The Edwardian Manchester, A Radisson Collection Hotel

In its former life as the Free Trade Hall, this stately old building bore witness to more than its share of historic moments, from political rallies and violent uprisings to more than a few history-making rock shows. Today it’s more likely to serve as the stage for events of a more personal scale — while the classic exterior remains in place, the interior is all-new, the meeting halls replaced with cozy and contemporary hotel rooms and the sort of clubby and masculine public spaces you’d expect from a grown-up hotel like this: The Edwardian Manchester, A Radisson Collection Hotel.

We say grown-up because at bottom this is an old-fashioned luxury hotel, albeit one whose look shows the influence of the modern boutique trend toward Eastern-inflected clean-lined minimal design. Rooms, first, are loaded with all the modern conveniences and creature comforts like free high-speed wi-fi, heaping plush beds, and impeccably equipped high-tech stone bathrooms; only secondarily do they attempt anything like a design statement, and what statement they do make essentially amounts to a reminder of the value of visual restraint.

Facilities include a pool, a spa by Espa, and a fitness center, and more meeting space than you’re likely to need. The Library curated by Assouline is a lounge dedicated to signature cocktails, Assouline’s famous fashion books, and “The Impossible Edition Afternoon Tea.” Meanwhile the flagship restaurant, Peter Street Kitchen, serves a menu of contemporary Japanese and Mexican small plates, accompanied by sake, cocktails, and an extensive wine list from its Bar and Rikyū Lounge.