Day meetings, residential seminars, private dinners and weddings can be organized here, with seven function rooms, 42 bedrooms and wedding packages for up to 80 evening guests. The venue is The Priest House Hotel at Kings Mills, on the banks of the River Trent in Castle Donington, Leicestershire, set in 60 acres of woodland, gardens and meadows.
Seminars and company events
Business events are sold as packages. The Classic Day Delegate Package includes hire of the main meeting room, three refreshment breaks with snacks, an LCD projector, a screen and a flip chart, mineral water, stationery and sweets, complimentary Wi-Fi, and a two-course hot and cold buffet or a working buffet lunch served in the meeting room. The Classic 24 Hour Delegate Package adds an overnight stay, a full traditional breakfast and a three-course dinner, which suits a two-day seminar or a board retreat. Executive versions of both packages are also offered. The Terrace Suite is presented as a room for informal business meetings of up to 40 delegates, and the Garden Suite has a private patio and garden that works as breakout space.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings are a large part of the hotel's activity. Ceremonies can take place on Kings Mills Deck, a riverside setting between the River Trent and a Grade II listed water wheel, or indoors in the Riverside Suite or the Terrace Room. The Priest House Package is built for 50 day guests and 80 evening guests, or 40 and 60, with ceremony room hire, a three-course meal, drinks, an evening DJ and a private bar until midnight. The Twilight Package covers 50 guests from 1 pm, and the Winter Package, from November to March, covers 40 day and 80 evening guests. Couples can also book the hotel for exclusive use, which includes the bedrooms, the Millstream Brasserie, the lounge, the riverside deck and the woodland.
Rooms and capacities
The Riverside Suite is a long room with beamed ceilings, river views, its own bar and a dance floor, used for larger ceremonies and wedding breakfasts. The Weston Room overlooks the Trent, seats up to 50 and also has a private bar and a dance floor area. The Garden Suite is bright and beamed, and opens through French doors onto its own patio and garden. The Terrace Suite has patio doors to a terrace above the river and connects with the Garden Suite for larger groups. The Aston Room keeps heritage beams and a large original fireplace and suits smaller theater-style meetings. The Boardroom is the smallest room, with daylight and views over the river and countryside. The Chellaston Room on the ground floor opens directly onto the Millstream Brasserie and takes various table layouts for parties.
Accommodation
There are 42 bedrooms on site, including doubles, twins, cottage rooms and honeymoon suites, so delegates and wedding guests can sleep where the event takes place.
Catering
Catering is in-house. The Millstream Brasserie is the hotel restaurant, and its kitchen prepares seasonal set menus or a bespoke menu designed with the Head Chef. The team pairs wines and handles dietary requirements.
History and setting
The mill complex at Kings Mills was first recorded in the Domesday Book. The Norman Mill Tower and the historic water wheels are what remains of it today, and the function rooms have recently been refurbished.
Getting there
East Midlands Airport is a short drive away. The nearest railway station is East Midlands Parkway, and the M1 motorway passes close to Castle Donington.
