Olympia Events is an exhibition centre formerly known as Olympia London based in West Kensington, in the London borough of Hammersmith. Olympia originally opened in 1886 and was originally known as the National Agricultural Hall, it was built to be the largest covered show centre in the UK and in 1923 the New Hall was built next door.
It hosts a range of trade and consumer exhibitions, sporting events and conferences, including; London Toy Fair; the UK’s largest dedicated toy trade show, Hyrox; a fitness competition, and London Book Fair; a large book publishing trade fair. It is also home to the world’s longest running exhibition; The Ideal Home Show.
If you are visiting Olympia, whether it be for a trade show, fitness event or conference and you are struggling to choose where to stay close by, here are some top picks!
Closest Hotels to Olympia
If being close to Olympia is a must for you after your long day at the venue, here are the top hotels close by.
- The Hand & Flower, Olympia; 0.1 miles away
- Hilton London Olympia; 0.2 miles away
- London Visitors Hotel; 0.2 miles away
- NOX Olympia; 0.2 miles away
- Simply Rooms & Suites; 0.2 miles away
There is both onsite and offsite car parking available at Olympia, if you require onsite parking, be sure to pre-book online to secure a place. Also, be warned that Olympia Events falls within ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone), so be sure to check whether you are subject to these charges before your arrival. You don’t want to be caught out!
Olympia Recommendations
On the Olympia Events website, they have a list of places to stay at their recommendation, let’s check them out.
- Ember Locke; a boudoir-style luxury aparthotel, just a 20 minute walk away.
- Lexham Gardens By Cheval Maison; boutique hotel located in Kensington, a 25 minute walk away.
- Novotel London West; located in Hammersmith and just a 10 minute walk away from the venue.
- Residence Inn London Kensington; a pet-friendly apartment-hotel, a 9 minute walk away.
- The Other House; an apartment style living but with all the same hotel services, a 30 minute walk away from the venue.
Be warned that these are the top picks, meaning they are extremely popular, so if you are looking to stay whilst visiting Olympia Events, be sure to book in advance to avoid disappointment.
Exhibition stand designer and contractor, Quadrant2Design, have been frequent visitors to different venues around the UK including ExCel, The NEC and Olympia for over 20 years building exhibition stands for all different kinds of shows. Recently Quadrant2Design have been visiting shows to catch up with clients and get an insight to what it’s like to exhibit certain trade shows. Because of this, here are the team’s top tips and tricks when visiting Olympia Events.
- If you’re in a hurry to eat, being in Olympia may not be the quickest option as everyone gets hungry at the same time so queues are long!
- It is probably quicker and definitely easier to travel by public transport when visiting the venue. It has a dedicated station ‘Kesington (Olympia) Station’ opposite.
- If you are an exhibitor, be sure to book a slot to be able to unload or load your vehicle as you could be turned away.
Things to do Close By
If you are staying for a few days and are new to the area, it is definitely worth exploring. Olympia is located in Hammersmith, London which is bordered by the River Thames. Here is a list of the top things to pay a visit to whilst in the area.
- Westfield Shopping Centre; Europe’s largest with over 300 shops and over 60 restaurants.
- Hammersmith Bridge; one of London’s prettiest bridges which opened in 1887.
- Shepherds Bush Market; this market has run for over 100 years and is one of London’s most vibrant and multicultural.
Hammersmith is neighboured by the famous Kesington, home to royalty. It is perfect for anyone to really soak up the exquisite British culture. Here are the top things to pay a visit to when you are close by.
- Kensington Palace
It is famously home to royals like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. You can explore the public areas where you can take in the luxury of royal history.
- Kensington Gardens
Located at the western part of Hyde Park where you can explore the iconic landmark ‘Albert memorial. It is a truly eye-catching part of London which is definitely worth a visit in the spring months.
- Harrods
The world-famous department store is home to luxury brands to buy (or simply window shop) and fine-dining restaurants which are always worth a visit.
So, there you have it. The top hotels to stay at when visiting Olympia Events with plenty of things to explore and visit right on your doorstep. There is never any shortage of hotels whilst being in London, so if none of these take your fancy, I’m sure there is something that will. Maybe the King will let you have a room at Buckingham Palace just round the corner!
