The Best Hotels to Book Near City of Manchester Stadium

Sultry and sophisticated, there’s an air of extravagance to the five-star Hotel Gotham. Bedrooms feature a hot-pink or turquoise chaise longue, faux-fur blankets on the beds and striking black-and-white tiled floors. If your ensuite doesn’t come with a copper roll-top bath, it’s at least got a marble monsoon shower. The Honey Restaurant lives up to the tone set by the rooms, with a fine-dining menu garnished with edible flowers and foraged herbs.

Just a five-minute drive (or twenty-five minute walk) from City of Manchester Stadium, the Holiday Inn at Manchester Central Park is a solid choice. Expect spacious, contemporary rooms without any surprises, and a buffet breakfast included with your stay. The friendly staff are on hand to provide local recommendations and to organise event tickets and taxis.

If you’re looking for a comfortable, reliable place to stay without the hefty price tag, the Ibis Budget on Pollard Street is for you. If you’re visiting for match day, it’s a three-minute drive or twenty-minute walk to the City of Manchester Stadium; you’re also just 1km (0.6mi) away from Manchester Piccadilly train station. In classic Ibis style, rooms have neon-bright walls that add a pop of colour to bunk twin rooms and standard doubles, some with interconnecting doors for families. A buffet breakfast of pastries, fruit and cereals is served every morning.

Once a 1900s textile mill, the Cow Hollow Hotel brims with Victorian character while keeping a contemporary feel. Each room has been individually designed; some feature exposed-stone walls, marble fireplaces and vintage traveller’s trunks as end tables. It’s the little touches – like a complimentary glass of Prosecco and nibbles awaiting you on arrival – that make this place special. Waking up is a pleasure, with a shower under the brass rainfall fixtures and ‘breakfast bags’ delivered to your room – granola, orange juice, brioche and fruit to start the day.

This remarkable hotel is housed in the former Manchester Stock Exchange – a grand building of columns and carved stone between Market and King Street. It’s the kind of place where a uniformed doorman greets you and visitors pop in just for afternoon tea in the lounge. The rooms are just as opulent as the exterior: marble bathrooms with freestanding baths; floor-to-ceiling windows swathed with velvet curtains. Dining comes courtesy of celebrity chef Tom Kerridge in the Bull & Bear restaurant, where mashed potato is flavoured with truffle and the rump steak is locally sourced.

The Edwardian is housed in the beautiful old Free Trade Hall in the heart of Manchester. Decadent archways and carved stone columns greet you and, inside, the lounges and bars retain this Edwardian charm. Rooms are strikingly modern, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering skyline views of the city. The plushest suites come with private balconies, for a breath of fresh air. Come dinner time, choose between Peter Street Kitchen – serving up Japanese and Mexican inspired dishes made for sharing – or opt for the Parisian menu in the sleek and sultry Library lounge, curated by French publishers Assouline.

With its grand Victorian exterior and – of course – its own clock tower rising from the Manchester skyline, this Kimpton hotel offers a luxurious stay in the centre of Manchester. Rooms are a perfectly curated mix of modern four-poster beds, brass fixtures and leather armchairs. All the details have been thought of here, from yoga mats in the cupboards to a tuck shop in the lobby. If you want to bring your four-legged friend, they also have dog-friendly rooms.

Get the best of both worlds with hotel-standard serviced apartments at Native Manchester. A fully equipped kitchen in every apartment ensures a little independence, but the plush beds and 24-hour concierge provide all the luxuries of a hotel. Apartments range from studios to a lavish two-bedroom loft looking out over central Manchester. The Lounge provides a place for a full sit-down meal, or you can stock up on local produce at the Counter – a deli counter in the lobby.

Dakota Manchester has everything you want for a stylish stay in the city. Bold decor in black, beige and gold strikes a luxury tone from the lobby to the bedrooms. Walls of glass flood the rooms with natural light and look out over the city skyline. Come dinner time, feast on prime cuts of steak at the Dakota Grill, which has made a name for itself as a destination restaurant in its own right.