9 things to consider when choosing a conference venue

So, you’re looking to hire a conference venue but don’t know where to start? You’ve come to the right place. As the UK’s leading venue guide, we like to think we know a thing or two about how to find the perfect conference venue for your event. We even have an experienced concierge service dedicated to helping event-planners find their dream venue. That means, we know exactly what to look for when it comes to researching the most suitable space, from seating styles to capacities to facility requirements.

If this is your first time hiring a conference venue, then allow us to guide you in the right direction. Thousands of corporate bookers use SquareMeal every year to find a conference venue, not least because we list thousands of top venues across the UK. Whether you’re looking for London’s best conference venues, or a venue that caters for hybrid events specifically, you can find a wealth of inspiration right here. Or, simply search for a conference venue in the UK by location, then filter the list with your specific requirements. It’s that easy!

Before you get into the nitty gritty of your venue research, it’s important to have a good idea of what you’re looking for first. Set a budget, then check out our list of the most important things to consider when choosing a conference space, from location to layout, accessibility to accommodation. We’ve filled this guide with lots of specific venue recommendations too, to give you an idea of what’s out there, but you can always do your own research once you have a better idea of what you want.

Ready to get started? Have a read of our top considerations for choosing a conference venue – you'll be an expert in no time.

1. Location, location, location

London Chigwell Prince Regent Hotel is a mile from Woodford underground station, has 100 parking spaces, and offers a direct line to Central London

It’s not just about what sort of venue you choose - where it’s located is equally important. If your venue is difficult to get to, guest attendance could be negatively affected.

Make sure your venue is easily accessible via public transport, preferably near a train station and major bus routes, and maybe even close to an airport. If the venue offers free parking so that people can travel by car, even better!

If you know that most people will be travelling by train, consider organising a dedicated shuttle service to transport people to and from your venue. This is a good option for larger, multi-day conferences, if you have people arriving and leaving at different times.

2. Layout is important

Discover a wealth of small and large event suites at Hilton London Tower Bridge

Firstly, it’s vital that your venue is large enough to accommodate your guest list, plus any staff and vendors who will be in attendance on the day. Too small and your conference will feel chaotic and cramped; too large and the event will feel sparse.

Think about the layout of the venue, too. Do rooms interconnect easily, or will guests have to walk to another part of the venue for different sessions? This will affect the day’s timings, so it’s an important consideration. Especially if you have back-to-back activities lined up, consider giving everyone a 10-minute gap between sessions to allow them to use the bathroom and find the right room.

The style of seating will also have a large impact on your conference. For presentations and live speakers, a theatre-style set up works well, but do ask if the rooms accommodate flexible seating arrangements. For example, you might want the main presentation space to be arranged to accommodate a sit-down dinner after the conference.

3. Consider catering  

Conferences are often day-long, or even multi-day, events that involve a lot of activities, networking and speaker presentations. Needless to say, people will get hungry! At the very least, you’ll need to offer guests some sort of light snack and refreshments, but for longer, more intense conferences, then a full-on lunch will be necessary. When talking to the venue, make sure to ask about catering facilities and what sort of food and drink packages they offer. Some venues offer their own in-house kitchen team, which makes things nice and easy, while others require you to source your own caterer. If you’re not sure what type of catering to provide, below are a few popular meal types for large catered events:

Remember to ask if the venue caters to dietary requirements, and what sort of dishes they offer. Common dietaries include vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and halal.

4. Find out about facilities

New Place Hotel has everything you need to ensure a smooth conference, from a dedicated event host to flexible spaces

Conferences require speakers to deliver speeches and presentations, so one of the main facilities you’ll need from a conference venue is AV (audio visual) equipment – this covers microphones, projectors, speakers, lighting, screens and the like. For larger, more complicated set-ups, then an on-site tech team will be a lifesaver when it comes to ensuring smooth on-the-day running of your schedule. Here are some extra considerations you might want to think about:

Air conditioning: if your event is in the summer, you might want to enquire if rooms have air conditioning. Lots of bodies in one room can get a little stuffy!
Strong Wi-Fi: this is a prerequisite for any modern-day event. A good Wi-Fi connection is vital, especially if you have lots of digital components to your event.
Charging stations: avoid phone batteries bottoming out with dedicated charging points.

5. Talk to the team

You'll be in safe hands with the events team at Regency Park Hotel who can support with everything from team-building activities to supplier recommendations

A conference involves a lot of planning, so it’s important the venue has an experienced events team who can confidently guide you through the process. Before you book, ask the venue if they’ve hosted many conferences before and how the day would typically run. Asking the team lots of questions from the off isn’t just about gathering information. It’s important to establish a good relationship with venue early on, as you’ll be working with them closely in the run-up to the event.

Most venues will assign you a dedicated event co-ordinator to help you with planning, but make sure there are enough staff in place for the day itself, such as tech support, security, and even a concierge. 

6. Ask about branding opportunities

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Hosting a large event like a conference is a great opportunity to show off your brand. Never miss an opportunity to promote what you do! This could be through bespoke signage - both physical and digital - branded merchandise, and custom decor. It’s not just the details you add that contribute to the branding of your event. Make sure the venue you choose aligns with your conferences’ goals, ethos and vision. For example, if you’re hosting a conference about sustainability, then the venue you choose should have some sort of sustainable credentials.

7. Make sure it's accessible and inclusive

Ensure your venue is set up to be as accessible and inclusive as possible for everyone. This means asking whether the venue offers features such as ramps, lift access and disabled toilets to ensure everyone can participate in your event, regardless of mobility. Here are some extra things to think about:

Step-free access: does the venue offer wheelchair access via ramps and accessible lifts? Does is offer extra wheelchairs on-site, as well as a place to store them?
Communication: for hearing-impaired attendees, ensure presentations are set-up with subtitles, add live captioning to speaker sessions, or even consider if you need to hire sign language support
Accessible parking: ask if there are clearly marked disabled parking spaces onsite

8. Safety first

While emergencies are rare, it's important there is an established process in place for any unexpected events on the day, such as a fire, injury or medical emergency. The team should be able to advise on what to do in case any of these arise, but it's good to ask what the procedure is yourself in case the worst does happen. It's better to be over prepared than under! 

9. Sustainable support

When choosing a conference venue, make sure to enquire about what the venue does to minimise its environmental impact. Does it offer digital solutions? Are recycling bins placed throughout the venue? And water fountains? Are there any structures in place to purposefully reduce carbon emissions? Most event organisers hiring a venue in this day and age will expect the organisation to offer some sort of sustainable manifesto - and your guests will, too! 

10. Consider accommodation

Conferences can take place over several days, which means your guests will need somewhere to sleep. If this is true of your event, then it’s important that your venue is within easy reach of nearby hotels and accommodation, whether that’s on-site or in the surrounding area. An easy win is to simply host your conference in a hotel – guests will have a room to retreat to that’s just a few steps away, and it also removes any potential transport issues the next day. Check out London’s best hotels for meetings and events if you like the sound of this option.

If your conference venue doesn’t have dedicated accommodation, you might like to list a few recommendations of hotels in the area when sending out your invites. Even better, you could always consider working with a local operator to offer conference attendees a special discount.

Ready to start your conference venue search? Browse our directory of conference venues by location, or find a curated line-up of the best conference venues in the UK for some of our top picks.