A successful conference hinges on finding a suitable venue. As an organiser, you have to think about conference room capacity, technological capabilities, catering requirements, accommodation, and a whole lot more. While there are countless hotels across the UK that offer conference facilities, few of them have what it takes to pull off a successful meeting or event.
The hotels in this list represent the best of British conference hotels, meaning that they not only have adequate conference space, but they also have a proven track record with holding some of the UK’s most high profile conferences.
Palace Hotel, Manchester
Located right in the heart of Manchester, The Palace Hotel boasts the largest and best-equipped conference space in the city. It has 15 separate meeting rooms in addition to a Grand Room, and can accommodate up to 1,000 delegates. The hotel’s management can handle everything from small private meetings to large conferences with ease. The hotel’s central location also makes it convenient for delegates travelling from across the UK.
The Grove, Hertfordshire
Just 20 miles north of Central London, The Grove is an ideal venue for a conference retreat. Situated on a large country estate, it offers an incredible range of meeting facilities. In addition to 23 luxury meeting rooms, The Grove hires out its mansion for conferences and events of all kinds. Complete with executive boardrooms, high ceilings, and marble fireplaces, it is an impressive place.
The hotel also offers ‘The Potting House’, which is a fully restored Victorian glasshouse that can accommodate 130 guests. For large conferences, ‘The Amber’ has space for 400 delegates. The Grove has its own onsite event services department that can assist you with everything from catering to technology requirements.
Hilton London Metropole
Located in the heart of West London, the recent redevelopment at the Hilton London Metropole now allows it to accommodate up to 3,000 conference delegates. The hotel lays claim to over a dozen separate meeting facilities, and has the ability to customise rooms to suit banquets, receptions, boardrooms, and more. The hotel itself also has over 1,000 bedrooms, and is just over 20 minutes away from Heathrow Airport via the Heathrow Express train.
Delegates staying at the hotel can enjoy its fitness facilities, swimming pools, lounge, and bar, or talk a short stroll the West End and Oxford Street.
Lowry Hotel, Manchester
The ultra-modern Lowry hotel was the first 5* hotel to open in Greater Manchester. Its conference and meeting facilities are just as impressive as its accommodation. Capable of supporting conferences of up to 400 people, the Lowry has 8 meeting rooms, 3 ballrooms, and 2 pre-function rooms. Each space come well-equipped with controllable lights, blackout curtains, Wi-Fi, LCD projector, PA system, and a whole lot more.
The Lowry Hotel also occupies a prime location in Manchester, right on the River Irwell. It is a stone’s throw away from Salford Rail station, and about a mile from Manchester Piccadilly rail station.
Grand Hotel Brighton
Overlooking the sea, The Grand Hotel Brighton is a Victorian masterpiece. Inside, it offers conference facilities that can accommodate up to 800 delegates. Spaces can be hired on an 8 hour or 24 hour basis, providing a great deal of flexibility. Despite its 19th century exterior, The Grand Hotel’s conference facilities are squarely in the 21st century. LCD screens, projectors, Wi-Fi, and flipcharts will all be made available, as well as a dedicated meeting organiser. In addition to conference space inside the building, the hotel owns a yacht that can be hired for conference purposes as well.
Each hotel on this list may offer different amenities in terms of location, but they are all able to support events to suit a number of needs. The keys to choosing an ideal conference hotel is to take into consideration the location, capacity figures, technology requirements, and the surrounding environment.
Sources:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/sme/six-of-the-best-conference-hotels-1893190.html
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This article was compiled by
Transport Innovation, who provide taxi service options across the
UK.
