"The private bar at this sexy, opulent hotel on Manchester’s historic King Street is called “Club Brass,” perhaps because this is the place you’ll find the top brass: Celebrities, professional soccer players, and CEOs have all booked rooms at Gotham, which is housed in a former bank from the 1930s. The feeling of exclusivity begins almost immediately, when guests step into a small, private entrance instead of a typical hotel lobby, and are whisked up to a reception area with a distinctly hush-hush vibe and closed to the public (even the bar is off limits to anyone other than non-guests and members). Thanks, perhaps, to its architecture, the hotel has an Art Deco-meets-old-style banking look to it—large rooms (all with king beds or larger) are outfitted in greys, blacks, and golds, with original wood floors and banking doors. For a romantic getaway, stay in one of five Inner Sanctum Suites, where the vibe is Fifty Shades-level seductive; screens with “city views” take the place of windows, the walls are covered in leather, and the bed is “Emperor” size, a.k.a. even larger than a king, if you desire some extra room to do…whatever it is you do. If you really want to soak up the five-star feel, book a Bank Manager Suite, which has a copper freestanding tub right next to the bed (the staff will run it and sprinkle rose petals on top, at your request). When you’re done, call for the martini butler who will mix you a drink in your room. Looking for something more bubbly? There’s Thiénot champagne in the minibar—Gotham is supposedly the only hotel within 200 miles to stock it. Editor's Pick: Hot List 2016"
