Hosting a big celebration? If you’re looking to hire out a venue, we’ve put together a list of the top venues in London.
Hosting a big celebration? Whether you’re planning a big birthday bash, looking for somewhere to host a team building activity, or just looking for somewhere low-key, it can be difficult to find the right spot for you.
The hunt is over! – If you’re looking to hire out a venue, we’ve put together a list of the top fun venues in London.
Best unusual venues
Looking for a spot to ensure your celebration will be unforgettable? We’ve found some options for more unusual venues, so your guests will be talking about it for a long time to come!
Swingers
We’re not just here for a fun night out with a few friends (although we’re great for that too!) – you can hire a space within our venues to suit your needs. Within both of our central London venues, you can hire spaces for groups ranging from 12-800, with the option to also hire the entire venue for a truly exclusive occasion.
Complete with your booking, you’ll get a round of crazy golf per person, premium catering, and a dedicated team to oversee the event.
What makes Swingers a unique celebration venue? As well as the scale, is the beautiful setting and element of competition. A 1920s themed haven away from the busy streets, your guests will never be bored, as they challenge each other to a round of mini golf, enjoy cocktails topped up by our caddies, and dig into delicious gourmet street food.
Invite your guests to a prison they won’t want to escape from! Hire a space at Alcotraz for one of the most unusual events you’ll ever see.
Each guest will be given an orange jumpsuit to complete the picture and you’ll be surrounded by realistic cells as well as on-site performers to provide the entertainment. The bar is stocked, and pizza rations can be provided on request (you can also select your own catering if preferred). The perfect setting for up to 100 fun-loving criminals.
For a venue with a real prohibition feel, The Arts Centre provides a great backdrop for your celebration. Once an illegal drinking den frequented by the infamous Kray twins, the Arts Theatre is now decked out in plush sofas and bathed in candlelight.
The DJ booth perched next to a vintage piano highlights the juxtaposition of this venue’s questionable history with today’s premium and intimate offering. A cosy setting for up to 100 guests, you can also add a DJ, photo booth, and ice luges to your booking.
Who said an event needs to be held on solid ground? Take to the water (albeit permanently moored) by hosting your event at the Boathouse London.
There are three locations to choose from – Wood Wharf, Paddington East, and Paddington West. The boats are decked out with everything you need, so whether you’re hosting a sit down dinner, an informal canape night, or a meeting, they can accommodate adaptably.
The waterside setting, alongside furnishings from Made, provides an elegant backdrop to a memorable event. Understandably, there’s limited space on the boats, so contact The Boathouse directly to see if they can accommodate your guestlist.
Best 1920s Themed venues
Host a 1920s themed party that Gatsby would be jealous of. The roaring twenties is known for its elegance and glamour, as well as a love for fun and partying. It’s the ideal theme for those looking for guests dressed to the nines and ready to boogie.
Swingers
This is the second feature for Swingers on this list (who can blame us?). Our venues are decorated with the 1920s golfing scene in mind, creating the perfect backdrop for your Gatsby-inspired celebration. Bring all the fun of the fair to your event with our Great British seaside themed courses, throwing your guests back in time. Check out our carefully constructed courses, themed around windmills, waterwheels, lighthouses, and helter skelters.
Nightjar in Shoreditch is an intimate cocktail bar with room for up to 90 guests. Self described as providing “cocktails and live music, from an age when drinking was a connoisseur’s game and hospitality was an art”, Nightjar’s speakeasy atmosphere is an ideal setting for a 1920s themed event. With an extensive drinks menu, the bartenders here treat cocktail making like an art. Opt for the addition of a live jazz band for a final perfect touch.
Best venues for nature lovers
Sometimes you want to add a splash of nature into your event – plants and wildlife don’t just add a touch of relaxation to a venue, but also create an element of intrigue and entertainment for guests.
Based in Richmond, Kew Gardens makes for a perfect botanical setting for almost any event. There are a number of structures available for events; Temperate house, which is a huge Victorian glasshouse home to tropical plants, the Orangery, which is a large open plan building with large windows, high ceilings, and a summer terrace, and the Marianne North Gallery, perfect for drinks receptions, with over 800 paintings by the Victorian artist.
The people you invite to your event won’t be the only guests at your celebration if you host it at London Zoo. You’re able to privately hire sections of the zoo, including the areas around the penguins, lions, tigers, and komodo dragons. Bonus – when you book an event at ZSL, a portion of the payment goes towards global conservation projects.
Best low-key venues
Planning an event can be overwhelming, especially if you’re looking for something low-key and affordable.
The Builders Arms is a gastropub based in Chelsea, a bright and airy location for a more low-key event. Available for hire for up to 16 guests, the homely Georgian interiors put the focus on you and your event. Serving an elevated menu of food, including canapes and snacks, The Builders Arms is a great option for smaller events.
Holding up to 70 guests, Belmeis is a cocktail lounge based in Muswell Hill. Self-described as cosy and unpretentious, Belmeis specialises in cocktails and world music, with the sounds of Bossa Nova, Afghani Rubab, and jazz music filling the lounge. The cocktail menu is inspired by the seven deadly sins, from the lemongrass infused rum, basil, coconut, and lime juice “Greed”, to chilli infused tequila, passionfruit, with a Himalayan salt rim “Wrath”.
Best black tie venues
If you’re looking for a venue for a more premium, black tie based event, you might be looking for an elevated venue to match.
For the full Bond experience, hire a yacht and treat the Thames as your playground. Wood’s Silver Fleet have an experienced team, so if you’re looking for some help with planning the event, their little black book of the best entertainment and production companies across London could come in handy!
Capacity ranges from 12- 550 people, varying across the different choices of vessels. With the ability to travel across London, you have the option to moor at various piers across London to pick up guests, or to provide a unique backdrop to your event.
BMA House is a Grade II listed building full of beautiful period features, ideal for hosting a black tie event. Featuring a botanical garden and courtyard, it caters to corporate parties and dinners, weddings, and conferences.
Best large capacity venues
It can be hard to find a venue to accommodate larger guest lists. Throw the biggest bash at these higher capacity venues.
Skylon
Situated within the iconic Royal Festival Hall, Skylon provides a spectacular view of the London skyline. Accommodating up to 500 guests, Skylon can cater to weddings, receptions, business dinners, and product launches. Catering includes European cuisine with a British influence, and an extensive cocktail list. If you book your event at this venue, you could win an expenses-paid trip to New York for two, including a meal at Skylon’s sister restaurant based in Queensyard. An alternative prize is a party at the UK venue for free.
Sea Containers has lots of areas to hire out for private events, from a 200 person capacity amphitheatre to a 225 person capacity roof terrace with views across the Thames. Perfect for drinks receptions, summer parties, weddings – you name it, Sea Containers can accommodate whatever event you’re looking to host.
Miscellaneous
If you’re looking for more team building activities, check out our blog.
Looking for quirky wedding venues in London? We also have a blog on that.
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We believe that life is more fun when there is an element of competition, and that competition is best enjoyed with friends.
Swingers, the crazy golf club takes the holy trinity that is crazy golf, street food and amazing cocktails and combines them all into one incredible social experience
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