At Secret Manchester it goes without saying that we love a secret spot, so when we heard that a new speakeasy club hidden deep underground was planning to open its doors soon we had to take a peek. Tucked away under the five-star Hotel Gotham on King Street, which was recently crowned one of the world’s best luxury hotels, lies a secret bank vault that has never before been open to the public, but this will soon change…
With work rapidly underway to transform the hidden space, Manchester will be blessed with a 1920s-style speakeasy club offering an element of mystic. Aptly named GILT, which could possibly hold a number of meanings; gold, financial bonds or guilty pleasures, the club and events space will not be short of opulence that’s for sure.
Within GILT at Hotel Gotham, visitors can immerse themselves in a secret world with plenty of Great Gatsby-style glamour reminiscent of cabaret clubs of the era, with big bands and jazz to add to the experience. The banking theme at Hotel Gotham continues across GILT with golden touches and safes transformed into fridges filled with the booze you desire.
Alongside the new speakeasy club, which will host up to 80 guests, the bank vault will offer a space to host private events and board meetings, with the private dining room featuring a huge billiard table that can be converted into a dining table. And the luxury doesn’t stop there as GILT will be hosting music events from this December onwards and also house a cinema room in addition to beauty and wellness services such as massages, facials and blow-dries.
The stylish hotel is based in a stunning Art Deco former bank building designed by Edwin Lutyens in 1928 and was known as “the king of King Street”. One floor beneath it is a bank vault which was transformed into a private dining space when Jamie Oliver’s Italian restaurant was next door, however this space within the Grade II-listed building is soon to become new Gordon Ramsay restaurant, Lucky Cat.
But on another floor beneath that lies a second bank vault owned by Hotel Gotham, the home of GILT, with some original elements remaining intact during the transformation such as the floor tiles that have been untouched since its old banking days. Expected to launch formally at the beginning of 2023, the hotel is already taking bookings for Christmas parties for the extraordinary underground space featuring their resident Big Band.
Like Hotel Gotham’s accolade as one of the most luxurious hotels, you can bank on GILT to ooze the same amount of luxury and comfort.
Find GILT Club at Hotel Gotham, 100 King Street, Manchester, M2 4WU.