Stoke Rochford Hall sets a challenge for everyone attending International Confex 2012
Tuesday, 07 February 2012 10:56
Stoke Rochford Hall sets a challenge for everyone attending International Confex 2012
Historic country-house conference and meetings venue, Stoke Rochford Hall, has a challenge for all delegates and visitors attending International Confex at ExCel next month: find a venue with more of a 'wow' factor within 75-minutes of Central London, and enjoy a luxury weekend stay for free.Set in 28-acres of glorious Lincolnshire countryside beside a quintessential English stone village, Stoke Rochford Hall offers stately comfort in historic surroundings, but with state-of-the-art conference and meeting facilities to rival any other venue in the country. While offering a perfect country retreat in the heart of the East Midlands, the Hall is also within easy reach of Central London either by rail or directly off the A1.
Around an hour by direct train from London King's Cross to Grantham Station, guests can be at Stoke Rochford Hall Hotel and Conference Centre - a 10-minute taxi ride away – in less than 75 minutes.
Historically, a place of learning and meetings, this imposing stone-built mansion nestling in sweeping gardens and open parkland was chosen by teachers union, the NUT, as the base for their National Education and Conference Centre.
As well as offering country house hotel comfort and country grandeur, Stoke Rochford Hall also boasts 26 flexible meeting areas, as well as a dedicated IT suite, spectacular ‘breakout areas’ on the outside terraces, a full leisure suite and a neighbouring 18-hole golf course.
Capable of catering for groups of any size - from 2, to 300 - and able to hold up to 400 guests at any one time, it features oak panelled rooms with ornate ceilings, including the Grand Hall with its fine grey stone, carved chimney piece.
But its most remarked-upon feature is it's incredible 'wow' factor, as visitors catch a glimpse of the Hall from the winding, sweeping approach road through the grounds.
“We believe conference and meetings organisers would have a hard job finding anywhere that offers such a rich mix of grand history and comfort with superb transport links – an inspiring country retreat, but just over an hour from the centre of London,” says General Manager, Mr Neill Walker.
Built 150 years ago by Christopher Turnor the current building is the last of a long line of noble houses on this site and was designed by William Burn, one of the greatest country house architects of his time, who also laid out Stoke Rochford village with its picturesque stone cottages and church.
In recent years the Grade 1 listed mansion has been restored to its former glory, thanks to a £12 million three-year restoration project, overseen by English Heritage.
Recently graded three star as a Country House Hotel – with 91 en-suite bedrooms, including 15 bedroom suites located in the mansion - it continues to be the NUT’s national training centre as well as a venue for day and residential conferences, meetings and events.
Stoke Rochford Hall will be on Stand Number MIA5 at International Confex from March 6th to 8th. Visitors attending the event are asked to visit the stand, and suggest other venues within a 75-minutes radius of Central London, which possess a similar depth of history and ‘wow’ factor. The person judged to have offered the best suggestion will then be invited to visit Lincolnshire as a VIP guest of Stoke Rochford Hall.
