And we are so on board. Decking the halls and fa-la-la-la-laaing their way into the festive period this November, Kimpton Clocktower Hotel and The Refuge are set to receive quite the festive makeover – with tons of incredible events for Mancs to enjoy throughout the season. The festive programme known as Gather Round aims to be a celebration of togetherness and bringing people and the community together in the hotel to enjoy the spirit of Christmas.
Kicking off from November 17, the landmark restaurant – which resides at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel – will be hosting an epic season filled with wonderful events, with a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy. The festive programme features sustainable Christmas-themed crafting, hygge yoga, special DJ collectives, Christmas choirs and festive menus in the bar and restaurant, perfect for feasting together. With a legendary New Year’s Eve party to top it all off, Kimpton Clocktower Hotel and The Refuge will be the perfect place to Gather Round for a very merry Christmas!
Those looking for a fabulous festive getaway together with friends or family can enjoy the Gather Round package, including a luxury Double Double room with a fridge filled with cocktails and Prosecco, tuck box and Polaroid camera to capture all the glitter and glamour before the night even begins. Those travelling with children will relish the Magical Family Moments turndown service including a hot chocolate bomb, mince pie, letter template to Santa (with instructions to leave in the lobby post box for a very special reply!).
Guests can relax with complimentary restorative hygge yoga with Thorlby Yoga every Sunday at 9am until December 18 nestled away in the cosy comfort of the hotel. Plus, from Thursday 17 November, Kimpton Clocktower Hotel will be offering sustainable Christmas crafting workshops in partnership with the community-focused Merseyway Workshop. Choose from sustainable wreathmaking, recycled Christmas decorations, Christmas wrapping printing or creating beeswax wraps, and Gather Round for a feel-good evening to kickstart the festive season. Workshops start from £35 per person including a welcome drink at The Refuge.
Christmas at The Refuge is all about feasting with family and friends. The Gather Round bar menu features festive plates designed for sharing, such as a cheese and charcuterie plate or mouth-watering cranberry lamb shawarma toastie bites. A mince pie menu will feature three Refuge takes on the classic mince pie, including one celebrating the flavours of a traditional Eccles cake. Welcome in the Christmas spirit with beer growlers, as well as sharing punches with Olmeca Blanco tequila or Beefeater gin.
Christmas is also a time for giving back, so The Refuge is supporting the Wood Street Mission this festive season, a local Manchester charity supporting low-income families. Choose the Gather Round and Give option on the menu to offer a donation of £5, £10 or £20 to the charity.
To keep you feeling merry and bright, every Sunday until December 18 local Christmas choirs will be doing special performances within the incredible acoustics of The Refuge, while a changing programme of DJ collectives such as Edit, Stells Selections, Eves’Drop Collective, and Two Left Feet will be on the decks from 5-10pm every Thursday night throughout December. Each collaboration will be a celebration of Manchester’s musical talents, coming together to create unforgettable nights.
On Sunday 4 December, Kimpton Clocktower Hotel will welcome back The Playhouse Project who will be taking over the Ballroom for a very special family festive ball. Dance along to Manchester’s Haçienda royalty Jon DaSilva, plus unique performances from the Cequin Circus, Christmas-themed arts and crafts, Festive Disco Ball queens and more. Bloom Baby & Toddler will be running multi-sensory classes aimed at 0-4-year-olds packed with activities including pom-poms, baby yoga, parachutes, and sensory lights. This family event is perfect for kids (and big kids!) of all ages. Tickets start from £8.80 and free for children under 2 years old, available here.
The Refuge is set to re-open its doors to its subterranean pub, which is located beneath the restaurant and bar. The new venue, The Volt has a capacity of 150 people and is available for exclusive hire throughout the festive season, making it the perfect location for last-minute Christmas party bookings.
The Refuge is set to turn up the heat with an awe-inspiring New Year’s Eve fiesta, Viva La Refuge. A tour de force of the Manchester house music scene, Levi Love and DJ collective Nossa! will be bringing the music alongside immersive performances and other surprises on the night.
For one night only the kitchen will unleash a special NYE feasting menu, diners will enjoy octopus a la plancha, Mexican street food-style corn as well as Bury black pudding scotch eggs and much more. Just Dance tickets (including entry and a free glass of Prosecco for all who arrive before 9pm) are priced at £30pp. Dine and Dance tickets (including entry, special ‘Viva La Refuge’ food selection and reserved table all night) are priced at £80pp.