Reading

About Reading

Reading is a town located in South-East England. It is a commercial centre of particular significance with businesses in the fields of Insurance and Information Technology. The town is famous as the home of the Reading Festival; one of the biggest festivals in the UK. It was also the site of Reading Abbey; one of the richest and largest monasteries of medieval Britain. Located just 40 miles west of London, Reading is easy to get to and a popular choice for those people looking to attend training courses as it has good transport links from both the east and west.

Transport

Reading describes itself as one of the best-connected towns that you will find in the UK, and it is easy to see how they can make the claim. Thanks to its position on the M4 corridor, Reading’s local airport is Heathrow, which is just a 25-minute drive away. As an international airport Heathrow connects Reading to locations not just in the UK but all over the world. Reading is also served by some very good motorway networks with the M40 linking it to Birmingham and the North, Bristol and then into Wales is reached by the M4 and a number of good A roads making it very accessible from other areas of the country. Reading has 2 train stations and is just a 22-minute train ride away from London. Whatever way you choose to travel, getting to Reading is easy.

With training courses lasting between 2 – 5 days it is usually easier to find accommodation near to the training location. There are a number of very good four-star hotels in and around the Reading area with plenty for you to choose from.

voco Reading, RG2 0FL

Located directly next to the FC Conference Centre, voco Reading is a contemporary hotel with light open communal areas and thoroughly modern uncluttered rooms. The hotel is a couple of miles outside the centre of the town and has free parking facilities for guests as well as good access to local public transport links. There is a business centre and meeting rooms for hire as well as free wifi throughout. The proximity to the conference centre makes this a very good hotel for those people attending project management training in Reading.

Malmaison Reading, 18-20 Station Rd, Reading RG1 1JX

The Malmaison Reading is a city centre hotel with a stunning history. The hotel is a contemporary reworking of the 1844 Great Western Hotel which is believed to be the oldest surviving railway hotel anywhere in the world. Its central location makes it a great choice for getting about however this does mean that there is no onsite parking – however it is just a 2-minute walk from the station so ideal for guests visiting by train. This is a travel sustainable hotel, which means that Malmaison has taken steps to help reduce its carbon footprint. They offer all of the amenities you would expect from a hotel of this calibre.

Hilton Reading, Drake Way, Reading RG2 0GQ

Another centrally located hotel the Hilton Reading is just a few minutes’ drive from the centre, and there is free onsite parking. The hotel has a range of fitness facilities, including a swimming pool which may be of interest to those guests who like to stay healthy whilst away from home. There are onsite business facilities and meeting rooms that can be hired for training courses. The hotel is also very accessible with a number of special adaptations having been made.

Meeting rooms

All of the hotels we have mentioned have large meeting room facilities that can be hired for project management courses. For those who prefer not to stay and do their training in the same hotel then there are plenty of meeting rooms for hire in Reading.

Regus

Regus offer a number of options for meeting room hire in Reading, there are 2 in the town centre with a further 4 located on the outskirts. The Arlington Business Centre in Theale on the outskirts of Reading offers modern well equipped meeting rooms and plenty of parking in lovely surroundings. All of the meeting facilities offered by Regus, such as the ones at Davidson House, Forbury Square, Reading RG1 3EU, have been thoroughly inspected and offer fully equipped rooms with up-to-date facilities, perfect for your project management course requirements.

Meetingo, 9 Greyfriars Road, Reading,, RG1 1NU

Another company specialising in meeting rooms, Meetingo offers a range of spaces in central Reading and on the outskirts, The Greyfriars building centre on Greyfriars road is the perfect town centre location, easily place for local amenities and public transport links. This contemporary building is home to a range of different-sized meeting rooms with all of the amenities necessary for a training course.

When your course is scheduled to last for a couple of days it can be nice to take some time to explore some of the things that the area has to offer.

Restaurants

When it comes to restaurants, Reading is a real melting pot of different types of cuisine with a diverse range of restaurants to opt for, you may well find that you are spoilt for choice.

Reading is the closest town to L’Ortolan, a Michelin star restaurant with an incredible reputation. The restaurant was awarded its star in 2001 and has retained it ever since. The food is described as being a mixture of traditional tastes using contemporary recipes. The chef’s table experience offers a stunning taster menu with wines paired with each item on the menu to enhance the overall dining experience. L’Ortolan is located in the village of Shinfield which is just a short drive from the centre of Reading.

Entertainment

Reading is home to a very good number of pubs and wine bars offering a range of cask ales and specialist beers. If a good venue for a nice drink is at the top of your list, then you are sure to be able to find somewhere to suit in Reading from Milk on Merchants Place with its large selection of Rums to The Greyfriar on Greyfriars Road.

If you fancy something a little different, then head to Mates Rates Comedy Club on Gun Street where you will find a wide range of comedians performing each night. The shows are a mixture of well-established comedians and newcomers with something to amuse everyone.