Following the recent opening of new hotel The Reach at Piccadilly, we spoke to General Manager Peter Nye about the new venue and its nod to the city’s heritage.
The Reach at Piccadilly opened in July and is Manchester city centre’s latest luxury hotel. The Tribute Portfolio Hotel within Marriott Bonvoy’s Collection honours the city’s industrial heritage and champions local businesses from across the city, bridging the pioneering spirit of the past with the city’s thriving independent business culture of today.
General Manager Peter Nye describes himself as a lifelong hotelier; with 24 years of experience in the industry, he has worked in various properties, brands, and places across the UK and abroad. He joined The Reach at Piccadilly as the first employee in August 2022.
The Reach at Piccadilly’s bespoke interior design concept gives a more modernised nod
to Manchester’s rich industrial history and celebrates materials that were once carried across the Pennines such as coal, cotton, timber, wool, limestone, and salt. Known as the world’s first industrial city, Manchester was the hub of the 19th century Britain and the home to so many firsts in the period – including the country’s first true canal.
Peter explains the importance of keeping the city’s heritage alive: “The hotel backs onto the canal so we couldn’t be any closer to it. A lot of the industrial revolution was built around the canals and the exports that were transported down the waterways, so we’ve taken a lot of design cues inspired by this important part of Manchester’s history because it’s so unique, not just to Manchester but also the UK as a whole.”
The design choices aren’t the only way that The Reach at Piccadilly celebrates Manchester, the hotel supports local suppliers at its on-site restaurant, Lock 84: “We’ve had to apply a modern fuse onto the hotel’s authentic features. One of the ways we’ve done this is by really focusing on local supply chains, with everything from local beer and wines to bread and coffee. We’re so passionate about our hyperlocal strategy so wherever possible we provide goods and services that are from within two miles of the hotel. By doing this, guests really feel like they’re getting the full Manchester experience when they stay with us.”
There’s an on-site fitness centre, paid private parking just around the corner, and the hotel is dog friendly, so your furry friends can enjoy the luxury too. A hotel doesn’t have to be reserved for when you’re visiting a different city, the affordable luxury that The Reach at Piccadilly provides is ideal for staycations, right on your doorstep, as Peter tells us: “We believe that everybody loves the finer things in life but without being charged the earth for it. With everything from especially curated wine lists in the restaurant to a full Sky TV package in all 215 rooms, we aim to bring luxury to the masses coupled with good, old-fashioned Manchester hospitality.”
Peter believes the best part about working at The Reach at Piccadilly is routed in its ties to Manchester: “What I love most about the hotel is the fact that it’s Manchester all over. Our hotel is literally 90 seconds away from Piccadilly train station, so we’re right in the heart of the city and it’s such a buzzing, vibrant place to be. We’ve got two great football teams and so many incredible goings on across the city, it’s an amazing place full of diversity, that’s fantastic to work in. There are hotels popping up everywhere in Manchester at the moment, but we pride ourselves on being not being just another hotel. We champion the city in everything that we do, and there’s a real focus on service and genuine warmth.”