New hotel in Manchester promises to be something really special

Matt Townley is promising something very special when the Dakota hotel opens for business in Manchester later this year.

The 33-year-old is the general manager of the hotel and is the man charged with making sure that the new venue delivers an all of its promises.

The Dakota brand is the latest venture from Ken McCullouch – the man who is seen by many as the father of the boutique hotel.

The Glaswegian forged his reputation with the Malmaison group and has now moved on to the Dakota brand which aims to offer the same style at half the price.

Ken McCulloch was named Hotelier of the Year in 1993 for his creation of One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow.

The following year he launched the Malmaison brand, which he went on to sell 10 years later.

The name Dakota was inspired by the aircraft, which transformed the face of air travel by offering style and impeccable service at affordable prices.

Matt Townley

The Dakota brand has applied this ethos to its hotels, providing guests with sincere hospitality and service that oozes timeless, classic values and an unforgettable experience.

The hotel in Manchester is the fifth in the group and the bar is being set high by Matt who has spent all his working life in the industry.

Located close to Piccadilly Station the hotel is will part of the group’s plan to open properties in all major UK cities within five years.

Evans acquired the site from Town Centre Securities.

The £30m hotel will include 137 rooms with 27 suites including a 1,800sq ft plus penthouse with roof top garden terrace and sauna, which is thought will become one of the largest hotel suites in Manchester.

Food and drink will be focussed on the  Dakota Bar & Grill with al fresco dining, alongside a 75-cover bar and Champagne room.

There will also be added extras such as a cigar garden and a chauffeur  service for guests.

Matt is currently in the process of recruiting his team and his plan is to create one of the best hotels in the city.

He explained: “The aim I to deliver an unbelievable service that people will remember.

“To do that you have to get the culture right and have an unbelievable eye for detail.

“There is a lot of competition out there which means that you have to work incredibly hard to get things right. We want to create an experience for our visitors that is second to none.

“Of course, I am aware of who else is out there in the market and what is on offer. But for me the most important thing is to concentrate on what we do rather than worry about what other people are up to.

“We need to make sure that we get everything absolutely spot on. It is impossible to get everything perfect all of the time but we will always try to deliver the very best service.

“If things do go wrong we would want to know why and then work hard to put them right.

“Ultimately what we are trying to do is to bring a little bit of Mayfair to Manchester.”

Matt is one of those lucky people who knew what he wanted to do from an early age and has gone on to fulfil his ambitions.

He said: “From when I was about 12-years-old I loved hotels and I always wanted to work in them.

“They are special places, there is something really exciting about them. What we want to do is create an unbelievable experience for all of our guests.

“It is my job to get the culture right and make sure the team deliver on what we are trying to achieve.”