The Midland is perhaps Manchester’s most renowned hotel. The hotel is classified as a grand hotel and is arguably one of the most iconic hotels not only in Manchester but the entire United Kingdom as well.
The construction of the hotel was commissioned by the Midland Railway to serve the Manchester Central Railway Station. The construction of the hotel began in 1898 and ended five years later in 1903. In was in the same year that the hotel opened its doors to the public. The Midland was designed by famed architect Charles Trubshaw who was known for his railway building. The hotel is built in the eclectic Edwardian Baroque style and has a steel frame with red bricks and polished granite, brown terracotta and Burmantoft terracotta. The total construction cost of the hotel was £1 million which is the equivalent of £101 million in today’s money.
The Midland is situated in close proximity to the Manchester Central Exhibition and Conference Centre which is another well known landmark of the city and more importantly another local landmark that is associated with the railway of the city as the centre once housed the Manchester Central Railway Station. The hotel is also located nearby the Manchester Central Library and the Bridgewater Hall.
Until 2004 the hotel was known as the Crowne Plaza Manchester. However in 2004 the hotel was acquired by the Paramount Hotel Group which is now known as Barcelo UK. During the upcoming years the hotel was the subject of a major renovation project which cost approximately £12 million. Once the renovation works were over the Paramount Hotel Group transferred the hotel to QHotels formerly known as Quintessential Hotels and renamed the hotel to The Midland. Presently the hotel was a total of 312 en-suit bedrooms, 14 suits, two restaurants (The French and Mr. Cooper’s House & Garden) and a health club.
The French was one of Britain’s first Michelin-starred (awarded in 1974) restaurants. The Good Food Guide once described the restaurants as “Manchester’s finest dining room” in its guidebook. Sadly the restaurant’s fame started to decline and soon after was closed. The French re-opened its doors in 2013 and its current chef Simon Rogan stated his desire to restore the restaurant’s lost fame and glamour.
The hotel is located in the Manchester city centre which is the main business district of the city. The area is also home to numerous local businesses such as moving companies. This makes that relocation to the area very easy as the people that are moving to or from central Manchester have an easy access to top notch man and van services. The best aspect of the local man and van services is that they are provided as highly affordable prices which literally anyone could afford.
Despite being a business district, it is also a highly desirable residential area with some of Manchester’s most opulent and expensive houses being located in the area. The presence of the Midland makes the district even more welcoming as it throws a fabulous shadow over the overall appeal of the area with its amazing façade and century old history.