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Barely a stone’s throw apart in the South West, Bristol and Bath are both cities with distinctive, vibrant meetings and event offers.

So it made a lot of sense when they joined forces last year with the launch of new regional convention bureau Meet Bristol and Bath.

With the two cities and the surrounding region offering some of the UK’s best and most unique amenities for meetings, conferences, and exhibitions, combining the two cities has only increased the number of exciting opportunities for event planners.

The cities are just 12 minutes apart by train – making it possible to hold the main part of your event in one city and drinks receptions and activities in the other. The region has event capacities for up to 1,000 currently, as well as easy access to the coast and countryside.

Bristol Airport offer direct flights from major European cities and worldwide connections through the hubs at Amsterdam, Paris, Dublin and Frankfurt, giving the region capacity for international events. It’s a 20 minute transfer to Bristol and 40 minutes to Bath from the airport, while event planners can also benefit from discounted delegate rail fares on GWR network routes, including from London Paddington.

The big venue news in the region is the YTL Arena Bristol, set to open in 2024. Once home to Concorde, Bristol’s Brabazon Hangars are being transformed into the new 17,000 capacity live entertainment venue.

The first arena in the South West, and the fourth largest in the UK when it opens, it will boast spaces for exhibitions, conferences and dinners as well as hosting huge live music, comedy and sport events across three interlinking venues.

It will be one of the first venues in the UK to operate without the use of fossil fuels, while it is estimated that repurposing the Hangars will save approximately 18,600 tonnes CO2 from being emitted. A new train station will connect to Bristol Temple Meads, with journey times of just 15 minutes.

Sustainability is no trend for Bristol – it's in the city’s DNA. Bristol was a European Green Capital in 2015 and boasts numerous Green Tourism/Green Key accredited venues, as well as hosting events such as the Festival of Nature and Wildscreen. Bristol has also been a UNESCO City of Film since 2017, one of 18 cities to hold this status recognising world-leading achievement in the field of film.

Speaking of UNESCO, last year Bath was listed as one of UNESCO’s Great Spa Towns of Europe. Added to its long-standing listing by UNESCO as a cultural site with outstanding universal value and cultural significance, the new designation has made Bath a rare double-nominated World Heritage Site.

Its Roman remains, hot springs, 18th-century architecture and landscape setting make for a truly memorable destination, while it has gained a new legion of fans in the last two years as the filming location for Bridgerton, one of Netflix’s most-watched shows ever.

Overflowing with atmosphere and elegance, the Roman Baths & Pump Room has been drawing in visitors to its thermal waters for more than 2,000 years. The historic venue is a unparalleled event setting, available for parties for up to 300 people and dinners for up to 200.

As a whole, the region is home to globally recognised industry clusters with key economic strengths in aerospace, high-tech, digital and creative, energy, and life sciences, supported by major international corporations, creative start ups and leading universities.

The 13th International Meeting on Microbial Epidemiological Markers (IMMEM XIII) is taking place in Bath this month at the Apex City of Bath Hotel, attracting up to 400 international delegates from all over the world to the city.

Meet Bristol & Bath supported the bid for the conference and worked alongside the head of event organisation at The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) to support with destination advice, venue and accommodation booking and connections with local suppliers, including a discounted rate on GWR trains. 

Inspiring incentives

The Wave

Just outside Bristol, The Wave is a one-of-a-kind inland-surfing destination, where people of all ages and abilities can catch a wave and experience its many physical and mental health benefits.

With onsite meeting spaces, it’s ideal for a team social or an away day, as groups can connect in the waves and then relax in the Clubhouse. The venue also makes much of its outdoor setting, encouraging groups to roam its green spaces, sit among nature, talk, learn and listen.

The venue is five minutes from major motorway networks and 30 minutes from Bristol airport.

Thornbury Castle

Once the country retreat of Henry VIII, Thornbury Castle boasts a history that few other English hotels can match. Impressive and intimate, the castle and its grounds make a wonderfully impactful setting for meetings, team building and training.

Activities such as archery, falconry and croquet on the lawn make the most of the surroundings, as does the atmospheric dungeon, available for private dining for up to eight people.

Dating back more than 500 years, the Baron’s Sitting Room offers an intimate retreat for up to 20, while for larger events, the majesty of the grand Tudor Hall is in inspiring setting for up to 66 delegates.

The hotel is located within 30 minutes from Bristol city centre and Bristol Parkway.

Where the Wall

Get stuck into Bristol’s graffiti scene with Where The Wall’s street art stencil challenge sessions. With options including a private Bristol Street Art Tour and a focus on creating art together as a team, your delegates will use laser cut stencils and spray cans to create Banksy style art. The sessions act as a perfect ice breaker, with previous clients including Red Bull, The United Nations Foundation, Dyson, Sky, Virgin Media and Hotel du Vin. Participants also get to take away their artwork, making for a unique slice of Bristol’s heritage.

Venue Updata

Billed as the world’s first Amazement Park, Bristol’s newly-opened Wake The Tiger is a fantastical interactive and immersive art experience featuring a multi-layered maze of immersive environments, secret passageways, hidden forests, temples, ice caves and much more. Wake The Tiger can offer exclusive corporate venue hire, which includes full access to the experience, freshly cooked food and a fully-stocked bar.

Hampton by Hilton Bath City opened its doors to guests earlier this year, joining a select few internationally-branded hotels in the centre of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage site. It features 202 rooms, a bar, restaurant and a 24-hour fitness centre across its seven floors.

The new 255-room Clayton Hotel Bristol City is a four-star property located in the Old Town district. It’s a modern contemporary hotel housed in the Grade ll listed Everards print works, and the design of the building celebrates Bristol’s links to art while restoring a piece of local history. The hotel features six meting rooms, the largest with a capacity of 55.

Hotel Indigo Bath has now opened its 18th century underground Vault rooms completing the final stage of its multi-million-pound major restoration project. The 12 Vault rooms feature exposed brickwork with soft lighting, timber finishing, vaulted bath stone ceilings, underfloor heating and high-end crafted furniture.