50 Newton Street, Manchester M1 2EA Train Manchester Piccadilly Tel (0161) 236 9500 or 0800 083 3848 Websitewww.hattersgroup.com
BUG Review
This new hostel is housed in a renovated building that was built as a hat factory in 1907. Facilities include a good kitchen and a lounge with a pool table and TV. It has very friendly staff and a good atmosphere. It was still undergoing development when we visited but it looks promising.
Price Dorm bed £15-17 Single room £30 Double/twin room £45-60
Prices include breakfast Prices are in British pounds and are inclusive of all taxes.
Credit Cards American Express,Diners Club,JCB,MasterCard,Visa
Reception Open 24 hours
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No booking fee when you book The Hatters online through BUG
Pros:
Clean, firm beds, sparkling showers and free toast/hot drinks
Cons:
The noise from the street
bobsonthegreat
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(3)
Excellent hostel with friendly staff, clean rooms, showers so clean you can see your face in them and free toast and hot drinks 24hrs a day. My friend and I stayed there for one night and I got a great night's sleep, and the toast and tea was just what I needed in the morning.
Great central location, and the right layout for a good atmosphere. There wasn't a lot going on (what kind of travellers would come to England in Winter?) but I suspect it's the kind of place that gets lively in the Summer.
Will likely stay here again next time I go to Manchester.
Pros:
Perfect location
Cons:
No private place to shower, dry or change.
Northern Girl
saw things this way
Maintenance
(2)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(2)
Atmosphere
(2)
I thought the location of Hatters hostel is perfect. Only a few minutes walk from Picadilly station, and an easy walk to Chinatown, the gay village, Arndale centre, Northern Quater shops and Oxford road with its univeristy campuses, musuems and galleries. The hostel itself is very old and bit run down, but that did not bother me much. I liked the staff there. The victorian bathroom fittings and the antique lift are cute, if you like history. I liked the old building and the original fittings, as I thought they had character.However, guests who are modest should be aware that the showers are not private - the cublicles have glass walls and there is only an open changing and drying area. There are no curtained areas or the like. I would have liked curtains around the shower cubicles though rather than glass walls! My room was boiling hot and quite noisy. Lots of street noise, but I guess that is what comes of a city centre location. I also found myself the only lone traveller among mainly groups and couples. It was not really a place to meet people. I was there midweek during a quiet time of year, so I guess it might be different at weekends or high season. I don't know if I would stay there again.
