Rugby World Cup 2015: Milton Keynes (Stadium MK)

by Centurion Sales Team

The Rugby World Cup is set to kick off on September 18th, so with just a few weeks to go Centurion is offering some help and advice on hotels, restaurants, nightlife and how to get to the cities picked to host the matches.

Eleven cities across England and Wales have been selected to host the Rugby World Cup 2015, and this month we've picked Milton Keynes as our chosen city of interest. The Stadium MK is home to the MK Dons FC and has a capacity of 30,717. The ground has already staged a handful of rugby union games, and has recently expanded with a new tier adding 10,000 more seats.

If you're looking for places to stay, eat or go out, we've put together a short guide below to Milton Keynes, to help celebrate the Rugby World Cup 2015.

Matches

Thursday 1st October - France v Canada - 20.00

Saturday 3rd October - Samoa v Japan - 14.30

Tuesday 6th October - Fiji v Uruguay - 20.00

Top places to stay

Double Tree By Hilton (in Stadium MK)

Built into the Stadium MK, the Double Tree By Hilton Milton Keynes is a stylish and modern hotel situated close to Milton Keynes City Centre. Some of the rooms offer stadium views and the hotel also offers suits and family rooms. Free parking and free WiFi are available and guests have access to a gym and an executive lounge on site. Dine in the Pitchside Bar Restaurant for views of the stadium, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Premier Inn Milton Keynes South (1.2 miles from Stadium MK)

The Premier Inn Milton Keynes South offers great value, comfortable accommodation close to MK Stadium and near to Bletchley Park, providing the ideal base to watch the rugby world cup. The hotel can also accommodate families and children receive a free breakfast when accompanying a full paying adult. Visit the Caldecotte Arms next door for a wide selection of good quality food. Free parking en site is also available.

Peartree Lodge Waterside (1.3 miles from Stadium MK)

If you're looking for a hotel in a peaceful setting within Milton Keynes, the Peartree Lodge Waterside is the perfect choice. A ll rooms offer a flat-screen TV and free WiFi whilst free parking is also available en site. Some of the rooms benefit from views across the Milton Keynes Barge Marina. Milton Keynes City Centre is just 2 miles away and the A421 is easily accessible by car, whilst the M1 is just 10 minutes drive away.

Top places to eat

TGI Friday's

Located on Savoy Crescent in the Theatre district, and close to the Stadium MK, the award winning TGI Friday's is popular with visitors and locals alike, and home to a legendary selection of excellent tex-mex cuisine with favourite signature dishes including Jack Daniel's double-glazed ribs, chicken finger BLT and a juicy 8oz sirloin.

The Birch at Woburn

Located on Newport Road in Woburn, The Birch is a family owned bar and restaurant serving food with a Mediterranean and New World twist. Set on the outskirts of the historic market town of Woburn and just 5 minutes from Milton Keynes, the owners are passionate about serving quality fresh food, accompanied with specially selected real ales and there is a fantastic choice of wine on offer. Visitors can enjoy a reasonably priced Lunch and Dinner menu served by attentive and friendly waiting staff.

The Banana Tree

Located at Holkham Walk within The Hub, The Banana Tree us home to a range of fantastic food, drinks and fun from the Indochina region. The award winning restaurant serves great Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian and Singaporean dishes. In addition, visitors can enjoy customers’ favourite Pan Asian dishes with inspiring Oriental cocktails in a relaxed and buzzing atmosphere.

Top places to drink

Given the ground's location on the outskirts of Milton Keynes, nearby pubs and restaurants are limited. For early arrivals, we'd recommend heading to the local pubs in Bletchley which is around a 20-minute walk away from Stadium MK.

Turtle Bay

Located in Mortimer Square, since its opening in 2011, the Turtle Bay has received rave reviews. The restaurant has an excellent selection of food, but also an incredibly popular bar area which is used as a pre-drink destination - perfect before a big rugby game. Every cocktail is made fresh to order and the restaurant’s Caribbean theme continues into the bar with some unique cocktails, different from anything else you'll have tasted locally.

The Swan Salford

Located on Wavendon Road in Salford, The Swan Salford is an attractive Edwardian pub set in a beautiful village close to Milton Keynes and 1 mile from Junction 13 of the M1. It makes the perfect setting for a pre-match stop en route to the Stadium MK, combining top quality pub food with modern brasserie dishes. The pub serves quality draught beers, ale on hand pumb and offers a selection of carefully chosen wines

The Hub

Located at 25 Mortimer Square, The Hub is right in the middle of Milton Keynes' vibrant going out district. A short walk from Central station, The Hub is an excellent location to meet up with friends and eat and drink the night away after a match. Offering a wide selection of great restaurants and more importantly, some fantastic cocktail bars! Whatever the weather, the Hub offers cosy and intimate seating inside and a gorgeous outside area perfect for sipping evening drinks in the sun

Getting there and away

Stadium MK
Denbigh
Milton Keynes
MK1 1ST

By Road

If you're travelling from the North, exit the M1 at junction 15 and turn right onto the A508 (signed Stony Stratford). Follow the A508 for about 14 miles as far as the roundabout at the A5. Turn left and head South, leaving the A5 at its junction with the A421, following AA signs for Stadium: MK. From the South, exit the M1 at junction 13 and take the 2nd exit onto the A421. After about 3 miles, take the 2nd exit at the roundabout onto H9 Groveway and follow this through 4 roundabouts. Take the 2nd exit at the roundabout over the A5 and the ground is left at the lights.

Parking

The stadium has a good-sized car park with about 2,000 spaces. Otherwise, visiting fans can park in the nearby Denbigh West industrial estate.

By Rail

Bletchley is the nearest station, about 2 miles away and a 20-25 minute walk from the ground. On exiting the station, turn left and go down the steps. At the bottom, turn left under the railway bridge.

By Bus

The Arriva Service 1 from Newport Pagnell runs at 07 and 37 minutes past the hour). From Milton Keynes Central Rail Station via the City Centre, buses run at 35 and 05 minutes past the hour to the stop on Grafton Street adjacent to the stadium entrance.The bus then continues to Bletchley Bus Station. The return journey leaves the Granby, Grafton Street stop at 13 minutes and 43 minutes past the hour.

By bike

The stadium is easily accessible by bike using the network of Redways/residential roads. Cycle parking is available close to gate number 6.

By Air

The nearest airport is Luton, just over 20 miles away. Regular bus and rail links are available to Bletchley, with a journey time of about 75 minutes.

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