Claire McGinnis Appointed General Manager at The Alan Manchester as Independent Hotel Enters New Chapter

The Alan Manchester’s appointment of Claire McGinnis as General Manager has seen the recruitment of another key player to the leadership team at the independent City centre hotel as it embarks on the next stage of evolving the business. Claire has over a decade of experience working in some of Manchester’s and the UK’s leading hotels, and she joined the property in April 2026.

The Alan recently completed the refurbishment of 70 bedrooms, established a partnership with the Manchester Art Gallery, and has a new website in development all scheduled for 2026. Claire will be tasked with the oversight of the hotel’s operations at a time when several major hotel evolutions are in progress. The new website will offer an unprecedented level of interactivity with hotel services, as well as accessibility to different branded gallery activities.

What background and experience does Claire McGinnis have?

Claire has over 10 years experience working within hotel management, progressing through operational and general management positions.

Prior to coming to The Alan, she was the General Manager of the Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly, where she gained considerable experience within the Manchester key hotel market managing operations and teams.

In addition, she was the Hotel Manager of INNSiDE by Melia Liverpool and the Operations Manager of DoubleTree Chester and Crowne Plaza Chester.

These positions enabled Claire to gain a multitude of operational experience in various hotel concepts and provided her with insight and experience of managing multiple cross department operations, as well as customer experience and service.

That breadth of experience is a solid base for her new role at The Alan, which will see her manage a standalone property with an independent, design-centric identity.

Give us an example of your leadership.

Leadership and developing teams have been recognized as McGinnis’ strengths.

A key reason why her professional peers nominated her at the Manchester Hoteliers Association Awards as Mentor of the Year was her commitment to supporting and developing members of the hospitality profession.

At The Alan, enhancing one’s professional potential to meet the standards and expectations of guests will be a top priority of McGinnis’ role.

Good team leadership is essential for the independent hospitality sector, particularly when the character and service culture of a property is directly attributable to its people.

McGinnis’ mentoring experience closely aligns with how The Alan has adopted a people focused approach to the development of its business.

What major event experience does Claire McGinnis have?

McGinnis also has considerable experience in large-scale event management.

While at Great John Street Hotel, McGinnis was responsible for the incredibly rigorous management of 137 weddings in a single year, providing clear evidence of her management and control of a substantial number of events, while determining and aligning levels of operational management with guest expectations.

Managing events and weddings means intensive planning and tons of communication across hotel departments. Developing the skill to successfully manage lots of bookings on your watch in a hotel offering events and meetings facilities provides experience as a General Manager.

This experience could help The Alan with its commercial growth in Manchester.

What will Claire McGinnis focus on at the Alan?

As General Manager, McGinnis will be responsible for the overall performance of the hotel and its operations and the experience of hotel guests.

Managing a hotel means overseeing its everyday operations to ensure it meets guests’ expectations and provides the same level of experience for its guests.

However, her role will include managing people. Creating opportunities for people to develop professionally will be part of her focus.

For an independent hotel, The Alan, maintaining a strong internal culture is particularly important. Its employees are key to providing a unique service and atmosphere that is different from that of a large branded hotel.

Why is the appointment significant for The Alan Manchester?

McGinnis is starting at The Alan Manchester at a busy time for the hotel.

After the completion of its refurbishment of 70 hotel rooms, the hotel has added a modern setting for accommodation. The hotel has also partnered with the Manchester Art Gallery to connect with Manchester’s cultural community.

The new website is an additional promotional opportunity to demonstrate The Alan’s accommodation and facilities to prospective clients. The new hotel website should be ready in 2026.

As such, McGinnis will preside over the hotel while a number of hotel development initiatives are underway.

McGinnis should be able to balance all of the different issues on the property as a result of her many years of hotel operational experience and her people-oriented leadership style.

What does The Alan have that no one else does in Manchester?

In Manchester, The Alan is formerly a Victorian era warehouse which has been thoughtfully converted into hospitality use and is located across from the Manchester Art Gallery on Princess Street.

The Alan opened in 2022 having recently completed a new coworking space and flex space as well as meeting and event space on the ground floor.

What does this mean for McGinnis?

McGinnis will have a significant independent hotel in the heart of Manchester.

With its distinctive urban design and location in the city center, The Alan should be an attractive offering in a crowded Manchester lodging market.

What MOs will she bring to the property?

McGinnis’s experience leading events, her understanding of operations across a hotel property, and her ability to develop and nurture a team will be of great benefit to her as she leads The Alan in the next chapter.

Having worked at several hotels, such as Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly, Doubletree Chester, Crowne Plaza Chester, INNSiDE by Meliá Liverpool, and Great John Street Hotel, Claire McGinnis has developed a more refined approach to identifying the different guest segments and the varying challenges she will be likely to face as a hotel operator.

The Alan has placed an emphasis on its staff and this appointment is testament to that. McGinnis will balance the needs of staff with the needs of the business and that’s why she will also place importance on the development of staff and their support needs.

Strengthening a hotel’s service culture will help bolster the hotel’s commercial drive.

What does Claire McGinnis’s appointment mean for The Alan?

The appointment of Claire McGinnis as General Manager is a significant shift for the independent hotel in the Manchester area as it enters a new phase of its operations.

Since the refurbishment of its bedrooms, and the partnerships with Manchester Art Gallery and a new website in progress, the property has many new undertakings that will help reinforce its presence in the marketplace.

In addition to improving the operational performance of the hotel, the appointment is focused on the guest experience, profitability, and the development of employees.

Given her experience in hospitality as well as her people management skills, and her involvement with major events and her commitment to mentoring, she is more than qualified the General Manager position.

As The Alan continues to develop its services and presence in the central region of Manchester, McGinnis will guide its next phase of growth and Make sure it focuses on guests and staff as an independent hotel.