Rediscover Manchester…What’s in the vault..?
A Bank…but not as we know it…
After a whistle stop tour of the recently revamped Palace Hotel, my second stop of the day lead me to pastures new at Hotel Gotham, Manchester’s most eccentric 5 star hotel transformed from a former bank back in 2015, complete with a disused vault. Since it’s inception, the captivating space has raised the bar as a modern retro hotel, complete with decadent restaurant and private members club – fancy! Another dizzyingly tall and impressive building, the dramatic art deco exterior generates much intrigue and mystery from passersby. Only those with reservations – and those in the know – are able to gain entry to the stylish new age 1920s delights that lie within. As one of those in the know (!) I trotted straight in to discover just exactly what makes this one of Manchester’s most popular hot spots.
On arrival, I was greeted by charismatic bellboys waiting patiently amongst vintage trunks and luggage trolleys ready to usher me upwards. I stepped out of the lift on the fifth floor or so, I wasn’t really counting, and was greeted by immaculate and friendly hostesses. The hosts all dress in black mid length dresses, complimenting the striking monotone theme that sweeps through the venue, punctuated only by a glimmer of brass or gold, or the hot pink chairs that sit proudly in their razzle dazzle rooms.
Hotel rooms & alternative event spaces…
The tour began with one of the cavernous ‘Inner Sanctum’ suites, a bedroom complete with a floor to ceiling wall of screens that played a jazzy black and white 1920s style short film of the Hotel Gotham concept. Immediately, my mind began to race, thinking about opportunities for product launches for our clients in this unconventional but striking space. With swish fittings and a decidedly moody feel, it would be ideal to showcase fashion collections, or new make up products with the digital screens a perfect opportunity for branded content. Team building initiatives also came to mind, inspired by the recently popular ‘break out’ phenomenon, where teams are locked inside a space, with a series of clues to allow them to break out as they work together to unravel the riddles to lead them to freedom – perhaps concluding with a drink at the upper bar..? Zig zag black and white carpets creep around plush sofas and decorative packing trunks and suitcases – all of which are available to buy should you wish. Brass binoculars and desk lamps litter the table tops, sitting by the custom made ‘Gotham Bugle’, a custom made newspaper featuring news about Manchester and the hotel. The mini fridges are fit to burst with bespoke Gotham chocolate, craft spirit miniatures and unusual glass bottled mixers to splosh into elegant cut glass – every detail has been expertly crafted which ensures this 5* hotel will leave an impression on your guests, whether used simply to bed down for the night, or taking over the exclusive and interesting surroundings.
After a quick nose around, a stroke of the sumptuous fur throw and an inspection of the deep, free standing bath tub, I was back into the elevator and whisked upstairs to take a peek into ‘Honey’, the restaurant on the second to top floor. On entrance to the space, Hotel Gotham’s love for the unusual prevails, with vintage typewriters adorning the walls and bowler hats dotted about on various shelves behind their central waiting station. The restaurant is bright and airy, with large semi circular windows overlooking the city below – perfect for an intimate dinner with guests or clients. Journeying through so as not to disturb the diners, I found a staircase lit by cut glass decanter light fixtures leading the way to the very top of the building.
Club Brass & an intriguing secret…
Seven stories high with impressive views over the city, Club Brass is a dark and moody space but for a dazzling square bar, glittering with hanging champagne saucers, and liqueurs and booze galore to greet you on arrival. Sumptuous little booths back out onto semi private balconies allowing for personal yet decadent opportunities for hospitality, as you feel safe in the knowledge that you are in one of Manchester’s most exclusive rooftop spots. Treating myself to a drink, and a view of the city that sprawls beneath, I was let into a little secret about this very intriguing, fun filled venue…they are converting the vault. Downstairs, deep beneath the ground floor is the old bank’s original vault, laying in wait for rediscovery, with the potential to become host to some of Manchester’s most elite and brilliant bashes…No one knows when this will be ready but plans are underway to knock through to Gotham’s secret space, and you can rest assured that when it’s done, I’ll be returning to this unconventional but truly special venue to see exactly what lies beneath..!
What’s in the vault…our imaginations run wild…
Without much more information to go on, I would speculate that when Hotel Gotham knock through the concrete and transform their vault into an event space, there will be an element of 1920s glamour injected that runs fluidly throughout the building, but with any vault venue, there is always so much scope to turn it into something truly experiential and immersive. As guests step down into the basement area, there’s so much opportunity for dramatic production, entertainment and unusual experiential catering to really create an unusual and utterly memorable event.
If this sounds like the type of venue you want work in, or you want help creating a special event in Manchester or anywhere in the UK, call us on +44 (0)20 7485 5500, and stay tuned to find out about the rest of our Manchester rediscovery …! #ExploreWithPrincipalLondon