Highlights of 2024 at the Queens

We’ve enjoyed a fabulous year at the Queens and wanted to take this opportunity to take a look back at just some of the highlights.

Exciting win for the Queens Hotel in the Muddy Stilettos Awards

We are absolutely delighted to announce we have been recognised as the Best Hotel in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the prestigious Muddy Stiletto awards.

Queens Hotel secures Green Tourism Award

To mark English Tourism Week, the first Visit Portsmouth Green Tourism Awards were awarded to businesses that are able to demonstrate they are working sustainably and responsibly.

D-Day 80 – a world-class commemoration in the #heartofsouthsea

What a proud day it was for Portsmouth and the country as a whole as we marked D-Day 80 with two stunning ceremonies and a week of important events. The Queens Hotel was delighted to play its part and host veterans and VIPs including Dame Helen Mirren.

Queens hosts a prestigious celebratory dinner

We were hugely proud to host a prestigious celebratory dinner at the Queens for the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

VIPs, civic dignitaries, politicians and leading names in the world of sailing gathered at the Queens to celebrate the safe return of teams taking part in the Clipper 2023-24 Round the World Yacht Race. You can see our video of the evening here

Supporting Portsmouth to become UK City of Pride

We have a longstanding relationship with Portsmouth Pride and we are delighted to be known as the official hotel for Portsmouth Pride. We backed the bid to recognise Portsmouth as the UK City of Pride and we can’t wait to support the year of activity for 2025.

Finalist in the Apprenticeship Awards

We were thrilled to be shortlisted as a finalist for the SME Employer of the Year award at the News and Observer Series Apprenticeship Awards 2024. This recognition highlighted our commitment to developing young talent.

Charity football match was a major success

Thanks so much to everyone who came along to the John Jenkins Stadium to support the legendary players of Portsmouth FC – Pompey Charity Squad – against the star-studded FC Global Kickers.

It was a brilliant afternoon and a great chance to see our General Manager Paul Playford in goal for the first half. As well as being a lot of fun, both Pompey in the Community and Global Family, a charity dedicated to supporting families worldwide, benefitted.

Welcoming international guests to the Queens

The Japanese city of Maizuru and Portsmouth have been sister cities for 25 years and we were delighted to welcome delegates who were commemorating this special anniversary.
We were lucky enough to host the delegation at the Queens as part of their visit to the city.

Bringing the business community to the Queens

We love being so involved in the annual Portsmouth and South Coast Business Week. It’s a great opportunity to welcome business leaders from across the city and beyond.

Victorious festival on our doorstep

We are so lucky to literally be on the doorstep for all the action at Victorious Festival. We love working with the team who make this incredible event happen and we can’t wait for 2025.

Glowing review in Cosmopolitan magazine

Cosmopolitan’s Commissioning Editor Catriona Innes  just loved her stay at the Queens.

“If you like to role play as a hot mess Victorian heiress, who brings scandal on her family by throwing opulent parties and taking secret lovers, you have to stay in The Queens Hotel, which dates back to 1861 and still has a grand, yet hedonistic, vibe. Even if you don’t get your kicks imagining you live an entirely different life (just me?!) it’s still the prettiest place to stay, with herringbone floors, twinkling chandeliers and a ceiling mural to get lost in… and that’s just the lobby,” she said.

Royal charity gala event at the Queens

One of the first events of its kind for the King’s Trust Change A Girl’s Life initiative was held at the Queens Hotel.

MPs, representatives from The King’s Trust and VIPs were among the attendees of the Freya Rose gala.It was the third gala organised by Freya Rose and DJ Cuppy, ensured there was a cool vibe to keep the party swinging.

Portsmouth based Freya Rose is an internationally famous luxury shoe and jewellery designer. Moreover her designs are sold in famous stores such as Nordstrom and Harvey Nichols 



			

The cast of the Kings Theatre panto will be putting on a show at the Queens Hotel Winter Lodge in aid of Portsmouth Pride for the second ever Kings at the Queens extravaganza.

Eastenders star

Eastenders star Lorraine Stanley, George Sampson of Britain’s Got Talent fame and the fabulous panto dame extraordinaire, Jack Edwards, will be joined by fellow cast members of the 2024 Pompey Panto.

There will be singing and dancing amid the festive splendour of the Winter Lodge. Consequently Queens Hotel General Manger Paul Playford can’t wait for the show to begin.

“We held the very first Kings at the Queens event last Christmas and we all had such an amazing time. The evening raised thousands of pounds for a great cause and everyone left feeling full of festive cheer.”

“It’s fabulous to see the cast putting on a show and its an opportunity to see the stars up close and personal,” he said.

Raising money for Portsmouth Pride

The evening will be raising money for Portsmouth Pride, an organisation the Queens Hotel already has links with.
“We are the Official Hotel for Portsmouth Pride and support the amazing team throughout the year.

“2025 will be the year that Portsmouth will be the UK City of Pride and we are so looking forward to
playing our part in what promises to be an amazing year of festivities for the city,” added Paul.

Richard Pearce, CEO at the Kings Theatre, said: “The Kings Theatre and Queens Hotel are two of Portsmouth’s most iconic and much-loved buildings. Both organisations have experienced a renaissance over the last few years. And we are investing significantly to return the buildings to their original splendour and provide amazing customer experiences.

City treasures

“The organisations are keen to be viewed as City Treasures. We want to help one another to ensure long term sustainability.

“And we have the shared desire to help as many of the city’s charities and organisations where they can make a difference. The Kings at the Queens is all about showcasing these city treasures; bringing greater awareness to a local charity; and enjoying a festive family evening.

“Given the amazing success of the first Kings at the Queens event last Christmas, this year’s event will raise funds for Portsmouth Pride – another charity partner of both The Kings and The Queens.

“The evening is being compered by Portsmouth’s very own Lorraine Stanley. We will see performances from Pompey favourite Jack Edwards, BGT winner George Sampson, and the rest of the cast of the Pompey Panto. In addition, there will be a Christmas sing-along led by The Kings very own Resonate choir. It really is a night not to be missed.”


One of the first events of its kind for the King’s Trust Change A Girl’s Life initiative was held at the Queens Hotel.

MPs, representatives from The King’s Trust and VIPs were among the attendees of the Freya Rose gala.

Cool vibe

It was the third gala organised by Freya Rose and DJ Cuppy, ensured there was a cool vibe to keep the party swinging.

Internationally acclaimed

Portsmouth based Freya Rose is an internationally famous luxury shoe and jewellery designer. Moreover her designs are sold in famous stores such as Nordstrom and Harvey Nichols 

Style icons including, HRH The Princess of Wales, Kate Moss and Rihanna have worn her designs.

Dream to start a business

15 years ago Freya had a dream to start her own business. At the start of her journey Freya was supported by The Prince’s Trust enterprise scheme. Certainly, this was invaluable support and provided her with a loan and mentorship.

 “As a business we want to give back – it’s important to always give back.

Passionate about the King’s Trust

“Consequently the reason I’m so deeply passionate about The King’s Trust is because I have met people from all walks of life and some of the most creative and talented people have come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“They haven’t always had the opportunity to be or do something different as they have limited or no resources to create opportunities to advance themselves.  This leaves them stuck in the poverty trap, society can be unfair and I have certainly witnessed this in the industry I work in.”

Many thanks to Sarah Standing/The News, Portsmouth for allowing us to reproduce her stunning photo of Freya.

                                               

LOOKUP Portsmouth is a cool street art festival that happens each year in Portsmouth and we were delighted to learn the Queens has inspired American artist Beau Stanton.

He has painted a large mural in Wimbledon Park for LOOKUP (see below).  The whole piece is inspired by things Beau saw in Portsmouth.  The main character of the artwork is based on the sculptures on the outside of the Queens Hotel.

Frederick E E Schenck

Next time you are in Osborne Road, walking past the Queens Hotel, be sure to look up. The delightful figures you will see by the word Queens are the work of noted architectural sculptor, Frederick E E Schenck.

Sculptor who left his mark

A biography written by David Schenck highlights how his grandfather’s career saw him train at the Edinburgh School of Art before spending two years at the National Art Training School in South Kensington. Freelance designing and modelling for the world-renowned George Jones Pottery followed and he also worked with Wedgewood.

Terracotta

By 1888, his career direction changed as he moved into architectural sculpture,. He worked in stone, plaster and terracotta. Increasingly Schenck became known as a champion for encouraging closer working between architects and sculptors – and the evidence of this pairing can be seen to this day.

Sculptures in London

His sculptures adorn the central libraries at Hammersmith and Islington. Another great example of his work can be found at 37 Harley Street



			

Southsea has been hitting the headlines for all the right reasons lately.

Top places to live

Muddy Stilettos in association with Knights Frank has asked followers to vote for the top places to live in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and Southsea was placed in fourth position behind Lymington, Winchester and Petersfield.

Consequently we were delighted to feature in the round-up article for our ”casual all-day dining menu in a grand, nostalgic setting – and a marvellous afternoon tea.”

Bright Lights, Big Cities

Additionally in September, travel writer Peter Naldrett’s book Bright Lights, Big Cities will be published and it features a glowing review of Southsea.

In Bright Lights, Big Cities, Peter visits all 76 cities on the mainland British Isles – and a few further
afield besides – to find out just why each of them deserves to be held up as the best of British. Our cities are a cornucopia of iconic landmarks, historic cathedrals, fascinating museums and fabulous eateries, and Peter looks at familiar places from an entirely new angle, as well as exploring the less well-known corners too.

Special discount for our guests

He talks about all the major Southsea attractions (many of which our guests can access at a discounted rate) and also highlights fun things like the best place to eat fish and chips.

You can read more about it here in a recent article in the Sun newspaper …



			

We were delighted to welcome Michael Longley  for lunch recently – and he arrived clutching a handful of beautiful photos recording his wedding day at the Queens back in September 1955.

Michael shared how he met his bride-to-be Rosemary at Kimbells Ballroom in Osborne Road, while he was lodging in the city as he worked on the Handley’s Department store (latterly Debenhams).

His son Julian and wife Tess brought Michael back to the city on a trip down memory lane and they were delighted to have lunch at the hotel where he married.

“So much has changed but there are recognisable features at the hotel that I can still see,” he said.



			

We were hugely proud to recently host a prestigious celebratory dinner at the Queens for the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

VIPs, civic dignitaries, politicians and leading names in the world of sailing gathered at the Queens to celebrate the safe return of teams taking part in the Clipper 2023-24 Round the World Yacht Race. You can see our video of the evening here

Congratulations to Bob Beggs and the Ha Long Bay, Vietnam team for their thrilling victory after an epic journey of more than 40,000 nautical miles.

Experienced events co-ordinators

Our highly experienced events co-ordinators worked closely with the Clipper Race team to plan and execute a delightful evening.

General Manager Paul Playford said: “We were delighted the Clipper Race team chose to celebrate at the Queens Hotel.

“Everyone pulled together to ensure this was a delightful evening for all concerned.”

Clipper Race comment

Echoing Paul’s comments, Benjamin Cranny-Whitehead, who runs partnerships and events for Clipper Race team, said: “It was an absolute pleasure to work with your team in executing a flawless celebration of the Clipper Race.”

If you are planning a major celebration or VIP event, we would love to help make it a truly memorable occasion for you. Please contact our events team on events@queenshotelportsmouth.com



			

We are pleased as punch to have been included in a wonderful review by Cosmopolitan’s Commissioning Editor Catriona Innes 

When she visited our city, she stayed with us and she had plenty of nice things to say about us.

Grand, yet hedonistic vibe

She loved the vibe and our location was spot-on, she said.

Here’s just some of what she had to say …

“If you like to role play as a hot mess Victorian heiress, who brings scandal on her family by throwing opulent parties and taking secret lovers, you have to stay in The Queens Hotel, which dates back to 1861 and still has a grand, yet hedonistic, vibe. Even if you don’t get your kicks imagining you live an entirely different life (just me?!) it’s still the prettiest place to stay, with herringbone floors, twinkling chandeliers and a ceiling mural to get lost in… and that’s just the lobby.”

You can read the full review here

                                             

Portsmouth will once again be the focus for the UK’s national commemoration as the nation marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Queens Hotel is the perfect place to stay or visit during the festivities.

D-Day veterans, Armed Forces personnel, the leader of Portsmouth City Council and VIP guests will all be taking part in the historic event on 5th June.

Personal stories

The personal stories and reflections of surviving D-Day veterans will be at the heart of the event, which will also feature military musicians, a Royal Air Force flypast and moving tributes from special guests. They will commemorate all those who died during the Normandy campaign, and pay tribute to the surviving veterans of D-Day. More details can be found here

In all there will be three days of activities on Southsea Common – and the Queens Hotel offers the perfect base for everyone wanting to be part of this historic event.

Sir Winston Churchill

During the war, the Queens Hotel welcomed Sir Winston Churchill and General Eisenhower. Famously General Charles de Gaulle stayed at the Queens for a long period and could often be found on the terrace staring longingly towards France.

Whether you are planning to stay with us or join us for afternoon tea, a cocktail in Dukes Bar or a dinner reservation, you will be most welcome. https://queenshotelportsmouth.com/



			

We are absolutely delighted to announce we have been recognised as the Best Hotel in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the prestigious Muddy Stiletto awards.

In total this year’s Muddy Awards have reached over 10 million people nationally, with over 515,000 nominations and votes being cast across 21 categories across 28 Muddy Stilettos sites.

Huge thank you

We just want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who voted for us -. without your help we wouldn’t have been crowned Best Hotel in Hampshire & Isle of Wight – and we really appreciate your support.

Queens Hotel, General Manager Paul Playford, said: “We are really proud to be awarded the Best Hotel accolade in the regional finals – and we couldn’t have done this without the help of our customers and loyal supporters who voted for us.

Recognition

“It really is special to be recognised in this way and we look forward to the national finals.”