You have several options if you need to spend the night in one of the Manchester airport hotels. Two that are a 5-minute walk from Airport Terminals 1 and 3 are Bewleys Hotel and The Crown Plaza.

Regardless of the day of the week, a room at The Bewley will set you back 79 ($160). Considered a 3 star, I would give it a 3.5 thanks to the newly installed wireless system that is included in the price of your room.

The rooms are nice enough and if you’re looking for hotels in Manchester Airport, chances are you just need a place to lay your head while waiting for your connecting flight and you’ll find the Bewleys Hotel to be ideal for that purpose.

There is a bar and dining room with reasonably priced food. There is an ATM in the reception area which I found to be great for getting the amount of GBP I needed whilst waiting for my connection. The Bewley also offered me a wake up call and a shuttle to my terminal if I didn’t feel like a 5 minute walk at 4am.

Some of the Manchester Airport hotels cater to business travelers and one of them is located right next to the Bewley Hotel. The Crown Plaza cost me 135 ($270) for the night and has a 4 star rating. For your money you get a buffet style breakfast, but everything else goes with the credit card. Room service was available, but prices were expensive. Movies and other entertainment, like PlayStation games, were available, but they went directly to your credit card.

They offer a shuttle service, although you should ask, as it depends on the level of security the UK is currently in, if they can drop you off at the terminal entrance due to the attempted suicide bombing at Glasgow airport. As Crown Plaza and The Bewley are only a five minute walk away, this is not a problem. There was no ATM inside the hotel, although they did offer internet connection via LAN for free.

One of the main advantages of the Crown Plaza was its parking facilities at the airport. At around 15 ($30) a day, it seemed competitively priced for short stays, say if you were flying Manchester Gatwick for a day of business in London.

I was a guest at both of these hotels in July 2007 and at the time of writing I would have no problem recommending either. Both the staff at the Crown Plaza Hotel and The Bewley were pleasant and well trained. Whether you’re on a business trip or meeting clients at your hotel, The Crown Plaza offers that little extra luxury. If you’re looking for a place to rest while waiting for a connecting flight, try The Bewley first as it offers good value for money compared to other Manchester Airport hotels.