Dial Events

Last minute Christmas party planning - it can be done!

Not booked your company’s Christmas party yet? No need to panic – there’s still time to find a venue and plan a perfect event to delight your colleagues.

For many businesses, finalising the budget for the Christmas party has been a low on the list of priorities this year, so you’re not alone in making festive plans now.

Despite financial belt-tightening, the Christmas party is still seen as ‘must-do’ for most companies. It’s a chance to relax together, to get to know more your colleagues and foster a real team spirit. It’s also a good way for a company to thank staff for all the hard work they have put in during the year.

For the person planning the event, there are two basis options: you can either go for a standalone event for just your colleagues and any guests, or join a larger Christmas event, which is fast becoming a very popular way to enjoy a ‘big production’ style evening with minimum cost and planning.

A shared event can make sense

If you share a party venue with other organisations you will have the chance to meet new people and network and you will enjoy a bigger party than your own budget would allow.

Some large hotels now book out whole large rooms for shared events. It really is a great way to enjoy a big and special event, particularly for smaller businesses. In most venues the room will be festively ‘dressed’, and there will be entrainment and usually a DJ for dancing after the meal. Many places really go to town on the decorations.

‘It’s still possible to book now for tables at a shared event on a Saturday in December,’ says Expotel’s Victoria Seddon. ‘Hotels let us know how many tables they have left so we can book you in. If you want just two or three tables you have a good chance of finding something special. It’s an excellent fuss-free way to arrange a Christmas event at fairly short notice.’

Plan for your guests

If you’re opting for an event for just your company, apart from the budget, the most important factor is your guest list. Of course everyone has different tastes but you should have some idea about the kind of event your group is likely to enjoy.

If you work in the heart of a city, a company Christmas event in the country – hopefully complete with walks in the wintry countryside and cosy log fires – can make a perfect contrast. Others might refer a slice of city life, with a shopping trip, tour or gallery visit during the day followed by cocktails and dinner at a central hotel. You can even find venues for outdoor ice skating in the city – very festive with twinkling lights and warm drinks!

If the budget permits, a matinee show can be a great way to start your event – or opt for a traditional pantomime to get everyone in the festival spirit (oh yes it will)!

Depending on the style of event you want, there’s a good choice of hotels offering Christmas specials at the seaside, in ‘country house’ settings, in the city – whether you want a traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings or a champagne reception there is somewhere that is the perfect venue for your guests. Many of our best hotels offer all you need: you can meet for cocktails, play games, even enjoy a spa before reconvening for a festive dinner.

Some companies prefer to wait until after Christmas and start the new year at work with a party. If you fall into that category start making plans now!

A few ideas for your Christmas treat

Enjoy a Christmas party – either private or shared – at the newly opened Town Hall Hotel’s Viajante restaurant in Bethnal Green, London. The Edwardian Art Deco style building is perfect for a stylish event. It costs £78.98 per person (plus VAT).

The Quay hotel and spa in Deganwy, Conwy, Wales, has a host of events that are a bit different, including Christmas Eve jazz, a 70s Christmas night and a series of Christmas discos at £35 per person.

In beautiful Buckinghamshire, the Corus Burnham Beeches hotel has a variety of events throughout December and January starting at £25 per person, while The Chase hotel in Coventry has a selection of Christmas events starting at £12 per person for lunch and £15 for the evening.

Dine with music at Prima Nunsmere Hall in Chester from £45 per person, or go glitzy at a Starry Night or Tinsel Delight party at the Royal Terrace in Edinburgh from £32.50 per person.

Barcelo are offering a range of Christmas treats including a Big Band Winter Wonderland night at the Barcelo Hinckley Island Hotel in Leicestershire from £45 a head. Or, try a medieval banquet at the Barcelo Redworth Hall in County Durham - £34.50 per head.

Twycross Zoo is offering extra bite with their Christmas Dining menus. For £39 per head, you get pre-dinner drinks, a three-course meal and views of the wading-bird pond. For an additional cost, there’s also the opportunity to get up close and personal with one some of the animals!

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The Bethnal Green Town Hall, which has stood in the heart of London's vibrant East End since Edwardian times, reopened its doors this year with the opening of Town Hall Apartments. Read more