ROYAL BOROUGH OF WINDSOR MAIDENHEAD LONDON’S COUNTRY ESTATE& OFFICIAL 2020 VENUES DIRECTORY WWW.WINDSOR.GOV.UK Be inspired... ...in a place that embodies the history of the nation. Where royal patronage meets a rich cultural heritage and stunning architecture enriches the glorious natural scenery. Contents The Right Choice Green without Our Suppliers 2 You’ve made it! The Royal Borough 6 Compromise 42 For help with everything from of Windsor & Maidenhead. catering to event management A More Positive & and guiding services to Motivate, Reward, Entertain 7 Productive You rail transport. 3 Our guide to the best incentives, team building and corporate As we Live & Breathe Getting here hospitality. 8 We know this destination inside 47 & Getting Around and out. We’re here to help. By road, by rail, by air. 48hrs in Windsor 4 It doesn’t matter how many times Our Venues Map you visited before there’s always 9 A selection of the best, most 50 Because you need to something new to see or experience. interesting and versatile locations find your way around. for your next meeting or event. Design: www.ice-experience.co.uk The Royal Borough 1 The Right Choice YOU’ve made iT! The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead. LONDON’S COUNTRY ESTATE You can’t say the word Windsor without conjuring The region thrives on its royal patronage, rich up images of the world’s oldest and largest cultural heritage and an array of British icons. inhabited castle, the country’s longest-reigning Add to this a wealth of attractions combined monarch, world-class international events and with superb shopping and a range of high stunning natural scenery. quality restaurants and you have the complete package when it comes to placing your next meeting or event. 2 Official 2020 Venues Directory Motivate, Reward, Entertain CORPORA TE HOS From Royal Ascot, the centrepiece Ascot, Royal From PIT reflect its very special position as premier music and arts festivals in the UK, events in this destination the UK, to Windsor Festival, one of the to Windsor Festival, ALITY, TEAM BUILDING AND INCENTIVE TRAVEL of the British social calendar, of the British social calendar, Events a royal borough. Experience The magic of this iconic location is brought to life on a private evening tour of the magnificent Windsor Castle while guided walking tours, with one of our expert guides, bring 1,000 years of history to life. In the towns and villages surrounding Windsor discover a landscape that inspired artists, authors, adventurers, poets Relaxation and politicians. There’s no better reward than a luxurious break away from it all. Stunning spa hotels, award-winning restaurants, championship golf courses and acre after acre of jaw-droppingly beautiful countryside will leave you feeling renewed and revitalised. Participation mastering Windsor’s Escape Experience. whether it be a bungee jump from whether it be a bungee jump from boat racing or the exhilaration of hearts racing, rise to a new challenge hearts racing, 300 feet, the spectacular fun of dragon 300 feet, Sure to get the adrenalin pumping and The Grand Reception Room, Windsor Castle. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 2017 Photographer: Mark Fiennes Learning with one of the finest chefs in taking a culinary masterclass and exhilarating sport – or and exhilarating sport – world’s oldest, most graceful world’s oldest, the challenge of polo – the airfields enjoying in the country, of the oldest and best-known of the oldest and best-known the country, there’s so much there’s so much the country, Whether learning to fly at one to experience. to experience. The Royal Borough 3 Windsor Castle Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020 48hrs in Windsor Merely a hop, skip and a jump from London, a stone’s throw from Heathrow Airport but a world away from the city, Windsor is a place of beauty where you can enjoy the very best of English culture, feel a sense of history and free your mind. 4 Official 2020 Venues Directory DayOne With almost 1,000 years of history to discover, 13 acres (5 hectares) of buildings including the magnificent State Apartments, Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and St George’s Chapel you need at least two hours at Windsor Castle. It doesn’t matter how many times you visited before there’s always something new to see or experience. From Conquer the Tower to summer band concerts and visits to the Moat Garden this iconic attraction has to be top of your must-visit list. Time your visit so that you can catch the changing of the guard ceremony that takes place in Lower Ward. This is the only place outside London where you can see this colourful display whilst listening to the military band. Relax after lunch on a gentle cruise along the River Thames as it meanders past famous sites such as Eton College Chapel and Royal Windsor Racecourse or take in the spectacular views of Windsor Castle from the Long Walk during a horse-drawn carriage ride. Take a stroll over the bridge to the opposite bank of the Thames into Eton with its world-famous school. Eton is an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary retail bringing together antiques and modern art, traditional medicines and complementary beauty therapies, English roast dinners and exquisite European cuisine. The mile-long high street leading down to Eton College gives you a sense of stepping back in time when you see the boys in their traditional school dress. Day After hours you’ll find great entertainment at Windsor’s Theatre Royal or one of two fantastic arts centres in the borough – Two Norden Farm in Maidenhead and The Old Court in Windsor. Learn more about this charming town and its history by taking For the ultimate dining experience head to the culinary mother a guided tour with a local expert. Nobody knows it quite like ship at Bray where Michelin stars abound but if you prefer to Windsor Tourist Guides do. stay in Windsor you’ll find a fine array of eating places and watering holes. For a fun way to experience Windsor & Eton head to the Duck Stop outside the Theatre Royal to catch the Duck tour, an amphibious vehicle that takes you on a circular tour of the town on road and water. If you prefer something more active test your skills at the brand-new, interactive and immersive Escape Rooms in Windsor. Find clues, solve puzzles and crack codes to locate the key for your escape! You have 60 minutes on the clock… will you make it out? Windsor Great Park is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy the natural environment, offering horse riding, mountain biking, kite flying, picnicking, walks and more. The glorious Savill Garden bursting with colour all year round, and plenty of fresh air will help clear your mind and refresh your soul. The Royal Borough 5 Green without Compromise WHEN SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES HIGH ON YOUR LOCATION CRITERIA LIST YOU DON’T HAVE TO SACRIFICE GLAMOUR FOR CONVENIENCE OR PRESTIGE FOR PRACTICALITY. London’s Country Estate, with Windsor at its heart, extends over The Monkey Island Estate kitchen garden features home grown vast landscapes of well-kept grounds and beautiful countryside herbs and pickling vegetables and the island supports four including over 1,000 acres of National Trust land in the north beehives, a smokehouse and six chickens, all named after famous and 4,800 acres of Crown Estate. It features large country hotel ladies on the estate. The Oakley Court’s comprehensive green estates and private islands in the River Thames accessible only by events policy includes reusable water bottles, glass writing boards, boat. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II chooses to spend her free pencils and conference pads made from recycled paper, outdoor weekends here in the world’s oldest occupied castle. There are break-out spaces, lunches of locally sourced produce and spectacular venues chosen by Royal couples from Princes and seasonal home grown salads. The onsite water dispenser provides Princesses to Dukes and Duchesses, high profile social events and chilled still and sparkling water in reusable glass bottles, a system a galaxy of Michelin stars for fine dining options. up to 40% more efficient than other systems. Outdoors there is complimentary bike hire to explore the local area and Windsor is close to Heathrow airport, and well served by public free charging for delegates with electric vehicles. transport, including two railway lines facilitating short journey times of less than an hour by public transport to the capital. There The Runnymede hotel successfully diverts 100% of waste from are locally brewed craft beers, several gin distillers and dining landfill sites and uses an Eco-Safe Digester to aerobically establishments striving to source and serve local ingredients. digest all food waste. Plastic straws and stirrers were replaced Many hotel estates grow their own herbs and vegetables, support by bio-degradable paper straws and bamboo in all restaurants wildlife, keep beehives and support a quiet revolution with refillable and bars in March 2018. Wildlife supporting measures to enhance toiletries, solar panel heating, plastic and food waste reduction, the environment include planting new native woodland and composting and rainwater harvesting. the provision of electric boats. Dig deeper and you’ll find hotels utilising modern technologies There’s an underground energy centre at Coworth Park, which and adapting to meet sustainability requirements without losing is the UK’s only hotel to grow its own fuel by cultivating willow their heritage and identity. Great Fosters recently switched to 100% on the estate for use in the biomass heating plant.