Name: Holiday Inn Express Manchester City Centre Arena
Address: Goadsby Street Off Swan Street, Manchester, M4 5JY, GB

4/10

Poor

04 Aug 2026

elysia

Someone had been smoking on that floor. They’d lit incense but you could still smell it and the windows don’t open so you couldn’t get any fresh air.
We moved rooms but it must’ve been in the ventilation because when we had a shower the bathroom smelt really smoky and the steam and heat made it hard to breathe in there. We were back late and only staying the night so didn’t bother moving rooms again. We had sore throats and croaky voices the next day, which was annoying.
It was a good location for nightlife and they give you breakfast, but I wouldn’t stay there again.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Aug 2026

William

I had a great stay. When I got to the room there was a problem with the pull out coach but they quickly upgraded me to another room.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Aug 2026

Lordina

We had a lovely stay the staff were really helpful and made everything easy. It was simple to get in and out of our room, and the location was great with a 24-hour shop nearby, which came in handy. Overall, a comfortable and convenient experience!

8/10

Excellent

02 Aug 2026

Cristina

Overall it was a good experience, thanks

8/10

Excellent

02 Aug 2026

Aravind

All good - clean, great location

6/10

Pleasant

31 Jul 2026

Ed

Merely ok I guess. Friendly staff but poor maintenance- eg aircon didn't work, safe didn't work. There was an ancient tower fan in the room which was very noisy but at least gave a small airflow in the absence of aircon or opening windows.

8/10

Excellent

29 Jul 2026

Mohamed

Good breakfast and cheerful stuff member

8/10

Excellent

26 Jul 2026

Donna-lee

The property was clean, breakfast was the usual but ok. Beds thumb 👎 the main bed mattress was horrible and the sofa bed was hard so over all not a good night's sleep.

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jul 2026

Jack

Lovely and clean. Very reasonably priced for the location

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jul 2026

David

Everything was perfect. There was a very helpful lady but I didn't catch her name.

8/10

Excellent

20 Jul 2026

Wendy

Clean room although the bed was not a double. Great breakfast, and the staff were good. Good location central

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2026

Lois

Excellent stay, second time now and cannot recommend enough for when you're in Manchester. It's very central and right in Northern Quarter, also it's very affordable and you get a fab room, really clean and comfortable. Air con and the staff are incredible! We actually had an issue with our air con when we first arrived and I thought to ask the reception staff if there's anything I can do to get it to work (not expecting anything!), and they changed our room with an upgrade with no hesitation!! This was such a kind and fabulous surprise as I would've struggled being pregnant. Absolutely exceptional service, thank you so much 🙏. I highly recommend staying here and would definitely stay again as my first choice in Manchester.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

19 Jul 2026

JEFFERY

Nice hotel.staf great clean rooms and every one friends fly only bad thing was the so called scrambled egg for breakfast not sure but seemed like they using powered as was so dry .

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

19 Jul 2026

Patrick

Staff was great!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2026

paul

Staff on front desk were helpful. Breakfast very good. Staff courteous and efficient. Overall highly recommended.

8/10

Excellent

19 Jul 2026

Shubhashish

Good night for what we paid for

8/10

Excellent

15 Jul 2026

Princewill

Great place to stay, Breakfast was amazing

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jul 2026

Christina

Hotel was within walking distance of a lot of things. Room was clean & breakfast was tasty.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jul 2026

Graeme

.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jul 2026

Alison

The room was clean and well maintained, staff friendly and breakfast fairly standard for what you pay.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jul 2026

Rhys

Really good stay, better than I expected to be honest !!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jul 2026

Bernadette

We enjoyed our stay. It was 32 degrees outside but our room was very comfortable due to the excellent air-conditioning. The location is very central and there we plenty of restaurants nearby. The breakfast was fine. Overall the hotel was excellent value for money.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

10 Jul 2026

Alexander

Twin room was okay, but one bed was worn and not very comfortable. One of our party was moved, then later I was told I also had to move into that same room as they couldn’t split the booking. We ended up in a double plus sofa bed, not like for like. That late-night handling felt messy. Next morning the manager Adam was excellent and sorted a refund. Decent stay, but room quality and the late-night handling let it down.

Friends_and_family Friends

6/10

Pleasant

08 Jul 2026

Haider

To begin the reception staff were nice except the one that checked me in, no smile (nothing), while the check in was quick. The breakfast was ok and fresh but the area was not so clean and there were flies in the food area, the air-conditioning was cool but stopped early morning and woke up early because it was hot. The rooms are on the small side with the sofa bed is terrible to sleep over. The bathroom clean but needs renovation. The location is central but not good if you are driving. 3 stars this time for holiday inn.

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jul 2026

Kate

Quick and easy to check in would definitely stay here again, the breakfast buffet had a choice choice and efficiently organised

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jul 2026

Katie

Lovely room easy to check in staff polite

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

05 Jul 2026

Shaun

Great location & would definitely use again.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

05 Jul 2026

Nicola

Room was fairly clean but it was a very hot weekend and the air conditioning was broke, when mentioned we were told they will raise it but it’s the weekend and won’t get fixed the fan in the room was useless and noisy. Beds were uncomfortable as were the the pillows sadly one of the worse nights sleep I’ve had in any hotel and when you pay stupid money you expect better

Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jul 2026

Kate

The place was great! Clean, quiet, a compact room so well thought out and functional, comfy beds, not too hard or too soft, nice bathroom. Airy hotel, good breakfast area and variety of food. Only complaint..coffee made in a machine was terrible at breakfast! Watery and tasteless. But apart from that, the stay was great! Recommend !! (There instant coffee and kettle in bedroom, instead)

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jul 2026

Steven

Clean place nice staff pukka food and close to where we needed to be

Friends

8/10

Excellent

30 Jun 2026

Hayley

The location is fantastic in the trendy heart of the northern quarter plenty restaurants and stores in the area, hotel was basic but great clean and accessible.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jun 2026

Shari

Breakfast buffet in the morning was certainly appreciated and accommodative to vegetarians.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jun 2026

Joe

Great stay, wonderful staff at check in and check out. Room was great and the strong aircon was a major plus due to the hot weather. Shower was fantastic. More tv channels/ability to connect to phones would be great. Carpets could do with a deep clean but apart from that the room was spotless. Fantastic stay!

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jun 2026

Rebekah

Great location and easy check in - air conditioned and spacious!

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

27 Jun 2026

Kevin

Busy but very nice hotel. Staff were friendly and professional. Room was an adequate size for the length of our stay and the hotel was situated in a good location for shopping bars venues etc. Would stay again when I’m next in Manchester

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jun 2026

colin

Room clean and tidy though some drink glasses still left outside on hall window not a good first impression. It was very hot so couldn’t get AC to work but was a fan that did job temporarily. Not sure if there as a replacement? Couldn’t open windows. Room small but adequate. Not much noise which was good. Breakfast excellent though I wanted vege sausages which had be requested so came half way through breakfast. They good though. Can’t fault. Would recommend for short stay. Very pleasant staff.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jun 2026

Roberto

Everything was good but what I really really appreciated was the air con. Thought I was in heaven.....

Self

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jun 2026

Ainsley

Clean room, great staff! Will use again when I’m in town

Self

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jun 2026

Adam

Great staff

6/10

Pleasant

25 Jun 2026

Jennifer Anne

I didn’t like the bugs in my room. I took pics and gave to front desk. They apologized.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jun 2026

Dave

Room was great, air con was a little noisey, but bearable. The bed was comfortable enough although I think they should all be kingsize in hotels nowadays- double seemed small
Lift service was excellent, always one available & fast between floors.
Breakfast was ok, just had to wait for replenishing on 1 morning (busy period) but overall was good.
Staff were very helpful & informative

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

25 Jun 2026

Vasu

Good budget property in the heart of Northern Quarter. Easy connectivity to Trams and buses

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jun 2026

Claire

Great location - clean rooms, helpful staff, good air conditioning and great value for money. Will definitely stay again

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jun 2026

Mark

Great hotel choice for Manchester.
Comfortable, clean, breakfast was included, and great location.

Self

2/10

Poor

23 Jun 2026

Muhammad

Very disappointing stay.

The room was nothing like what was shown in the photos online. It felt old, worn out, and had a slightly musty smell as soon as we walked in. The pictures on the website set a completely different expectation from what we actually got.

What really frustrated me was the room situation. I specifically booked a room with one twin bed, but when we arrived, we were given a room with two separate single beds. When I questioned this, the person at the front desk tried to convince me that two single beds somehow counted as one twin bed. That explanation made absolutely no sense and felt like they were trying to brush off the issue rather than actually help.

To make matters worse, they did nothing to fix the problem. We were told their system was down and that the only room available with one bed had a broken AC unit. So our choices were either accept the wrong room or take a room with faulty air conditioning. Neither option is acceptable when you’ve paid for a specific room type.

The whole experience felt misleading and poorly handled. Between the musty room, the misleading photos, and the complete lack of effort to resolve a booking issue, this was not the standard I expected. I won’t be staying here again and would recommend others think twice before booking.

Friends

8/10

Excellent

22 Jun 2026

Alan

A lot of noise in corridor. Poor noise insulation.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jun 2026

Judi

Had a nice friendly welcome from reception. Room was ready early which was good. Room was spacious and had air conditioning, which was needed in the heat. The bathroom had a nice big shower in and was easy to use. The breakfast was really good and a large range of choice, even pancakes.

Reception were helpful in giving instructions to venues.

Having a duvet on in summer is too warm so we took the duvet out and use the cover it was in. Someone recommended doing this and it is so much cooler.

Hotel was a short walk from Victoria station and also short walk to AO arena. Would definitely recommend and would visit again.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

21 Jun 2026

Mark

Clean room. A little warn and tatty in places. Breakfast very basic, cheap produce - not for me!

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jun 2026

Michelle

Second time I have stayed here and plan to book again, love that it is so close to the centre but just far enough out to be quieter at night. The staff are always helpful and friendly. The rooms clean and the beds comfy. The breakfast is good, although I would suggest going down early as not a very big space if it’s busy.

Friends_and_family Friends

4/10

Poor

18 Jun 2026

McArthur

The Hotel Bedroom Heating System
had a low temperature. The Bathroom
wall vent was noisy and blew out cold air.
No Hotel Restaurant Food menu for Afternoon and Evening dining.
The Hotel does not provide decent priviledges for IHG Club Members.
Noisy Guests slamming Doors.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jun 2026

Jonathan

No issues. Clean and good location.

Self

8/10

Excellent

16 Jun 2026

Mohammad

Everything was perfect very good experience

Partner

8/10

Excellent

15 Jun 2026

Mark

Great location, comfortable room with a lovely shower. Good breakfast, the room was a little tired and didn’t have a great smell.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jun 2026

Anne

Excellent stay, definitely will be using again.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

15 Jun 2026

Stewart

It were a nice hotel but we got out in a room where the toilet kept on being blocked even tho we hadn’t used it yet and then when we got moved to another room the sink were broken and the room were smaller

Friends_and_family Family

2/10

Poor

15 Jun 2026

Paul

I was double charged when they took the local tourist tax

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

14 Jun 2026

Kaya

I've stayed in maybe Holiday Inn Express but this doesn't rank very highly. My room air con was faulty, it was very hot. I should have asked for a room change but braved it through which was a mistake as I woke up at 2am due to the heat and lack of circulation and couldn't get back to sleep. Had a late check out but decided to check out early. Most of the staff were nice but one particular staff member was not great. So a mixed review.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jun 2026

William

Great hotel, located in the city center, which has excellent room, friendly staff and even free breakfast. I stayed here with my daughter, and it was really the perfect location. The front desk staff and housekeeping staff were excellent. The breakfast wasn't just muffins and biscuits and fruit, it was a full hot English breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, tomatoes, hash browns, breads and jams, plus cereals and hot coffee and tea. Highly recommended in downtown Manchester!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jun 2026

Pui Yan

I really enjoyed my stay. It would be even better if there were coffee beans with a stronger coffee flavor to choose from. Also, the sofa bed could be more comfortable, as my child found it a bit hard on the back. If possible, adding more triple rooms would be great for families. Thank you!

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

08 Jun 2026

Diane

Good for short stays . Good value .

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jun 2026

Lindsey

Room was spotless and comfy beds. Quick check in and check out. Great breakfast selection with very helpful staff.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

31 May 2026

Enoch

Good

Self

6/10

Pleasant

31 May 2026

Maido

Why dear mother did you allow hotels.com to make this mandatory

8/10

Excellent

29 May 2026

Adam

Great central location, clean and ok breakfast especially as it’s free with your stay, only pity is beds are small/double and even upgraded rooms only have small double beds even though the rooms are big and could accommodate king size or even super king sized beds

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 May 2026

Joanne

Love this hotel its on top off everything breakfast is good all the staff are lovely and the cleaners do a great job been here twice now and its been great definitely good value for money.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

27 May 2026

Diane

Good value for short stays. Location is very convenient. Breakfast was adequate. WiFi ok . Room cleanliness…4 out of 5. Staff was neutral. Beware long cues to check in and out .

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 May 2026

Jeffrey

The location of this hotel is great. The staff is very helpful. The breakfast is awesome. The rooms are fine and clean. I have stayed at this hotel three times and will return to it again next year for my annual UK vacation.

Self

8/10

Excellent

26 May 2026

Allan

No issues……………………………………..

6/10

Pleasant

24 May 2026

Fabio

A short walk to the mall. But abit of a dated and basic hotel

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 May 2026

Lisbeth

Good location, lovely staff, nice breakfast

Family

8/10

Excellent

22 May 2026

Saleem

The hotel rooftop was leaking in multiple places. Food was good.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

19 May 2026

David

Stayed here for a city break and the location is genuinely excellent. Sitting in the heart of the Northern Quarter and Ancoats, you're surrounded by some of Manchester's best restaurants, bars and cafés. The Arndale shopping centre is a 10-minute walk, and a brisk 15 minutes walk will get you from/to Manchester Piccadilly station.
The room was a decent size and the Wi-Fi was fast and reliable throughout — no complaints there. Buffet breakfast included in the stay had a good selection and was a solid start to the day.
Staff were pleasant enough, though interactions felt professional rather than personal — not as warm and friendly as you might find at a smaller or boutique hotel. The reception area also got noticeably busy at peak check-in and check-out times.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

14 May 2026

Lorraine

Wonderful

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 May 2026

Nick

Great location and room was perfect for a base to explore. Breakfast was included in the stay so we went for the cooked breakfast. With a little more care in cooking this would have been lovely. The sausages were solid and the hash browns were very soggy. Lots of other options though and would definitely stay again

10/10

Exceptional

11 May 2026

Pagan

Absolutely brilliant

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

10 May 2026

Alan

Liked the breakfast and the price

Family

8/10

Excellent

09 May 2026

Verified traveler

Good breakfast, centre of the city,

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

08 May 2026

Francesca

Good stay, I had a quiet room in the corner, Twin rather than a double which I was advised about when checking in, but this was no issue. Comfortable bed, clean bathroom. Breakfast had a good variety and availability. Good location for my event, good price.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

05 May 2026

Natalie

Great stay, room immaculate, friendly and helpful staff!

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

05 May 2026

Vitalija

Everything was great! very friendly and amazing staff works there, brekfast was spot on, location is just perfect. I wanted to give 5 stars, however i was a bit disappointed about laundry, as they dont provide it over the weekend. Also in our room we had a sofa, which wasnt in a best condition but it did not matter for us cuz we did not use it. Overall i will come back to this hotel again

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

30 Apr 2026

Tina

Room was very clean. Staff were helpful and friendly. Breakfast was excellent and the room had good air conditioning which helped as the weather was really warm

Self

8/10

Excellent

29 Apr 2026

David

Great central location, an ideal base for a quick visit to Manchester

10/10

Exceptional

26 Apr 2026

David

Very clean and lovely friendly staff. Comfortable room

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

25 Apr 2026

Sarah

The room was clean and spacious, and the staff were all very friendly and helpful. Breakfast wasn't the greatest but it's nice to have it included in the price.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

22 Apr 2026

Shandeep

It was good stay comfortable neet and clean but there is some things they can do better if you can sleep in 16degree temperatures in summer it’s good for you because you can’t open window , and can’t set the temperature below than that ….breakfast was fair fair not so good…

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

20 Apr 2026

Michael

Receptionist woman was not too friendly. Floor carpets not to clean.

Family

8/10

Excellent

19 Apr 2026

Fatima

It’s perfect if you just need a clean place to stay and have breakfast the next day. Loads of things to do around the hotel and places to eat. Very nice and friendly staff too.

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

16 Apr 2026

NIHAR

Breakfast was slightly disappointing as it wasn't a complete full English breakfast. Vegetarian sausage were like cardboard and muffins were stale. Many of the stuff looked very clumsy and their uniform looked like they had slept in their work clothes. I was there for 3 nights. I mentioned that the aircon wasn't working, they said that the maintenance will be coming around next day but it never happened for all 3 days. I guess that's how they avoid hotel guests using the aircon. But for the amount I paid, I would have appreciated to be able to use the full amenities.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

14 Apr 2026

Ethan

Breakfast left a lot to be desired

Self

10/10

Exceptional

10 Apr 2026

Neil

Breakfast is excellent!

10/10

Exceptional

09 Apr 2026

Lorna

All the staff very helpful and friendly, breakfast, everything you’d need for breakfast

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Apr 2026

Ian

Great place to stay and near everything we needed.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Apr 2026

chinomso

Had an amazing experience.The staff were helpful.We got rooms in different floors,spoke to the staff,who made adjustments and we were put in same floor.
The rooms were neat and the amenities functional properly.
Had issue where little boys that came with there parents were knocking at the doors at intervals and ran away. Complained to the staff,apologised and said had spoken to parents of the boys.
Overall,had a great experience. Hotel is at the city centre,easily accessible.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Apr 2026

Amanda

The whole stay was great. Check in seemed to take an age but once done, we had no further issues.
Breakfast was very good and hot
The room was perfect. The only problem we had was with the shower. It wasn't draining particularly well do we had to stop it, let it drain, then carry on!! Again, no big deal at all as the shower itself was lovely.
The location of the hotel was excellent. Not even 5 minutes from the bus station, where i was able to get a free bus to the train station. Shopping at the Arnedale was also only 5 minutes away too.
We would absolutely stay here again. Staff were wonderful.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

30 Mar 2026

David

AC was fine, Breakfast good.

Self

8/10

Excellent

29 Mar 2026

Christopher

Breakfast was good.