The Mercure Northampton takes the crown with its Buckingham Suite accommodating up to 600 delegates theatre-style, making it Northampton's heavyweight champion for conferences and exhibitions. Delta Hotels by Marriott follows with the Squires Suite handling 200 theatre-style, whilst Hilton Northampton's Collingtree Suite manages 280-300 depending on configuration.
For mid-size gatherings, Westone Manor Hotel stretches to 180 in its garden-facing suite, and The Plough Hotel's function room fits 150 for presentations. Most hotels also offer the flexibility to combine smaller rooms for custom capacities.
Westone Manor Hotel wins the value contest with DDR starting from £21 plus VAT per person, including room hire, refreshments and lunch. The Holiday Inn Express near Junction 15 comes in around £28-30 per person for basic packages, whilst Mercure Northampton's newly launched Business package starts at £35 per person with their post-2024 refurbishment adding extra appeal.
At the premium end, Delta Hotels and Hilton Northampton typically charge £45-60 per delegate but include superior AV support and more extensive catering options. The real insider tip? Book direct through Zipcube to compare all DDR inclusions side by side.
The ibis Northampton Centre at Sol Central wins for proximity at just a 5-minute stroll from the station, perfect for London-based teams on the 55-minute fast train. Mercure Northampton claims a 10-minute walk through the town centre, whilst The Plough Hotel on Bridge Street takes 12-15 minutes on foot.
For the business park hotels, expect a 10-12 minute taxi ride to Delta Hotels, Hilton Northampton or Holiday Inn on Bedford Road. The University's Sunley Hotel quotes 10 minutes by cab or a scenic 25-minute walk along the River Nene.
Delta Hotels by Marriott Northampton dominates with 16 dedicated meeting rooms, all on the ground floor with natural daylight and air conditioning. The Mercure follows with 12 rooms in its dedicated Meetings & Events Centre, whilst Hilton Northampton offers 7-13 spaces depending on how you subdivide the main suite.
Holiday Inn Express near Junction 15 provides 7-8 rooms named after local villages, and Westone Manor has around 7 character spaces including the Mezzanine and Sky rooms. Even the compact Sunley Hotel manages 3 rooms with LED screens for smaller gatherings.
Free parking reigns supreme across Northampton's hotel meeting scene, with Mercure Northampton offering an impressive 180 spaces right in the town centre. Delta Hotels, Hilton Northampton and Holiday Inn all provide complimentary parking with no time restrictions, crucial for all-day conferences.
Westone Manor and Holiday Inn Express also include free parking as standard, whilst the Sunley Hotel at the University's Waterside Campus has dedicated spaces for meeting delegates. Only the ultra-central ibis at Sol Central might require using nearby public car parks, though the trade-off is that walking-distance location from the station.
Hilton Northampton sits just 3 minutes from Junction 15, offering seven flexible meeting rooms plus the 280-capacity Collingtree Suite with full Hilton service standards. Holiday Inn Express Northampton M1 Junction 15 provides immediate motorway access with 7-8 practical rooms up to 70 theatre-style at budget-friendly rates.
Delta Hotels by Marriott, whilst technically near Junction 15A/A45, offers those 16 ground-floor meeting rooms with excellent motorway connectivity. These Junction 15 properties particularly suit regional teams driving in from Birmingham, Leicester or Milton Keynes.
Several Northampton hotels publish 24-hour delegate rates for residential conferences. Westone Manor quotes from £130 plus VAT per person including accommodation, whilst Delta Hotels' 24-hour packages typically run £145-165 per person including meals and overnight stay.
The Mercure and Hilton can arrange bespoke 24-hour packages on request, particularly useful for two-day training programmes or leadership retreats. These residential rates often work out more economical than separate room bookings plus DDR, especially when you factor in breakfast and evening dining.
Delta Hotels by Marriott leads on AV infrastructure with comprehensive support across all 16 rooms, including built-in screens, professional sound systems and dedicated tech support. The Mercure's 2024 refurbishment brought upgraded AV to all 12 spaces, with rapid setup configurations for different event styles.
Hilton Northampton provides standard Hilton-grade AV packages with on-site technicians available, whilst the Sunley Hotel's three rooms feature built-in LED screens and conferencing telephony despite its smaller scale. Even The Plough Hotel includes projector and screen in its function room hire.
Whilst Northampton's meeting scene leans heavily on chains, Westone Manor Hotel brings independent character with its manor-house setting and varied room names like the Mezzanine and Ashley rooms. The Langham Hotel on Langham Place operates independently with a 35-person conference room plus larger function space.
The Plough Hotel on Bridge Street maintains its coaching inn heritage whilst offering that 150-capacity function room with modern meeting capabilities. These independents often provide more flexible packages and personal service compared to the brand standards at Marriott or Hilton properties.
The Mercure Northampton emerged from its 2024 refurbishment as effectively the newest meeting destination, with refreshed interiors across its 12-room Meetings & Events Centre and crystal-clear pricing from £35 per person DDR or £95 per day room-only. The renovation particularly enhanced the Buckingham Suite's 600-person capacity with better lighting and acoustics.
Looking forward, the former Campanile site at Grange Park has just reopened as a Travelodge, though without meeting facilities. The Sunley Hotel at the University's Waterside Campus remains Northampton's most recent purpose-built addition to the hotel meeting scene, opened alongside the campus development.