Seasonal
The 6 Best Christmas Party Venues in London
Six London venues that handle a Christmas party properly, from a Grade II art deco ballroom on Park Lane to riverside igloos at Tower Bridge and a rooftop ice rink in Wapping.
In short: our top picks are The Brewery, Skylight at Tobacco Dock and Coppa Club Tower Bridge. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
The office Christmas party gets a bad name, usually because someone booked it in a function room with a carvery and a fruit machine. It does not have to go that way. London has venues that take the festive months seriously, which mostly means they have done it long enough to know where the bottleneck at the bar forms and how to feed ninety people without the food arriving cold. We have picked six that work for a group, from twelve close colleagues to the full department. Some are statement rooms you hire whole. Others sell you a slice of something bigger and busier. A note before you ring round: the good dates in December go in September, the very best in summer. Book early, ask about minimum spend, and read the small print on timings.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The Brewery | Clerkenwell | £££ |
| Skylight at Tobacco Dock | Wapping | ££ |
| Coppa Club Tower Bridge | Tower Hill | ££ |
| Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings | Clerkenwell | ££ |
| Gold Notting Hill | Notting Hill | ££ |
| Sheraton Grand London Park Lane | Mayfair | ££££ |
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Editor’s choice
The Brewery
Why we pick itThe old Whitbread brewery has been doing big nights since the eighteenth century, and it shows in the Porter Tun, a 60ft clear span under an exposed king-post roof that swallows up to 900 standing without feeling like a hangar. This is where you put the whole company. Packages run from a sit-down dinner to a standing buffet, with a band and a DJ after, and the staff have done it a thousand times.
Historic event venue, seven spaces
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Skylight at Tobacco Dock
Why we pick itEvery winter the rooftop turns into a proper ice rink, the only real-ice one of its kind up here, ringed by heated igloos, après-ski huts and bars pouring mulled wine over views of the City. Skate for 45 minutes, then thaw out with street food and cocktails. Book an igloo for a small team or take a shared festive night for a bigger one. Good for groups who would rather do something than just stand about.
Rooftop with real-ice rink and igloos
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Coppa Club Tower Bridge
Why we pick itThe riverside igloos are the draw, transparent pods on the terrace with Tower Bridge filling the window and The Shard behind it. Each seats a small group, or you can take the whole terrace for a proper party. There are dedicated Christmas packages and private dining inside if the weather turns. Dates get released a quarter at a time, so set a reminder and pounce when December opens.
All-day restaurant and riverside igloos
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Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings
Why we pick itA whole clubhouse on a Clerkenwell corner: a 70-cover restaurant under a glass greenhouse roof, a cocktail bar built around an indoor edible garden, and Below & Hidden, a basement den for the part of the night that gets loud. You can take a private room for a team or, for the right group, the lot. Good for a party that wants to eat well, drink properly, then dance without changing postcode.
Clerkenwell clubhouse, restaurant and bar
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Gold Notting Hill
Why we pick itFour floors on Portobello Road, all wood ovens and generous seasonal plates meant for the middle of the table. The second-floor Party Room seats up to a dozen with its own little bar and nook for pre and post-dinner drinks, which suits a tight team dinner. Larger groups can hire a floor. It feels like a neighbourhood do rather than a corporate one, which is rather the point.
Wood-fired sharing plates over four floors
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Sheraton Grand London Park Lane
Why we pick itThe only intact full-size art deco ballroom in a London hotel, Grade II listed, with a sprung maple dancefloor, rose-gold detailing, a cabaret stage and a balcony level. It holds up to 1,000 standing and looks like the 1930s in the best way. For the company that wants its Christmas party to feel like an event rather than a meal out, this is the room. Smaller period spaces work for tighter numbers.
Grade II art deco hotel ballroom
Before you book
December books up fast. The marquee rooms (The Brewery, the Sheraton ballroom) take bookings from spring, and prime Fridays are usually gone by October. Shared-hire nights at Skylight and Coppa Club igloos are released in batches, so check back if your date is sold out. Expect per-head packages roughly from 70 to 150 pounds at the bigger venues, plus a minimum spend on exclusive hires. Confirm your finish time when you book.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
The Brewery is our editor's choice: The old Whitbread brewery has been doing big nights since the eighteenth century, and it shows in the Porter Tun, a 60ft clear span under an exposed king-post roof that swallows up to 900 standing without feeling like a hangar. This is where you put the whole company. Packages run from a sit-down dinner to a standing buffet, with a band and a DJ after, and the staff have done it a thousand times. The Brewery, Skylight at Tobacco Dock and Coppa Club Tower Bridge lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.