Stratford operates on three distinct tiers that other East London hubs can't match. The Westfield complex houses international hotels like the Hyatt Regency with its entire dedicated meetings floor, while Here East offers innovation-focused spaces at Plexal where tech startups pay just £20 per hour as members. The Olympic Park adds the wow factor with venues like the VeloPark's concourse pods overlooking the velodrome track.
Unlike Shoreditch's converted warehouses or Canary Wharf's corporate towers, Stratford combines new-build efficiency with cultural venues. The transport superiority shows in the numbers: five rail lines converge here, putting you 7 minutes from Liverpool Street via the Elizabeth line and 15 minutes from Kings Cross via HS1.
Budget-conscious bookers find options from £21.45 per hour at Regus Sugar House Island, while Workspace Mirror Works offers polished rooms from £25 hourly. Mid-range spaces at Us&Co start at £45 per hour, with their Conference Suite running £800 to £1,200 for a full day accommodating up to 72 theatre-style.
Hotel meeting packages vary significantly: Holiday Inn Express delivers day delegate rates around £35 per person, while The Stratford Hotel's design-led studios with their DDR packages reach £65 to £80 per person. For statement venues, London Stadium's executive boxes cost £400 to £600 for half-day sessions with those panoramic pitch views included.
Small boardroom sessions thrive at Workspace Mirror Works' Illusion room (6 people) or London Stadium's executive boxes (10 people) with their memorable settings. Mid-size teams of 20 to 40 fit perfectly in The Stratford Hotel's combinable studios or Us&Co's glass-fronted meeting rooms near Stratford High Street DLR.
Larger gatherings have impressive options: the Hyatt Regency's Stratford Suite handles 90 theatre-style, while London Stadium's lounges accommodate up to 320. For maximum capacity, UEL's Great Hall seats 400, though most corporate groups prefer the 80-person Bridges Suite at Holiday Inn Express for its balance of size and facilities.
Stratford's transport credentials read like a connectivity wishlist: the Central, Jubilee and Elizabeth lines, London Overground, DLR, plus Stratford International for HS1 services. The Hyatt Regency sits just 5 minutes' walk from Stratford station, while Here East runs a free shuttle bus from Stratford taking 5 to 8 minutes during peak hours.
Westfield Stratford City provides 5,000 parking spaces with direct access to hotel meeting venues, though rates reach £8.50 for four hours. The Olympic Park venues offer more affordable parking at £25 per day. Most regular bookers recommend the train given potential match-day restrictions around London Stadium and shopping centre congestion on weekends.
Hotel venues lead on catering variety: The Stratford Hotel includes Nespresso stations and minibars in their studios, with their Allegra restaurant handling working lunches. The Hyatt Regency's Elondi restaurant provides everything from breakfast meetings to three-course dinners, with halal and dietary options standard.
Innovation spaces take different approaches: Plexal includes unlimited tea, coffee and water on tap in their room rates, while Us&Co brings in external caterers for anything beyond basics. The Olympic Park venues leverage their scale, with Timber Lodge's Five Star Catering offering park-view dining and the Copper Box Arena providing full event catering from sandwich platters at £8 per head upward.
The VeloPark's track centre puts your meeting literally inside the Olympic velodrome, with concourse pods suspended above the cycling action from £300 per half day. London Stadium's pitch-view executive boxes combine boardroom functionality with the atmosphere of a 66,000-seat venue, particularly impressive when explaining the retractable seating system.
For creative sessions, Discover Children's Story Centre offers their Story Worlds space after hours, surrounding your team with immersive storytelling environments. Theatre Royal Stratford East's Victorian spaces add character, while The Gantry's rooftop bar can be configured for sky-high brainstorming sessions with panoramic views across the Olympic Park.
Stratford's newer venues excel at tech provision. Plexal at Here East builds their reputation on connectivity with high-speed Wi-Fi and full AV included in that £40 hourly rate. The Hyatt Regency goes further with dual projectors and drop-down screens in larger suites, while The Stratford Hotel promotes their 5G Wi-Fi as standard across all studios.
Coworking spaces like Us&Co include 1Gb resilient lines and video conferencing kit, with their Conference Suite featuring ceiling-mounted projectors and wireless presentation systems. Even budget options deliver basics: Workspace Mirror Works includes LED screens and VC equipment in their £25 per hour rate, while university venues at UEL provide lecture-capture technology and professional AV teams for larger events.
Tuesday to Thursday sessions at premium venues like The Stratford Hotel typically need 2-3 weeks' notice, especially for their larger combinable studios. Hotel meeting floors at the Hyatt Regency maintain more flexibility with their 10 to 12 rooms, though their 150-capacity Lea Suite books out months ahead for conferences.
Coworking spaces offer more spontaneous options: Plexal and Us&Co often have same-week availability, particularly for their smaller rooms. The sweet spot for most bookings falls around 7 to 10 days ahead, though London Stadium's boxes require checking match schedules, and Olympic Park venues book solid during summer events and school holidays.
Westfield Stratford City dominates for traditional business meetings, with the Hyatt Regency, Hyatt House and quick access to multiple transport links. This zone suits formal presentations and conferences where attendees expect polished facilities and easy navigation from Central London.
Here East attracts innovation-focused sessions, with Plexal and Loughborough University London creating a campus atmosphere for creative workshops. The free shuttle bus from Stratford station removes access concerns. The Olympic Park venues cluster around specific needs: sports-themed away days at the VeloPark or Copper Box Arena, while Stratford High Street's Us&Co and Holiday Inn Express serve local businesses wanting professional spaces without premium prices.
The Olympic Park venues excel at meeting-plus-activity packages. Book morning sessions at the VeloPark's concourse pods then hit the track for team cycling, or combine Copper Box Arena meeting rooms with basketball court hire. Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre offers meeting rooms with direct access to outdoor facilities for energiser sessions.
Hotels create different experiences: The Gantry's multiple restaurants and rooftop bar enable progressive meeting formats moving between spaces. Westfield's adjacency means the Hyatt Regency can arrange treasure hunts or team challenges in Europe's largest shopping centre. Even cultural venues participate, with Theatre Royal Stratford East offering workshop spaces that can include backstage tours or drama-based team building.