A full English breakfast

Following on from our guide for delegates travelling to the SHA conference in Leicester in January 2013, we have put together some information about the city’s accommodation options, which is now available to download on the conference webpage.

Leicester boasts a range of accommodation to suit all pockets, from lavish hotels to cosy Bed & Breakfasts. The Conference Committee has negotiated special rates with four major hotels in central Leicester, all within walking distance of the main conference venue, the University of Leicester. Bookings should be made directly with the hotel, quoting the booking reference listed in the accommodation guide. The four hotels with negotiated rates are:

The Mercure Leicester City Hotel in Granby Street in the city centre. This will also be the venue for the Conference Dinner and Awards, round-table luncheons, and committee meetings. The Mercure opened in 1898 as the Grand Hotel, and is a grade II listed building.

The Belmont Hotel in De Montfort Street is a boutique-style hotel located in a grand Victorian terrace adjacent to the historic New Walk, and only a few minutes walk from the University.

The Holiday Inn at St Nicholas Circle in the city centre is close to the River Soar and the Jewry Wall and Newarke Houses Museums.

The Premier Inn at St Georges Way in the city centre is a two-minute walk from the railway station. Premier Inn regularly has special deals for a limited number of cheap rooms (cheaper than the negotiated rate) which can be booked via its website, so please check there before contacting the hotel to make your booking.

The accommodation options above can be found on this map. There are many other hotels and budget ‘Bed & Breakfast’ options in Leicester, and the Go! Leicestershire website gives a great introduction to the city and the surrounding countryside. Addresses with postcodes beginning ‘LE1′ are in the city centre, whereas those beginning ‘LE2′ are located within a large area covering the southern side of the city, to the south of the University of Leicester, and includes the neighbourhoods of Clarendon Park, Stoneygate, and Oadby.

A limited amount of free floorspace will be available to students; further information will be available on this blog later in the year.

Based on initial feedback, we have made some alterations to the travel guide, so that it’s even more useful! You’ll find the updated version on the conference webpage. We have also started to put together a map with information about our favourite places to eat and drink in Leicester.

And finally, in case you’re not sure about the pronunciation of ‘Leicester’, it’s like this.

[CC BY-NC-SA-2.0], via Flickr