Queens Hotel in Southsea, Portsmouth, takes board meetings of 20, seminars and dinners of up to 150 and standing receptions of up to 180 across five private rooms, and it hosts weddings and civil partnerships in licensed spaces. The hotel faces the seafront on Clarence Parade, in a building rebuilt in 1903 and 1904 and enlarged a few years later.
Seminars and company events
For a meeting or a training day, the hotel offers a Day Delegate Package and a choice of rooms sized from a boardroom table to a full conference. The Victoria Room, with its own private entrance, lobby and bar, takes 20 people around a boardroom table and suits a discreet board meeting or an executive dinner. The Windsor Room seats 20 in boardroom style and opens through a private terrace onto the gardens. Libby's Room, with wood paneling, a high ceiling and marble pillars, takes 22 in boardroom style or 10 in a U-shape.
Larger groups use the Elizabeth Room, the biggest of the private suites, which seats up to 150 delegates. On-site parking helps regional teams who drive in, and the bar and restaurant cover breaks and evening drinks after a session.
Weddings and receptions
The hotel markets itself for weddings and civil partnerships and lists several licensed event spaces. The Elizabeth Room hosts ceremonies and wedding breakfasts for up to 150 guests and evening parties of up to 180 standing. Libby's Room suits smaller weddings, with 40 at the wedding breakfast and 50 in the evening. The Windsor Room, with its terrace onto the gardens, takes 40 to 60 for a ceremony or a seated meal. Wedding menus and a brochure are available from the hotel.
Rooms and capacities
Elizabeth Room: 150 for a ceremony or round-table dining, 180 standing. Windsor Room: 20 boardroom, 40 to 60 for a ceremony or round tables, 22 at a long table, up to 100 standing. Libby's Room: 22 boardroom, 30 at round tables, 22 at a long table, up to 40 standing, 10 in a U-shape. Victoria Room: 20 boardroom or long-table dining. Charlotte's Bar: up to 30 standing and 11 seated, for a drinks reception or a small private gathering.
Accommodation
Bedrooms are available on site, including refurbished Superior Double rooms with sea views, so speakers and guests can stay the night. The hotel does not state its total bedroom count on its events pages, so organisers planning a block booking should ask for availability.
Catering
Catering is in-house. Restaurant 1865 serves a casual seasonal menu that includes fish dishes, and Dukes Bar handles cocktails. For events, the hotel provides wedding menus and catering within the Day Delegate Package, and the Victoria Room is set up for private dining.
History and setting
The site began as Southsea House, a private home built in 1861 and converted into the Queens Hotel around 1865. After a fire in 1901, a new hotel designed by Thomas William Cutler opened on May 19, 1904, and Sir Arthur Blomfield and Sons extended it in 1909 and 1910. The hotel lists Winston Churchill, General Eisenhower and Beatrix Potter among past guests. The building is Grade II listed.
Getting there
The address is 2 Osborne Road, Clarence Parade, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO5 3LJ, on the Southsea seafront. The hotel has its own car park. Portsmouth's railway stations and ferry terminals are a short taxi ride away.
