Native Manchester review: the city stay that feels more like a stylish apartment
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Spacious apartments, warehouse charm and one of Manchester’s best locations make Native Manchester an easy city-break recommendation
If you want a Manchester stay that feels more characterful than another polished chain hotel, Native Manchester by Numa has to be one of the city’s most compelling and affordable options.
Housed inside the restored Ducie Street Warehouse, it combines industrial heritage with the kind of apartment-style comfort that makes both short breaks and longer stays memorable.
It sits a couple of minutes from Manchester Piccadilly and if you travel by car there are numerous parking options close by. Native's location also places you within easy walking distance of the Northern Quarter, canalside strolls and central shopping streets. Recent guest reviews consistently highlight its location as one of the biggest reasons people return.
But what makes the hotel really stand out is its sense of space. Instead of standard bedrooms, you get generously proportioned studios and apartments with high ceilings, exposed brickwork, large windows and a layout that feels genuinely liveable rather than cosmetically stylish.
We stayed in a premium one-bedroom apartment which really was home from home with a kitchen housing a dishwasher, microwave, fridge, stove, oven, freezer and laundry facilities. And with prices from just £100 a night you feel like you're very much getting bang for your buck.
The kitchens are especially useful when you want breakfast at your own pace rather than joining the universal hotel buffet hunt for the last croissant. We arrived to find ample tea and coffee making facilities, including Nespresso capsules and a mini bottle of milk in the fridge.
The overall design strikes a smart balance between warehouse character and modern comfort, with large TVs in both the living area and the bedroom. For those who struggle to travel light (guilty!), there is a huge amount of storage space.
Check-in is effortless and if you're in a rush or feeling uncharacteristically unsociable, you can be in your apartment without having spoken to a soul. We were sent a pin number on the day of arrival and it gets you through the main doors of the hotel as well as into your own room.
If a comfy bed is up there with the most important aspects of a hotel stay, you won't be disappointed. The bathroom was spacious and impressive with a walk-in shower, the obligatory fluffy towels and Bramley toiletries. It's worth noting that our sixth-floor room was perfectly quiet with zero corridor noise. Rooms on higher floors are rewarded with fabulous views of the city.
Downstairs we spotted many people just lounging around and enjoying the chic vibe - always a good sign as nobody willingly hangs around a bad hotel lobby.
A big part of Native's appeal is how naturally the hotel fits into its neighbourhood. Step outside and you're immediately in one of the liveliest parts of the city.
If your priorities are personality, location and room to breathe, Native gets it right.
And if you enjoy Native Manchester, it's worth knowing about the curated collection of sister properties including more than a dozen apartments and hotel rooms in London, as well as Native Glasgow. Like the Manchester hotel, Native Glasgow combines heritage architecture with spacious apartment-style living, but with a slightly grander historic feel thanks to its setting in the former Anchor Line building. It has the same strengths - central location, plenty of space and a sense of local character.
One of the pleasures of staying in Manchester is that good food, cocktails and live music are woven into the city’s social life, and The Blues Kitchen has become one of the best examples of that.
Based in Quay Street, it feels energetic from the moment you walk in - high ceilings with back-lit stained glass, quirky fixtures and fittings and a touch of New York supper-club atmosphere.
Food is affordable and delicious. If you have room after your steaks, burgers and ribs, you have to try the skillet cookie for dessert (a great tip from our cheerful server, Ruby).
We were looked after by the most friendly and helpful team, led by manager Luke Di Bartolomeo who went out of his way to ensure we had the best night. Live music, upstairs in the Concert Hall, pulls in the crowds. The evening we were there, soul fans descended for an Amy Winehouse: 20 years of Back to Black gig. It was a couple of hours of great music, with a ridiculously talented saxophonist stealing the show.
When you've had your fill of good food, perfect cocktails and that unmistakable Manchester energy, it's just a 20-minute walk from The Blues Kitchen back to the Native hotel or, if that indulgent dessert has left you feeling lazy, a £4 Uber ride.
*Rooms at Native Manchester by Numa start at £100.
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