Sky-high view of Manchester

For a city centre hotel that has a real feel of Manchester for a budget price, look no further than Motel One in Piccadilly.

With prices starting a £69 for a single room and £84 for a double, this hotel which opened this summer, puts many of its rivals to shame.

Just a stone's throw away from Manchester Piccadilly train station and all the city centre attractions, Motel One is ideally located.

When I arrived to stay in the hotel I was surprised to find it marketed itself as a budget hotel – but you won't leave feeling like you have stayed in a budget hotel.

The main entrance leads you through the breakfast area before you arrive at the reception desk and the lounge.

As we made our way through the breakfast area you could see the motif of the Manchester Bee from the city's crest on the wall, reminding of Manchester's effort during the Industrial Revolution.

Honey-coloured materials such as wood and metal and hive designs to the chairs support the theme of the busy bee.

Then as you approach the reception area and the lounge the hotel has tried to recreate a Britpop theme – which Manchester of course certainly played its part. There is a wall full of artificial records and a monitor wall showing famous music clips of artists like The Stone Roses and Morrissey to name but a few.

And the Manchester theme doesn't stop there. In the bar there is a wide cocktail menu created by the staff themselves and there are five signatures cocktails, four of which are based on the city.

There's the Cottonopolis, The Industrialist, The Worker Bee and Manc-Hattan – all of which, as you can probably tell from their names, symbolise a different aspect of Manchester life and the city's history.

One thing to mention about Motel One – despite its very Manchester feel, it is clear that this is a German company and the hotel has a strong continental feel – from the numbering of its rooms, its value, through to its continental breakfast – but more about that later.

The minimalist furniture throughout the hotel and in the rooms are very typical. And that's not a bad thing – I personally have always found hotels on the continent better value than in the UK.

Onto the room itself. We stayed on the 10th floor and had a lovely view. However, due to tall surrounding buildings I don't think rooms on the other side of the hotel would have this luxury. Despite the proximity of the station and some busy roads and tram tracks below – it was absolutely silent and you can not hear any outside noise. Little touches to the room made a great night's stay.

A foam mattress, Egyptian cotton as bed linen and big soft towels, all made the stay all that more enjoyable.

A wall-mounted television with access to all Freeview channels, and a tea and coffee station which was hidden away in the design of the room made it look clean, tidy, comfortable and organised.

There was also a desk and a sofa/lounge area. The one small gripe I would have is that the wardrobe and hangers were not concealed – but again this is very continental.

So after checking in, sampling some of the signature cocktails we headed out to the nearby Northern Quarter which is full of bustling bars and restaurants.

On return – admittedly quite late – the bar was still busy, but not loud, with guests still able to get drinks up until 2am.

On this occasion we headed straight for bed and had a very peaceful night's sleep.

The next morning we had the breakfast which is priced at £9.50 a head.

Many will turn their nose up at this price as it is not a cooked breakfast but a continental one – with a selection of breads, meats, cheeses, yoghurts and pastries, as well as your choice of teas coffees and fruit juices.

Overall, and having sampled a number of hotels in Manchester in the past, this was one of the most enjoyable stays I have had in the city.

Bookings can be made at www.motel-one.com/en/hotels/manchester/hotel-manchester-piccadilly