It is a hot day in London, with high of 29 degrees, blue sky and plenty of sunshine. My colleague Hannah and I are in visiting some fantastic venues. It’s my first trip, since joining the company and what an exciting day ahead!
We started our day in Westminster. First stop: Church House Conference Centre a well-hidden multi-purpose conference and event venue, a grade II listed building with loads of character.
Of the 19 available rooms available, my favourite meeting space was the Bishop Partridge Hall, which features an atmospheric blend of elegant stucco ceiling, traditional oak panelling and a stunning stone balcony with views of Dean's Yard and Westminster Abbey.
Still in Westminster – between the end of rush hours and beginning of tourist hours – we headed for Central Hall Westminster, another Grade II listed building, with an impressive staircase, which was apparently inspired by the Opera in Paris. It is no wonder that this venue it’s popular choice for film locations.
The venue includes 22 rooms of different sizes: from intimate meeting rooms for 5 delegates to facilities for 500, conference and exhibition space for up to 1,000 guests and a 1,400 m2 auditorium with versatile floor space, holding 2,039 delegates or up to 2,400 standing concert. If you are looking for an historic building, then Central Hall Westminster is definitely worth considering.
Only a short walking distance is the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, our next stop. The venue is currently undergoing a massive refurbishment, which will make it an even more versatile venue.
With 32 ‘empty box’ style spaces, Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre is suitable for a wide range of events including: exhibitions, high profile conferences and conventions.
We could only visit part of the venue, due to undergoing work and this included the third floor, the largest and most impressive event space, with double height windows, which offer a stunning view of Westminster Cathedral, Houses of Parliament and the London Eye, which would have made it the perfect spot on the day of the Royal wedding, when Kate, now Duchess of Cambridge entered the Cathedral to say ‘I do’!
The second part of our day was spent in South Kensington. Here we visited the Royal Garden Hotel, which I must admit was the highlight of the day. Not only was the hotel beautiful and offering stunning view of Kensington Palace and the Royal Garden, but its member of staff gave us the warmest of welcome!
The Royal Garden hotel offers 10 flexible spaces that can accommodate a wide range of events from a small meeting of 10 to a conference of 800 guests. The Hotel also offers private dining space for up to 20 people in the Min Jiang, Chinese Restaurant. Located in the top floor, the restaurant has fabulous views of Hyde Park and London’s skyline. The food looked delicious and smelt great. Personally, I am looking forward to dining there!
Less than 20 minutes’ walk is the Millennium Gloucester Hotel London Kensington with the Millennium Conference Centre, which provides a wide selection of spaces, with 26 rooms that vary in size and style, and a James Bond style entrance in a glass lift.
If you are looking for a truly impressive space for a private dinner or a drinks reception, I would recommend their Conservatory, an outstanding glass structure adorned with palm trees, which can accommodate up to 250 guests.
Finally, we made a short detour onto Hammersmith to our final stop: Novotel London West. Temperatures in London had now reached what felt like 40 degrees, so we were really grateful for the air conditioning boost!
The hotel offers some truly impressive meeting spaces with 33 meeting rooms and 630 bedrooms. It can cater up to 2,000 delegates and has a dedicated entrance & registration area. If you are planning a big conference for up to 2,000 delegate and direct links to Heathrow airport, the Novotel London West could be the right venue for you.
If you would like to hold your next meeting at one of these amazing venues, give our team a call now on 01323 644644!
Roberta