O2 Apollo Manchester - Advice on where to stay

SootySweep1

Hi
We're attending a concert at the O2 Apollo in Manchester at the end of November on a Saturday night.
We're planning to nearby on the Friday & Saturday night to make a weekend of it.
We do plan to drive to Manchester but once there we'd probably walk most places rather than take the car everywhere. So I'm looking for a hotel within reasonable walking distance of the O2 but also close to other things to do restaurants etc.
I don't know Manchester but I've been trawling the hotel booking sites & going round in circles.
On my short list is the Travelodge on Upper Brook St or the Travelodge at Picadilly. The one on Upper Brook St is closer to the O2 & cheaper but doesn't look to be a great area but the one at Picadilly is further away but closer to town.
Any advice anyone ? Not looking to spend a fortune but on the other hand I'd prefer to stay somewhere decent !
Cheers
Jenny

jimbo6977

O2 Apollo is in what most people would regard as a ropey area but it's walkable from Picadilly and I would walk it myself, but then I've lived in Longsight and worked in Hulme so I'm probably less bothered than someone seeing the area for the 1st time. 

The next nearest place heading southwards is probably
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187069-d193716-Reviews-Manchester_South_Sure_Hotel_Collection_By_Best_Western-Manchester_Greater_Manchester_En.html

Barny1979

Upper Brook Street is fine, straight line into the city centre, so there's plenty of people milling around etc.

lea2012

We've stayed at the TL on Upper Brook St a couple of times for gigs at the apollo and would do so again. 
Bus or walk into city centre or there's a few pubs nearby - The Turing Tap and Big Hands on oxford road were both decent. Opposite direction to the apollo but only by a few minutes. 
I would 100% rather stay there than in Piccadilly. Its a dump round there at the best of times but with the Christmas markets on too its packed and crazy busy. We were there this weekend gone and I won't be rushing back until the markets have gone now.