Now open: The Cow Hollow hotel & bar in the Northern Quarter

We took a sneak peek at Manchester’s characterful new boutique hotel and bar in the Northern Quarter. A labour of love for owners Muj and Amelia Rana, the 19^th century textile warehouse has been carefully restored to balance heavy industrial features with a little luxury. The attention to detail gives the Cow Hollow Hotel a sturdily elegant feel, with each of the 16 rooms thoughtfully designed to make the most of space and light. Handsome exposed red brick, beds built on site from railway sleepers, and the original heavy oak doors are in keeping with the building and its history. Minimalist Scandi lines would be all wrong here, amongst the remnants of industrial machinery that come as part and parcel of the place. It’s cleverly done too – we loved the white poured concrete floor in the lower rooms, filling the space with natural light. The features may be antique, but the spec is thoroughly top-of the line and modern; superfast Wi-Fi, Netflix, rainfall showers and 100% down duvets in every room. A little luxury is also wonderfully egalitarian; a room costs £120 or £150 for a larger suite, any time, all the time, with no hiking the price for peak times.

Now taking bookings. The Cow Hollow Hotel, 57 Newton Street, Manchester, M1 1ET. www.cowhollow.co.uk