Great John Street Hotel

Great John Street Hotel occupies a converted Victorian school building in the Castlefield area of Manchester. The building dates from 1879 and the conversion has kept enough of the original character – high ceilings, large windows, visible period details – while making the interior comfortable and functional. As a boutique hotel it offers individually styled rooms in a building with genuine architectural character, which is a different proposition from either the chain hotels or the glass-and-steel boutique openings that have come to the city over the past decade.

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The Treehouse rooftop bar is the primary reason to visit if you’re not staying – a covered and heated outdoor space on top of the building with views across the immediate neighbourhood and a drinks menu that runs to cocktails, spirits and a good wine selection. It is smaller and more intimate than Cloud 23 at Beetham Tower, and feels more like a private space than a commercial operation. Bookings are worth making, particularly on weekends. The hotel also has event spaces used for weddings and private hire, and a bar on the ground floor for residents and visitors.