The Best Hotels to Book Near the Trafford Shopping Centre, Manchester

A good rest is guaranteed at this dependable three-star, which offers blackout blinds and a pillow menu in each of its 220 rooms. To help you get ready for some serious shopping, a complimentary cooked or buffet breakfast is included, or you can grab a breakfast bag to go. The restaurant also serves lunch and dinner, plus there’s a bar next to reception where you can kick back with a wine, beer or coffee after shopping. Parking is available for a small daily fee.

Most rooms at this four-star Hilton have private balconies looking directly onto Manchester’s Old Trafford cricket ground. Classic pub fare, such as burgers and fish and chips, are served in-room or in a stylish restaurant also overlooking the stadium, plus a full English or cold buffet breakfast is available for an extra fee. There’s also free parking available right next to the hotel and a small gym on site. The Trafford Centre is a five-minute drive or taxi-ride away.

If you’re looking to combine your visit to the Trafford Centre with a Manchester United home match, this is your place. Inspired by the team’s legendary Class of ‘92 – Gary and Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt – all rooms feature quotes and football memorabilia on the walls; most also have views into the stadium. Head to the ground floor Cafe Football for sausage, mash and a pint, before making your way to the rooftop for a kickabout on the hotel’s own covered pitch.

This city centre Melia outpost offers menus by renowned TV chef Gino D’Acampo. Tuck into grilled tikka-style sea bass or a juicy ribeye steak (with truffle cheesy fries on the side) at the colourful restaurant overlooking First Street, the centrepoint of one of Manchester’s liveliest neighbourhoods. Other perks include a hidden Wellness Centre with a gym, Finnish sauna, aromatic steam room and treatment rooms. To reach the Trafford Centre, jump on the X50 bus directly outside the hotel, on Whitworth Street.

A stay at this decadent five-star entitles you to a chauffeur service, which can turn the 20-minute drive to the Trafford Centre into a luxury experience. Within an iconic former bank designed by Edwin Lutyens, you’ll also have access to the double AA Rosette-star Honey Restaurant (which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner) and Club Brass, a rooftop, members-only club modelled on a Prohibition-era speakeasy. Dark, adult-orientated rooms and suites feature black-and-white floor tiles, free-standing copper bathtubs and city views.

There are palm trees in the bar at this 16-room boutique, which occupies a turn-of-the-century textile mill in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Rooms feature bronze rainfall showers and exposed brick walls, plus include a breakfast bag of granola, orange juice, brioche and fruit. Head down to the moodily lit cocktail bar early evening and you’ll receive complimentary prosecco and antipasti. To reach the Trafford Centre, walk four minutes to Piccadilly Gardens and jump on the X50 bus.

This four-star Marriott offers sleek twin and double rooms with hardwood floors and subdued colours, a buffet or continental breakfast – for an extra fee – and a bar-restaurant specialising in craft cocktails, pizza and tapas. It’s connected to the Trafford Centre by the Red Line Tram (nearest stop: Imperial War Museum). The Manchester United stadium and the Lowry Theatre are just a 15-minute walk away. The well-equipped gym is free to use, and on-site parking is available for a competitive daily fee.

Step straight back into the Victorian era at this 20-room boutique in Didsbury, which welcomes you in a high-ceilinged reception area with an open fireplace, bay window and a hand-crafted drinks cabinet. You’ll also have use of a walled Victorian garden backing onto a conservatory and garden lounge, where a cooked breakfast is served every morning. You can be at the Trafford Centre in under 20 minutes by car.