Venue Hire in Portsmouth: Discover the Perfect Space for Every Occasion
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Portsmouth is a vibrant waterfront city where heritage, culture, and contemporary life blend seamlessly. Whether you're planning a corporate conference, a business meeting, a private celebration, or a creative workshop, Portsmouth offers a wealth of distinctive venues for hire - each with their own personality, history, and strengths. From grand civic buildings and modern hotels to iconic maritime attractions, the city provides a diverse backdrop for unforgettable events.
Planning an Event by the Coast: Why Portsmouth Stands Out
Portsmouth’s compact layout, excellent travel links, and unique island‑city character make it a convenient and memorable destination for hosting everything from intimate meetings to large‑scale gatherings.
Its rich maritime heritage adds a distinctive flavour to many of the city’s venues. From historic dockyard spaces to striking modern landmarks like the Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth's venues blend tradition with innovation in ways few cities can match.
Iconic Portsmouth Venues That Bring Events to Life
A centrepiece of the city’s civic and cultural life, Portsmouth Guildhall is one of the largest and most adaptable event spaces in the region. The Guildhall has a range of flexible conference and meeting spaces, including a 2,000-seat auditorium, to transform your events into unforgettable experiences. Immerse your delegates in the rich heritage of this inspirational setting, which is available for part or exclusive use and offers convenience with expert event planning, quality on-site catering, technical specification and support, hospitality opportunities, and excellent value for money.
With spectacular views over 23 miles of Portsmouth and beyond, incredible architecture and a unique waterfront location, The Spinnaker Tower is an unforgettable and uplifting venue for hire. It is an impressive setting for corporate launches, inspiring meetings and dinners.
Choose one of the city's theatres for a truly dramatic venue. The Kings Theatre is beautifully elegant and one of the best examples of an Edwardian playhouse to be found in the country. The stunning, tiered auditorium is ideal for conferences and presentations for up to 1,450 delegates and provides more intimate spaces for smaller numbers. Portsmouth’s Theatre Royal is available to hire for performances, business events, conferences and meetings. The theatre has a 640 seated capacity auditorium and a smaller studio space. Both theatres can provide AV support and catering.
Historic Venues for Hire Portsmouth
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is home to a host of truly unique historic venue spaces. The National Museum of the Royal Navy provides a variety of historical settings. For the ultimate event to remember guests can hire space on-board the historic HMS Victory – the world’s oldest commissioned warship. While restoration works are underway as part of the 'Victory Live: The Big Repair Project', the Great Cabin remains available for exclusive hire, offering a unique setting where Nelson once entertained dignitaries.
The Mary Rose and her impressive collection of Tudor objects create the perfect backdrop for any event. The Upper Deck is an awe-inspiring and atmospheric space, in which you and your guests can dine beside The Mary Rose herself with dramatic uninterrupted views of the ship.
Located at the entrance to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, HMS Warrior is a unique and memorable venue for any special occasion. The ship has a variety of historic spaces for hire that can suit parties of 20 – 240. Guests can choose to hold their event from the magnificent surroundings of the Captain’s Cabin to the truly unforgettable setting of the gun-deck, or why not enjoy a drinks reception on the upper deck complete with stunning views across the harbour.
Networking Spaces in Portsmouth for Inspiring Connections
Aspex Portsmouth is a vibrant art space bursting with charm, history and heritage. Located in Portsmouth’s prestigious Gunwharf Quays, Aspex is a Grade II listed former naval storehouse and offers natural light, plenty of character, and a captivating contemporary interior. Available for private and corporate hires, social events, celebrations and more.
Celebrate your event in a venue steeped with history at Henry VIII’s Southsea Castle. From weddings to business meetings and corporate events the castle has a range of room hire options available including the Castle Keep and Castle Marquee
Choose The D-Day Story for your next event, launch or pop-up. The Dulverton Room is a spacious, modern and well-equipped circular room available for hire. Add exclusive access to the museum's galleries, including the impressive 83-metre-long Overlord Embroidery and a visit on-board the immense landing craft LCT 7074 - a unique venue in Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Hotels with On-site Parking
The upbeat Village Hotel provides modish interiors and adaptable meeting spaces perfect for business events. With room for up to 300 guests, onsite accommodation, and a contemporary aesthetic, it’s a popular choice for conferences and away‑days.
Meeting & Event Hotels in/near Gunwharf Quays
Situated in the vibrant Gunwharf Quays complex, the Holiday Inn Express hotel is a short walk from Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and main city centre. You can host your meeting or training in one of the two meeting rooms with wireless Internet, car parking in Gunwharf Quays undercover parking, complimentary for the first 24-hours
The Royal Maritime Hotel has one of the largest conference and event facilities in Portsmouth and is conveniently located close to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and Gunwharf Quays. The state-of-the-art meeting rooms can host up to 200 people and are equipped with projector screens and superfast wi-fi. There are also several function rooms available for hire which are suitable for small board meetings, larger plenary sessions, breakouts, banquets, late night parties, celebrations and weddings.
Coastal Conference Hotels For Hire
At the Queens Hotel, you will find newly refurbished rooms, many with spectacular panoramic views over The Solent. The hotel boasts a range of versatile event spaces available for private hire, perfect for conferences, social gatherings, networking and high-level meetings. With a central location and onsite car parking, the hotel offers convenience as well as the wow factor.
The Holiday Inn Portsmouth is situated in Southsea, close to the beach, city centre and Gunwharf Quays. Whether you are in the area for business or leisure the Holiday Inn Portsmouth is a great place to stay with stylish and comfortable bedrooms and the stunning new open lobby concept. A variety of meeting rooms are available with a maximum capacity of 160.
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