Short stay: Hilton at St. George’s Park, Burton-upon-Trent, UK

If you ever feel a touch of nostalgia for England’s 1966 World Cup win, sense the drama when you see that picture of Gazza with a tear in his eye and know that Harry Kane does more than just advertise razors, then a visit to the Hilton at St George’s Park is a must. It embodies the very essence of young England’s recent glories.

There’s that photo of a hyper-charged Stewart “Psycho” Pearce thumping his three-lions chest and emitting a primeval roar when the demons of his penalty miss had finally been avenged. Located at the geographical heart of the country close to Burton-upon-Trent, the National Football Centre is mission control for English Football.

Inevitably the cult of soccer celebrity creates a frisson of excitement. Who is that in Man City training kit at breakfast? Has Harry Maguire hung up his England blazer in your wardrobe? Has Gareth Southgate sat at your desk and selected his next squad?

The welcome

Initially the…