Conference Venues for hire in Coventry
Get a tailored shortlist from an expert
Your Questions, Answered
Coventry handles everything from two-person interview pods at Central Library to CBS Arena's 7,000-delegate exhibitions. The Slate at Warwick University offers 400-seat plenaries in a pillar-free lakeside setting, whilst Belgrade Theatre's main stage seats 858 for theatrical presentations. Most business hotels like DoubleTree M6 Junction 2 max out around 600 theatre style in their ballrooms. The sweet spot sits between 50-200 delegates, with venues like Telegraph Hotel's Editors Suite (140 capacity) and CoventryConferences' TechnoCentre providing multiple rooms for breakouts alongside main spaces.
Virgin Trains deliver you from Euston to Coventry in 59 minutes, then most city centre venues sit within 15 minutes' walk of the station. CBS Arena has its own station just five minutes from the concourse, whilst Warwick campus venues require a 15-20 minute taxi ride. The M6/M69 junction hotels like Holiday Inn and Novotel work brilliantly for delegates driving from multiple directions. Telegraph Hotel and St Mary's Guildhall both position themselves in the historic centre, roughly 12-15 minutes on foot from the railway station through pedestrianised streets.
The blend of medieval heritage and modern infrastructure creates unexpected contrasts. St Mary's Guildhall hosts board meetings where Mary Queen of Scots was once imprisoned, complete with DDR packages from £30 per person. Coventry Transport Museum lets delegates network amongst land-speed record holders, whilst Herbert Art Gallery offers the chance to 'Dine with Dippy' beneath dinosaur skeletons. The university venues bring serious scale with Scarman's 55 meeting rooms and Radcliffe's 42 spaces creating entire conference ecosystems under one roof.
Day delegate rates typically run £30-55 at business hotels, rising to £45-70 at premium venues like Warwick Conferences. Telegraph Hotel publishes clear DDR from £35, with green meeting packages from £25 per person. Stadium and theatre venues command £2,500-6,000 for main hall day hire, whilst smaller meeting rooms start around £200-300 per day. The university venues offer excellent value with Coventry University's TechnoCentre rooms from approximately £300 daily. Heritage venues like Drapers' Hall command premium rates around £1,200-3,500 for exclusive use.
CBS Arena's integrated DoubleTree provides 121 bedrooms right on site, currently undergoing refurbishment for 2025 completion. The Warwick campus delivers over 500 bedrooms between Scarman (204 rooms), Radcliffe (154 rooms) and additional halls. City hotels like Telegraph (88 rooms), Ramada (up to 140 rooms) and the motorway cluster including Village Hotel and Windmill Village (105 rooms) handle residential conferences smoothly. For larger groups, combining venues works well with multiple hotels within walking distance of conference centres.
City centre venues like The Welcome Centre and CoventryConferences at TechnoCentre put you within walking distance of restaurants, hotels and the railway station, ideal for day conferences with external delegates. Campus venues at Warwick offer self-contained conference villages with Scarman's 55 rooms and The Slate's exclusive-use approach perfect for immersive residential programmes. Belgrade Theatre and Transport Museum work brilliantly for public-facing events needing central accessibility. The M6 corridor hotels suit regional meetings where delegates drive from Birmingham, Leicester and beyond.
St Mary's Guildhall's Great Hall combines medieval atmosphere with modern AV, seating up to 180 beneath historic tapestries. Drapers' Hall, freshly relaunched under Historic Coventry Trust management, brings Regency elegance with its 1832 ballroom. Coventry Cathedral offers the dramatic modernist nave alongside medieval ruins for flagship events. Even newer venues reference heritage, with Telegraph Hotel preserving the newsroom character in its Editors Suite. These spaces provide memorable backdrops whilst delivering professional conference facilities.
CBS Arena dominates the exhibition scene with 20,000+ square metres including multiple halls scaling to 7,000 visitors. The Box at FarGo Village handles creative showcases for 500 standing in an industrial setting. Butts Park Arena's permanent marquee accommodates 350 for reception-style exhibitions alongside conference suites. Belgrade Theatre's B2 space and foyers create natural exhibition areas supporting conferences. For academic poster sessions, Warwick's campus provides extensive circulation spaces connecting the conference centres.
Scarman at Warwick stands out with IACC accreditation, 55 dedicated training rooms and packages including materials and refreshments. CoventryConferences offers 28+ rooms across four buildings with simulation suites for technical training. Village Hotel provides instant online booking for smaller training rooms alongside their 250-seat Inspiration Suite. The Place at Westwood combines indoor training spaces with outdoor team-building facilities across Coventry University's sports grounds. Albany Theatre's four bright studios create breakout workshop spaces supporting the 600-seat main auditorium.
Major venues like CBS Arena and Warwick Conferences typically see bookings 6-12 months ahead for large conferences. September to November and January to March represent peak conference seasons when The Slate and Scarman fill quickly. City centre venues like Telegraph Hotel and St Mary's Guildhall often accommodate shorter lead times of 4-8 weeks for smaller meetings. University venues offer more availability during student holidays (July-August, December). Heritage venues hosting exclusive-use events may require 3-6 months' notice for preferred dates, especially around graduation season.