Tag: venues

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Choose an instagrammable venue for your corporate event

We love an instagrammable venue! The word ‘Instagrammable’ has made its way into the Cambridge Dictionary. Its definition? ‘Attractive or interesting enough to be suitable for photographing and posting on the social media service Instagram’.

With the modern-day requirement to be aesthetically pleasing, venues must pull out all the stops to make themselves insta-worthy.

If you’re on the hunt for an instagrammable venue, here’s a list of some of our favourites.

Your next instagrammable venue:

Edwardian Manchester

The Edwardian Manchester oozes in modern luxury and style. Set in Manchester’s historic Free Trade Hall, it has elegant rooms and suites. It offers a luxurious spa, large swimming pool, and free high-speed Wi-Fi on unlimited devices.

Guests can experience shared dining in Manchester with contemporary Japanese and Mexican small plates at Peter Street Kitchen.

The hotel sits next to Manchester Central and Conference Quarter. And, close to buzzing Deansgate, each of Manchester’s rail stations is links here by a free shuttle bus. 

This 5-star hotel has 22 fully-equipped meeting rooms and one spectacular event room with a capacity for 550 people. It is ideal for board meetings, training courses, exhibitions, and private dining, with each room offering maximum flexibility. The Halle Suite is Manchester’s largest venue with natural daylight. 

All rooms offer air conditioning, the latest technology, and complimentary Wi-Fi.

The Queens Hotel

One of the most iconic buildings in Leeds city centre, The Queens Leeds has been welcoming guests since 1937. Its guests follow in the illustrious footsteps of Princess Grace of Monaco, Cary Grant, Nelson Mandela, and Laurel and Hardy.

The Queens Hotel’s 13 meeting and event rooms have all recently had investment and have been completely modernised. However, all still pay homage to the hotel’s 1930s art deco styling. The hotel is home to 232 bedrooms and suite – refurbished in 2021 – and the Grand Pacific restaurant and bar.

Whether you’re here for a drinks reception or business meeting, the team ensures a fabulous stay. The hotel has a private entrance from Leeds Station concourse, making it easily accessible. 

Oulton Hall Leeds

Oulton Hall is four miles south of Leeds city centre. It is home to 152 bedrooms and a luxury spa with ten treatment rooms for ultimate relaxation.

There are ample grounds for team building days, making Oulton Hall the perfect location for all event types. They offer a highly acclaimed 27-hole golf course, beautifully maintained and preened to perfection.

Check out the spa for relaxing after a hard day. Or dine and drink in the hotel’s AA Rosette award-winning restaurant and Champagne Bar.

Oulton Hall has nine flexible rooms, some small and intimate, others large and spectacular. The spaces include the grand Oulton Suite, which can accommodate up to 350 people. And chefs can cook a feast for a few hundred or provide coffee and snacks at just the right time. Private dining is available on request, and the bar is always open.

The Londoner

The Londoner is described as boutique in feel yet staggering in scale; individual, intimate, eclectic and curated. It is a perfect collection of spaces, tastes, and textures brought to life over 15 floors in London’s legendary square. The hotel is home to 350 exquisite bedrooms and suites, each with unique views of London. 

The Londoner has a wide collection of restaurants and bars. They include alfresco dining on the ground floor and a rooftop bar. It boasts a magnificent ballroom, private meeting and events spaces, an urban spa experience and two Odeon Luxe screening theatres.

Guests have exclusive access to The Residence, a 24-hour residents-only club. Professionals can enjoy the alluring change in the Y Bar. From a place to work during the day to a nightly scene for socialising, cocktails and light bites. Or they can follow a secret passage to The Whiskey Room.

There is plenty of space for meetings and events. The Londoner’s Ballroom accommodates up to 864 guests. The Green Room hosts bespoke events for up to 150 guests. The Gallery’s seven private meeting rooms complement The Londoner meeting and events offering. The spaces can be used for individual events, private dining and additional break-out areas.

What lies at the heart of its event delivery? A commitment to exceptional service, bespoke planning, the latest technology, and in-house AV portfolio.

Bloomsbury Hotel

The Bloomsbury is close to London’s West End – Theatreland, Covent Garden and Soho. It sits in the 18th-century neighbourhood by the same name. And the instagrammable venue’s restored Grade II-listed neo-Georgian architecture reflects its rich heritage.

The property was designed in the 1930s by Sir Edwin Lutyens, one of the greatest British architects of his time. Its signature features include a magnificent stone frontage, stunning double-height bar and Lutyens-designed ironwork. 

A recent transformation makes for an even more spectacular aesthetic. The entrance was relocated to the side of the hotel. Guests now enter a new Lutyens-influenced sitting room complete with heritage-inspired botanical wallpaper via a private lane. The Bloomsbury Hotel was the Number 3 hotel in London in the 2018 Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards.

Down Hall Hotel

Down Hall Hotel is one of England’s most established country house hotels dating back to 1322. This instagrammable venue is grand and ornate, yet light and airy. It is in a great location! It’s nine miles from Stansted Airport, 40 minutes from central London by train, and close to the M11 and M25.

It has grounds big enough for every imaginable team build activity. From laser clays and Segway challenges to 4×4 driving experiences, archery and more! With 14 private dining and meeting spaces, it can host everything from boardroom meetings to functions for up to 200.

Its four private rooms within the Mansion House all have high ceilings and natural light. And they combine with original characteristics – open fireplaces and Edwardian-style doorways – to give comfortable surroundings and a homely feel. What’s more, ten private rooms in the West Wing include a ballroom cater for 180, or 200 theatre style.

voco Grand Central Station

Right in the heart of Glasgow is the outstanding voco Grand Central Station. This is a venue beyond compare. It offers a stunning setting for intimate meals with business partners or extravagant parties for up to 400 guests.

Each space offers its character and style – choose what works best for you. The Grand Room is its showstopper space, blending rich architecture with 21st-century touches.

This instagrammable venue offers a warm, unstuffy and modern place to host your meeting. You can focus on the bigger picture and let the hotel take care of the details. Your guests will enjoy getting to know each other and learning in an unpretentious and inspirational setting. 

Does an instagrammable venue in our list stand out for your event or meeting? Follow the links in the feature to check out the full venue profile pages, and to book. Or contact us to find out more.

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Venues collaborate to promote Medical City

Venues colloborate

Three leading venues in the Euston area of London are joining forces to promote the area as a prime location for events linked to healthcare.  BMA House, RCP and Wellcome Collection all use their profits to help larger medical organisations achieve their mission.  During this challenging time, they wanted to demonstrate their unity through a common goal.

Often described as the Medical Mile, the area around Euston is a hub of leading venues with strong links to local hospitals, practitioners and research institutes.  It is an ideal place for any form of meeting or event linked to not just medicine but also the wider healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.  Specifically, the three venues will be collaborating, referring opportunities, supporting each other’s events and providing multi-site spaces for meetings as necessary.  Together they offer a wide range of delegate packages, hourly rates, digital and hybrid solutions, ensuring all client needs are met.

After an extremely challenging year with lots of industry changes, all 3 venues have successfully received the MIA AIM Secure Accreditation and Visit Britain Good to Go Accreditation making them COVID safe venues for the future.

Kat Winfield, Venue Manager, BMA House comments: “Medical and healthcare workers have continually showed their strength, resolve and professionalism throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and we are all extremely grateful for their dedication and commitment.  At the moment the greatest support we can offer is to stay at home and refrain from hosting events.  However, in time that will change and we are exploring all opportunities to support our clients.”

Fairouz Grzyb, Business Development Manager, Royal College of Physicians “When appropriate, we intend to come back stronger than ever, working as a collective to deliver the best possible experience for delegates and organisers alike.  In the meantime, we all offer extensive digital and hybrid packages to ensure that events continue and vital education, knowledge transfer and networking take place.”

Diana West, Sales Manager, Wellcome Collection concludes: “As a group, we offer a wide variety of event options.  We can work individually or across multiple sites and want above all to demonstrate our unity in challenging times.  We have extensive links into all areas of medicine, pharmaceuticals and the wider healthcare market, making us the ideal first call for any event across these sectors.”

About the venues:

BMA House 

BMA House is located in the heart of London, just a short walk from Kings Cross, Euston and St Pancras stations as well as a variety of underground lines and key bus routes.  With sustainability and wellbeing at the heart of its offering, delegates can also benefit from the use of a clean air walking route – taking them off the major roads onto quieter, picturesque, less polluted local streets.  Their clean air walking route from Kings Cross for example, is 57% less polluted than a trip down Euston Road and has the benefit of being 1,000 steps – 10% of the recommended 10,000 a day.

BMA recognises the growing and vital need for digital and hybrid event solutions.  With this in mind they were one of the first venues to launch such an offering, as far back as June.  Including options for webcasting, breakouts, speaker only conferences and exhibitor/sponsor packages, the offering reflects both the challenges presented by COVID-19 and the future needs of event organisers.

Wellcome Collection is the free museum and library exploring health and human experience. Located in central London just steps away from Euston and King’s Cross/St Pancras station. Their venue hire offers thought-provoking event spaces in both the conference centre and the unique exhibition galleries.  Whatever the client’s needs, they can offer flexible and inspiring backdrops for all types of events, from seminars and training sessions, to film screenings and AGMs, their capacities range from two people to 300 people.

Wellcome Collection 

The venue hire team at Wellcome Collection is dedicated to helping clients adapt to the current realities of meetings and conferencing. Whether they require video conferencing, live streaming or a more bespoke offering, the team is ready to deliver streamlined hybrid events.

All profits made from events held in Wellcome Collection are gift aided to Wellcome, a charitable organisation who support researchers, take on big health challenges, campaign for better science, and help everyone get involved with science and health research.

The Royal of Physicians

The Royal College of Physicians was founded in 1518 by Royal Charter from King Henry VIII.  It is the oldest medical college in England. The venue offers highly versatile facilities, with 12 meeting spaces, including tiered auditoriums, conference, meeting, exhibition and dining spaces, with contrasting old and new styles to suit all tastes, giving clients a range of possibilities to create an unforgettable event.

They have a dedicated in-house audio visual and media services team. In addition to supporting physical events, they have a range of hybrid and virtual meeting solutions to enhance events including, filming, editing, streaming, live Q&A polling, webinars, virtual break out rooms and much more.

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Value of 2020 meetings sector to be uncovered by UKCAMS survey

UK conference and meeting venues are being urged to take part in the 2020 UK Conference and Meeting Survey (UKCAMS). This will help determine the value of 2020 meetings for the industry.

Though designed to be answered by venues, the survey will help event planners determine levels of investment made by venues in their product. It will give an indication of what percentage of event management is outsourced to a PCO or event management agencies and collect data on average rates achieved by venues and average durations of meetings and conferences.

Scheduled for publication in June, the UKCAMS 2020 report is hoping to achieve a minimum of 300 survey responses from UK venues.

Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services said: “We work on there being a universe of circa 3,500 primary conference and meeting venues across the UK. In 2019 we achieved 340 responses, approx. 10 per cent. We are also asking some new questions this year, alongside our traditional questions.”

“These cover factors that may impact levels of business, such as labour shortages, Brexit, competition, climate change, the economy, and also factors that are important to buyers in selecting venues, such as non-traditional seating and modular spaces, facilities for hybrid meetings, security and privacy.”

Value of 2020 meetings survey focus on venues’ conference and meeting business during 2019

Questions include:

  • how many events were hosted
  • rates achieved
  • event duration and size
  • client type
  • levels of residential and non-residential business
  • origins of the business
  • and capital investment undertaken.

The results aim to provide a definitive insight into the conference and meetings sector. They are widely used to inform investment, advocacy and marketing activities.

Last year’s research found that the conference and meetings sector was worth an estimated £18.3 billion to the UK economy. 1.48 million meetings taking place in 2018.

UKCAMS 2020 also includes a section on the targeting and securing of international events by UK venues. There will also be a question on factors likely to affect venues’ level of business over the next few years.

Venues that participate in the survey will receive a complimentary, personalised summer report. This will enable them to benchmark their performance in 2019 against other comparable venues.

The survey is accessible here.

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EDGE Venues delivers a successful first annual Business Intelligence Review

EDGE Venues has celebrated its successful first year with a Business Intelligence Review for 125 agent and venue industry professionals, hosted by the Barbican Centre on 17 January.

EDGE Venues is an innovative digital platform providing agencies, corporates, and venues the most up-to-date event selection tool. With more than 19,000 venues across 45 countries in 125 key MICE international destinations, EDGE Venues has vastly exceeded its initial expectations and the review provided insight into its successes, with an honest assessment of the challenges and ever-changing industry.

EDGE Venues - team
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The Business Intelligence Review was also an opportunity to announce the promotion of Tracy Winsworth to Managing Director of EDGE Venues.

Introductions and networking were followed by a preview of what’s in store for 2020, including the launch of EDGE’s RFP tool and enhancements to the digital marketing arm of EDGE Venues. Both developments will benefit venues and venue finders to cement EDGE Venues’ as the go to platform for UK and International venue searches.

A panel session saw industry experts discuss their own experiences with industry changes, challenges and successes.

EDGE Venues Business Intelligence Review - panel

The review

The review delivered a deep insight into the business looking back on the financial and operational developments of 2019 and sharing the 2020 vision through the innovative opportunities that will be available for EDGE Venues licensees. Interviews, photos, and videos from the review will soon be available on the EDGE Venues YouTube channel. Keep an eye out for the channel launch!

Jacqui Kavanagh, CEO of Trinity EDGE Holdings comments on the success of the event: “We are delighted with the outcome of our first Annual EDGE Business Intelligence Review which was held exclusively for our licensees, providing an in-depth analysis of our industry which is rarely shared so openly. It included consideration of a turbulent time during which several key players haven’t survived, some of which can be attributed to the industry’s lack of adaptation to digital developments. EDGE Venues commits to supporting licensees with this high level of information to help them prepare for the challenges our world and industries are experiencing.

After an outstanding but demanding first year, we’ll continue to share expertise, and key industry trends and predictions with our licensees to ensure they have all-round knowledge and skills to develop traction and grow their business in 2020. We are excited about our future and have invested significantly in technology and digital marketing which we can’t wait to share more on. Watch this space!”

EDGE Venues Business Intelligence Review - networking
Join us

Key dates have been set for our main events in 2020 including the Marketing Summit and the EDGE Venue Summer Party. The events are free for all EDGE licensed venues and is a must for those looking to gain up-to-date expert advice and industry trends to help maximise future business success.

To find out further information on the upcoming events, or how to become an EDGE Venues licensee or user, contact the team, on info@edgevenues.com.

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Birmingham: an experts insight for meetings and events

Alex Dalby, Trinity Event Solutions Event Consultant, recently headed into Birmingham for a series of site inspections. If you’re considering Birmingham as a destination for your next meeting or event, take a read of Alex’s insight and key considerations for each of the venues.

Hyatt Regency Birmingham

The Hyatt Regency is a 10-minute walk from Birmingham New Street Station, so is a perfect location for delegates coming by train. When entering the hotel, my first impressions was how stunning it was, with a great atmosphere. The lobby is filled with plants and water fountains, making it a beautiful feel on arrival and flooded with natural daylight coming through the large rooftop atrium.

The hotel has 10 meeting rooms. The largest of these is the Symphony Ballroom which can accommodate 144 in a cabaret style. This is an elegant space for a meeting and can also be split into 2 separate spaces – Ballroom 1 and Ballroom 2.

There are 319 bedrooms, all spacious and comfortable. Depending on which side of the hotel you are on, the bedrooms either look out onto views on the city or the canals (has an extra charge).

The hotel had a refurbishment in 2014 and this was still clear to see from how modern and fresh it was. There is chargeable parking on site but there are limited spaces available.

Consideration: Hyatt Regency has a direct bridge link to the International Convention Centre (ICC). This means delegates can have direct access to both.

Novotel

The Novotel is situated in a great location as it is approximately a 15-minute walk from Birmingham New Street Station. On arrival, my first impression was how quirky and colourful the reception area was. The reception area leads onto the restaurant and main breakout area for delegates and both areas had a lovely atmosphere to them. The restaurant can hold up to a maximum capacity of 100.

There are currently 9 meeting spaces in total. 3 of the meeting rooms carry the largest capacity of 48 cabaret. As of December 2019, work will be starting to add a large meeting space for 150 cabaret. I felt that the meeting rooms would be perfectly suitable for an event, but be aware there is no natural daylight.

The hotel has a total of 148 bedrooms and my first impression of the bedrooms was that they were all bright and clean.

Consideration: Car parking is available on site however; it has limited access (50 spaces) and chargeable.

Jurys Inn

The Jurys Inn hotel has a convenient location being just a 10-minute walk from Birmingham’s New Street Station. The hotel welcomes delegates with a spacious reception area, themed with black and white décor.

The hotel has 20 meeting rooms situated on the first floor and 27 syndicate rooms on the second floor. All meeting spaces are partitioned, but these can all be removed to make larger, open spaces. The largest can accommodate 160 in cabaret style. They all have natural daylight and come with standard AV equipment.

There are 445 bedrooms in total. All bedrooms were comfortable and bright, but with varying designs to them. All bathrooms have recently been refurbished, and this was clear by how new and fresh they looked.

Consideration: There will be no parking available on site starting from January 2020, as the hotel is building a lifestyle hotel just next door to the main hotel.

Crowne Plaza Birmingham City Centre

The Crowne Plaza is situated in the heart of Birmingham City Centre and is a 10-minute walk to New Street station. The reception leads onto the restaurant and 360-degree bar, which is quite a fun idea. At the end of this, there is a private dining area which can fit up to 20 delegates. However, this is not an exclusive space so be aware of people from the bar next door.

The hotel has 12 meeting rooms which can be found on the conference floor (first floor). The largest meeting room (Vista Suite) can hold up to 150 cabaret or can be divided into 2 smaller meeting rooms. Along the foyer there are 3 executive rooms, which can hold a maximum of 10 boardroom. For larger events they can exclusive use of all 3 of these rooms. All meeting space have natural daylight, but even with this the spaces are a little dark. There are 312 bedrooms, which are all spacious and comfortable.

Consideration: Currently, the only car parking use is at the Mailbox with a 15% discount for delegates. However, there will be a new car park opening for the hotel in early 2020.

Malmaison

The Malmaison is located within the Mailbox car parking complex, a short walk from New Street station. Malmaison has 6 meeting rooms in total, with the largest meeting space has a maximum capacity of 77 cabaret. They would be suitable for a meeting, but the spaces are basic and standard. In addition, there are 4 pods which can hold a maximum of 4 people. The pods are quite fun and different, so would be suitable for delegates needing a smaller meeting space.

The hotel holds 193 bedrooms, which are spacious and uniquely designed. There is a gym, spa and a newly refurbished sauna that all delegates can use. Chargeable parking is available in the Mailbox.

Consideration: There is only one meeting space that has natural daylight.

Radisson Blu Hotel Birmingham

Radisson Blu Hotel is a 5-minute walk to New Street station, conveniently located near to the business district and shopping areas. On arrival the reception area (albeit a little small) is within a glass building and is flooded with natural daylight.

There are 10 meeting rooms in total, situated over both the 2nd and 3rd floor. The Lunar Suite is the largest of these spaces, with a maximum capacity of 80 in a cabaret layout. The hotel has 211 bedrooms that are all spacious, with the same décor and style. Bedrooms situated on the highest floor levels have views onto the city. The restaurant is situated on the first floor, which is spacious and full of atmosphere.

Consideration: The hotel has recently undergone a refurbishment in 2017 and this is clear by the modern feel to all spaces, so would be great for meetings.

Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre

The Holiday Inn, also known as the BCEC, is in a great location as it is only a short walk to New Street Station. On entering the hotel lobby, my first impression was that it had lots of decoration, with unique patterns and vibrant colours throughout.

There are 24 meeting rooms, with the largest holding a maximum of 250 cabaret. These includes a built-in stage and standard AV. The hotel has 216 bedrooms, all being decorated with a yellow and grey colour scheme. There is no car park available on site but there is an NCP, which is a very short walk away.

Consideration: A few of the meeting spaces have floor-ceiling glass walls so this would not be suitable for a pharmaceutical company due to the lack of privacy.

The Studio Birmingham

The Studio Birmingham is just a 2-minute walk from New Street station making it a great location for delegates. My first impression when entering was that the reception area was a very small space. However, on approaching the first floor I was pleasantly surprised.

All spaces had modem décor, with quirky features and bright colours throughout. There are 20 meeting rooms in total, all with natural daylight. The bar décor was in keeping with the meeting spaces, in that it was modern and vibrant. To the left of the bar, there is a quaint outside rooftop area. This would be a lovely space for delegates to use as a breakout space in summer.

Overall, this venue is different to most venues around Birmingham due to its quirky nature and relaxed atmosphere throughout. There is an NCP car park located a short distance from The Studio.

Consideration: This is just a meeting and event space, so there are no bedrooms.

Macdonald Burlington

The Macdonald Burlington is in the heart of Birmingham centre and is a short walk from New Street station. The hotel has 9 meeting rooms in total, with all having built-in Clickshare. The largest meeting space is the Horton Suite which can hold up to 250 in cabaret or can be divided into 3 smaller spaces. They were all soundproof so blocked out any noise from the city.

The hotel has 114 bedrooms in total, which are all clean and comfortable. The hotel’s restaurant area is spacious, giving a maximum capacity of 54 for dinner.

The hotel is adjacent to the NCP cark park, which holds 2000 spaces. The hotel has will be undergoing refurbishments in early 2020.

Consideration: All meeting spaces are partitioned and so can be opened out to provide more space if required.

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Meet Gloucester to launch

Key venues, hotels and suppliers from Gloucester have joined forces to launch Meet Gloucester, a centralised, event focused destination marketing organisation for Gloucester.

The organisation, which will officially launch at MEET South West on Friday 31 January 2020, creates a hub for domestic and international buyers looking to organise events in the city.

Created to support and target association, corporate and agency event business, Meet Gloucester has the full support of the wider Gloucester City Council, the DMO – Marketing Gloucester and funding from Gloucester Business Improvement District.

Marketing Gloucester is providing seed funding and digital support as Meet Gloucester is developed by key industry partners with a desire to see the city grow its presence on both a domestic and international level as a meetings and events destination. Local partners volunteering their time to set up and launch Meet Gloucester are:

• Hatton Court Hotel Gloucester
• Bowden Hall Hotel
• Gloucester Rugby
• Soaring Worldwide

Councillor Richard Cook, Leader of Gloucester City Council said: ”Gloucester is a vibrant and fast developing city with huge potential for growth within the meetings and events industry. Meet Gloucester will provide an ideal face for the city, bringing together its key suppliers, venues and hotels as we look to increase not just our offering but also the number of delegates coming to experience all we have to offer.”

MEET South West, the only dedicated meetings industry event held in the south-west region, is returning to Bristol for a second year in 2020. Following the success of the show in January 2019, MEET South West will be held again on Friday 31 January 2020. Next year’s event is expected to be even bigger than the inaugural show and will move to a bigger venue, Mercure Bristol Grand, to accommodate more attendees. The show will welcome professionals from every sector of the meetings industry including those who work in the incentive market.

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EDGE Venues Autumn Business Intelligence Review

As EDGE Venues draws closer to completing its first full year, the team is in final preparations for the EDGE Autumn Business Intelligence Review which takes place on 1st November at East Midlands Conference Centre.

This is the third event of its kind organised by EDGE Venues, with the first Masterclass at the May Fair Hotel in April, and a Summer Party held at the offices in Stamford in July. The events were initially designed for properties who are EDGE Venues licensees, and for the first time, EDGE Venues is inviting Agents who use EDGE to this next event.

The Review’s agenda covers a variety of topics to help maximise the potential for both Agents and Venues who use EDGE. Topics include the launch of new feature developments including an RFP process and real-time availability, alongside future enhancements. Guest speakers have been invited to share their expert insight into trends, spend, and social media analysis.

Jacqui Kavanagh, Chief Executive Officer of EDGE Venues explains the value of these events: “We want to be a disruptor in the meetings and events industry. We listen to constraints and frustrations industry professionals face and work to overcome them. When the concept of EDGE Venues was originally conceived, it was based on the industry’s want and need for technology to ease their frustrations. It’s a bespoke meetings platform, built for the industry, by the industry. And it’s not just about the technology for us – it’s the engagement that we have a passion for. The engagement – between users of the site and our Licensees – is important to ensure we continue enhancing a platform which is fit for purpose.

“These events have proven a huge success so far, with more than 100 attendees each at our Spring and Summer events, and we’ve already seen a fantastic uptake for our Autumn Business Intelligent Review.”

Kirsten Ariano, Account Director MICE from Edwardian Hotels London has attended both previous events organised by EDGE Venues and shares the value they see in the events. “There are multiple industry events that I attend throughout the year, but the Business Intelligence Review organised by EDGE Venues is one of the most valuable. It’s always so informative, understanding industry trends and what more we can be doing to engage with Agents and Corporates to increase business at Edwardian Hotels London. I’m already looking forward to the Autumn event, especially with the Agency engagement.”

The EDGE Venues Autumn Business Intelligence Review is free to all EDGE Venues licensees and agents who use the platform. If you’re interested in finding out more about the event, or how to become an EDGE Venues Licensee or user, contact the team – info@edgevenues.com.  

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Tour of Venues in City of London – Part 2

Elisha Temple recently headed into London to build her product knowledge on what the City has to offer for meetings and events. Here part 2 of her tour…

The Ned

Overall Impression:

The Ned, a gorgeous 1920’s building situated a few steps from Bank station. When you step into The Ned you are instantly amongst people, the mingle of conversations fills the lobby as you walk through to the reception area. It is fascinating to see the original style of the building with a slight contemporary twist. With 8 individual restaurants all situated within the ground floor lobby space, there is certainly something for everyone. Semi-private seating arrangements are ideal for informal, intimate meetings, catch-ups or networking.

There are 6 meeting rooms situated on the 6th floor, a dedicated conference floor with the Tapestry room which can hold up to 200 delegates in theatre style with the Saloon included for catering, you will never run out of space. All the meeting rooms are flooded with natural daylight and traditional high ceilings which gives you an airy feel. 2 terraces are also available for exclusive hire, with stunning views of the City of London.

251 bedrooms are available on site, each of these with their own shape, size and character. Again, the 1920’s theme has been continued however a modern twist has been added to make the rooms cosy.

The NED bedroom
The NED
Considerations:

This is the perfect location for a client looking for a traditional venue to accommodate large conferences in the City. The gorgeous décor compliments the history of the building and brings the original features to life.

Searcys at the Gherkin

Overall Impression:

Searcys at the Gherkin stands tall in the City of London; a short 5 minute walk from Aldgate Station. As you enter you are greeted by reception for a quick security check before heading through the barriers to the lifts. Using the lifts, you go to the 34th floor before crossing into a second lift across the corridor to the dedicated Searcys lift to the 38th floor for the conference floor.

The conference floor holds 5 meeting rooms, 4 of these rooms can merge together to make 2 larger spaces seating up to 60 delegates in theatre style. Each of the meeting rooms are flooded with natural daylight and beautiful city scape views as well as flexible seating arrangements and AV equipment. In addition, there is the opportunity to walk around the outer edge of the Gherkin and experience the breath-taking views; a perfect way to break away from a meeting.

The Helix restaurant situated on the 39th floor of the Gherkin is available for exclusive hire. Seating up to 140 delegates for dinner, this space is perfect for corporate parties. Then, moving up the stairs you have the Iris Bar. Situated at the very top of the Gherkin you receive a full 360-degree view of London. This space is also available for exclusive hire and can hold up to 100 delegates for a drink’s reception.

Searcys at the Gherkin
Searcys at the Gherkin
Considerations:

A wonderful thing about Searcys at the Gherkin as it’s minimal chic gives you the opportunity to personalise and dress each of the spaces to suit you own requirements however there is also enough design within all of the space that it will not look unfinished without it. In a great location of the City of London and with breath-taking views, this location is ideal for a client looking to impress. With plenty of natural daylight, the meeting rooms are ideal for all day meetings.

Andaz Liverpool Street

Overall Impressions:

As you enter the building you are kindly greeted by the concierge. The lobby is a contemporary, edgy space with high ceilings with plenty of space for larger groups; this is certainly a themed carried on through the hotel. Andaz is in the ideal location next to Liverpool Street station, accessibility is perfect for those travelling into London.

The conference floor is a dedicated meeting space area with 14 meetings rooms there is a space suitable for every meeting. The entire venue is incredibly blank canvas and very malleable: TV screens, meeting room signs, coloured lighting – these are just some of the elements that can be changed to suit the client. The Great Eastern is a wonderfully open space with a designated kitchen area for service, this room can seat up to 250 delegates in theatre style and comes with the Gallery area for a breakout space as well as a supper balcony for a more intimate setting. Bishops Gate is another popular room, when hiring this room, you also gain the Chancery; an ideal pair for a day meeting with a catering breakout space for minimal service disruptions.

The meeting rooms are bright and airy with high ceilings and AV equipment available in all. The Studio is a standalone, completely exclusive space with a built-in kitchen. This space is perfect for team building, boardroom meetings. The Masonic Temple is certainly a memorable space. With a gorgeous marble flooring and fixed throne seating set around the outer edge of the room, this room offers a dark, mysterious tone. Perfect for dining or even conference, the Masonic Temple is the ideal room to make a lasting impression.

Bedrooms certainly continue the contemporary, edgy style. A practical room ideal for a corporate stay for 1 or more nights.

Andaz Liverpool Street
Andaz Liverpool Street
Considerations:

As one of my favourite hotels on the visit, I feel the general style of the hotel is very fresh and modern. The staff are very friendly, polite and helpful which has a massive impact on the experience at the hotel. Andaz certainly fits the criteria for those clients looking for quirky venues in the city.

The Montcalm at The Brewery London City

Overall Impressions:

The Montcalm is neatly tucked away from Chiswell Street, a short walk from the Barbican and Moorgate Station. As you walk into the Montcalm you are greeted by the concierge team who welcome you to a gorgeous lobby. The meeting rooms are all easy to access, well-lit and beautifully displayed; perfect for conference or dining. All meeting rooms are similar in size seating up to 20 in boardroom.

The bedrooms are very spacious. Due to the nature of the building, each of the rooms are different in size. One touch I found particularly interesting was access to a mobile phone for the duration of your stay that gives you full access of use for maps, calls, emails etc – when checking out this phone is entirely wiped back to its original state ready for the next user.

The Josephine room is situated in below the restaurant; to access this restaurant you need to walk down the road. The Josephine Room is available for exclusive hire and can seat up to 20 in hollow square.

The Montcalm at The Brewery London City
The Montcalm at The Brewery London City
Considerations:

The Montcalm is a beautiful hotel throughout and is ideal for a relaxed meeting for up to 20 delegates. The location is ideal for those travelling by train and it is a great way to escape while still being in the city.


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Tour of Venues in City of London – Part 1

Elisha Temple recently headed into London to build her product knowledge on what the City has to offer for meetings and events. Here she’s shared her insight into the different venues she visited…

Apex Temple Court

Overall Impression:

Apex Temple Court is a fresh, modern hotel perfectly situated within walking distance from City Thameslink station. One of the entrances to the hotel leads off Fleet Street; when entering you are greeted by beautifully decorated outdoor ‘Secret Garden’ available for exclusive hire, this is perfect for an evening drinks reception or break out space for around 30 delegates standing with occasional seating. Following on into the hotel, 2 doors are placed either side of the Secret Garden leading into the reception area; these doors lead you behind the reception area. On the opposite side of the hotel to the Secret Garden is a second outdoor area in the courtyard. This is positioned in front of the main entrance to the hotel and is also available for exclusive and semi-private hire and is perfect for team building activities.

After a recent extension being completed, there is now a total of 5 meeting rooms available with a maximum capacity of 18 boardroom all following the ‘Lazy Ballerina’ style; a term used in viviculture referring to the trellis that a wine grapevine is grown on. Suites can also be used as a meeting space for up to 8 delegates.

The bedrooms follow the same fresh and modern style as the rest of the hotel. The City Rooms were wonderfully lit and a great size, perfect for an overnight corporate stay. 7 styles of bedrooms are presented from the City Rooms to Temple Suites, there is something for everyone. 2 bars, a restaurant and 2 outdoor spaces are available for both corporate and public so there is plenty of space.

Apex Temple Court
Apex Temple Court
Considerations:

The hotel is in a perfect location in the City of London and is best suited to evening drinks receptions, private dining and smaller meetings for up to 20 delegates. With a contemporary style, it is certainly a hotel to consider when clients are looking for something new and modern. Despite meeting rooms sitting lower ground and minimal daylight falling into the rooms, the lighting is very effective while sitting continuing with the lazy ballerina style.

Crowne Plaza London The City

Overall Impression:

Crowne Plaza London – The City is a bright, contemporary hotel situated just over the road from Blackfriars station. The main entrance welcomes you into a beautiful, bright, open lobby where you are warmly welcomed by the concierge and check in team. The outstanding first impressions were certainly upheld during the visit as we continued down the stairs to the conference floor (also accessible via lift). As you walk down, you are greeted by a welcome desk and shared foyer where refreshments are served with 5 meeting rooms leading off from the foyer including the largest room; the Bridewell Suite which can hold up to 180 theatre style. As well as meetings, private dining is also an option for these meeting rooms.

There are 2 restaurants available, these are positioned on the mezzanine level where you will find the second entrance. The first is a Chinese style restaurant, this is available for exclusive and semi-private hire seating up to 90 delegates for dinner. The second is my favourite of the 2, the Italian restaurant which can seat up to 150 delegates for dinner. Towards the back of Italian restaurant is a private dining area which can seat up to 20. The bedrooms are spacious and practical, perfect for a corporate stay.

And finally, last but certainly not least – the brand new ‘The Leaf and Cane’ bar. Walking into this room certainly gives you the wow-factor. With a South American vibe, this space in quirky, modern, and very vibrant. The Leaf and Cane is available for exclusive hire and can hold up to 220 delegates for a drink’s reception with occasional seating. With rum master classes, this would work beautifully for a fun, informal, team building reception.

The Crowne Plaza London – The City
The Crowne Plaza London – The City
Considerations:

The Crowne Plaza London – The City is in a great location and certainly gives you that professional yet contemporary vibe when walking round the hotel. Based on the meeting spaces, this hotel is perfect for larger corporate meetings or dinner, drinks reception. With plenty of space and a vast number of bedrooms, it is perfect for the residential meetings, Christmas Parties and conferences.

Sea Containers

Overall Impressions:

Sea Containers is situated alongside the River Thames and just over the bridge from Blackfriars station. As soon as you enter the hotel you see a beautifully handcrafted cooper reception area that leads you around the hotel into the restaurant via a floor-lit walkway. The bright, airy restaurant offers semi-private seating areas perfect for smaller, informal meetings. Walking round to the back of the restaurant you’ll find a private dining space with outdoor area; this can seat up to 22 in a hollow square.

Across the lobby from the restaurant you will find the ‘Lyaness’; a gorgeously decorated cocktail bar overlooking the River Thames. With a contemporary 1970’s colour theme, this edgy bar offers a relaxed, lounging experience. This massively differs when you head up in the lift to the ‘12th Knot’, a beautiful open space overlooking the City of London. This space can be exclusively hired for up to 300 delegates for a drink’s reception. The meeting rooms are all situated on one floor, as you step off the lift you enter the shared foyer area and welcome station. Leading off from the foyer are 4 studio rooms and a screening room which is also used as a cinema for the public.

Bedrooms continue with the Ship-Chic style with cabin-like storage facilities and fitting bathroom. Ideal for delegates staying overnight.

Sea Containers
Sea Containers
Considerations:

As one of my favourite venues in the City of London, I thoroughly enjoyed the general style of the hotel. With friendly staff and a relaxed layout, the hotel was easy to navigate, well-lit and beautifully decorated throughout. This hotel would be very well suited to meetings covering several days, or for clients looking for something slightly different to the norm.

Bankside Hotel – Autograph Collection

Overall Impressions:

Bankside Hotel opened September 2018 and is tucked away close to the River Thames and just over the bridge from Blackfriars station. The artist style gives an inquisitive twist to the general feel as you walk around and notice the varying pieces of art placed in the hotel. As you walk round to the restaurant there is a private dining area closed off in the corner, this can seat up to 24 delegates. There is a general clean-industrial style to the restaurant, exposed wires, neutral colours with a geometric flooring and wooden furnishings, and this is certainly a look that is continued onto the meeting spaces.

Situated on the lower ground floor, the 4 meeting rooms all lead off from the foyer area. A larger, airy space with refreshment stations placed either end of the room. Along the left side are the 3 smaller meeting rooms, 2 of which can be combined into one. On the right-hand side is ‘The White Box’, with a maximum capacity of 170 theatre style this room is perfect for large conferences.

There are 161 bedrooms on site which separate into 9 different categories. The artist features also continue into the rooms giving each room its own unique character.

Bankside Hotel – Autograph Collection
Bankside Hotel – Autograph Collection
Considerations:

This hotel is neatly tucked away from Blackfriars Road and is perfect for clients looking for something different; the quirky, industrial touch to the hotel gives it a diverse look with the high, exposed ceilings. The hotel is tardis-like, when looking front on, you do not expect such a vast amount of space inside. This hotel is perfect for meetings for up to 50 delegates.

Watch this space for part 2 coming soon…


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De Vere signs up to Room to Reward charity

Room to Reward has announced that De Vere hotel group is the latest group to join its unique hospitality charity. All properties in the group’s portfolio, with locations from Surrey to the Cotswolds, will donate a percentage of unsold rooms in order to give a ‘thank you’ break to some of society’s Hidden Heroes.

“We are very proud to join Room to Reward,” said Gail Hunter, Group Human Resources Director for De Vere. “It’s a brilliant initiative that enables us to recognise the extraordinary dedication of these wonderful volunteers and give back just a bit of the time they have selflessly dedicated to helping others.”

Founded in 2015 by Nicolas J. Roach – Chairman of Harbour Hotels – Room to Reward works on a simple premise. Hotels across the U.K donate their anticipated unsold rooms, charities and voluntary groups nominate their Hidden Heroes for a break, Room to Reward makes it happen.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome De Vere to the Room to Reward journey,”said the Charity’s Director, Adam Terpening. “Their wonderful support will give the inspirational volunteers nominated to us an amazing selection of hotels to choose from.”

To date, approximately 350 hotels have joined the initiative. Collectively, the hospitality industry has pledged in excess of £350,000 worth of breaks. Over 500 Hidden Heroes from the charity sector have benefitted from a Room to Reward break.

“We have been overwhelmed by the way the hospitality industry has taken Room to Reward to its heart,” said Mr. Terpening. “Having another prestigious hotel group on board is further demonstration of the wonderful support we receive. We are hugely grateful to Gail and everyone at De Vere.”