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.
Here at the Queens, we love the colourful world film director, Wes Anderson has created and we were beyond overjoyed to discover we are part of the Accidentally Wes Anderson phenomenon that has taken social media by storm.
Photographer Tom Benjamin submitted us to the site way back in 2019. We are delighted to feature on the map of 1,821 places highlighting the most beautiful, idiosyncratic and interesting places on earth.
Brooklyn-based husband and wife team of Wally & Amanda came up with the idea for AWA to develop a personal travel bucket list. First established on Instagram, their personal project quickly developed into a wide-reaching resource, providing inspiration for travellers and creatives across the world. Today their site has two million followers and there have been books and postcards produced.
With their puppy mascot, Dexter, by their side, the adventurous couple’s mission evolved from curating and researching interesting locations to bringing the Community along on virtual Adventures around the world. Their mission remains the same from the start – provide a daily dose of delight and inspire a sense of adventure and curiosity for all that wish to participate.
A viral online phenomenon, AWA has encouraged millions of people to view the world in a different way, celebrating a gorgeous colour palette and composition.
We are so proud to be part of this global phenomenon that inspires more than one million adventurers.
https://accidentallywesanderson.com/about/
https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/accidentally-wes-anderson-locations
Our talented pastry team loves nothing more than creating delectable delights for you to enjoy as part of our much-loved afternoon tea.
Melt in the mouth scones that can be topped with jam and cream (or should it be cream and jam – where do you sit on this question?), light as a feather sponge and delicious macarons are just a few of the elements that win regular plaudits from guests.
To mark afternoon tea week, we are offering everyone that books between August 7th to 13th the chance to enjoy a complimentary glass of sparkling wine or alcohol free alternative. You can book via our website here
The tradition of Afternoon Tea is attributed to Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford. She is said to have complained of “having that sinking feeling” during the late afternoon. The solution was a pot a tea and a light snack. This was taken privately at first, then she invited friends to join her. Eventually all fashionable society was sipping tea and nibbling sandwiches in the middle of the afternoon.
Afternoon Tea Week is a perfect excuse to celebrate this cherished British tradition and experience the elegance and charm of this delightful treat.
Five star review – “Took my mum for afternoon tea for her 60th birthday. It was a really special day and the hotel made it even more special.”
Five star review – “I took family and friends out for afternoon tea. As always there was excellent service and quality of food. The Queens has a beautiful dining area and the staff are helpful and attentive. I had two children in our party and the waiting staff were so kind to them, they made them feel so special. The menu changes seasonally, which is a wonderful reason to keep coming back.”
We love this legacy art project from this year’s Portsmouth Pride and wanted to share a bit more information about the eye catching magenta coloured hoardings.
This year’s ‘Everybody’s Pride’ mural is a collaboration between Portsmouth based artist and trans activist Mister Samo and local creative studio FORM+FUNCTION – whose work in the city looks to connect communities through creativity.
The 45+ foot long hoarding close to the Queens Hotel car park, was beautifully positioned to be visible for attendees of the Pride Main Day Event.
And now it will be a prominent (hot pink!) legacy artwork – emblazoned with Mister Samo’s iconic ‘YOU ARE LOVED’ message – for residents and visitors to the city to appreciate.
The mural and its messaging demonstrates the power of collective, creative collaboration in support – and celebration of – Portsmouth’s wonderful, growing and PROUD rainbow community.