Glossy goes to Hotel Gotham

As you step inside, you travel back in time and instantly realise this is no ordinary hotel.

We’re greeted by Mario, the general manager responsible for directing all the action, and pull up a luxurious chair to find out more about his role, what makes the hotel so special and the brand-new delights it has in store...

A cinematic stay

Hotel Gotham strikes a wonderfully imposing figure at the top of Manchester’s King Street. A stay is not a stay at Gotham, it’s a multi-sensory experience – a cinematic series of moments played out on a neoclassical stage, complete with faithfully restored 1930s fittings and dressed in ultra-plush furnishings. Think bellboys and secret rooms, seventh-floor champagne cocktails mixed with city views not even Hollywood could recreate. The golden age of travel meets the theatricality of a blockbuster movie; all wrapped in a velvet blanket of Mancunian spirit and warmth.

Mario – the face of Hotel Gotham

Much like his place of work, General Manager Mario Ovsenjak is endlessly charismatic and fun. After leading a series of hotels in the capital, he moved to Man chester in 2016. He adores both the city (“it’s so friendly and open, it’s incredible”) and his job.

“Gotham is an amazing place to be,” he smiles. “No two days and no two guests are the same. The team and I’s role is to de liver a memory-making rather than functional stay. From the moment someone makes a reservation, we want to know how we can make it extra special for them.”

A special-occasion destination

From its opulent suites, Martini butler room service and Bentley Flying Spur for hire, to its two AA Rosette-winning Honey Restaurant and the guests and membersonly Club Brass VIP lounge – everything about Hotel Gotham is wonderfully extra

“We tailor-make each Gotham offering to impress every guest,” explains Mario. “Gotham is a special-occasion destination; an experience rather than a hotel. Your stay will be a story you want to share with friends. You’re never going to forget your stay, for sure. This is true for overnight stays or if you become a member, but equally, the same can be said if you are reserving a table for a romantic meal, holding a pri vate event with us or attending one of our live music events.”

Mario reveals that it’s his team – handpicked not only for what’s on their CV but the ambition and personality they can bring to the table – who are the true stars of the Gotham stage and make the magic pos sible.

And the winner for Best Boutique Hotel is... Mario says that whilst it’s difficult to pin point any one Gotham career highlight to date (“there are so many amazing mo ments”), last year, when Hotel Gotham (which opened in 2015) was named Best Boutique Hotel in North-West Europe at the Luxury Hotel Awards 2022 is up there with the best of days:

“It was our 20th award,” smiles Mario. “I was fortunate enough go to Turkey to col lect it. We have a little trophy to show, a hotels version of the Oscar, if you like! It was an amazing worldwide event and I was so happy to represent my hotel and the team.”

Top-secret entertainment

We make our descent to Gotham’s base ment, a secret room is revealed – the old Midland Bank vaults and cash-counting room (original safes still in place), now a plush space for private and ticketed events.

Featuring a Cognac-filled safe and a fullsize pool-come-dining table and swathed in indulgent 1930s jazz and Great Gatsby vibes, the all-new GILT Club plays host to everything from live music and movie screenings to board meetings and luxury, private dining experiences for up to 20 guests, which come with a private chef and a sommelier.

“The GILT Club opened up late last year and it’s been a huge success,” says Mario, “so now, we’re expanding the different activities and events we showcase there –music, comedy and even crochet! It’s all to add more interest and quirkiness!”

Many of the GILT events are hosted by Mario himself. To attend an event, and perhaps spend the evening with Gotham’s leading man, dining at the ‘Captain's Table’, booking is easy online at hotelgotham.co.uk

What happens in Gotham...

Moments before we exit the towering glamour of Gotham, we tell Mario it’s little wonder the hotel is an A-list favourite.

Mario laughs:

“Oh, I’m not fazed by celebrities. They are just like you and me, looking to be treated well and seeking a bit of peace and quiet.”

And before we can ask him who, why and when...

“We have a very strict policy... what happens at Hotel Gotham stays at Hotel Gotham! No name-dropping allowed!”

Hotel Gotham

100 King Street, Manchester M2 4WU / 0161 413 0000 Get social on Instagram @hotelgotham

By Lisa Symonds