Conference Venues for hire in Exeter
Get a tailored shortlist from an expert
Your Questions, Answered
Sandy Park Conference Centre leads with its Exeter Suite accommodating 800+ theatre style, while the University of Exeter's Great Hall seats 1,435 in tiered formation. The Matford Centre offers industrial-scale space for 1,500 theatre style with free parking for 2,000 cars. For something more atmospheric, Exeter Cathedral's Nave can host 960 for concerts and graduations, though dinner capacity tops out at 350. The Corn Exchange provides a city centre option with 500 theatre capacity plus two breakout rooms.
Day delegate rates start from £25-30 at venues like The Devon Hotel and Leonardo Hotel Exeter, climbing to £45-75 at Sandy Park and university facilities. Community venues offer exceptional value - CoLab Exeter charges just £160 for full-day room hire including refreshments, while Exeter Phoenix lists its auditorium at £400 per event. Premium heritage venues like Exeter Cathedral command £5,000-12,000 for evening hire of the Nave, though smaller spaces like St Nicholas Priory publish transparent DDR from £30-34.
The Courtyard by Marriott at Sandy Park integrates directly with the conference centre, offering 250 rooms alongside meeting suites. Mercure Rougemont sits opposite Exeter Central station with 98 rooms and the 250-capacity Devonshire Suite. The Devon Hotel near Marsh Barton provides 24-hour delegate packages from £179 including accommodation. For boutique options, Hotel du Vin offers intimate meeting rooms with 59 bedrooms, while Leonardo Hotel combines seven meeting rooms with city centre lodging.
Exeter Cathedral's Chapter House hosts boardroom meetings surrounded by medieval stonework, while the 800-year-old Guildhall on High Street accommodates 80 in its Great Hall. Exeter Castle provides historic courtrooms and a ballroom with private courtyard for up to 250 reception guests. Reed Hall at the university offers an Italianate mansion setting with landscaped gardens, and St Nicholas Priory, Exeter's oldest building, combines meeting spaces with optional heritage tours for groups up to 45.
Mercure Rougemont Hotel sits directly opposite the station (1 minute walk) with rooms for 250 theatre style. Exeter Phoenix on Gandy Street is just 5 minutes away, offering an auditorium for 270 plus studios from £18-27 per hour. The Cathedral, Guildhall, and RAMM museum all fall within a 5-10 minute radius. Hotel Indigo in the Cathedral Quarter takes 5-7 minutes on foot, while the Corn Exchange and Exeter Library's Rougemont Room both lie within 10 minutes' walk.
Sandy Park Conference Centre sits adjacent to Junction 30, combining 5 executive suites and 18 seminar rooms with the Courtyard Marriott hotel. The Matford Centre near Marsh Barton offers 2,300 square metres of exhibition space with parking for 2,000 cars, perfect for trade shows. The Devon Hotel in the same area provides four conference suites with free parking and DDR from £39. These venues eliminate city centre traffic concerns while remaining just 10-15 minutes from Exeter's business districts.
Reed Hall's Italianate gardens provide elegant grounds for drinks receptions between sessions, while Exeter Castle's private courtyard suits outdoor networking. Hotel Indigo's Becketts Rooftop accommodates 100 for sky-high receptions split between indoor and outdoor spaces. The University Forum features glass atriums and outdoor piazzas for exhibition stands, and St Nicholas Priory includes a garden setting. Several Sandy Park suites offer panoramic stadium views, creating an outdoor feel with weather protection.
CoLab Exeter's Meeting House accommodates 50 cabaret style with full-day hire at £160 including refreshments. Exeter Library's meeting rooms seat 12-80 with hourly rates from £18.70, while Cygnet Theatre's studio holds 50 at £25/hour (capped at £125/day). St Nicholas Priory's West Wing suits 45 lecture style with DDR from £30. For executive meetings, Southernhay House offers a 15-seat private dining room at £250 per session, and Hotel du Vin's Library seats 16 boardroom style.
The University's Forum features recording capabilities and video conferencing across its 435-seat auditorium and 12 seminar rooms. Sandy Park provides advanced AV across all 23 meeting spaces with dedicated technical support. Vue Cinema naturally excels in projection and sound with 7 screens seating 23-94, ideal for product launches. Streatham Court's lecture theatres include full recording and streaming capabilities, while Exeter Phoenix offers professional lighting and sound with cinema projection from £50.
Courtyard Marriott at Sandy Park publishes clear catering rates: coffee at £6 per person, working lunches from £18, and dinner receptions from £50. The Devon Hotel includes catering in its £39 DDR packages, while university venues typically charge £42-60 for day delegate rates. Phoenix and CoLab include basic refreshments in room hire, and the Matford Centre offers DDR from £12 plus VAT through approved caterers. Premium venues like Hotel du Vin and Exeter Cathedral work with selected caterers, typically £45-70 per head for corporate dining.