Manchester
Hotels near the Etihad Stadium: where to stay for City and Co-op Live
The Etihad Campus has two big venues, the home of Manchester City and the Co-op Live arena, but almost no hotels of its own. The smart choice is a hotel by Piccadilly station, a short tram ride away. Here are the best ones, and how to get there and back on a match or concert day.
7 November 20269 min
Picolo Editorial
On a match day the blue shirts start filling the trams at Piccadilly hours before kick-off, and by the time you reach the Etihad Campus the singing has already begun. The Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City, stands in east Manchester next to the Co-op Live arena. There is almost nowhere to sleep on the campus, so the hotels around Piccadilly station are the best base for a match or a concert.
In short: hotels near the Etihad Stadium
Best base: Piccadilly station, with trams to the Etihad Campus and a 25-minute walk on the CityLink route.
Tram: Etihad Campus stop, next to the stadium and Co-op Live, every 7.5 minutes on event days.
Highest rated: Dakota Manchester, 9.6 from guests on Hotels.com.
Spa for the morning after: Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly.
Our first choice: Check availability and prices at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly
Getting to the Etihad Campus
Trams to the Etihad Campus run on the Ashton line from Piccadilly, and the stop is right next to Co-op Live and the stadium. On event days they run every 7.5 minutes from the city centre, and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. The Velopark and Holt Town stops close after events, so go back the way you came.
If you prefer to walk, the step-free CityLink route from Piccadilly station takes about 25 minutes. For big concerts at Co-op Live, Transport for Greater Manchester may also run a shuttle bus back to the centre between 10pm and 1am.
Football and concerts on the same campus
Co-op Live opened next to the Etihad Stadium as one of the largest indoor arenas in Britain. When a match and a concert fall on the same day, the roads and trams are busier than usual, so allow extra time. For the AO Arena, which is in the city centre, see our guide to hotels near the AO Arena.
The best hotels for the Etihad Stadium
Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly
The curved facade of the Marriott by Piccadilly station, where the trams to the Etihad Campus start. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly
The Marriott stands in a long, curved building by Piccadilly station, so the tram to the Etihad Campus is a few minutes from the door. It has a spa with massages and facial treatments, and the Loom and Ladle restaurant serves local dishes at breakfast and dinner. More than 1,500 guests on Hotels.com rate it 9.0.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly
Dakota Manchester
Dakota is a dark, stylish design hotel close to Piccadilly station, with a bar and grill that is a destination in itself on a Saturday night. It is the choice for a weekend where the match is only part of the plan. Guests on Hotels.com rate it 9.6, among the highest scores in the city.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Dakota Manchester
Motel One Manchester-Piccadilly
Motel One is a design budget hotel by Piccadilly station, with compact rooms, a bar in the lobby and a straightforward price. It suits a group of supporters who need a good bed rather than a long list of facilities. Almost 2,000 guests on Hotels.com rate it 9.2.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Motel One Manchester-Piccadilly
The Reach at Piccadilly
The Reach is a newer hotel in the Tribute Portfolio collection, about five minutes on foot from Piccadilly Gardens and the trams. It has a café, a bar and a gym that is open around the clock. With 9.4 from almost 800 guests on Hotels.com, it is one of the best-rated hotels on the Piccadilly side of the city.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at The Reach at Piccadilly
Picolo’s choice for the Etihad Stadium
Marriott Piccadilly: tram, match, spa
The Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly sits in a curved building beside Piccadilly station, where the trams to the Etihad Campus begin. Leave after breakfast, be at the stadium in minutes, and come back to a spa with massages and facial treatments the morning after. The lounge on the ground floor is bright and calm, a good place to wait for the trams to quieten down after the final whistle.
What Picolo would choose
What Picolo would choose: the Marriott for the tram and the spa, and Dakota for a weekend with a big night out. Motel One suits a group of supporters on a budget, and The Reach is a newer alternative by Piccadilly Gardens.
Why: all four are close to Piccadilly, where the trams to the Etihad Campus start. The trade-off: rooms in the centre are in demand on match weekends, so book when the fixture is confirmed.
More football in Manchester
If you are going to Old Trafford as well, read our guide to hotels near Old Trafford. For a tour of both grounds, see stadium tours at the Etihad and Old Trafford, and for a longer list of places to stay, the best hotels in Manchester.
Frequently asked questions about hotels near the Etihad Stadium
Where should you stay for a match at the Etihad Stadium?
Stay by Piccadilly station in the city centre. Trams to the Etihad Campus leave from Piccadilly, and the walk takes about 25 minutes on the step-free CityLink route. Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly, Dakota Manchester and Motel One Manchester-Piccadilly are all close to the station, and after the match you have the whole city centre on your doorstep.
How do you get to the Etihad Stadium by tram?
Take a tram on the Ashton line from Piccadilly to the Etihad Campus stop, which is right next to the stadium and Co-op Live. On event days trams run every 7.5 minutes from the city centre, and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, according to Co-op Live. You need a valid Metrolink ticket before you board.
Are there hotels next to the Etihad Stadium?
There are very few hotels on the Etihad Campus itself, and none that Picolo recommends. The area around the stadium is mostly sports facilities and new housing. A hotel by Piccadilly station is a better base. The tram takes you to the stadium in minutes, and the rest of the city is within walking distance.
Is Co-op Live near the Etihad Stadium?
Yes. Co-op Live is on the Etihad Campus next to the Etihad Stadium, and both use the Etihad Campus tram stop. On nights when there is football and a concert, expect extra crowds and road closures. Do not confuse Co-op Live with the AO Arena, which is in the city centre by Victoria station.
Sources
Tram times, the CityLink walking route and the shuttle bus come from Co-op Live. Hotel facilities and guest ratings come from Hotels.com, last checked on 7 November 2026. The comparisons and picks are Picolo’s own.
This page contains affiliate links. If you book through them, Picolo earns a commission at no extra cost to you. Our picks are made independently by our editors.
Have a nice trip to Manchester
Picolo Editorial