Manchester is full of unique and quirky Airbnbs, ranging from stylish loft apartments to full luxury homes you can hire. Each offer a different experience depending on what you're looking for, but one of the 'most loved' in Manchester is rather out of the ordinary.
What started out as an empty car park is now a striking gold-fronted townhouse, which attracts passers-by with its curb appeal. But, hidden inside, it has another impressive feature - a huge hammock that can hold six people, all at once. Hammock Heights sleeps up to nine guests and spans five floors, with two living areas, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, two roof terraces and an outdoor hot tub.
Not only that, but its prime central location in Spinningfields means you'll have all the city's best bars, restaurants and shops right on your doorstep, as well as beautiful views from the rooftop. Named one of the 'most loved' homes on Airbnb in Manchester, the townhouse has been rated an impressive 4.92 out of 5 stars from guests, and was also voted by Time Out as the 'best Airbnb in Manchester' in July this year.
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Its success is all down to the Airbnb's owner, Michelle Rothwell, who set up her own property development business seven years ago named Watch This Space. Since then, Michelle and her team have built a range of offices, apartments and houses all across the region which they've either sold on or rented out.
Hammock Heights is the only property that Michelle has listed on Airbnb, and it has been a huge success. "We saw a gap in the market to create something different on the Airbnb front," Michelle told the Manchester Evening News. "We initially bought the office space but it came with an empty car park.
"We thought, as we’re right in the middle of Spinningfields, instead of having this wasted space let’s try and create something different. We came up with the idea to build some townhouses and that’s where the idea came from."
Michelle and her team began building the homes in 2020. They built five townhouses, each five-storey and featuring their garage and outdoor spaces, but kept just one to rent on Airbnb. “We’ve won quite a few awards over the last few years for our designs as we like to challenge the norm and do something creative.
"We added the gold shutters on the front that can be opened and closed, giving the building an ever-changing look and also adding lots of natural light and fresh air into the building. At the back we’ve tiled the whole building with flowers, and the inside is built out of a unique green brick. We’ve gone really high end on all the finishes."
One of the Airbnb's key features is its huge hammock that guests can relax on together. "We wanted to make it a fun and enjoyable experience for guests who can make lasting memories here," Michelle said, "I’ve never been to a building other than my own which has got a massive hammock. It’s different, but it’s a cool place to sit and have a glass of wine or watch a movie. I designed it as a place that’s great for adults as well as kids."
Since opening, Hammock Heights has attracted guests from across the UK and even the world, with a family recently coming over to stay from Australia. "We get a range of different types of guests staying from all different places. We've just had some people come from Australia for four nights as they wanted a quirky place to stay in Manchester, and they found us," said Michelle.
"This year we have a family who are staying here on Christmas day as they just wanted a different experience to normal. We have groups of people who want to stay to experience nightlife in the city centre and see the nice bars and restaurants, and people who want a home away from home - it’s a real mix."
On the ground floor of the home, there is a double bedroom with an en suite and a garage with free parking or one car. A handcrafted wooden staircase then leads up to the first floor, where a double bedroom overlooks the John Rylands library, and has a freestanding bath in the bedroom, and a second bedroom has bunk beds which sleep five.
Up on the second floor is the kitchen which features mosaic floral tiles, and on the other side there’s the open-plan living area with a sofa area and a large dining room table, with the hammock area up above. Next to the hammock on the third floor there is another lounge area which leads out onto the outdoor dining terrace. On the top floor there is another outdoor area with a hot tub, table tennis and outdoor seating to enjoy the views of Manchester.
The average price per night ranges from £200 to £300 during the week, and up to £900 over the weekend. Michelle said: “I’d say we are competitively priced because we’re more or less always full, we don’t have much availability."
You can book your stay at Hammock Heights here.
