Trafford Hall Hotel

The room could use a refurb, though the shared areas were nice enough and the food was pretty good. The staff were pleasant, helpful and accommodating. It’s really handy for Old Trafford, whether you’re there for football or cricket, since both are a short walk away.

The steak restaurant was a hit with our party of seven, and we all enjoyed the food. Breakfast the next morning was cooked well too, and £12.50 each seemed reasonable. Parking was £5 for 24 hours, which compares well with some hotels. The location works well for Old Trafford and O2 Victoria warehouse. The room was clean and the bed comfortable, although the hotel rooms are looking a little tired. Being on a main road also meant some noise.

The building itself is lovely, and the reception staff were kind and very helpful. Our room cost a reasonable amount and was far bigger than we expected, with a desk, wardrobe and sofa. The bathroom was small, but still good. Getting around was easy: Trafford Bar tram stop is a two-minute walk away, and the city centre is only 3-4 stops from there. The room did have a couple of drawbacks. It felt quite dark without a large ceiling light, and the ceiling bowed inward and had cracks.

For a United match, the walk to Old Trafford is handy, and the old town hall building has a striking staircase. The building has character, but the room was a letdown. We were given a free upgrade to a “Suite”; it was large, but otherwise not what I’d expect a suite to be. There didn’t seem to be much thought put into the interior or layout. Our room sat directly above the restaurant, so there was a strong cooking grease smell and quite a lot of noise from the evening until around midnight. The carpet had some heavily stained patches, and the sofa wasn’t inviting either. The bathroom was decent, but there was no toilet brush, which felt pretty unpleasant, especially when sharing the room. Service was okay. When we asked for an EU-to-UK plug adapter, they didn’t have one. They’re not obliged to provide one, of course, but with European visitors coming for a well-known football club nearby, I’d thought they might have it. The price was the hardest part. I paid over £200 a night for this quality and couldn’t see what justified it. Maybe I’m used to German standards, but to me £60-70, perhaps £80, a night would make more sense. I stayed for two nights in Manchester.