Central London, the heart of perhaps the world's most historic (and, to many, the world's greatest) city, is home to all of England's important political, financial and governmental institutions and it is a prestigious international convention destination that remains uniquely British to the very core of its being. It is a world-class cultural center, full of museums, art galleries, concert halls and tourist attractions, as well as a wonderful range of restaurants, bars and clubs. Meeting venues in Central London, in particular, are among the city's most famous and celebrated institutions.
Central London is the nexus for all of the capital's main-line railway stations, and high-speed rail links connect it to Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted international airports and London City Airport.
Situated on the north bank of the Thames, Central London contains the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and one of the world's most important financial districts, known simply as "The City." Conference venues in Central London include the award-winning, 3,000-capacity Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, which sits directly opposite the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey and just alongside the Central Hall Westminster, which is a spectacular landmark building and can seat over 2,000 delegates within the awe-inspiring Grand Hall. Nearby, the Church House Conference Centre can accommodate up to 660 delegates within its historic splendor.
Some magnificent Central London special event venues include Whitehall's Churchill War Rooms, from which Winston Churchill directed the Second World War, a superb historic venue for conferences and corporate hospitality events for up to 400 delegates; and the stunning Main Hall of Banqueting House, also in Whitehall, that can seat up to 380 guests in highly prestigious surroundings. Many of these venues, including 76 Portland Place, an impressive Georgian building and convention center, and the Royal Horticultural Halls and Conference Centre (RHH), which provides outstanding facilities for up to 200 delegates, are strongly associated with great moments in the history and pageantry of England.
Of course, elegant 4 and 5 Star hotels abound in Central London, including the Marriott Hotel Mayfair, with nearly 500 rooms and home to Europe's largest banqueting hall for over 2,000 guests, and the stunning 1,000-room, Cumberland Hotel on Oxford Street. Other famous hotels in this area that offer unforgettable conference facilities include the 490-room Grosvenor House in Mayfair; the 450-room InterContinental and the 490-room Dorchester on Park Lane, the recently refurbished Savoy Hotel, Claridge's and the Connaught. There are plenty of good 3 and 4 Star hotels in the area too, notably the huge, 780-room Strand Palace Hotel.
Lavish fashionable shops are to be found in the fabulous West End where Bond Street, Oxford Street, Regent Street and Covent Garden sit alongside London's famous theater land (with more theaters than Broadway), centered upon Leicester Square.
