What is The Tribe Like At Manchester Airport?

Recently we had an early morning flight (which normally we try to avoid!). I was doing the maths... Flight 09:00 (OK, not so early), check in by 06:00 to make full use of the lounge, before that drive over, park up and walk across which meant leaving home by 04:30... The lounge would cost about £110 assuming we booked the 1903 Lounge, which at the time was our favourite in Terminal 2, or around £88 for the eTerminal 2 Escape Lounge, both of which are very good.

Alternately I realised we could book a hotel in walking distance from the terminal and when I checked my favourite booking app the Tribe Hotel came in at around £ 93 including breakfast and payable only on arrival. It was fairly new and prices have increased a little since then, but not much.

I looked at this carefully. No need to worry about getting stuck in traffic on the way there (we had all evening), make use of the Jet2 Twilight bag drop, breakfast in the hotel and I booked 'TimeSlot' (free version of security FastPass) so we could literally wander over, clear security and board! We could go down to breakfast 07:00 and be at the gate for 08:00, so I booked!

I actually thought I was booking quite a budget hotel but I was wrong. On the evening, after bag drop, we walked the covered walk way to the station then followed the signs for 2 minutes across a few paths to our rather impressive hotel. My wife thought I'd booked something really impressive.

None of your standard checkin desks - a couple of modern podiums where staff welcomed us, quickly sorted us out with a key and left us to enjoy our evening. We took the lift to our floor, followed the arrows to our room which was the furthest point possible from the lift (the lifts being one end of the atrium and our room the exact opposite) and entered. I was still expecting a cheap travellodge effect but oh no, a really nice, quiet room that overlooked the atrium but, unlike our Norwegian experience in a simliar location, was perfectly quiet.

The room as well as quiet was a good temperature and the beds looked inviting, but we wandered down stairs again into the bar area. We were late, had already eaten and at this point meals would have been a problem but bar snacks were available so we settle down to a high table with a few snacks and a drink to people watch for half an hour.

After that it was back up to the room, double check we had everything we thought in our hand luggage and then settled down for a very comfortable night's sleep. No problems at all!

Next morning we wandered down to breakfast, which is split depending on the time you arrive. Between 3am and 5am you can get a continental buffet breakfast and between 5am and 10am they bring out the hot food. Although there were many people staying in the hotel who were visiting Manchester, it is also very well appointed for the early morning traveller. Where else do you start breakfast 03:00!

No problems with the breakfast with all of the usual suspects available and plenty of (self service) hot drinks. I really don't get on with served coffee at breakfast as I do like multiple cups, so self service is an advantage. Plenty of choice of well cooked food.

After that it was a case of check out (hand the key card back) then retrace our steps the less than 10-minute walk back to terminal 2. It was just starting to rain so the quick walk to the station then the under cover tunnel was really appreciated. Through security in no time and then waiting to board.

Overall experience - excellent and definitely worth it. In our case it cost around £90 including breakfast and we added a coffee to the trip in the airport, which was still less than booking a lounge. OK, we didn't get alcohol at breakfast but wouldn't want it especially on that trip. The convenience of knowing it's a 10-minute walk instead of an hour's drive (if there's no extra traffic), being able to deposit bags the night before so no checkin queue either, it all just made for a very enjoyable, relaxed start and it saved a small amount of cash.