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.
She loved the vibe and our location was spot-on, she said.
Here’s just some of what she had to say …
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.
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.
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.
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.
“It really is special to be recognised in this way and we look forward to the national finals.”
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.
Awards are based around three themes: people, place, and our planet. The Queens Hotel received a silver award and we are on our way to gaining gold recognition.
Our General Manager Paul Playford explained sustainability was a growing focus for the Queens and something he was keen to share with guests and the Queens team.
“We are making strides and actions like replacing individual toiletries in the room with refillable alternatives is just one thing that has made a difference.
“Wherever we can take account of the impact our actions will have on the planet we are doing so,” he said.
Councillor Suzy Horton, Deputy Leader of Portsmouth City Council. said: “Tourism is of huge importance to Portsmouth, supporting over 12,000 jobs and bringing in more than £600m per year in income for local businesses.”
“It’s a council priority to create a city that is cleaner, safer and greener, and visitors are increasingly aware of the green credentials of tourist attractions and hotels. I’m pleased that we are recognising the sustainability efforts of these businesses which will help us achieve our collective goals and make Portsmouth an even more appealing destination.”
Fran Downton, CEO of Tourism South East added: “Sustainable tourism is a growing market in the industry, so I’m delighted to see Portsmouth launch this scheme which recognises the efforts that businesses are making.”
“It also offers visitors the ability to easily discover businesses that match their green values and will hopefully encourage more attraction and accommodation providers to get involved with the range of benefits that are on offer.”
Talented female street artists having been spreading joy on the street close to the Queens Hotel with what’s been dubbed the city’s first ever Ladyjam.
The panels outside the former casino building in Osborne Road were last updated two-and-a-half years ago and artist Lou Short thought it was time for a refresh. She called on established artists such as Roo Abrook and Ooberla and got first timers such as BitsIfind to get involved and the results are truly stunning.
We recommend guests take the trouble to check out the eye-catching designs …
We are really excited about 2024 at the Queens and we look forward to enjoying many of the highlights of the year ahead with you.
The Queens Hotel is perfectly located for you to enjoy a whole range of events and activities – and many will be happening right on our doorstep.
Cross the road from the hotel and you will be on Southsea Common, the venue for many of the city’s large outdoor events.
Everything from Portsmouth Pride to Victorious Festival will be taking place just a hop, skip and a jump from the hotel. Our proximity to the action means you can enjoy all the fun and use the Queens as your relaxing base.
As the official hotel for Portsmouth Pride, we love the positive joy the annual pride event brings to the city. We were delighted the amazing team who put this event together, were successful in their bid for Portsmouth to be the host for UK Pride in 2025.
The annual Kite Festival is a free event that takes place on Southsea Common every July and is a fantastic spectacle for all the family to enjoy.
Goodwood Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival are also key dates in the diary. They draw an international crowd of thrill-seekers with a love for speed and vintage style. Find out more here
2024 marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day and Portsmouth will once again be the focus for the commemoration of this important date.
Our wonderful D-Day Museum will be hosting a range of events and activities to mark this special occasion.
Closer to home the Queens Hotel will be hosting its own celebrations. 2024 marks the 120th anniversary of the hotel being in its current form and we are planning to mark the date with a series of activities. Keep an eye on our social media for more details.
Whatever the occasion, we hope to see you at the Queens Hotel soon. 2024 is going to be a belter …
A wonderful time was had by all at the Winter Lodge last night when the panto stars from the Kings came to perform at the Queens Hotel in aid of local charity, Spark Community Space.
Former Eastenders star Shaun Williamson and James ‘Arg’ Argent from TOWIE fame really hit the right note with the appreciative audience. The pair are currently headlining the critically acclaimed Hook pantomime at the Kings Theatre.
And there was an opportunity for other cast members to shine as they performed favourite songs, with Pompey panto favourite Jack Edwards being compere on the night.
The evening came to a close with a rousing sing-a-long featuring much loved Christmas songs with all the cast taking part.
More than £5,000 was raised for the Spark Community Centre with Arg donating £1,500 to match the amount raised from ticket sales, prompting the Kings Theatre to pledge a further £500, which was also matched by the Queens Hotel.
General Manager at the Queens Hotel, Paul Playford, said: “This was such a brilliant evening and everyone enjoyed seeing the stars and cast of Hook singing some Christmas classics.
“It is the first Kings at the Queens event that we’ve hosted and we hope it will be the first of many future collaborations,” he said.
Shaun and the rest of the cast were delighted when they heard about the plans to bring a bit of Christmas magic to the Winter Lodge.
Shaun explained: “We thought it was a brilliant idea and we loved the fact we were helping to raise funds for such a good local cause.
“It was a chance to make some new friends in Southsea and to have a good ol’ seasonal sing-song.”
Becki Simmons, founder trustee of Spark Community Space, said: “I was completely overwhelmed when I was told this evening was going to be in aid of Spark Community Space.
“We’ve all had a wonderful time and I can’t thank the cast members and the team at the Queens Hotel enough.”
Spark Community Space is a local charity working to reach those who have been left out or left behind, to give people a place to belong, to be part of a community of support, to heal together and to spark back into life.
A golden ticket was available to win on the night and the lucky winner received a family ticket to see Hook and a voucher for afternoon tea at the Queens.
General Manager Paul Playford added: “We have been working hard behind the scenes for some time to be able to make ‘Kings at the Queens’ a reality and we are so excited that it has finally happened.
“It is the perfect pairing and we are delighted that Sparks Community Space benefitted from this evening of fun and music.”
We hope this will just be the start of many joint ventures between the Kings and the Queens.
“There is a real synergy between us and we are looking for more opportunities to bring the theatre stars to the Queens for special performances,“ said Mr Playford.
We are delighted that the Kings Theatre and The Queens Hotel are joining forces as ‘Kings at the Queens’ for a special Christmas cabaret in the Winter Lodge. The evening will be in aid of Spark Community Space on Thursday December 7th at 7.30pm.
Pompey Panto favourite Jack Edwards will compere the evening. Cast members from this year’s panto Hook, including Shaun Williamson, the former Eastenders star, will also be performing on the night.
To ensure there is a great party atmosphere, Shaun will round off the evening with a festive sing-a-long with all the cast. And, of course, the audience will be actively encouraged to join in.
A golden ticket will be available to win on the night. The lucky winner will receive a family ticket to see Hook and a voucher for afternoon tea at the Queens.
General Manager Paul Playford, explained: “We have been working hard behind the scenes for some time to be able to make ‘Kings at the Queens’ a reality. We are so excited that it will finally be happening.
“It is the perfect pairing. We are delighted that Spark Community Space will benefit from this evening of fun and music.”
Shaun and the rest of the cast were really pleased when they heard about the plans to bring a bit of Christmas magic to the Winter Lodge.
Shaun explained: “We thought it was a brilliant idea. We love the fact we will be helping to raise funds for such a good local cause.
“It will also be a chance to make some new friends in Southsea and we can’t wait to have a good ol’ seasonal sing-song.”
We hope this will just be the start of many joint ventures between the Kings and the Queens.
“There is a real synergy between us. We are looking for more opportunities to bring the theatre stars to the Queens for special performances,“ added Mr Playford.
Becki Simmons, founder trustee of Spark Community Space, said: “This promises to be a wonderful evening. We are so delighted that Spark Community Space will benefit.
“The Queens Hotel has been a great supporter for our charity – it is wonderful to be included in this fabulous event for the city.”
Tickets cost £10 and are available via this link: https://book.events/winterlodge/2023-12-07/43085
Searching for the perfect way to celebrate the festive season? Our afternoon tea with a
Christmas twist could be just what you are after.
From Friday November 24, we will be serving up a delicious array of sweet and savoury delights to mark the festive season.
The selection includes:
General Manager, Paul Playford, said: “Taking time out from the Christmas preparations to enjoy our festive afternoon tea is the perfect way to navigate this time of year.
“Leave behind all thoughts of present lists and food shopping and let the team here at the Queens look after you while you enjoy our delicious afternoon tea experience.”
And don’t forget, our afternoon tea vouchers make a perfect gift. Find out more in our gift voucher section on our website.
Please note our festive afternoon tea runs until Friday January 5 th and needs to be booked in advance, via our Restaurant 1865 website here.
We are so excited to be a sponsor for the Formula Kite European Championships which are coming to Portsmouth from 19th to 24th September.
Kiteboarding will make its Olympic debut at Paris 2024 so it’s really exciting to have the European Championships happening right on our doorstep.
Europe’s best riders are expected to be in attendance as they vie not just for the title of European Champion but also as they aim to qualify their nations for the Olympic Games. Crucially, the regatta will continue the legacy of London 2012, offering world-class racing in a city centre location easily watched by spectators.
Portsmouth was chosen to showcase this super-fast kite foil racing in the countdown to the Paris 2024 Olympics after the RYA won the right to host the 2023 Formula Kite European Championship.
Kite foiling sees riders ‘fly’ above the water on hydrofoils attached to boards, powered by huge kites which can propel them to incredible speeds of more than 35 knots.
Eastney beach will provide the perfect viewpoint to watch the high-octane racing, which will take place just a few hundred metres from the shore.