W signs five-star deal at £400m St Michael’s  

The 41-storey second phase of Relentless Developments’ mixed-use scheme will wear the luxury operator’s branding after the completion of a deal tipped by Place North West in March. 

W Manchester will comprise a 162-room five-star hotel and 217 apartments to be operated as a W Hotel and W Residences, respectively. 

Both elements make up the second phase of the £400m St Michael’s, to be developed in partnership with Salboy. 

Set to open in early 2027, W Manchester will boast an array of luxury amenities for guests and residents, including round-the-clock in-residence dining, WET deck, W Lounge, AWAY Spa, and FIT fitness centre. 

“W Hotel and W Residences are going to put the distinctive 41-storey tower that is No.2 St Michael’s on the global map,” said Gary Neville, director at Relentless Developments.

“There is no better home for W Hotel in the North of England than Manchester. This is a bold city that continues to defy expectations and which embodies the same values of originality and passion that have made the W Hotel experience world-renowned.”  

Rumours that W would take a stake in St Michael’s have been circulating for some time. In March, Place reported a deal was close.

The deal is now signed and Salboy managing director Simon Ismail believes the brand will provide something above and beyond what is currently available for those looking to live or stay in Manchester. 

The building will feature an array of luxury amenities. Credit: via Truth PR

“W Residences Manchester will offer a residential living experience and level of service unlike anything in the city right now,” Ismail said. 

“The W brand became famous for vibrant, diverse, urban locations like Manchester and Salboy is really proud to working alongside Relentless Developments to launch and deliver Manchester’s first branded residences and a truly five-star international hotel.” 

The W apartments will be available to buy from November. It is not yet clear how much they will cost.

Part of Marriott International, the W brand can be found across the world. Its arrival sees Manchester join an illustrious list of cities that currently boast a W Hotel.  

These include New York, Los Angeles, Barcelona, Istanbul, Osaka, and Kuala Lumpur, among others.  

W’s arrival in Manchester comes more than a decade after the brand launched its first UK site in London, located in Leicester Square.  

Jaidev Menezes, regional vice-president of mixed-use development for EMEA at Marriott International, said: “We are delighted to work with Salboy and Relentless Group to launch our newest residential development under the W brand in Manchester. 

“There is a growing demand for luxury living in Manchester and this project in the St. Michael’s mixed-use development will deliver that with its vibrant design and impeccable service for its residences and hotel.” 

W Hotel had been linked with Manchester before.  

In 2008, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which became a subsidiary of Marriott in 2016, announced that W would be coming to Manchester in 2010.  

The proposed site was located on the corner of Whitworth Street and Princess Street and was owned by West Property at the time.  

However, the scheme did not progress and the plot was sold to Morgan Stanley in 2011 as part of the disposal of £216m of West’s owner Donal Mulryan’s assets by the Irish Government’s National Asset Management Agency.  

Urban & Civic acquired the site in 2014 and redeveloped it into a 351-apartment scheme. 

The first phase of St Michael’s, designed by Hodder + Partners, is currently under construction and features 185,000 sq ft of office space. Law firms Pinsent Masons and Hill Dickinson have already signed pre-lets on space within the building.

It is not yet clear how much the apartments will cost. Sales launch in November. Credit: via Truth PR