Member Article

Coombe Abbey Hotel becomes the latest member of the growing Venues of Excellence consortium

One of the most unique and inspirational hotels and conference venues in the UK has become the latest member of the growing Venues of Excellence consortium.

The prestigious sales and marketing consortium, which awards membership to only the highest quality conference, meeting and training venues across the country, has announced the accreditation of Coombe Abbey in Warwickshire – the third addition in less than a month following Conference Aston in Birmingham and Altitude London.

Originally a 12th century Cistercian abbey nestling in England’s historic heartland, Coombe Abbey has been restored to its former glory and combines a taste of history with a sense of luxury. Set within 500 acres of breathtaking parkland, it is the perfect backdrop for conferences, corporate seminars and an impressive venue for celebrations, dining and leisure breaks in the Midlands.

The hotel features candlelit corridors, mediaeval entertainment, four-poster beds and individually designed bedchambers. With 119 rooms and wedding, conference and banqueting facilities, it was originally founded as an abbey but surrendered to King Henry VIII during the dissolution of the monasteries. Queen Elizabeth 1st even lived there as a child.

Venues of Excellence has reported rapid growth recently, with its membership size increasing by more than 18 per cent in the last 12 months.

Mandy Jennings, executive director at Venues of Excellence, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Coombe Abbey to our growing network, following on from the addition of Conference Aston and Altitude London within the last few weeks alone.

“Coombe Abbey is an incredibly impressive venue and so unique it brings something truly different to our offering. By just walking into the venue you get a real sense of history and as a former royal residence it stands out from the crowd both in terms of the building itself and its impressive location. In addition, the facilities and services provided by Coombe Abbey to meet the needs of the meetings and events market are second to none so they are a perfect fit for us.”

Ron Terry, manager of Coombe Abbey Hotel, said: “Venues of Excellence is a prestigious national initiative and it is a huge honour to have Coombe Abbey Hotel be recognised by them and also to become a member.

“The accreditation process is rigorous, but it was very much worth it to be a part of the scheme. It has already proved extremely beneficial for the venue, as we have received additional business leading from this.

“Coombe Abbey Hotel strives for excellence with staff always going the extra mile to complement our unique facilities. This recognition is a fantastic platform to build on, and we will continue to aim higher, making sure that we live up to being a Venues of Excellence member.”

The new venue join a list of major names with Venues of Excellence membership, including Alton Towers Conference Hotel, The Silverstone Wing, Whittlebury Hall Hotel and Spa, etc Venues Manchester, Highgate House and Woodside – both part of the Sundial Group.

To become a member, venues must meet and maintain the organisation’s stringent high quality standards across areas including facilities, staff, service offer, catering, environmental impact, customer support and health, hygiene and safety.

In return, members can access a range of services including sales and marketing support, discounted access to specialist industry training from the Learning and Development Academy, 12 member events, an annual conference and promotion at industry exhibitions.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .