Staying with Ian in Manchester was a pleasure. There was a big conference in town so there was no hotel to be had for love or money. Hence the Airbnb approach which worked well, The walk from Piccadilly Station to Ian's immaculate flat was a 10 minutes breeze, When I arrived Ian was there to meet me and give me a key.
Visiting the town centre the next day, my walk was even better because I followed the ancient canal tow path which litterally starts outside Ian's flat's doorway and leads you to the town centre. I had a brilliant weekend and Ian's hospitality added to this as a real bonus!