I was treated to afternoon tea at Hotel Gotham for the second time in a year and was beyond excited to be returning to this Manchester favourite.  Last year's excuse was my birthday and this year a little Easter bank holiday mother daughter time.  It was the day of the annual duck race, now apparently in its 8th year - the closest we've got to it in previous years is the obligatory Instagram of the giant yellow duck in Spinningfields so we decided to take a peek and see what we've been missing.  The corporate race was in full flow when we got to the banks of the River Irwell, that's full flow, not to be confused with fast flow and it was down to the Waxi and organiser dinghies to create enough of a current to help the front runners limp over the finish line.

I love our Manchester traditions, although it has to be said they sometimes lack a little forethought - the tram that delayed midnight on New Year's Eve, the aforementioned river that appears to lack the current to enable to ducks to race, the Chinese New Year fireworks halted by the wind and not to mention the Christmas Markets whose stallholder lineup is as predictable as the Manchester rain - but traditions they are and like any self-respecting Manc I respect them. We did, however, decide to call it a day on the ducks once once we'd watched the general 'racers' drop from the bridge over the River Irwell.

Housed in the art deco former bank premises at 100 King Street, Hotel Gotham is a grand and imposing building once christened the 'King of King Street' due to its size and castle-like style.  Already winning a host of top awards since it opened in 2015 its fun, attention to detail, opulent styling and friendly customer service is what sets it apart.

The Honey Restaurant had a couple of new additions since we'd last visited and taking pride of place on the table were the new bee salt and pepper shakers, a cute nod to Manchester.  The Easter special afternoon tea gave our second visit a different feel, the finger sandwiches and bite-size sweet treats beautifully presented and the scones were as delicious as ever.  What makes every visit so enjoyable though is the 5 star attention every customer receives from the staff of the 2 AA rosette awarded restaurant, nothing is too much trouble, the atmosphere is relaxed and un-hurried and a seemingly limitless supply of fresh tea available to complement the food.

Hotel Gotham is a must if you're visiting Manchester and should definitely be near the top of anyone's bucket list.