After being acquired by the InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) in May 2018, Manchester’s Principal Hotel was rebranded Kimpton Clocktower in 2020.
Kimpton Clocktower sits at the heart of Manchester, the city known as the more rebellious cousin of London but couldn’t be more welcoming.
On bustling Oxford Road, the luxury hotel has great access to Oxford Road Rail Station as well as the city’s collection of shops. It’s also a two-minute drive from Manchester Airport.
With 17 meeting and event spaces, the hotel is a perfect location for different types of meetings and events. Their newly renovated ballroom is one of the biggest event spaces in the North of England.
In addition, their 10,000 square-foot restaurant has become a popular meeting point. The hotel also boasts 270 new loft-style bedrooms and suites and a triple-height lobby.
Event and meeting space
The Directors’ Room and Oak Rooms
“Wood-panelled opulence”
The grandest rooms in the hotel, the Directors’ Room was built in 1912 as part of Paul Waterhouse’s extension to the original Refuge Assurance building.
On the second floor of the Refuge Building, it was even furnished with their own bronze and Carrara marble staircase.
The only slightly more modest Oak Rooms sit above the Ballroom and provide flexible meeting space for up to 100 guests.
The Ballroom
“A sense of occasion, on a grand scale”
Kimpton’s Ballroom, formerly the Refuge Assurance staff dining room, it’s the largest single event space within the northwest of England. It can also be used in conjunction with the Whitworth Rooms to maximise flexibility and capacity.
Housing its own stage, a private bar and a dedicated, private entrance from Waterhouse Way, the Ballroom, with its abundance of daylight and technological capabilities, is the perfect space for a large event.
The Whitworth
The Whitworth, a large open-plan space, can be cleverly separated into three smaller rooms with soundproof dividers. It can also be combined with the Ballroom to create an event or conference on a grand scale.
The meeting room occupies the whole of the ground floor of the Whitworth Building with double-height windows and a full bar that can be opened or closed, depending on the occasion.
Clock Tower Meeting Rooms
The seven Clock Tower meeting rooms sit on the mezzanine floor to the side of the hotel lobby, with access to a generous breakout space, the Post Room.
Drinks and dining
Kimpton Clocktower’s Executive Chef brings years of experience cooking at some of the most exclusive hotels around the world.
Their series of menus bring restaurant-quality food to large-scale banquets and events.
Post Room
Previously the Post Room for the Refuge Assurance Company, guests in the Clock Tower meeting rooms can come here to take a break, stretch their legs and help themselves to healthy (and not-so-healthy) snacks.
Refuge by Volta
From cocktails and live DJs to a great workspace for catching up on work emails and coffee, The Refuge is a great all-round hotspot with a sociable buzz and welcoming atmosphere.
The restaurant serves globally inspired small plates and sharing dishes. By day it serves speciality teas, coffee and juice and by night it transitions into a “drinking den”, with an eclectic wine list, craft beers and cocktails.
Winter Garden
“The outside, in”
With a selection of gins, elegant cocktails and bar snacks, the Winter Garden is a great place for guests to relax and socialise. The glass atrium allows plenty of light in and every piece of furniture and decor has been carefully considered.
Den
The den offers a playful spot for up to 100 guests, complete with a foosball, billiards, a projection screen and its own bar. Away from the hustle and bustle of the main bar, but still close enough to the action.
For more information on this venue’s MICE capacities check out their Cvent Supplier Network page here.
