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.

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.

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.

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.

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.