1st trip to Old trafford

remey

Registered User
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Hi all,

Going to manu v arsenal in a couple of weeks and staying at the Palace Hotel. Has anyone here stayed there before?
According to google maps its 20 mins frm the airport, would you recommend taxi or public transport? Never been to Manchester before so don't know which to do.
Any other tips for first timers? Decent pubs? etc...
Cheers
 
I think that's right beisde the G-Mex so your best bet is to go downstairs when you get into manchester airport and get the train into Manchester Picadilly. Shouldn't be any more than £3 and cheaper than a taxi and you can comfortably walk to the hotel

Thereafter you've a fairly wide choice of pubs and clubs. If you're early to mid 20s then I suggest a trip to the print-works complex. It houses a great irish bar, the hard-rock cafe, several disco bar type places and opus night club which is open till all hours and well worth the visit. There's a few swanker places in Deansgate, which isn't far from there ( jump in a taxi and say "Deansgate", less than a fiver ). You may or may not want to avoid the canal though, it's a gay strip which we found out the hard way.

There's the arndale centre for a spot of shopping. My advice would be get the tram over to Salford from the Arndale or there abouts for the match. It leaves you in Old Trafford cricket ground, a stones throw from Old Trafford football ground and it's quicker and cheaper. Basically just follow the crowd. Likewise, the tram back is pretty handy. Around Salford before the match, The Bishops Bliaze is a great little pub for atmosphere or if you want to venture further there's a few less packed pubs in the Salford Quays.

Manchester is a great ould town, you shouldn't have to try too hard to have a decent time.
 
I hear they do great Prawn sambo's at Old Trafford! Don't worry about it being your first time there, everybody else around you will be in the same boat so don't expect to hear too many Manc accents around (apart from the touts outside)
 
I hear they do great Prawn sambo's at Old Trafford! Don't worry about it being your first time there, everybody else around you will be in the same boat so don't expect to hear too many Manc accents around (apart from the touts outside)

might you be a bitter pool fan by any chance!
 
Cheers for the replies, especially yours dtlyn. Have printed it off to bring with me.
Have heard the shopping centre is great so will have a peek in there before himself drags me off to the game. Have most of saturday to kill so it sounds like there will certainly be enough to do.
 
don't expect to hear too many Manc accents around (apart from the touts outside)

:confused: You've never been to Old Trafford, then?

Any other tips for first timers? Decent pubs? etc...
Cheers

My other half was based in Manchester for two years a while back and when I visited we often ate in [broken link removed] (52 Cross Street). It's quite touristy but the food (pub grub heaven) is delicious, although if you eat there often enough you're guaranteed to double in size. (One helping of their sticky toffee pudding will do that alone).

Enjoy the trip. Give Arsenal my love.
 
I'd avoid the Arndale centre, to be honest. Even after it was done up following the IRA bombing it was still represented on one particular Manchester map by a turd.

If you're big in to shopping then the Trafford Centre is probably worth a visit, although you'd have to travel out of town for that.
 
Hi all,

Going to manu v arsenal in a couple of weeks and staying at the Palace Hotel. Has anyone here stayed there before?
According to google maps its 20 mins frm the airport, would you recommend taxi or public transport? Never been to Manchester before so don't know which to do.
Any other tips for first timers? Decent pubs? etc...
Cheers

I stayed in the Palace Hotel two years ago. I was going to the City Of Manchester stadium I hasten to add ! I walked to Eastlands from the hotel. Took about an hour. I needed the fresh air! The hotel itself is lovely. It appears to be two buildings in one. If you are lucky enough to get a room in the older part of the hotel, the rooms are huge. In the new part, the rooms can be small. I know because I was in the hotel with a buddy and he got a huge room while mine was tiny.I believe there is a train line running close by and your sleep may suffer if you are sleeping on that side of the hotel. The bar and the restaurant in the hotel is lovely and the breakfast service is excellent. See for details. There are a mixed bag of reviews here but I would have to say that my experience was positive.
If you get a train from Manchester Airport to Manchester Piccadilly, you can walk to the hotel in about 20 minutes from what I remember. I'm not sure how to get to Old Trafford from the centre of town (nor do I want to). Pub scene is good. Brannigans is a decent spot. It's a big Irish-style bar. It's the only place that I can remember !
 
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