Opening ABode Manchester

When the ABode Manchester opened, it needed to be confident that the chic city hotel would get off to a smooth start. Offering stylish accommodation and top cuisine, ABode Manchester wanted to ensure that everything about it met the high standards that its clients would expect.

The ABode and Cityco got together to discuss what the city centre management company could do to ensure the area around the hotel was up to scratch for the opening in March 2008. Former General Manager, Johan Scheepers said, "It could easily have been a logistical nightmare - not knowing who to talk to about security, pavement repair, street cleaning and so on, making fruitless phone calls and trying to organise work to be done."

Cityco's knowledge of the city meant that the company knew exactly what to do to ensure that the work was done quickly and well. Within days the challenges that the ABode had flagged up were resolved. Malfunctioning street lights at the back of the hotel were fixed within one day of being reported. Cracked and unsightly paving outside the prestigious Michael Caines Restaurant and Champagne Bar was replaced in just two days. Scheepers added, "These are the kinds of problems that hoteliers have to deal with all the time. It was a breath of fresh air to be able to hand this over to Cityco and have it sorted so quickly."

Work did not end when the hotel opened. In April 2008, as the ABode was delighted to welcome Barcelona Football Club to the hotel. Cityco liaised on the hotel's behalf with Manchester Parking, who arranged parking bays across from the hotel for the exclusive use of the team's coach and for parking restrictions at the side of the hotel to be temporarily lifted so that team officials could park there.

More recently, Cityco met with Greater Manchester Fire Service to discuss altering the fire exit at the rear of the hotel to prevent it being used as a urinal by errant members of the public. Plans have now been submitted to redesign the exit. Future work being planned includes installation of new architectural lighting to the front façade of the hotel. Cityco will this time liaise with the contractor to ensure that the project runs smoothly.

Scheepers added, "As a hotelier, I know how important it is to deliver what you promise. At the ABode Manchester we made a promise to deliver a world class hotel and with Cityco's help were able to do just that."