The two-and-a-half-pearl Premier Inn Manchester Airport (M56/J6) Runger Lane South offers a convenient location and good overall value. It’s a no-frills, budget-friendly property that’s best suited for travelers on the go looking for a short stay. Highlights include a breakfast and dinner restaurant with a bar, and a morning airport shuttle and on-site parking for an extra fee. Its 195 guest rooms are modern, but slightly drab despite accents in pleasant shades of purple. All are relatively spacious and comfortable, with kettles and free Wi-Fi, but bathrooms are small and dated, with cramped stall showers, and some past guests have complained about nonworking AC. Travelers seeking a stay with comparable rates and more amenities that's even closer to the airport might want to consider the mid-range Clayton Hotel Manchester Airport.

The Gardens Hotel is an unfussy budget option in a prime location that's surrounded by restaurants, bars, and shops, and close to tram and bus stops as well as the Manchester Piccadilly train station. Features are a bit sparse at this modest property, but there's a cozy lobby bar that serves light bites, and a full English breakfast is included in rates. Other perks include a business corner and free Wi-Fi throughout the property. The 99 guest rooms are lackluster in terms of decor, stuffy due to lack of air-conditioning, and some do not have windows, but they're clean and equipped with flat-screen TVs and coffee/tea-making facilities. For something with more features, check out the Premier Inn Manchester City Centre - Portland Street, which has a restaurant and bar. 

The 60-room Hotel Gotham is an upscale property with a swish, whimsical design and excellent location a three-minute walk from the Arndale Shopping Centre and five minutes from the Northern Quarter. Occupying a former bank, the hotel invokes a "Batman" aesthetic with a dark, sexy palette and fun decor such as butler statues and binoculars. Modern rooms are sophisticated and equipped with Nespresso coffee machines, rainfall showers, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs, but some travelers may be disappointed that most lack bathtubs. Also on the downside, there are no spa, gym, or pool here, though a well-regarded, all-day restaurant and cool lounge with outdoor seating are on-site. Travelers wanting a spa should consider The Midland, though expect more classically elegant than modern design.

The two-and-half-pearl Pendulum Hotel is dated property attracting a mix of business travelers and couples, who appreciate its great location a five-minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly station, Canal Street, and Chinatown. The 117 rooms have lots of outdated decor and basic furnishings, plus flat-screen TVs, spotty but free Wi-Fi, and tea- and coffee-making facilities. A restaurant and bar is set in an attractive conservatory, and there's a large beer garden with plenty of seating. No fitness or wellness facilities are on-site. It's worth comparing rates with the Premier Inn Manchester City Centre Portland Street, which has more modern rooms.