Unlike the many conversions of existing buildings, this one is a brand new purpose built Travelodge, modular bathroom, blinds, minimalist room fxings etc.

New are decent trickle air vents at the top of some windows, and exterior privacy screens at others.

For public transport users; assuming your not on a local bus route that passes near there are several ways of getting to the hotel:

From Oxford Road rail station, down the slope, right and immediately right again takes you to the start of Oxford Road, down which any bus away from town will take you past the various University buildings to a stop before Grafton Street (on the left) , down which you walk to the Upper brook Street junction and the T/L can be seen to the right. Fingland buses and Magic Bus are generally cheaper than the Stagecoach services. Walking via the same route from Oxford Road will take around 30-40 minutes depending on your speed.

From Piccadilly rail station, use the Fairfield Street exit NOT the main exit to Piccadilly, down the 2 escalators to the street ahead of you, Fairfield Street, cross over to stop D and the Bullocks Coaches bus 147 runs every 10 mins from roughly 0700-1800 for a bargain 80p single/£1.50p return. At the far end of the route it operates in a one way loop reaching Upper Brook Street after the hospital, stopping almost opposite the T/L. THIS BUS ONLY RUNS MONDAY-FRIDAY. Outside these times its either a taxi, or walk to the right along Fairfield Street, bear left into Whitworth Street until you reach Princess Street down which Stagecoach bus 50 runs and will take you almost to the T/Ls door.

The 50 is the most expensive route of the above for a single bus ride and although it stops outside the hotel, does not serve Piccadilly rail/tram or the main Piccadilly Gardens interchange.

For visitors not familiar with Manchester bus services, it is worth noting that the city is virtually split in 2 as far as bus operators are concerned. The south (where this T/L is) is served mainly by Stagecoach/Magic Bus with a few Finglands and one Bullocks service. The north is served mainly by First Bus with a few smaller companies as well. That has implications for buying day travel tickets, and you would be advised to do some research on the fares section TfGM website if you intend to travel between North and South.

As far as the hotel is concerned; good points are it's clean, warm in winter, no real traffic noise even from the rooms fronting Upper Brook Street and thus opposite the hospital, two lifts, ground floor reception and reasonably helpful staff. Bad points; new matresses are still very firm, usual inadequate clothes storage for longer stays, high winds and heavy rain will be audible in some corner and front rooms, and most sigificantly due to the fairly lightweight construction of the purpose built hotels vibration and/or noise from door closure can and does travel through the structure.

My three night stay was peaceful for 2 nights, the third was a Friday and even being this far out of the centre there were groups coming in from a night out, doors banging, loud talking and keycards being tried in wrong doors.............................oh well, note to self - not at weekends, this one.

For breakfast, there is a good Wetherspoon pub about 10 minutes walk away; out of the T/L, turn left, cross over and then right into Hathersage Road, continue to end, left past Tesco Express, Aldi and cash machine to pub. On the way you will have passed a bus 147 stop at the side road entrance to the hospital, or other buses to the centre can be had from opposite the pub.