When planning a business trip, it’s easy to put the focus on meetings and entertaining clients, but you should never underestimate the importance of finding a good hotel. After all, a good night’s sleep is essential in between long days, especially when you want to be on top form.
That’s why we’ve put together this list of 14 of the best hotels for business travel in London and the south west. To find the best hotels, we’ve looked at a range of factors, including price, TripAdvisor ratings, cleanliness and comfort, distance from station and local amenities, free Wi-Fi and breakfast, time of check in/out and the availability of business facilities onsite.
All the hotels on our list are less than 20 minutes’ walk from a train station on our network, and we’ve included hotels of different sizes and with different amenities so that you can find the best one to suit your requirements. Whether you’re looking for a comfortable space to enjoy a great night’s sleep ahead of a busy day of meetings or a hotel with business facilities such as meeting and conference rooms, we’ve got you covered.
hub by Premier Inn, London Westminster
This ultra-modern hub by Premier Inn in Westminster is just 20 minutes’ walk from London Waterloo (and less than a minute from St James’ Park underground station). The rooms are compact but stylish and thoughtfully designed, with blackout blinds to ensure you get a great night’s sleep. The hotel offers super-fast free Wi-Fi, and has an onsite bar where you can unwind after a busy day.
Dog & Fox, Wimbledon
The newly refurbished Dog & Fox in Wimbledon Village is a boutique hotel, with one-of-a-kind bedrooms designed with stylish nods to the surrounding area. It’s less than 15 minutes from Wimbledon station, and upon arrival, at any time of day or night, you’ll be greeted by welcoming staff. Make the most of free Wi-Fi and the range of meeting spaces on offer, then relax in the hotel’s very own pub.
The Red Lion Hotel, Salisbury
The Red Lion Hotel in Salisbury is part of the Best Western group, and is conveniently located in the city centre, less than 15 minutes from Salisbury station. The hotel celebrated its 800th birthday in 2020, making it Europe’s oldest purpose-built hotel! But rest assured that its facilities are fully in the 21st Century, with free high-speed Wi-Fi, a flatscreen TV in every room and meeting rooms with the latest audio-visual equipment. There’s also an onsite bar, located in the oldest part of the hotel.
DoubleTree by Hilton, Woking
If you’re travelling for business in the Woking area, then look no further than DoubleTree by Hilton. It’s just five minutes from Woking station and has its very own state-of-the-art conference centre, with meeting rooms that accommodate update up to up to 350 guests. Enjoy a warm choc chip cookie on arrival, and tuck into local produce at the onsite restaurant.
DoubleTree by Hilton, Kingston
Continuing with the Hilton theme, the DoubleTree hotel in Kingston is another of the best hotels for business meetings, with its very own business centre and meetings rooms accommodating up to 260 guests. This modern hotel is just five minutes’ walk from Kingston station, and during your stay you can make the most of the onsite gym as well as the stylish bar and restaurant.
Premier Inn Basingstoke Town Centre
Enjoy a super comfortable night’s sleep at Premier Inn Basingstoke Town Centre. It’s set right in the heart of this historic market town, just over 10 minutes’ walk from Basingstoke station, so it’s an ideal base when you have business meetings to attend in the town centre. Every bedroom benefits from free Wi-Fi and a flat screen TV so that you can relax and unwind after a hard day’s work.
Premier Inn Portsmouth City Centre
The best thing about a Premier Inn is that you know what you’re getting, and the Premier Inn Portsmouth City Centre is no exception, with comfy Hypnos beds, power showers, free Wi-Fi and Freeview TV in every room. It’s quite literally a stone’s throw away from Portsmouth & Southsea station, in the heart of the city centre.
Novotel Reading Centre
For a business hotel that offers meeting rooms, leisure facilities and dining options, Novotel Reading Centre strikes the balance. With 10 meeting rooms to choose from, a serene swimming pool and a restaurant serving an internationally inspired menu, what more could you want for your business trip? To top it all off, it’s less than two minutes’ walk from Reading station.
Premier Inn Southampton (Cumberland Place)
Remember what we said about knowing what you’re getting when you stay in a Premier Inn? The same applies for the Premier Inn Southampton (Cumberland Place), which is in the heart of the city centre and less than five minutes from Southampton Central station. After a day visiting client or attending meetings, treat yourself to dinner at the in-house restaurant and then relax in your comfy king-size bed. Got some spare time to enjoy the city? Read our guide on how to spend 48 hours in Southampton.
Guildford Harbour Hotel
With first-class facilities from both a leisure and business perspective, you can’t go wrong with a stay at the Guildford Harbour Hotel. It’s a specialist in corporate events, with meeting rooms catering for up to 250 attendees. Its recently renovated bedrooms come with all the facilities you could need, and there are two award-winning restaurants, a vibrant bar and a luxury spa to enjoy once you're ready to switch from business to pleasure. It’s 20 minutes from Guildford station or just 5 minutes from London Road (Guildford) station.
Townhouse Exeter
If business takes you down to Devon, then book a night or two at Townhouse Exeter. This boutique hotel blends period and contemporary features, with nine stylishly decorated rooms to choose from. Townhouse is renowned for its luxurious bedding and its tasty breakfasts, with the option to have breakfast delivered to your door so you can stay cosy for as long as possible before heading out for your day of meetings. It’s just over five minutes from Exeter St. Davids station.
Orchid Hotel, Bournemouth
The Orchid Hotel couldn’t be more conveniently located. It’s near to the town centre and the award-winning beach, it’s less than 15 minutes from Bournemouth station, and it’s also close to Bournemouth’s Lansdowne business district, so it’s the ideal spot for getting to and from meetings. Plus it has two of its own function suites where you can host conferences, training session, team building events and more. The bedrooms are beautifully refurbished too, complete with designer en-suites and well-sized work stations so that you can check your emails in comfort.
Hotel Rex, Weymouth
If you’re heading off on business to the classic seaside town of Weymouth, then check into the Hotel Rex. The beautiful Georgian building has plenty of its original character still, but with all the comforts of a modern hotel. It overlooks the golden sands of Weymouth Beach and the Jurassic Coastline, and many of the rooms have ocean views. After a day doing business, why not unwind with a stroll along the beach? The hotel is just a 10-minute walk from Weymouth station.
Ryde Castle, Isle of Wight
If you’re lucky enough to travel to the Isle of Wight on business, then make the most of what the island has to offer with a stay at Ryde Castle, which overlooks the picturesque marina. The building itself is a former Victorian manor, and nowadays it’s owned by the Greene King pub chain. The bedrooms are comfortable, there’s a restaurant and patio bar, and there are meeting rooms too, so it’s one of the best hotels for business meetings on the Ise of Wight. It’s just a short walk from where the ferry drops you (when travelling from Portsmouth and Southsea), and from Ryde Esplanade station, where you can hop on the train to get to meetings across the island.
The best hotel chains for business travel
You’ll have noticed some of the big hotel chains popping up time and time again in this list, but which are the best for business travel? At the 2021 Business Traveller Awards, Hilton Hotels and Resorts was voted the best hotel chain for business travellers. Premier Inn, Marriott Hotels, and Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts took second, third and fourth place.
Corporate hotel rates and business travel loyalty schemes
Most hotel chains offer corporate rates and have loyalty schemes that reward you and your business for being returning customers. In 2021, the Hilton Honours loyalty scheme won Best Hotel Loyalty Scheme at the Business Traveller Awards.
To save you and your business money when travelling, take a look at our Business Direct service. Sign up to find the best value corporate train tickets with no booking fees. Bookings can be made by multiple users, and you can use your account to monitor travel expenses and CO2 emissions.
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