Travel: The magic of Manchester

Mar 7 2009 By Gina Sykes

On this occasion, however, we were able to amble around at our leisure, safe in the knowledge that at the end of the day our three-star accommodation was only a stroll away.

Even better was the fact that we had booked a table for dinner at the hotel’s informal, contemporary restaurant.

Jurys Inn offers a three-course set menu for £18.95 or a two-course for £14.95. There was also a la carte.

Among the choices on the set menu were rocket and feta salad or bacon and cheese quiche for the starter, beef Bourgignon or chicken carbonara for the main course, and rhubarb tart with strawberry sauce or apple pie with fresh cream for dessert.

The next morning husband Peter and I were able to start our day with a hearty breakfast before hitting the shops again.

I have to confess that I love shopping and, for me, it is very much a pleasure rather than a chore.

But my Yorkshire-style thriftiness means I often look rather than buy, especially in the credit crunch.

A baby, however, turns shopping into a necessity rather than an extravagance. We have discovered that kitting out a new addition to our family is big business. A cot, pram, high chair, car seats. The list of essentials seems endless. Our baby is my passport to guilt-free shopping. And the Jurys Inn helped to make this an even more enjoyable experience.

With hotels in 18 destinations throughout the UK and Ireland, and even more planned, there are plenty of places where you can go to a Jurys Inn.

Among them are Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham, Glasgow, Nottingham, Dublin, Milton Keynes and London.

John Brennan, Jurys Inns Group chief executive officer, said: "We pride ourselves on the look and feel of our hotels across the entire group as we continue to set the standard in budget accommodation."

We would definitely choose a Jurys Inn again and, as they are child friendly, next time baby will go too!