Bespoke Hotels brings a taste of New York to the Cottonopolis, opening a Big Apple-inspired bolthole in the heart of the city, writes Ben Thomas.
Manchester resonates with Brooklyn on several fronts, from its industrial past to its effervescent music scene. Culture and community are ever-present characteristics of both boroughs, not to mention the Victorian architecture that lines the streets of each, standing as a testament to their history.
So when Bespoke Hotels unveiled plans to open a second property in the Cottonopolis – following the arrival of Hotel Gotham in 2015 – longstanding design partners Squid Inc immediately looked across the pond for inspiration. “Brooklyn is an eight-letter word for an aesthetic that layers décor from mixed periods and sources,” says Lead Interior Designer, Oliver Redfern. “A palpable anti-slick, anti-corporate sensibility, a place where creativity and collaboration reign.”
Housed within a former bank on the city’s Portland Street, Hotel Brooklyn pays homage to the New York suburb’s history from early 20th century to present day, channelling an urban aesthetic throughout 189 loft-style guestrooms, a restaurant and bar named after American writer Damon Runyon, a mini cinema featuring a projector and tiered seating in the lobby, and a cosy lounge complete with blue velour sofas, an open fireplace and vinyl players spinning records from Mancunian artists.
“Raw with a juxtaposition was the underlying design ethos, as we wanted to take cues from the look and feel of its stateside namesake and blend that with Mancunian style,” Redfern continues. “The exposed concrete and steel structure of the building formed the backbone to the interiors and from that we added layers, each becoming more refined and offering a sense of warmth – from red hand-thrown bricks to American Oak, hand-blocked wallpaper, velvets and brass.”
Guests are immersed in this transatlantic fusion from the get-go; the lobby emulates a Brooklyn avenue with its brick stone walls and trees, while at once honouring Manchester’s Northern Quarter by way of mosaic floor tiles. Beyond the reception area is The Stoop, a grandstand-like structure – reminiscent of townhouse steps in New York – where visitors can watch a movie on the big screen and enjoy a cocktail, as well as The Snug, an intimate setting that takes cues from brownstone buildings and their expansive drawing rooms. Both spaces are finished off with bespoke geometric-style rugs from local design practice Studio Knot.
All-day restaurant Runyon’s offers a flavour of The Big Apple too, with Squid Inc using the tension lines of Brooklyn Bridge as its stimulus when devising the interior scheme, which couples exposed pipes and ducts with glowing signage and furniture by UHS. The 96-cover diner – taking its name from Damon Runyon, a journalist known for his short stories celebrating the world of Broadway – is centred around a metro-tiled open kitchen, where signature dishes such as Crab Flake A La Newberg, Billy’s Bacon Fried Rice, and Oscar’s BLT Wedge and Hash Browns come to the pass.
“With its city centre location, we felt Runyon’s needed the feel of an independent bar and restaurant. We wanted it to be unpretentious and offer diners an interactive experience whilst still providing opportunities for cosiness and tranquillity,” Redfern explains. “Designing the space to accommodate for potentially 378 guests at breakfast proved to be the biggest challenge. In the end, we decided that the best way to achieve this was to create a range of cover styles throughout the front of house, so whether guests are after a bagel and coffee on-the-go or something more leisurely like eggs over-easy, there’s always a spot for them.”
Up on the ninth floor meanwhile, Salvation Bar balances influences from New York with those from Manchester, channelling the latter’s Haçienda days through a scheme that marries exposed brick work, pop art and neon lights. On the same level, 220-capacity events and banqueting space Brooklyn Heights deep dives into its namesake and can be split into three distinct suites – Grace, Hicks and Montague – thanks to a series of flexible partitions.
Ranging from studios to skyline suites, guestrooms are furnished with Kappa Lounge and Banana Side chairs sourced by PS Interiors, vintage-style Goodmans radios and bedside lamps by Anglepoise. There’s also New York-inspired artwork by Elegant Clutter – who have overseen art curation for the entire hotel. Completing the private quarters are cleverly angled bathrooms, which feature semi-opaque windows and sustainable amenities like organic bamboo toothbrushes and ethically sourced toothpaste, soap and lotion dispensers.
With Bespoke Hotels looking to set the standard in accessible design, as championed by Chairman Robin Sheppard – whose own mobility has been affected by Guillain-Barré syndrome – 18 of the property’s guestrooms have been adapted to meet the needs of those with physical, cognitive and sensory impairments. Conceived by accessible design company Motionspot, the rooms echo the wider narrative whilst offering elegant layouts and details such as basins with integrated hand grips, removable matte black grab rails, easy-to-reach storage and hidden ceiling track hoists.
“There are around 14 million people living with a disability in the UK and there is no reason why accessible facilities should be any less stylish than other areas in a hotel,” says Ed Warner, founder and CEO of Motionspot. “Great design is all about blending function and form, and Hotel Brooklyn shows what can be achieved when accessibility is considered as an integral part of the design scheme from the outset.”
There’s no doubt that Manchester has been on an upward trajectory in recent times, not least thanks to the acquisition of broadcasting mega-hub MediaCity but also its billion-pound property boom, football prestige and thriving F&B sector. As such, the once industrial powerhouse has become an increasingly attractive prospect for investors, especially those that recognise the value of its established cultural capital alongside its rising business and leisure sectors. Hotel Brooklyn only goes to strengthen that appeal, echoing the grit and determination of the hospitality sector up north, even during the most testing of times.
