view as we were on the first floor so it could get noisy at times - this was to be expected and we didn’t mind a single bit! There was a control panel beside the (large and exceptionally comfortable) bed that controlled the blinds for the morning and the evening and even the mood lighting around the bed! Safe to say this was a wonderful stay and when we are back in Manchester we will definitely be booking here again!
18 July 2025
Great spot, friendly staff.
Location
Price although it was during a high demand event (Oasis)
14 July 2025
Fabulous
large room with unique decoration and furniture. Breakfast is only available in the room, was good and nice.
8 July 2025
Excellent and comfortable didn’t want to leave
We got upgraded which was a lovely touch. The room was very spacious with everything we need. I enjoyed the Prosecco on arrival. Great facilities and location
I was worried about the £100 charge on the card thinking it would take time to revive a refund. However the payment was promptly amended and therefore no concerns with this
6 July 2025
More or less as great as usual
The room was extremely comfortable
One slight complaint is the lack of an ironing board in the room and because I was running late I couldn’t call down to get anything done
29 June 2025
Great stay for partying on Canal St
Nice design, comfortable room, great location
Very noisy at night (but ok if you plan on staying up partying until 5am), bathroom very small and in need of some maintenance
29 June 2025
Pleasant
Room and facilities in the room were very good
We had booked breakfast. On arrival this was noted and we were asked what time what time we would like breakfast. We stated we would like breakfast at 08:30hrs. The next morning the breakfast did not arrive and we were told, we hadn't ordered it. Very disappointing. Particularly so as it was a continental breakfast intended to be brought to our room, so nothing hot, or difficult to prepare. We left the hotel earlier than planned in order to find somewhere to get breakfast before travelling. We were also "disappointed" with the negative unhelpful response from the receptionist on duty. For this reason we would be apprehensive about booking any further stays at the Velvet Hotel, despite the room was as expected.
27 June 2025
Fantastic location, accommodation and staff- but don’t brekkiehave
Location, staff and accommodation
The breakfast was awful for the additional £20. It equated to sugar and sugar -croissants, jam, juice, breakfast bar and muesli with yogurt. I cancelled it for the best day
26 June 2025
Very good
Great location
Noisy at night.
25 June 2025
I really enjoyed staying in Manchester at the velvet and it was a great location.
Great location. Very nice rooms. Professional polite staff.
24 June 2025
A little bit of luxury in the Village
Staff were lovely. Very welcoming and friendly. They made the place really. Glass of prosecco on arrival was a really nice touch. The bed was soooo comfortable. Best night's sleep in ages. The room itself was luxurious but a bit masculine for my liking. (It's a really dark room and then the walls were painted grey. It made it very gloomy.) The L'occitane toiletries were a really nice touch. Breakfast to the room was good. Just enough for me.
There was not enough information about the room and how to use the lights, the aircon etc. It would have been nice to have a menu from the brasserie next door as well. The shower trap was very dirty. I left it open for housekeeping to clean, and they still didn't clean it properly. There wasn't enough milk for the coffee pods and tea bags, and the milk was not replaced. They forgot my breakfast on my 2nd morning but soon brought it to my room after I phoned. Nothing that the hotel can help, but if you are considering walking with wheeled suitcases from Picadilly Station, the 6 minute walk will seem much longer because of uneven surfaces and cobbles.
21 June 2025
Good
All good
Aircon was slow. I didn.t know the hotel was in the gay area, maybe his could more visible. Not really an issue though.
17 June 2025
Really enjoyed
Really nice room clean and freindly staff
Nothing
14 June 2025
I had a solid good night's sleep which was excellent as I am in general a poor sleeper.
The guy on reception was very welcoming - very good at his job. The pillows were exceptional, I would buy some for home if I knew who the supplier was.
The communal areas look as if they are getting a bit nearer to needing a re-fresh.
13 June 2025
Very good
Can’t recommend enough. Def wasn’t our usual type of location but would definitely return. Staff couldn’t do enough. We were upgraded.
Wasn’t originally sure on location but certainly didn’t disappoint
9 June 2025
Lovely venue
There was a mistake on their side saying I'd cancelled the room when 8 hadn't. The lady on Reception was amazing, sorted it all out within 5 mins and upgraded us for the stay. She also gave us a glass of Prosecco on arrival, very accommodating!
It's my own fault as I didn't realise I booked a hotel on the main gay quarter stretch so the music outside was going until 4am and I just couldn't sleep.
1 June 2025
Very good
Great location, really large room, very comfortable bed.
The opening mechanism of one window was broken, the room was not as clean as expected from a 4*-Hotel. The elevator smelled.
1 June 2025
Very good
Location
Light switches difficult to operate and understand
29 May 2025
Fabulous
Location and cleanliness
Shouting from outside in the early hours as people passing by so woke up .
24 May 2025
A perfect city break!
Loved the location, the room was excellent, bed was so comfortable. Loved everything! Was so comfortable and excellent value for money. The free glass of prosecco was a great touch at reception!
I didn’t like the glass door to the bathroom. It was quite transparent which left little room for privacy. Noise from the nightclubs below was a little annoying too.
24 May 2025
Not amazing
Location was great
The staff were uninterested, and were not very inviting, the one who smiled- eventually, was like it was forced, tried calling reception from 8am until 11am to arrange late checkout and my 12 calls were ignored, when I asked reception if the phone was broken she replied yes I think so, so I called the phone- it obviously worked and the girl was absolutely shocked looking like a rabbit in the headlights, the rooms have gone from being flamboyant and boutique, to standard and dull. All in all very unimpressive.
21 May 2025
comfy, with a great bathroom and in a fab location
we loved it, the location was perfect, the check in glass of prosecco was a happy bonus
a bit disappointed there was no decaff coffee option, only the coffee machine and there was only one sachet of milk. yes we could have ordered more but it should have been fully stocked too.
20 May 2025
Beautifully central, spacious rooms and a darn comfortable bed.
Nice boutique hotel on the side of the canal and, I believe, is a converted store/warehouse.
Nothing. All really nice.
20 May 2025
Fabulous location, comfy bed, nice styling - a little more attention to detail would make it perfect
Great location. I enjoyed the industrial feel of the room. The bed was super comfy and the shower was great.
I've stayed in other places in the UK which were not as expensive but which provided more. Each thing may seem small but they add up to a lesser experience despite a higher price point: no tissues, no conditioner (only shampoo), multiple cracks in the bathroom tiles, a toilet roll holder that wasn't properly attached to the wall, a tv that cut in and out if you tried to use Netflix.
19 May 2025
Great ambience and design but beware of noise at the weekends
Decor, comfort and design
Not a good place to stay at weekends - the noise was simply too much until 3am in the morning. Sunday night was perfect.
13 May 2025
Luxurious with comfort
The room was lovely, clean and comfortable.
Nothing
12 May 2025
worth it, good location
the shower could have better water pressure
8 May 2025
Fabulous
We love this place. Classy but super friendly.
6 May 2025
We love your hotel. Location, style, the free prosecco on arrival...fabulous rooms.
The room was beautiful and the bed fantastic.
4 May 2025
Lovely hotel in the heart of Manchester with great rooms and friendly staff
The rooms were lovely
Air con didn’t work
26 April 2025
Lovely Birthday getaway in beautiful surroundings.
Location, Decor, outside area. Bed was really comfortable. Well stocked with drinks and snacks and we loved that we were offered a glass of Prosecco on arrival.
Noise from above room was really bad during the night, like they were moving furniture so didn’t get much sleep. Nothing bad to say about the actual hotel or staff though.
26 April 2025
Pleasant
Good stay nice hotel but on arrival they take a deposit of £100 and supposed to get refunded within a week, its been 3 week and still yet to get the deposit back
25 April 2025
Great overall
Beautiful property and great location staff were so nice
Stayed in room 21 beautiful room but so noisy the people above were so loud felt like the ceiling was the floor boards woke us up all Night ! And not happy we got charged for 2 waters from the fridge
24 April 2025
Fantastic stay
Fantastic position in CC Lovely decorated room , very clean and comfortable Always enjoy staying here
23 April 2025
Was enjoyable
It was in a good location
The cocktails wasn’t two for 15 when we got there and the room 26 was a bit dark
20 April 2025
Lost its wow factor
Location is ideal for central Manchester - very easy to find. The bed was comfortable.
We've stayed here three times before this last stay, admittedly the three times we did stay were around 8-10 years ago so it does feel a little unfair to judge from this time period but this stay did not meet the expectations we had from previous visits. There were silverfish in the bathroom, there were broken lights in the bathroom too (the ones built into the bath itself) and there was a general shoddiness to the decor. Felt tired rather than luxurious. I appreciate it may have just been the room we were given but it felt very lacking compared to the last time we visited.
15 April 2025
Perfect , amenities great couldn’t fault
Amazing location and friendly staff
15 April 2025
Very good
The location was excellent, the staff couldn't have been nicer, and the decor was fab!
The heat in the bedroom was so uncomfortable. The underground heating in the bathroom could not be turned off, which heated up the bedroom. The staff did provide us with a fan, which made it more comfortable to sleep.
12 April 2025
Good location
Location was ideal for exploring the area. Only 5 mins walk from Manchester Piccidilly station.The room was very spacious, and a great night sleep bed was very comfortable. Tea/coffee brilliant. The bathroom was amazing. Air con worked a treat. Staff were very helpful, nothing too much trouble. Online check-in in advance is brilliant. As a solo traveller, I felt very safe.
Overall, really, anything major, to be honest. Need to point out not black out blinds on windows so awoken by sunlight at 6.30 am. I was on the third floor at the back. There was an extractor type noise that kept going off intermittently through the night. Need to add more than 2 English breakfast tea bags, I had to keep asking for more. Only one of the rainfall shower heads was working (as I was on my own, it didn't matter). The basket is a nice touch but so overpriced when you can purchase cheaper in local supermarket. The same goes for the mini bar. No milk was added for the second day. I had to ask for more.
3 April 2025
Excellent Hotel
The beds were lovely, very large and decorated very nicely.
There was no door on the bathroom of the area
29 March 2025
Really enjoyable stay
Brilliant location. Cool decor. Helpful staff.
29 March 2025
Would stay here again
Location and friendly staff
Rooms a bit dark
25 March 2025
Great stay, fab stay, lovely welcome. Would stay again
Lovely welcome, upgrade to room, glass of Prosecco on arrival ans going back to our room after dinner. Little tray of goodies in room when returned after dinner. Location 2 mins from local parking and 5 mins walk from train station. Restaurants about 5 mins walk.
We had an issue with the lights going off and having to be reset a few times - got offered to move rooms but we were settled for the night. Lights issue again at 5am, lights came on ans woke us up, put them off but couldn't nod over again. Lights again, got up on 2nd morning (departure day) lights were off, decided to just get ip and head home. Downside, no telephone in room to call reception. We had to go to reception to report issue. Complimentary drinks offered from minibar on first night once lights were back on.
25 March 2025
Highly Recommended! ❤️
Amazing Staff, Beautiful Room, Incredible Service ... and welcomed with a glass of Prosecco! Signature Suites are amazing and great value. 5 min walk from Picadilly Station and really handy for a night on the tiles! Would 100% stay again, thank you
24 March 2025
Mini break
Room size, location
23 March 2025
A lovely gaycation
We liked the location and the decor of the suite. It was nice and clean. We also appreciated the free glass of Prosecco on arrival.
Some of the things in the suite were falling apart. For example, the tap came off the wall, the socket for the keycard came out from the wall and a panel on one of the cupboard doors came off. All of this was easily fixable, but not something you really expect from a suite in such a hotel.
18 March 2025
Stylish hotel, perfectly located, some minor issues
Design of the room was impressive and unique, in particular the renaissance-style mural, large floor mirror and chaise lounge. Location was perfect for us, being located in the heart of the Gay Village and the Northern Quarter just a 5 minute walk away. The welcome glass of prosecco was a nice touch! Staff were nice and professional.
Room was a little dusty. TV signal was weak, making it unwatchable. We could hear doors closing in the corridor from within the room. It was a little odd that the security deposit was charged and refundable 7-10 days later, rather than simply put on hold.
Hotel facilities
Food & Drink
- - Restaurant
- - Bar
- - Wine/champagne (additional charge)
Services
- - Room service
- - Meeting/banquet facilities (additional charge)
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Express check-in/check-out
- - Luggage storage
- - Concierge service
- - Daily housekeeping
Outdoors
- - Terrace
- - Outdoor furniture
General
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Lift
- - Safety deposit box
- - Heating
- - Allergy-free room
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
- - Designated smoking area
- - Adults only
Activities
- - Nightclub/DJ
Miscellaneous
- - 24-hour security
- - Key access
- - Key card access
- - Security alarm
- - Smoke alarms
- - CCTV in common areas
- - CCTV outside property
- - Fire extinguishers
- - Breakfast takeaway containers
- - Delivered food is securely covered
Reception services
- - Invoice provided
24 July 2025
Very good