Destination Spotlight: Bristol
The Southwest’s largest city with a long maritime history, Bristol has been reinvented as a centre for culture and creativity. You can easily get around this compact city on foot, and with festivals taking place throughout the year, cycle tracks that have won awards, world cuisines of every type, stunning cityscapes and awe-inspiring street art from the mysterious Banksy, Bristol offers as much to see and do as many larger cities.
Architecture and design of historical interest is found all around Bristol, from the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge to Brunel’s famed SS Great Britain; the city is brimming with heritage. Yet, it’s celebrated individual, offbeat character shines through too - an alternative Bristol outcrops unashamedly among the city's streets… see it in Bristol’s wealth of art collectives, community-run cafes and vibrant music venues.
Recent additions to this rising city include the revamped harbourside, the landmark new M-Shed history museum and a fast-growing foodie reputation.
In recent years Bristol has acquired two notable environmental accolades, England's first cycling city and the European Green Capital Award. It is also the gateway to England's ‘holiday’ counties - Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.
Conferences & Meetings in Bristol
What Bristol lacks in dedicated large scale meetings and events venues it makes up for in creativity, spreading its larger events across a cluster of facilities known as Bristol Harbourside. The harbourside includes Anchor and Waterfront squares, Lloyds Amphitheatre and At-Bristol, a conference facility with seven meeting and function rooms catering for up to 480.
Bristol’s leading venues represent its rich heritage, with some truly superb options. Brunel's SS Great Britain, the world's first luxury ocean liner, offers conference facilities and luxurious banquet rooms; Bristol's Old Station, one of the oldest train stations in the world, was also built by Brunel, its magnificent Passenger Shed is the largest event space in the city - with a generous 1,500 sqm. In the Clifton area, close to Brunel’s world-famous Clifton Suspension Bridge, are Bristol Grammar School, founded in 1532, offering a theatre for 145 and the magnificent Grand Hall for banquets of up to 380.
Trains to and from London Paddington Station take just over 90 minutes and Bristol Airport (BRS) offering flights to Europe, though not London, is eight miles southwest of the city centre.
Bristol offers a wide choice of hotel accommodation. The Mercure Bristol Holland House Hotel & Spa, has 275 bedrooms and 12 meeting rooms for up to 200 persons; the 242-room Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel, has 21 meeting rooms for up to 350 persons; the 201-room DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Bristol City Centre has nine meeting rooms for up to 300 persons and the 187-room Bristol Hotel, a Member of the Doyle Collection, has seven meeting rooms and a ballroom able to host up to 400.
Venues
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DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Bristol North
ViewDoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Bristol North
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Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel
ViewMercure Bristol Grand Hotel
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Mercure Bristol North, The Grange Hotel
ViewMercure Bristol North, The Grange Hotel
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Ashton Gate Stadium
ViewAshton Gate Stadium
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Aztec Hotel & Spa
ViewAztec Hotel & Spa
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PRYZM Bristol
ViewPRYZM Bristol
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Showcase Cinema Bristol Avonmeads
ViewShowcase Cinema Bristol Avonmeads
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Future Inn Bristol
ViewFuture Inn Bristol
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Revolucion de Cuba Bristol
ViewRevolucion de Cuba Bristol
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Cosy Club Bristol
ViewCosy Club Bristol
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Imperial Sports Ground
ViewImperial Sports Ground
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Henbury Arms
ViewHenbury Arms
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Roxy Lanes Bristol Union Street
ViewRoxy Lanes Bristol Union Street
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Steinbeck & Shaw Bristol
ViewSteinbeck & Shaw Bristol
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The Human Lab
ViewThe Human Lab