The Gotham - an eccentric, fun, kinky hotel in the heart of Manchester
Rhonda Carrier
The iconic art-deco building it occupies, dubbed "the King of King Street", together with the venue's kooky sense of humour. Once Midland Bank offices, 100 King Street was designed in 1928 by Sir Edwin Lutyens, of New Delhi fame. In 2010, safety-deposit boxes unearthed on the site were said to contain gold, jewellery and master tapes by legendary local bands Joy Division and New Order (whose Bernard Sumner lends his name to one of the hotel's suites). The banking history has been used to flavour the decor and overall vibe; think bellboys clad in Prohibition-era uniforms (below), gold ingots as toiletry holders and the invitation to take home treats from the cocktail-cabinet-styled minibar (including "intimacy" and hangover kits) in your very own "swag bag".
The Gotham is decadent and more than a little bit naughty - the aforementioned intimacy kits contain vibrating rings and mini-vibrators, and the beds come with faux-fur bedspreads and leather headboards. Inner Sanctum rooms, which have a touch of the S&M dungeon about them, may not have windows, but they do have television walls. Perhaps best of all, residents have access to private rooftop members' bar Club Brass, and can thus enjoy its lush cocktails, some of them named after fictional characters that take their names from local areas - Lady Delores Didsbury, Charlie Chorlton - and seafood and caviar platters.
The Brass terrace, seven floors up, is a great spot in which to sup a sundowner, with views that take in the Manchester roof-scape of old, hyper-modern buildings and, beyond, the wilds of the Peak District and Yorkshire. A telescope encourages star-gazing. If you're not feeling sociable, book an in-room visit from the martini trolley then hang your "do not disturb" bat (below) - a nod to the Gotham-based superhero - on your door to ward off any Jokers who might come knocking.
