Matthew Beard is the managing director of Strand Palace in London, bringing over two decades of hospitality experience to one of the UK’s most iconic hotels. Since joining in 2020, he has guided the property through post-pandemic rec8very, strengthened guest satisfaction, and led a team of more than 200 in operating the hotel’s 788 bedrooms and multiple dining outlets. His leadership is underpinned by a career that began in Coventry and progressed through senior roles with L+R Hotels, DoubleTree by Hilton, IHG, and Nobu Hotel London Portman Square. Matthew has overseen key refurbishment milestones, including the launch of 12 new meetings and events spaces as part of the hotel’s ongoing £55 million transformation. He describes leading Strand Palace, one of London’s largest and most historic hotels, as the pinnacle of his career and continues to position the property as a benchmark for modern, guest-focused hospitality.
Strand Palace
Located in the heart of London’s West End, Strand Palace is a landmark hotel whose Art Deco heritage stretches back to the early 20th century. Long known as a base for travellers, the property has also built a reputation as a central London venue for meetings and corporate gatherings.
In November 2025, the hotel expanded that offering with the launch of The Gallery, a new suite of event spaces designed to host everything from board meetings and training sessions to conferences of up to 250 delegates. Combined with the hotel’s 788 bedrooms, breakout areas and on-site dining, the development allows organisers to bring accommodation, meetings and catering together under one roof in one of the capital’s busiest districts.
- What’s new about Strand Palace’s meetings and events offering, and what prompted the investment in these new spaces?
We launched The Gallery, our new meetings and events spaces at Strand Palace, in November 2025 to meet growing demand from planners seeking event space within the same hotel where delegates stay. With 788 rooms in central London, the hotel is one of the few properties able to accommodate large groups in a single location, making it ideal for events with convenient transport links and seamless delegate experiences.
But this investment was about more than just functionality, it was about unleashing history. The grand staircase leading down to The Gallery is an original Art Deco masterpiece dating back to 1900, while additional heritage features, including the revolving door, were considered so exceptional that the Victoria and Albert Museum requested them for its collection, where they have been preserved since 1969. The staircase remains the hotel’s most iconic feature, while even the bathrooms, often overlooked, retain original Art Deco elements, with majestic pink marbles and period details.
It was a real opportunity to bring these historic and artistic features to life, making the space accessible to the public while preserving the grandeur and craftsmanship of the era. The Gallery is therefore not just a functional event space, it’s a celebration of history, design, and timeless elegance.
- Give us the stats planners need: how many rooms, max capacity in theatre and cabaret, and the ideal delegate size range for most events.
788 bedrooms. Max capacity in theatre is in Covent Garden Suite with 250 pax and cabaret 96 pax. The ideal delegate size range for most event is anything between 6 and 60 pax.
- Which types of events are these spaces designed for (board meetings, training, conferences, private dining, product launches), and what do you see as your sweet spot?
With the launch of 12 new meeting and event spaces, Strand Palace now offers a total of 16 versatile venues designed to host a wide range of events. These include board meetings, training sessions, conferences, product launches, private dining and receptions.
We can accommodate everything from boardroom meetings for 6-40 guests to theatre-style conferences for up to 250 in the Covent Garden Suite, as well as standing receptions for 250 or private dining for up to 220 in Haxells Restaurant & Bar. The Gallery can host around 450 guests overall, making it ideal for sales conferences with breakout sessions. Our sweet spot is conferences of around 100–150 delegates.
- What are the standout spaces or features that people will see in the video tour, and why do they work so well for corporate groups?
One of the standout spaces featured in the video tour is the Thames Boardroom at Strand Palace. Designed for up to 14 guests, it offers a refined setting with leather boardroom seating, elegant artwork, and a warm yet professional atmosphere. The room combines style with functionality, featuring high-quality AV technology, a small lounge area, and space for pastries and refreshments. Located adjacent to the Trafalgar Square foyer, it provides convenient access for coffee breaks, making it ideal for focused executive meetings.
Another highlight is the Covent Garden Suite, a beautifully illuminated space with a calming colour palette, perfectly suited for banqueting, cabaret, and theatre-style events, creating an inviting environment for larger corporate gatherings.
- What’s included as standard in the room hire: screens, microphones, hybrid capability, lighting, Wi-Fi, on-site tech support?
Every meeting room at Strand Palace is equipped with a built-in screen, with the Covent Garden Suite offering up to three projectors. High-speed Wi-Fi is available throughout, enabling hybrid meeting capability in all spaces, along with basic on-site technical support. For larger conferences, microphones, enhanced lighting, and more specialised technical support can be easily arranged through trusted third-party AV partners.
- How do you make the “delegate journey” smooth, from arrival and registration to breakouts, catering breaks, and departures?
The delegate journey at Strand Palace is designed to be seamless from start to finish. The Gallery has its own dedicated entrance and check-in desk, so attendees bypass the hotel reception and lobby, heading straight to their event.
Two main breakout spaces, the Trafalgar Square Foyer and Leicester Square Foyer, host coffee breaks in comfortable settings with tables and sofas, ideal for informal work or networking. Catering breaks can take place in these foyers, while lunches included in the day delegate rate are served in Haxells Restaurant & Bar, giving delegates a change of scenery and a vast array of food buffet for sit down lunch.
Departures are just as easy, with direct access from both the main entrance and hotel reception. The hotel’s central location, just five minutes from Embankment Tube Station, Holborn Tube Station, Covent Garden Tube Station, and Charing Cross Train Station, makes it a highly convenient choice for group and corporate stays.
- Talk us through your food and beverage offer, including DDR options and flexibility for dietary requirements and short-notice changes.
At Strand Palace, our DDR menus rotate daily to offer variety for multi-day conference attendees, with each day highlighting a different London food destination, from Chinatown to Borough Market or Brick Lane, for a distinctive culinary experience. As part of the Day Delegate Rate, seated buffets are served in Haxells Restaurant & Bar, but on request, lunch can also be served in the breakout areas. All menus cater for dietary requirements and can accommodate short-notice requests with flexibility.
- What do planners tell you they struggle with in central London venues, and how does Strand Palace solve those pain points (availability, value, service, logistics)?
Planners in central London often face challenges securing enough rooms and suitably sized meeting spaces while balancing value and quality. Strand Palace solves this with 788 rooms and 16 versatile meeting spaces, accommodating everything from small board meetings to larger conferences. Our Day Delegate Rate starts from £70, with bedrooms starting from £90 for single occupancy, exceptional value for central London. Highly praised service, a top-120 London hotel ranking on Tripadvisor, and a central location with excellent transport links ensure smooth logistics for arrivals, departures, and delegate movement. We also handle all conference requirements, from AV to catering and breakout setups, so planners can focus on their event without stress.
- How do you price and package the spaces for corporate organisers, and what helps you turn around a proposal quickly?
We price and package our spaces at Strand Palace with flexibility and clarity in mind, tailoring proposals to the size, format, and requirements of each corporate event. Our team works closely with organisers to define delegate numbers, room configurations, catering, and AV needs, allowing us to produce accurate, responsive proposals quickly. To further support planners, we’ve developed a special benefits offer for new bookings between March and September 2026. Planners can choose one benefit among five per event, including:
- One complimentary room night for every 30 paid room nights
- Complimentary VIP/organiser upgrades – up to five rooms upgraded to Deluxe Studio (subject to availability)
- Enhanced healthy DDR breaks with balanced snacks and fresh smoothies
- Welcome drinks reception for all delegates
- Complimentary in-room AV (subject to availability)
This approach ensures value, flexibility, and a seamless experience from initial enquiry to event delivery.
- What’s the best next step for readers: who should contact you, and what can they expect from a site visit or first enquiry?
The best next step is to get in touch with Catherine Bunn, our director of business development, who can expertly guide planners through the full range of meeting and event options at Strand Palace. From an initial enquiry or site visit, clients can expect a personalised tour of The Gallery and our other versatile event spaces, with tailored advice on room layouts, delegate capacities, catering options, and technical support. Catherine will also provide bespoke proposals and pricing designed to meet the specific needs of each event, ensuring a smooth and stress-free planning experience from start to finish.
For those unable to attend in person, we also offer a 3D Matterport tour, giving a fully immersive 360-degree view of every meeting and event space in The Gallery, as well as our food and beverage outlets and guest rooms. This virtual experience allows planners to explore the hotel in detail, visualise layouts, and plan events with confidence – even from afar.
For more information, check out our website here.
