A Cricket lovers paradise!

As a self-confessed luxe lover and indoors fan, a date to watch Twenty 20 cricket at Old Trafford had me feeling a little apprehensive, to say the least. The thought of standing in the cold, with a soggy pie and incoherent chants, had me searching Google for the most polite and convincing excuses.

On arrival with my gal pal Rachel, I felt a little more at ease, with allocated parking and a friendly face with an umbrella (it was raining, typically) to walk us to reception. Nice touch.

We’d been invited to stay at the Hilton Garden Hotel attached to the stadium “Great, at least we have a place to dry off,” I thought.

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Check-in was swift and informative in a clean, organised reception area with a view of their stylishly designed bar-restaurant to our right. Rachel had that ‘knowing’ look I’ve seen so many times before. Gin! “Great minds,” I thought.

The match wasn’t starting for another hour or so, so we went up to our room to chill. I’d packed a woolly jumper and some boots, and was fretting about not having brought umbrellas when I was taken aback by the absolutely amazing room that was before us. The whole of the back wall had been turned into a huge glass panel, making the balcony a private box overlooking the whole pitch. Genius.

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There are 150 rooms to choose from at the Hilton Garden Hotel, with 85 private box rooms overlooking the pitch. It cost £15 million to build and furnish and it has a fantastic modern design throughout. Watching a major test match or even your favourite music star from here would be a great experience. You can also get up to 12 friends together, swap the beds for a sofa and, with a fully stocked fridge, you can have your own party-cum-concert Now, this is my kind of place!

As well as cricket, Emirates Old Trafford ground has hosted concerts by Beyonce, Rihanna and icon David Bowie, as well as X-Factor auditions, and the sell-out ‘One Love Manchester’ concert that Ariana Grande and friends put together for the 22 angels a week after the terrorist attack in May 2017 at the Manchester Arena.

They offer great corporate event hire space, too. It almost felt like a little community of fun and the crowd was fab. Children ‘flossing’, parents enjoying themselves — oh yes, and cricket. As two females entering a sports ground, we felt safe and calm, and there was always a member of staff on hand to help.

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Rachel and I are now definitely genuine fans of the game, and we’ve booked tickets with our families to watch another Twenty 20 match. It’s a fast-paced game, with so much entertainment, and your children will love it.

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What to Do

Dine in The Garden Bar and Grille on site: A gorgeously designed long bar with really great lighting housing 13 Gins and counting. We tried Three Rivers Gin and it was lovely.

The restaurant offers a twist on good old English faves such as fish and chips, and Italian dishes such as seafood pasta and pizza.

Where to Go

If you’re staying for the weekend, after a hearty breakfast, hop on a tram into Manchester city centre and shop until you drop. With the likes of Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and lots of fashion houses for men and women less than 30 minutes away, you’re sure to enjoy a packed weekend.