Britannia Country House Hotel

The massive chandelier in the reception area can’t mask the fact that this is a cheap hotel and the gaudy decor looks dated, although it is nicer than the Britannia Hotel in the city centre.

Rooms come with a desk, television, tea and coffee making facilities and an en suite bathroom.

Wi-Fi wireless internet access is free in public areas and in the rooms guests get two 20-minute free Wi-Fi sessions per day, or you can pay £7 for 24 hours unlimited access.

Facilities include two restaurants and several bars and there is also a health club on site with spa, sauna, steam rooms, a gym and swimming pool (although the use of the health club facilities is not included in the cost of your hotel room). There is also a nice garden area with picnic tables and there is a nice walking trail along the banks of the River Mersey just a three-minute walk from the hotel.

Although Britannia hotels won’t win any design awards, this particular hotel is nicer than most other hotels in the chain.

The hotel is on Palatine Road in Didsbury near the Withington Golf Club, which is around midway between Manchester Airport and the city centre. There is not much nearby, other than some local shops around a 10-minute walk south of the hotel. It’s not particularly central, but the availability of free parking means that it may be a good option if you’re driving. The hotel also has Stay and Fly packages that include airport transfers and up to two weeks parking if you stay here before and after your flight from Manchester Airport. Local bus route 43 stops here en route between the airport and the city centre, running every 10 minutes during the day and half-hourly at night.