Your London Christmas party venue guide

Fancy dress parties, indulgent feasts, pop-up supper clubs, intimate private dinners, glamorous costume balls, live gigs – festive shindigs come in all shapes and sizes, particularly in London where you’re literally swamped with destinations offering all sorts of weird and wonderful party packages. Here’s our round-up of some of the best places to make your Christmas snap, crackle and pop, whether it’s a work party or a memorable function for your most valued clients. Simply click the links below to read each feature…

Good, old-fashioned nostalgia: 1920s & 1940s

VIP gigs and the edible Sugar Palace

Your own private members club

Lights, camera, exhibition!

A classic Christmas knees-up

Christmas with a conscience

Roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and carols

Intimate, private dining celebrations

Work hard, play hard

Christmas party venues: Good, old-fashioned nostalgia: 1920s & 1940s

Smoking hot jazz and timeless Tom Collins gin cocktails meet authentic props within a rich wood-carved backdrop as 45 Millbank teams up with Seasoned Events and Fisher Productions to present The Walnut Supper Club, a unique party package inspired by booming 1920s America.

All-inclusive packages include exclusive hire of 45 Millbank, props and styling, vintage cocktail on arrival, either a three-course dinner or luncheon, or a bowl food reception, together with a 4.5-hour unlimited drinks package including beer and house wine, event lighting, DJ, music system and dance floor. Rates start at £50pp and are available with or without catering. Call 020 7514 8514 or email [email protected] for more information.

Continuing the glitz in roaring 1920s style is Kent House Knightsbridge, a glamorous townhouse bordering Hyde Park. Imagine you’re Downton Abbey’s Lady Rosamund Painswick as you sip exquisite cocktails and nibble on British-themed canapés at the piano bar in the Marble Hall, before you climb the majestic Grand Staircase to the Sanctuary, beautifully lit by the flickering hues of candelabra dressing the long-table banquet.

After supper, let your kiss curls bounce to the sounds of a top class DJ as the party continues in the bar and lounge. Prices start from £125pp, with capacity for 300 standing. To enquire call 020 7591 3838 or email [email protected].

Over at the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS), the Downton Abbey theme continues within the surrounds of this leading surgical institution. Dine by candle light with an elegant three-course luncheon or supper featuring traditional Christmas fare.

Locations range from the stunning oak panelled Edward Lumley Dining Hall to the prestigious Council Chamber, where visitors are watched over by magnificent oil canvases, including a portrait by Reynolds of the distinguished surgical anatomist John Hunter. Suitable for groups of 10 to 250, prices start at £65 per person. Contact Christmas events planner Charlotte Edwards on 020 7869 6714 or email [email protected].

Jive your way 1940s style into the secret wartime bunker that sheltered Sir Winston Churchill and his government during the Blitz and explore the underground maze of rooms at Churchill War Rooms that once buzzed with round-the-clock planning and plotting, strategies and secrets. Indulge in a sumptuous festive dinner, washed down with Pol Roger Champagne, Churchill’s favourite tipple, before swinging the night away to the nostalgic big band and scat jazz sounds of resident 1940s style four-piece band The Sweethearts.

Book places on a shared party night and enjoy a free round of drinks, or book and pay a deposit on your own exclusive event before 31 August and receive an exclusive Churchill Christmas Hamper. To discuss Christmas at Churchill War Rooms, call 020 3116 4469 or email [email protected].

More Christmas party venue options:

VIP gigs and the edible Sugar Palace

Your own private members club

Lights, camera, exhibition!

A classic Christmas knees-up

Christmas with a conscience

Roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and carols

Intimate, private dining celebrations

Work hard, play hard

Christmas party venues: VIP gigs and the edible Sugar Palace

8 Northumberland Avenue is pushing the boat out this year with two creative themes that will see you clock-watching until the silly season. This Christmas, The Old Billiard Room will transform into an enchanting fairy-tale playground. Think ‘Sugar Plum Fairy’s Kingdom of Sweets meets the White Witch’s Castle’.

A glittering silver and white colour scheme perfects a dazzling winter wonderland complete with edible trees, giant lollipops and a candy-man DJ. Nibble on whimsical spinning table centres and enter the dungeon sweet shop if you dare. But beware, The White Witch will be casting a spell over the evening and once guests have entered The Sugar Palace, they may never want to leave.

Alternatively, invite your guests to ‘Rock the Ballroom’ in a show-stopping, live gig extravaganza in the spectacular Victorian Ballroom, boasting soaring columns, dazzling arches and intricate ceilings dressed with vintage chandeliers. Guests will believe they’re watching top artists perform live on stage at their very own private gig thanks to ground-breaking 3D holographic technology developed by Musion – as famously seen during Coachella 2012, when Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg resurrected the late rapper Tupac Shakur as an on-stage hologram.

Package prices for both themes start at £70pp. Book early to avoid disappointment by calling 020 3263 1011 or emailing [email protected].

More Christmas party venue options:

Good, old-fashioned nostalgia: 1920s & 1940s

Your own private members club

Lights, camera, exhibition!

A classic Christmas knees-up

Christmas with a conscience

Roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and carols

Intimate, private dining celebrations

Work hard, play hard

 

Christmas party venues: Roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and carols

Come in from the cold at No.11 Cavendish Square, near Oxford Circus and walk the red carpet to discover twinkling lights, stockings hanging on the fireplaces, presents piled under the tree and the aroma of cinnamon and spices filling the air in the pretty Garden Room.

Spend the evening warm and rosy-cheeked in the heated Courtyard Garden, which will transform into a snow-covered Christmas market complete with chestnuts roasting on an open fire and stalls serving mulled wine and warm winter cocktails. Packages start at £110pp for between 80-300 people and include unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks, a DJ and dance floor and a three-course seated dinner or bowl food selection in the Orangery or Burdett Suite. For more information or to book, call 020 7307 2474 or email [email protected].

At the newly refurbished Prince Philip House, overlooking St James’s Park and The Mall, classic Christmas carols, Broadway musical and operatic renditions by Cantanti Camerati chamber choir set the scene perfectly for private lunchtime or evening parties for 10-200 people. Make food a focal point with a twist on classic Christmas fare; dishes include Gressingham duck and red onion tart, followed by chocolate and chestnut délice with Griottines cherries.

Complete packages start from £65pp including a luxury drinks and festive canapé reception, followed by a three-course fine dining dinner. Call 020 7766 0600 or email [email protected] for more information.

More London Christmas party venues options:

Good, old-fashioned nostalgia: 1920s & 1940s

VIP gigs and the edible Sugar Palace

Your own private members club

Lights, camera, exhibition!

A classic Christmas knees-up

Christmas with a conscience

Intimate, private dining celebrations

Work hard, play hard

Christmas party venues: Christmas with a conscience

Grade II listed 41 Portland Place, in London’s medical quarter, assigns a portion of the profits generated through venue hire to fund research activities run by the Academy of Medical Sciences. Christmas time brings the opportunity to support this initiative with a range of private banqueting options for up to 90 guests.

Choose from a festive buffet at £45pp or a more lavish VIP banquet at £65pp, which includes a Prosecco and canapé reception, a three-course dinner and half a bottle of house wine per guest. To enquire, call 020 3176 2177 or email [email protected].

Seasonal socialisers who raise a glass of mulled wine at St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas events this year can feel a warm and gratifying glow in the knowledge that all profits support the work of The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields, which provides vital services to thousands of homeless people every year, and the Vicar’s Relief Fund, which makes over 2000 crisis grants each year to people in extreme financial difficulty.

Investigate party options in the 18th century underground Crypt, with its atmospheric lighting and brick vaulted ceilings. It’s the perfect space for a grand dinner for up to 200 or to party with up to 350 people until the early hours of the morning. It also has its own live music license and late night license until 2.00am and the Trafalgar Square location means guests have easy access to late night public transport. To enquire, call 020 7766 1165 or email [email protected].

More London Christmas party venue options:

Good, old-fashioned nostalgia: 1920s & 1940s

VIP gigs and the edible Sugar Palace

Your own private members club

Lights, camera, exhibition!

A classic Christmas knees-up

Roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and carols

Intimate, private dining celebrations

Work hard, play hard

Christmas party venues: Intimate, private dining celebrations

The quiet and understated elegance of The Chesterfield Mayfair boutique hotel captures your imagination. Its old-fashioned values of service and courtesy charm guests to create an intimate, home-from-home environment. Executive Chef Ben Kelliher looks forward to designing bespoke Christmas party menus to be enjoyed in the sumptuous surrounds of one of the hotel’s private dining rooms, be it The Royal Suite, seating 100, the light and airy Conservatory, seating 40, with views over the garden and fountain, or The Library, seating 20. Guests can also book tables in Butlers Restaurant, famously the home of ‘the best Dover Sole in London’.

To enquire or to make a reservation, call The Chesterfield’s Christmas coordinators on 020 7514 5604 or email [email protected].

Adjacent to the award-winning One Twenty One Two restaurant lie the six private dining suites of One Whitehall Place, a venue which connects with The Royal Horseguards Hotel. Perfect for hosting smaller, festive parties, three-course menus are available from £39.95 per person, or more grand-scale party packages start from £105pp including dinner, half a bottle of house wine, mineral water, DJ and dancefloor.

Book before the end of July and receive 10% off when quoting ‘TWC/LA01’. Call 020 7451 9386 or email [email protected] to enquire.

More London Christmas party venue options:

Good, old-fashioned nostalgia: 1920s & 1940s

VIP gigs and the edible Sugar Palace

Your own private members club

Lights, camera, exhibition!

A classic Christmas knees-up

Christmas with a conscience

Roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and carols

Work hard, play hard

Christmas party venues: A classic Christmas knees-up

Sometimes simple is best and the classic, warm and cosy Christmas around an open fire, with a slap-up turkey and all the trimmings, is a tradition best preserved.

At No.4 Hamilton Place you’re guaranteed a feast fit for a king or queen, with a superb ‘Regal Christmas’ spread within the luxury surrounds of this Edwardian town house featuring Louis XVI gilt cornicing, chandeliers, bow windows and a magnificent baroque staircase.

Enjoy a seated dinner, or opt for a more informal ‘grazing’ menu with unlimited house wine, beer and soft drinks, before throwing some royal shapes on the dancefloor. With crowns, coronets and tiaras in abundance, No.4 Hamilton Place offers the ultimate in majestically themed experiences for 50 to 300 partygoers. Regal Christmas lunches start at £54pp, bowl food and grazing menus at £74pp and seated dinners at £90pp. Call 020 7670 4314 or email [email protected].

An elegant luncheon or dinner awaits within the Georgian surrounds of the Royal Institution of Great Britain, in Mayfair, with two private dining rooms perfect for groups of 20 to 70 guests. Make your Christmas twinkle with a sparkling wine and canapé reception, followed by a three-course meal with half a bottle of wine per person. Exclusive room hire prices start from £470 for lunch and £500 for dinner, with catering priced at £67.50 per person. All Christmas bookings made and confirmed before 31st August will receive 10% off when quoting ‘TWC Christmas treat’.

Church House Conference Centre, nestled alongside Westminster Abbey in the exclusive Dean’s Yard, promises you’ll simply have a wonderful Christmas time with its excellent value sparkling wine reception and three-course yuletide dinner menu. The event deal incorporates half a bottle of wine, table decorations and crackers, a 4.5-hour beer, wine and soft drinks package, disco, DJ and lighting all for £75 per person, with options available for 50 to 350 guests. For receptions, capacity is available for up to 550. Call 020 7390 1590 or email [email protected] to enquire.

More Christmas party venue options:

Good, old-fashioned nostalgia: 1920s & 1940s

VIP gigs and the edible Sugar Palace

Your own private members club

Lights, camera, exhibition!

Christmas with a conscience

Roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and carols

Intimate, private dining celebrations

Work hard, play hard

Christmas party venues: Lights, camera, exhibition!

London Film Museum, Covent Garden’s newest events space, welcomes guests to get festive in its cellar rooms and main gallery, where up to 450 guests can mingle amongst the Lights, Camera, London! exhibition. It’s the first exhibition since the Museum of London’s pioneering ‘London on Film’, showing how London has been the setting of films for over a century.

Using extracts and stills, together with rare costumes and props, Lights, Camera, London! captures the capital’s diverse communities and its working life, including the once-famous markets, which can now only be seen on film. London’s leading role in music and fashion during the Sixties is also celebrated, alongside the writers whose careers it made, from Shakespeare to Dickens and Wilde.

Heroic images of London’s survival during World War II contrast with apocalyptic fantasies of the city being destroyed, while ‘Gaslight’ and ‘Underworld’ sections evoke the most popular images of the Victorian city, with its sinister secrets and the long tradition of London criminals and the detectives who pursue them.

This unique package starts from £95pp and includes private venue hire, a Prosecco drinks reception, a three-course dinner package or canapés and bowl food, unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks, plus exclusive access via Covent Garden Piazza and full access to the exhibition. Contact [email protected] or call 0207 202 7042 for more details.

More Christmas party venue options:

Good, old-fashioned nostalgia: 1920s & 1940s

VIP gigs and the edible Sugar Palace

Your own private members club

A classic Christmas knees-up

Christmas with a conscience

Roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and carols

Intimate, private dining celebrations

Work hard, play hard

Christmas party venues: Your own private members club

Many people may not know that Mayfair private members club The Lansdowne Club can be hired for private and corporate events. The Grand Ballroom is magnificent with its Art Deco styling, vaulted ceilings and minstrel galleries and this Christmas the club opens its doors to reveal an all-inclusive party package for a very affordable £110 per person. Available for parties of 50-150, this rate includes ballroom hire, arrival drinks, an extravagant three-course meal with wine, plus unlimited drinks from the bar and a superb DJ.

Some key December dates remain available if you’re quick. Call 020 7318 6117 or email [email protected] and quote ‘XMAS13TWC’ to receive a 10% discount.

If a glamorous and classy black and gold themed sparkling wine reception whets your whistle, the Victory Services Club, near Marble Arch station, is a fabulous option. Dine amongst glittering Christmas trees with three courses, plus mini mince pies, for just £53 per person, before hitting the dance floor to the sounds of the club DJ. For further details, call 020 7616 8354 or email [email protected].

More Christmas party venue options:

Good, old-fashioned nostalgia: 1920s & 1940s

VIP gigs and the edible Sugar Palace

Lights, camera, exhibition!

A classic Christmas knees-up

Christmas with a conscience

Roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and carols

Intimate, private dining celebrations

Work hard, play hard

 

Christmas party venues: Work hard, play hard

For those of you who find it a challenge to get staff or clients together, etc.venues Victoria has a budget-friendly solution that enables you to bundle in a meeting and a Christmas do all in one day this December. Host a daytime meeting at this ultra-modern venue, within steps of Pimlico tube station and simply let your hair down on-site when you’re done, at no extra charge.

For parties of 20 or more, the team at etc.venues Victoria will waive any additional venue hire charges to bring you an evening reception fit for your festive celebrations, straight after your meeting, with no minimum spend requirements. Call 020 3011 0990 or email [email protected] to talk through the finer details and exchange theming and menu ideas.

War Rooms, call 020 3116 4469 or email [email protected].

More Christmas party venue options:

Good, old-fashioned nostalgia: 1920s & 1940s

VIP gigs and the edible Sugar Palace

Your own private members club

Lights, camera, exhibition!

A classic Christmas knees-up

Christmas with a conscience

Roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and carols

Intimate, private dining celebrations