MARC EVANS makes a sort of homecoming at Birmingham’s Macdonald Burlington Hotel

First of all, let me lay my cards on the table: I am a Brummie born and bred. And, as such, you will never hear me utter a disparaging word about the Second City. At least not to an outsider.

So maybe I’m not the right person to give an impartial review of a weekend break to Birmingham? Tough. You’re stuck with me, so let’s make the most of it. Besides, I might know about some places the guide books don’t tell you about.

An invitation to review the Macdonald Burlington Hotel was too good to turn down. The Burlington is slap bang in the heart of the city, in an iconic arcade, and oozes memories of Birmingham’s Victorian heyday, when the city was the workshop of the world, and its leaders led the way in civic responsibility. Despite the best efforts of the Luftwaffe and 1960s town planners, some great architecture still survives, and New Street is a good example.

The Burlington has a grand feel to it, but the friendliness of the staff – both Brummies and those hailing from further afield – make sure it’s not stuffy. The Victorian building has been updated sympathetically, and the rooms are big – our double almost seemed like a suite. And the bathroom was spectacular in its opulence.

But first, to explore the city. Birmingham has become a bit of a mecca for shoppers, thanks to the Bull Ring, Selfridges, the Mailbox and the new kid on the block – Grand Central Station, which is more like an airport terminal and has an array of stores and restaurants that most towns – let alone train stations – would kill for.

However, if you want to see something a bit different, head to the indoor food market, the rag market and outdoor flea market. Here you’ll get the equivalent of a trip around the world in 80 minutes, with a cosmopolitan array of meat, vegetables, clothes, textiles, and almost anything else you can imagine, from every continent. You’ll experience fish you won’t have seen before, let alone tasted, and the sounds and smells – plus the banter with the stallholders, if you dare – sum up the city better than any retail therapy trip through one of the many funky department stores. Not that we didn’t stop for a drink in Selfridges’ Champagne bar. It would have been rude not to.

Birmingham’s food renaissance has been gathering pace in recent years. As well as its famous balti curry houses, it boasts a fair few Michelin stars, plus loads of trendy restaurants and bars full of Shoreditch wannabes. It’s even got a Cereal Killer cafe, for goodness sake.

However, food for us at the hotel’s Scottish Steakhouse was included in the package, and it was proper old school. Big slabs of beef, fries or Jenga-style chips, sauces (we can recommend the blue cheese and the Béarnaise), mushrooms, tomatoes – you get the picture. And onion rings the size of a man’s fist. The menu wasn’t pretending to be anything it wasn’t, just good, hearty food. They certainly know how to cook a steak.

And the charming waiting staff offered to have my dessert delivered to my room later, once the rest of my meal had gone down. Like I said, hearty portions.

Full English breakfast the following day was equally filling and delicious. Then it was back on to the city streets, which were eerily empty on a Sunday morning, compared to how packed they were the previous afternoon. So no excuse for nearly getting run over by a tram named ‘Ozzy Osborne’. In my defence, I’m pretty sure trams weren’t there last time I was here, just a few months earlier.

But then that’s the thing about Birmingham. It’s constantly evolving. Since moving away 25 years ago, every time I come back something has changed.

Asked about his Brummie roots recently, the comedian Stewart Lee said: “It is hard to sound pretentious in a Birmingham accent. Birmingham has never been cool. You’re in a more powerful position as an outsider in comedy, I think.”

He’s got a point. The accent can grate on some people. And despite the efforts of TV’s coolest programme, Peaky Blinders, Birmingham probably isn’t cool. And even if it was, it’d be too self-deprecating to acknowledge it.

But don’t let that put you off. It’s fun to be an outsider. Take it from this insider.

Burlington Arcade, 126 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4JQ

Tel 0344 879 9019

International +44 121 643 9191

? Check-in 2pm / Check-out 11am

? Fully accessible to wheelchair users

? Dogs welcome at a fee of £15 per pet per night

? Guide dogs are welcome for no additional fee

? Room service available 24 hours a day

? Parking available nearby at NCP New Street Car Park - B5 4AN (£6 for 24 hours) or Town Hall Car Park – B5 4AF (£10.50 for 24 hours). Both car parks are 5 minutes walking distance to the hotel. Please validate your ticket at reception.

? If you require direct drop off access to the hotel please contact reception

Prices from:

£73.00

per room

B&B

£100.00

per room

DB&B

£140.00