On 18 December 2018, Football Manager Jose Mourinho was fired by English club Manchester United, in the middle of the English Premier League season, mainly due to poor performance. Prior to his sacking, Mourinho, who has won over 25 major honours as a manager, was living at The Lowry Hotel’s Riverside Suite.

In the two and a half years that Mourinho lived there, the hotel also served as the homebase for Manchester United players who travelled to the city for their home games held at Old Trafford. The hotel is a ten-minute drive away from the football stadium.

The luxurious Riverside Suite is a 70 square metre space with a private bedroom, and a separate lounge, dining room and kitchenette area. Featuring restful river views through floor-to-ceiling windows, the suite is also adorned with artworks by British artist Alan Rankle.

The football manager chose to remain living in a hotel instead of renting or buying a house in Manchester, despite having signed a long-term contract. He told BBC programme Football Focus that he was “very comfortable” living at the hotel, preferring to have household chores such as cleaning taken care of for him. He reportedly also frequently hosted friends at this suite to watch Champions League and Premier League matches, and dined at the hotel’s River Restaurant.