We’ve been delighted to work with talented student architect, Ben Cooper, who is a major fan of the Queens Hotel building.
Ben is currently studying architecture at the University of Portsmouth and as such wanted to interpret the hotel in a series of digital illustrations. Needless to say, we were delighted with the finished designs and colourful interpretation.
“The Queens Hotel is such an iconic building and one that everyone instantly recognises when they think of Southsea.
“Being able to interpret the Queens through this series of images, has been a reward in itself. I really like the way the building has changed over the years. I also love that recent renovation work has revealed such gems as the marble floor in the lobby,” he said.
Ben, 21, from Bishops Waltham, has just completed his second year of study. He set up his illustration side hustle last Summer.
Markedly he has been targeting independent businesses with interesting premises and The Queens Hotel was top of his list.
“Digital illustration offers you the best of both worlds. Its hyper-real effect sits between a photograph and an art piece.
“Colours can be changed in an instant and additions made with the least amount of effort.
“Having an architect’s eye, I can talk to people about their buildings and share their passion,” he said.
Since the age of 12 Ben has wanted to be an architect and says the subtle artform appealed to him because it is a creative way to earn a living.
Ben is already earning an international reputation with commissions coming in from across the globe.
Recent projects have included working on illustrations for the Coal Creek Miners Museum in Tennessee and golf-themed digital shop in New Zealand.
Looking to the future, while there are options to specialise in architectural graphic design, he’s keen to work as an architect and keep his architectural illustration site active.
We love Ben’s work and we hope you do too.
Related article: Sarah’s drawing on her love of the city
Positive Tripadvisor reviews from our satisfied diners have helped us to secure a major accolade for our Restaurant 1865.
Every year, Tripadvisor celebrates restaurants that consistently deliver amazing experiences with a Travellers’ Choice Award – and this year, we’ve made the list.
We really value feedback from our customers – and of course, glowing reviews always make us happy.
Executive Chef Simon Hartnett, said: “It’s always great to receive recognition for what you do and we always take note of the reviews that our customers take the time to leave.
“Our latest seasonal menu is proving really popular – and as you can see from the reviews, Sunday lunch gains plenty of plaudits.”
Here are just a few of the recent Tripadvisor reviews:
My sister and I had cocktails and dinner at the Queens Hotel on Saturday evening.
The atmosphere was lovely and there was a good vibe in the bar earlier on. The cocktails were excellent and great before dinner. The food was excellent, simply wonderful and we felt we were somewhere very special.
After our meal we had a nightcap in the bar. Honestly, the staff could not have been any more professional or friendly with superb food and a magnificent setting.
Booking again for next month. Dinner at Restaurant 1865 in The Queen’s Hotel Ports
Good range of dishes offering choices to suit all palates. The food was first class and the service matched. The staff were all attentive and friendly. I would highly recommend First Class food and service
I had friends visit for the weekend and we were looking for somewhere that served roast dinner.
We’d gone to multiple restaurants, which had all stopped serving, though it was only 7pm(ish)
I remembered the Queens hotel had restaurant 1865, so we popped in, and thankfully they were still serving.
They say things happen for a reason, it was quite possibly the best roast dinner.
I had pork, which was perfect, and my friends had the beef, which they said was delicious. Deserts were delicious too
We all loved it so much we went back the next night. We all ordered the rib-eye, possibly the best steak we’d had, the knife went through like melted butter it was that tender.
Everything about restaurant 1865 and it’s surroundings was 10/10 in every way. The staff are friendly, surroundings amazing, food exquisite, and prices really reasonable, in fact unbelievably reasonable.
I couldn’t recommend this place enough, truly well worth visiting Amazing
We had Sunday lunch and it was excellent, a nice choice of dishes, I had the pork and my Wife had Chicken, both were excellent and superbly cooked. The waitresses were fantastic, so friendly and helpful, we felt we had known them for years. Service was very prompt, but not to the point of feeling rushed. An added bonus was the excellent saxophone player, very pleasant music and not too loud.
As we were staying at the Hotel, we also had the pleasure of one of the best breakfasts I have had at any Hotel, it is worth visiting the Restaurant just to have their breakfast.
We will definitely be back we are already booked into the Hotel in September, so the restaurant is a must. Superb Restaurant
Thank you to everyone who takes the time to leave a Tripadvisor review – we really appreciate it.
The popular Queens Hotel Winter Lodge makes a welcome return from Saturday 26th November. This year, it will have an enchanting festive feel that’s sure to leave you longing for a winter warmer.
Constructed in the hotel’s garden, the Winter Lodge is the perfect place to meet up for a cosy get-together.
Our Sunday Sessions will go under canvas for the winter and will run on 4 afternoons.
Our Seasonal songs will also make a comeback this winter. The tradition loved by many will take place in the Queens Hotel Winter Lodge on Wednesday 21st December.
General Manager, Paul Playford, explained: “Our Winter Lodge proved really popular last year and we are returning with even better plans for this year.
“There will be contemporary Christmas styling that’s bound to put you in the mood for the festive season.”
The Winter Lodge is also available for exclusive corporate hire on weekday evenings 17.00-23.00.
Plus, if you are looking for the perfect spot to bid farewell to 2022, look no further! We are opening the Queens Hotel Winter Lodge on New Year’s Eve. Tickets are just £10 per person and include a drink token (house wine, beer, single spirit and mixer). A donation will be made to our three supported charities from the cover price.
It will be open Fridays from 17.00-23.00, Saturdays from 12.00-23.00 and Sundays from 12.00-21.00
Areas can be reserved via the events team with a £10pp deposit.
Our popular Sunday Sessions will run on the following dates:
Photo credit: Habibur Rahman of the Portsmouth News
Slim Jim Phantom and Jennie Vee stayed with us last night, bringing a cool rock ‘n’ roll vibe with them.
The legendary drummer and his wife were in town for a concert at the Moonshine Club as part of Jim’s UK tour. They were both happy to chat to us about their associations with Southsea.
Jim has fond memories of gigs at the Wedgewood Rooms, while Jennie used to live in Southsea. She was actually a regular to the bar at The Queens Hotel.
As musicians who spend a great deal of time on the road, we asked Slim and Jennie what they look for in a hotel.
Quick as a flash Jennie said: “It’s great to have a room with a bathtub so you can have a long soak after the gig.”
And Jim added: “Nice towels and a comfy mattress are important to me.”
Slim Jim Phantom and Jennie Vee are both musicians. Slim Jim is the drummer for Stray Cats. Jennie has played with Courtney Love and Echo and the Bunnymen. She is also a touring member of the Eagles of Death Metal.
To read more about Slim Jim Phantom, click here.
To read more about Jennie Vee, click here.
We are proud to announce that we are now the official hotel of Portsmouth Pride. Following the bonding of this new partnership, we celebrated with the face of Portsmouth Pride, drag queen Cherry Liquor.
With Portsmouth Pride due to take place on Saturday June 11, the Queens Hotel General Manager, Paul Playford, was delighted to welcome members of the event’s management team and their giant flag too.
“We are really excited about our partnership and to announce that we are the official hotel of Portsmouth Pride. We see the Queens Hotel as being a place that offers a warm welcome to everyone.
“Our team will take part in the parade ahead of the main Portsmouth Pride event. Plus, we look forward to welcoming attendees as we will be opening our newly designed garden on the day.
“This is just the start of our partnership with Portsmouth Pride. We look forward to working closely together during the coming year,” he said.
Anyone attending Portsmouth Pride will be welcome to keep the party vibe going by joining us in the Queens Hotel garden.
Commenting on the partnership with the Queens Hotel, chairperson, Tally Aslam, said: “We are so looking forward to building a close working relationship with the Queens Hotel. It is great that they will be joining the parade and supporting our Portsmouth Pride main day event too.
“We are a charity and rely on support from businesses and organisations like the Queens to carry on the good work we do. As a result of this partnership, we also secured a partnership with Hovertravel who work closely with the hotel too.”
Portsmouth Pride is set to make a triumphant return in 2022. This is after two years of not being able to run its iconic event for the LGBTQ+ community in Portsmouth.
It is a completely free and open event for the whole community, including allies to the LGBTQ+ community. It brings together people from across the south coast to enjoy a full day of celebrations on Southsea Common.
The emotive and inspirational day starts with their highlight parade. This includes representatives from local community groups, youth groups, trade unions, activist groups, religious organisations, local businesses, and many more. It is also open to individual community members to join on the day.
The parade takes in Southsea Seafront before entering the main Pride area. Here, visitors get to experience entertainment all the way through into the evening. Entertainment will be spread across two different stages and will include their 2022 Headliner, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World winner, Blu Hydrangea.
Related articles: Portsmouth Pride photographs, Portsmouth Pride was an amazing event,
The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Portsmouth have presented the Queens Hotel with a Freedom of the City certificate in recognition of the community work carried out during the first Covid lockdown.
This work saw the hotel cooking up to 600 meals a week and delivering them to vulnerable people. The hotel also welcomed frontline NHS staff who stayed at the hotel during the first wave of the pandemic.
Head chef at Gunwharf Quays Brasserie Blanc, Anghel Niko Nedelcu, joined forces with Queens Hotel Managing Director , Farid Yeganeh, to create up to 600 meals every week. General Manager, Chris Gilmore, and Head Chef, Paul Playford, from the hotel’s sister establishment, the Royal Beach, also joined them.
Thousands of pounds were donated to ensure the meals could be created for those most in need. Suppliers and city based companies such as PMC Construction and Southsea butchers, Buckwells, also donated to the cause.
Farid explained: “None of us could just sit back and wait. We wanted to help in a practical way and we are really enjoying cooking for our community.”
“The meals prepared at the Queens Hotel were really special. Receiving one was such a treat,” said Clare Martin, Director of Community Projects at Portsmouth Football Club.
Her team of volunteers worked with the strategic partnership of the HIVE Portsmouth to deliver meals and food parcels to the vulnerable.
“One person burst into tears when our volunteer arrived with food for them; they were so delighted.”
Commenting on the Freedom of the City honour, Farid added: “We are delighted to be recognised in this way for the work we did. We see ourselves as the hotel at the heart of Southsea and this has underlined that position.”
Related articles: Running the Great South Run for a great cause, GM raises funds for CEO Sleepout
We are really excited to be the home of Portsmouth and South Coast Business Week from April 25 -29.
The Queens Hotel will host the launch event, Shaping Portsmouth’s Business Leaders Conference and Facebook live sessions throughout the week with the Editor of Portsmouth News, Mark Waldron.
Our event spaces are perfect for gatherings large and small. We can host everything from boardroom meetings, training sessions, networking and conferences.
Head of Sales, Marketing & Events, Nicole Morris, said: “We look forward to welcoming the business community through our doors.
“It’s a great opportunity to showcase what the Queens Hotel can offer when it comes to hosting business events.”
Aaron Butson, Assistant Principal for Work-Based Learning at HSDC and Chair of the Portsmouth Business Strategy Group, said: “The Portsmouth and South Coast business week returns this year with the aim of celebrating businesses across Portsmouth and the wider area.
“As Chair of Hampshire Chamber’s Portsmouth Business Strategy Group, I am absolutely delighted that this year we can do a whole timetable of live physical events right across the city. After last year when everything had to be online, what a delight to get people together once again.
“We are thrilled that the Queens Hotel is going to host Portsmouth and South Coast business week.”
If you are planning a business event, contact our events team at the Queens Hotel on events@queenshotelportsmouth.co.uk
When it comes to being bold with colour, Southsea stylist Roxanne Morris certainly isn’t afraid of making a statement.
While most of her time is taken up with styling for magazine shoots and music videos, Roxanne loves nothing more than working with businesses in her hometown to create colourful content for her social media.
She recently came to the Queens Hotel and used the public areas as a stunning backdrop for her own personal fashion shoot.
“I really want to encourage people to have fun with colour and to not feel daunted by it. I’m hoping that I can share ideas of how they can wear the clothes they already own and inspire them with a bit of a fashion boost,” said Roxanne.
Roxanne is a former accountant who decided to turn her back on figures in favour of a life of fashion. She ran ran Rokii in Albert Road for several years before taking the business online.
She has always loved colour and the psychology behind how colour makes us feel.
“I do have a few items of black clothing but I don’t wear it much. If I do, I use it as an accent. At one time, black was only worn for mourning. I think it’s a shame that so many women hide behind wearing black.
“Life is too short to always wear black. We’ve got a whole spectrum of colour out there and I want women to have fun with it,” she said.
Talking about returning to Portsmouth to live, Roxanne explained. “I love being able to spread my time between London and Southsea, especially as I became a mother and my daughter was 9 weeks old when we went into the first lockdown.
“I am 41 years old and I want to show women they can have fun with fashion whatever their age. I don’t use any filters – what you see is what you get.
“It’s important to make what you see on social media more real so people can relate to it.”
To launch our year of regal events to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, we’ve got a right royal tea party planned for you and your little princes and princesses.
It’s the perfect way to create a magical memory for you and your family this half-term. There will be plenty to keep your little ones amused.
The Queens Hotel already has a wonderful reputation for creating a fabulous afternoon tea experience. Now, we are rolling out the red carpet so parents can experience a magical time with their little ones.
On Wednesday February 23, King Charles will welcome you and your family. Our very own Fairy Godmother will ensure every prince and princess has a wonderful time.
She will be ably assisted by princesses Elsa, Moana, Rapunzel and Belle. Together, they will perform a coronation ceremony for each child as they arrive and will give out tiaras.
As well as being a teatime treat, the afternoon will be a feast for the eyes too. We will have balloon decorations and sparkles on the tables. We’ll also have a balloon feature wall for photos with the princesses and our very own Fairy Godmother.
While they tuck into sandwiches and cakes, the youngsters can enjoy activity packs on the table.
As if that wasn’t enough, each child will leave with a goody bag. Ask our events team about VIP packages for princes and princesses to enjoy a birthday party treat. Mums and dads pay £25 and £15 per child.
There will be two parties taking place from 12pm to 2pm and from 2.30pm to 4,30pm.
To book email events@queenshotelportsmouth.com
With so much talk about the hospitality industry struggling to fill thousands of jobs, we are delighted to welcome apprentice chefs, Ketan Dixon-Whiteaway and Jack Breach to our kitchen.
The youngsters are being supported on their career path thanks to a new apprenticeship programme offered at the Queens Hotel.
General Manager, Catherine Austen explained: “We are keen to promote the career opportunities that are available in hospitality. We want to develop the skills of our talented team.
“By offering an apprenticeship programme, we can develop the talent of the future. We can also help to retain team members who are gaining work experience at the same time as learning.”
Ketan,21, explained he has been working in local restaurants for a number of years. However, being supported to do his Level 3 qualification (the equivalent to an A Level) as part of a day-release at HSDC South Downs College means he can take his cooking skills to the next level.
“I love cooking and this will give me a chance to gain even more understanding as well as new skills.
“It would be great to be able to progress at the Queens and do more qualifications. Ultimately, I would love to run my own restaurant,” he said.
Jack,17, joined the kitchen team as a Kitchen Porter. Executive Chef, Simon Hartnett, soon spotted his potential and let him know about the apprenticeship programme.
“I enjoy doing different styles of cooking. I’m doing my Level 2 and loving it,” he said.
Simon said: “The great thing about working in a kitchen is that you can literally start as the pot washer and go all the way to the top. You just need a bit of determination.
“By offering the apprenticeship programme, we are helping people to progress in their career and providing the right structure for them to thrive.”
The Queens Hotel is developing more apprenticeship opportunities. Please take a look at our social media for more details.