h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Perfect, thanks Pastey!

You'll also need this one:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=A34&daddr=port+street+beer+house,+manchester&hl=en&ll=53.476847,-2.235417&spn=0.006092,0.013626&sll=53.47543,-2.237949&sspn=0.006092,0.013626&geocode=FeHyLwMdQN3d_w%3BFUISMAMd5vHd_yELjTD7ZEmqCQ&vpsrc=6&dirflg=w&mra=dme&mrsp=0&sz=16&t=m&z=16

Those directions to the hotel take you to the wrong Ibis hotel

You could try these directions instead.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Piccadilly+Station,+Piccadilly,+Manchester&daddr=M1+7DG&hl=en&sll=53.475353,-2.233336&sspn=0.007445,0.014055&geocode=Ffb8LwMdT_rd_yFiGfz3EP3HFQ%3BFXbzLwMdGN7d_ykRLrfFlLF7SDGX4Ryo7gFWBg&vpsrc=0&dirflg=w&mra=mrv&t=h&z=16

Isn't Oxford Road Sation closer? And it doesn't involve walking through the red light district.

If your train stops at Oxford Road, that'll be ideal. Not all of them do though, even if they are coming in from that direction.

Red light districts don't bother me much - after all, I'm ethereal and have my own SEP field - and am generally regarded as mostly harmless - o r maybe just plain lucky.

Or I keep my guardian extremely busy...

Which reminds me of the time (yes, the hour is late and I've had a few G&Ys) that I visited Oostende in Belgium, and went to what my guide book lead me to believe was a hostel, when in fact it had been turned into a 'rent a room by the hour' place... the bartender gave me an odd look when I asked if they had any room available and carefully suggested I have a look around first... which is when I realised what kind of place I had wandered into...

G&Ts, that should have been

The area I gather is regarded is the Red Light District (although I've never seen anything blatant there myself, tbh) is on the far side of the station. Going from Picadilly station to Ibis, the only major thing in between is Manchester Uni North Campus (formerly UMIST campus), which is perfectly nice.

Sackville Street and Minshull Street are prime areas for streetwalkers. And believe me, you wouldn't be tempted.

But Retro Bar is on Sackville St.! Surely that means it can't be all bad. In fact, I used to cross that street several times a day (or night)when I lived in student halls on the UMIST campus, and never noticed anything ... seedy.
Oh wait, perhaps you mean further up. On further investigation, Minshull Street is at one end of Canal St. In fact, both of those streets cross the Gay Village. I have to admit that I've heard some alarming things about the park down there, between Whitworth St. and the canal...

It is an alarming park.

By the way, do they also serve non-alcoholic drinks there?

Non... Non-alcoholic... Drink?

You mean like rain?

Yes, I'll only drink it if it's *clean* rain.
Otherwise, I''l stick to fruit juice (non fermented)
Any chance?

Port Street sells coke and a few things like Ginger Beer, maybe even root beer. Some fruit juices too.

No hot drinks mind.

Font servers non-alcoholic cocktails.

I would be extremely surprised to find a bar in western Europe that doesn't do at least cola.

Sometimes I order a soda water with lime cordial or fresh orange to break the monotony of J20s when I'm not drinking

Port Street doesn't sell J2Os, or Red Bull, or any of the many similar things.

No Jaegermeister, no house doubles. Closest to a cocktail would be a Ginnentonix. They do have a few decent whiskies and sell a limited range of wine (one red, one white, one pink) by the glass.