The Earl of Doncaster takes meetings and conferences from 2 to 250 delegates, weddings with up to 120 evening guests, and private parties, all in one Art Deco hotel with 83 bedrooms. The hotel stands on Bennetthorpe in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, and has been receiving guests since 1938.
Seminars and company events
The business events team builds each package around the brief rather than selling a fixed formula. The hotel lists private board meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops, talks, business lunches and dinners, networking receptions, award ceremonies and gala dinners. Spaces can be set for a one-to-one meeting or for a conference of around 200, and the hotel states an upper limit of 250 delegates. Modern presentation equipment is available, and a conference brochure with room details can be downloaded from the website. Parking on site is free, which matters for regional delegates who drive in. Clients come from both the public and the private sector.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings and civil ceremonies take place in the Grand Ballroom, the Ripon & Wetherby Suite and the Concorde Suite. The hotel publishes several packages. The Art Deco package covers 80 day guests and 120 in the evening, and the Intimate package 40 day guests and 60 in the evening. The two Twilight packages start with a ceremony from 3 pm for 60 or 40 guests, followed by 120 or 60 guests in the evening. Sunday versions of each package exist, and all of them can be adjusted. The couple's overnight stay with breakfast is included in the Art Deco and Intimate packages, and guests can book bedrooms at a wedding rate.
Rooms and capacities
The Grand Ballroom is the largest room and the one used for the bigger receptions and dinners. The Concorde Suite suits smaller weddings and private dining, and the Ripon & Wetherby Suite is used for ceremonies. The hotel also mentions banquet halls, private dining rooms and smaller meeting rooms without publishing a capacity per room, so ask for the brochure when you compare layouts. Beyond weddings and conferences, the hotel hosts school proms, birthdays, christenings, Christmas parties and funeral receptions for 15 to 200 guests.
Accommodation
The hotel has 83 bedrooms, including a bridal suite, so delegates on a two-day program and wedding guests can stay on site without a transfer.
Catering
Food is prepared in house. Wedding packages include canapés with an arrival drink, a three-course wedding breakfast with wine, a toast and an evening buffet. For business events the hotel offers lunches and dinners on set menus, cocktail receptions with tailored menus, and afternoon tea. Café Bar Concerto, three bars and a coffee shop serve guests outside the event program.
History and setting
The hotel is a period Art Deco building, and its lines and interiors are much of what couples and companies book it for. It has hosted wedding receptions for more than 50 years and is part of the architectural heritage of the town.
Getting there
The address is Bennetthorpe, Doncaster DN2 6AD, on the main road southeast of the town center. Doncaster station, on the East Coast Main Line, is a short taxi ride away, with direct trains to London, Leeds and York. Free parking is available at the hotel, with direct access for guests with reduced mobility.
