Manchester United Hotels

Old Trafford is the world renowned home of Manchester United, one of the most successful teams in English football and one of the most followed football teams in the world. The club has played its matches here since 1910. The stadium, Known as the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, has the second largest capacity of any English football ground after Wembley, the home of the English national team. Along with Wembley, Old Trafford is one of only two stadia in the country to hold a prestigious UEFA five-star ranking. Old Trafford is actually located just outside the city of Manchester in the Greater Manchester borough of Trafford, a fact that is often pointed out by fans of local rivals Manchester City. The current capacity of the all-seater ground is 76,212; this is expected to be expanded to close to 90,000 over the coming years. Over its lifetime, Old Trafford has also hosted baseball games, cricket and rugby matches, boxing and concerts by world famous artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Simply Red and Status Quo.

If you are travelling to Manchester to watch your team play, it is worth considering booking accommodation and making the most of your stay in the Northwest. Manchester is currently going through an image change, major redevelopment projects are springing up across the city and it is establishing its reputation as an important hub for media and the arts. Former dockland and industrial sites are being regenerated and recent developments such as The Lowry theatre and exhibition centre and Imperial War Museum North are putting Manchester and the Greater Manchester firmly on the cultural map. There is wide range of accommodation on offer throughout the city and surrounding area with something to suit all tastes, budgets and requirements.

Excellent links within the local transport network allow for a fast and simple journey to and from the stadium. Old Trafford has its own railway station, Manchester United FC Halt, which is situated between Deansgate and Trafford Park stations and operates on match days. The Manchester Metro network has stops near the ground on both the Altrincham and Eccles lines. The stops are Exchange Quay in Salford Quays and Old Trafford, which is close to the Old Trafford Cricket Ground; both are around five minutes on foot from the stadium. Numerous bus routes connect Old Trafford to central Manchester and important destinations throughout the Greater Manchester area.

Where you choose to stay will largely depend on budget and personal preference, but there are several factors that should be taken into consideration. If you are travelling by car, then it may be worth choosing accommodation near Old Trafford with on-site parking and making the journey to the stadium on foot, preventing any match day parking trouble; whereas fans arriving in Manchester by public transport are best advised to select accommodation in the city centre and travel to the ground on tram or bus.

Travellers on a budget should consider staying in one of several hostels to be found in the city centre. They offer beds in dormitory style rooms, making them ideal for solo travellers and groups looking for a low-cost place to rest. Most also offer single, double, triple and quadruple rooms with en-suite facilities, some to a premium standard, which will appeal to couples, families and smaller groups alike. Bed and breakfast establishments are hard to find within central Manchester, they are much more common in the city outskirts and surrounding suburbs, making them more suitable to fans making the journey here by car.

Hotels of all types are plentiful across the area. Naturally, there is a high concentration of hotels in the city centre but there are many options to be found close to the stadium itself. The regenerated Salford Quays, just to the north of Old Trafford across the Manchester Ship Canal, offers plenty of choice just a short walk from the pitch. Formally Salford Docks, this historic area is now bristling with bars, cafes, restaurants and shops. The area of Old Trafford itself is yet to see any large-scale redevelopment but offers a few cheaper hotel options a short distance from the ground. Just like Salford Quays, the redeveloped area of Castlefield is home to many stylish hotels and serviced apartments. Apartments are ideal for those prepared to spend a little extra for more peace and privacy. Some of the luxury apartments found in this area put five-star hotels to shame, offering chic, boutique accommodation with designer touches in desirable waterside locations. The Deansgate area of the city centre is another hub of hotels and apartments well worth considering.