Hand Picked Hotels offers some of the most luxurious locations for conferences and events in the UK and Jersey, with a range of excellent facilities in beautiful locations.  With meeting rooms to accommodate from 2 to 300 people, Hand Picked Hotels make the ideal venue for small and large scale events.

Conference and event bookers can select from the exquisite collection of 14 unique country houses including Rookery Hall Hotel & Spa, in Nantwich, Cheshire; Norton House Hotel & Spa, in Edinburgh and Rhinefield House Hotel, in the New Forest, Hampshire, Ettington Park in Stratford-upon-Avon, and Crathorne Hall, Yarm North Yorkshire. The collection also includes the only beachside conference venue in Jersey - L’Horizon Hotel & Spa located on stunning St Brelade’s Bay.

Each hotel provides much more than just a venue for business and all 14 are located in some of the UK’s most stunning locations.  Guests can indulge in locally sourced food and fine wine and stay in luxuriously styled rooms with the latest technology whilst enjoying the sumptuous hotel environment. 

Hand Picked Hotels offer a tailored service to create an unforgettable experience for guests.  The experienced conference teams can help arrange an event to meet almost any requirement from large scale conferences to outside team building events including clay pigeon shooting, fishing, geese herding, hot air ballooning and archery.

Throughout this autumn and winter, every conference and event enquiry as well as subsequent confirmations made for the Hand Picked Hotel collection will result in the chance to win a number of great prizes. The online offer is one of the best incentives offered by Hand Picked Hotels to date. 

Each enquiry, made between now and 31st January 2008, will receive an entry to a dedicated online game which will give each booker the chance to win top prizes including spa treatments, afternoon teas, dinner for two, Champagne, shopping vouchers, plasma televisions, holiday vouchers and half price stays at any hotel in the Hand Picked collection.

The enquiry must be for business between 1st January and 30th April 2008 with a minimum value of £1,000.  Prizes can be redeemed by contacting the hotel sales manager directly. 

Hand Picked Hotels recently presented its brand new £4 million development at Rhinefield House, a stunning Victorian mansion in the New Forest near Brockenhurst, Hampshire.  As well as increasing bedroom capacity to 50 rooms, there are five new conference and banqueting rooms which can accommodate meetings for up to 160 people. It features a dedicated multi-purpose reception area which can be used as a quiet space for guests or as a welcome area for functions.  Hand Picked Hotels has developed these additional rooms in a stylish extension which has been designed to fit into its natural forest environment. The building creatively uses dark mirrored glass on its exterior to blend seamlessly into the trees of the New Forest, which surround the hotel. 

Other unique locations to consider include L’Horizon Hotel & Spa which overlooks the charming St Brelade’s Bay in Jersey and Ettington Park Hotel near Stratford Upon Avon.  There are five spacious rooms ideal for meetings, conferences or even banquets and some with space for up to 240 delegates.  Or for a more traditional setting Ettington Park is home to the Long Gallery, a spectacular room with an arched timber ceiling originally designed as a family museum.  It can seat up to 75 people for a conference and can accommodate 80 for a private dinner.  The hotel dates back 900 years with some fascinating features including hidden staircases and antique paintings.
A £10 million development has transformed Hand Picked Hotels’ luxury four-star country house property, Rookery Hall Hotel & Spa, near Nantwich, Cheshire. The hotel’s conference facilities are brand new and include additional new Executive bedrooms, as well as an exclusive Health Club & Spa. The stunning new conference suites, roof terrace and private bar area are ideal for business meetings, large conferences, special events and private dining. There are six meeting rooms in total, hosting up to 220 people. All the rooms are fully equipped with the latest technology, including complimentary wi-fi, air conditioning and 50 inch plasma drop down screens with DVD and AV connectors. Additional stylish contemporary bedrooms have been created, taking the total number to 70.

Norton House in Edinburgh is opening its new conference and banqueting suites and health club & spa this December to further enhance its presence as a luxury venue.  The development is set to create the ultimate experience for business and pleasure.  Hand Picked Hotels will also be unveiling 36 newly furnished bedrooms, which are opening to guests from October, increasing the Hotel’s capacity to 83 bedrooms and suites.  The £13 million refurbishment includes three new duplex suites, plus a beautiful penthouse, one of the most luxurious suites in Edinburgh, with stunning views overlooking the Kingdom of Fife. 

Each individual hotel offers full business facilities including IT equipment and free internet access in all meeting rooms, bedrooms and pubic areas.  Conference teams are on call at each hotel to organise an extensive range of team building activities. 

For a full list of Hand Picked Hotels, their facilities and individual contact details visit handpicked.co.uk or contact the Hand Picked Conference & Events Team on 0845 458 0902

Notes to editors
The award-winning Hand Picked Hotels collection, created by former City lawyer Julia Hands, are luxurious country house hotels renowned for exquisite food, fine wines and excellent service in stylish, relaxing surroundings. There are 14 hotels across the UK, with locations ranging from the New Forest and Jersey to Yorkshire and Edinburgh.  Hand Picked Hotels has focused on the quality of its service and cuisine and in the last three years 12 hotels have achieved two AA rosette status with Norton House in Edinburgh winning three AA rosettes.  Six hotels have achieved red star status, being recognised as amongst the AA’s Top 200 hotels in the UK & Ireland. In 2007, Julia Hands was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to the hospitality industry.

For media information please contact Natalie Amos/Lisa Ronchetti at Four Communications at hph@fourcommunications.com or telephone +44 (0)870 444 4568