Clayton Hotel Manchester Airport

The buffet breakfast is wonderful, the staff are lovely, and the bus to the airport runs regularly. Parking for drop and go is in a great spot too. I’ve stayed three times in a deluxe twin over the past 18 months, and the rooms could do with an update. They’re starting to look shabby and don’t smell too good.

Katie at reception was kind and helpful, and it was nice having a shop right there. The dining area has lovely decor, and the room had good amenities. But dinner was overpriced, and I’ve never seen a restaurant use thigh meat for a chicken dish. Some of it was undercooked and inedible. Getting around the hotel was confusing. Reception should tell guests the key card activates the lift. I wasted a lot of time trying to find my room across two wings, and the heaters weren’t explained either. The room was stone cold, and I had no idea how to use the radiator until 2am, when I couldn’t sleep and tried the red switch at the back, covered in plastic. That was the on button. The desk light in room 107 also didn’t work. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t stay again.

There’s very little signage. It’s a long walk past meeting rooms to find the lifts from reception, and on the third floor there was nothing to guide me from the lift to room 360, so I had to guess. I also couldn’t see how to get to breakfast from the lifts. Even though I was booked in, it took a while at reception to get a key. It would be helpful to have it ready for pickup. The staff were lovely, the welcome was warm, and the lobby was nice. My room was clean, but it felt tired: old signage, no bath mat, rips and stains, marked bedding, a ripped quilt cover, and a torn headboard. Breakfast was adequate, if a little lacklustre.

That bed was blissfully comfortable. I could easily have missed my early flight because I didn’t want to get out of it! The staff were helpful and punctual, which was a real plus for my overnight stay before flying from Manchester airport. Very good hotel all round, at a reasonable price. Definitely recommend.