Tips for Business Travel in Birmingham
Located in the West Midlands, and once a busy market town, Birmingham experienced dramatic growth during the Industrial Revolution, with advances in science, technology and economic development. In the late 18th century, it was hailed as the first manufacturing city of the world.
Today, the city features many landmarks connecting it with this period in the country’s history and is the second-largest city in Britain.
The city’s economy is primarily focused on the service sector; however, it is also the largest centre of higher education in the country outside London, with five universities, making it a popular destination for students and educators.
Visit Birmingham’s Shopping Destinations
Birmingham has a number of large shopping centres to visit, so whatever you’re searching for, you’re bound to find it. Whether you need a new pair of socks, a suit to impress at a business meeting, or a replacement toothbrush, you won’t be short of places to visit.
The Bullring & Grand Central are two separate shopping centres connected by a walkway. With more than 240 individual stores in total you won’t be short of places to explore. Bull Ring is also home to one of only four Selfridges stores in the UK. With its unique design, Bullring is more than just a shopping destination, it’s iconic, with unique cafes, and fun activities to share.
In the heart of the city is Great Western Arcade. This architectural delight with its stunning arched roof was originally designed as a tunnel for the Great Western Railway (hence the name). Full of unique boutiques and indie brands, it is a special place to visit.
Enjoy Culinary Delights in Birmingham
Birmingham has a number of incredible restaurants located across the city. Whether you’re looking for the perfect location for a business dinner, or somewhere to enjoy a quick coffee and snack, there are plenty of places to visit.
For Important Business Dinners
Pan-Asian inspired, plant-based dishes served in an intimate setting have earned Land a spot in the Michelin Guide. With a modern and inspired menu, Land is the perfect spot to take colleagues, clients or loved ones for a delicious meal that focuses on highlighting fresh ingredients.
With 2 Michelin stars, Opheem is the place to go if you want to impress. Serving a 10-course tasting menu, exquisite Indian dishes and a private dining experience, it has the reputation of being one of the best Indian restaurants in the UK.
If you’re looking for somewhere serving a unique international menu and great cocktails, then the Sky Bar & Restaurant is ideal. Located close to the Birmingham NEC, it’s the perfect place to visit in the warmer months if you love to eat outside with a rooftop dining space, and serving everything from Pan Fried Jerk Seabass to delicious burgers, it’s a great choice for business meals at all times of the day.
For Quick Business Lunches
Whether you love pizza or have a craving for a spicy Arrabbiata, you’ll find the flavours of Italy on the menu at Del Villaggio. Known for its well-balanced Tiramisu and creamy Panna Cotta, there is something on the menu for every Italian food lover.
Located in the exclusive Jewellery Quarter, The Rolling Mill serves everything from tasty Sunday roasts to fish and chips and bangers and mash. With a relaxed bar atmosphere, and with the option of a private dining experience, The Rolling Mill is a place to enjoy on a night out with friends or a business lunch with colleagues.
For Morning Coffee Meetings
When you’re in a rush, or you’ve got an early start, a chat over a coffee and a pastry can sometimes be the only opportunity you have for a catch-up with colleagues or a meeting with a client to update on a project. Coffee is the fuel that can get you going and keep you running, so it’s important of find the right place to pick up your daily brew.
Open early, and with a comprehensive breakfast menu including full English, selected pastries and fresh coffee, Grand Central Kitchen is a popular destination for locals and tourists looking for a tasty breakfast.
Decorated in an industrial style with comfortable seating, indoor and outdoor space, Rising Café has premises in Birmingham, Lincoln and Hexham, and is renowned for delicious breakfasts, pastries baked on-site and specialty coffees and cold drinks. The perfect spot for enjoying a relaxing coffee meeting before heading to the office.
Keeping up with Keeping Fit while in Birmingham
Maintaining a routine is important when you’re in unfamiliar surroundings. For some that’s going out and enjoying a cocktail to decompress after work, for others it’s lifting weights, swimming lengths or going for a run in the park. Finding the right gym is important if you want to keep up with the workout routine you’ve established, it’s a terrific way to relax after a full day of work and can be great for your mental health.
PureGym, the 24/7 gym, has an impressive ten locations in Birmingham and the surrounding area. Offering many classes, personal trainers and access to exercise equipment including weights, treadmills and rowing machines, it’s the perfect gym for those who want somewhere to work out around a busy schedule.
If you want a relaxing dip in the pool, or enjoy doing 100 lengths before or after a day of meetings, Ladywood Leisure Centre has two swimming pools plus full gym facilities and a health suite with sauna and steam room.
Birmingham also has a number of gyms offering a vast timetable of classes, personal training facilities, gyms and pools including David Lloyd, Virgin Active, Bannatyne Health and Nuffield Health.
Weekends in Birmingham
Birmingham is a vibrant city with plenty of places to visit to keep you busy and entertained on the weekend. If you prefer to escape the city on the weekends there are a number of places to visit where you can enjoy the countryside.
Just a thirty-minute drive outside the city is the beauty of Clent Hills. Protected and looked after by the National Trust, Clent Hills is a site of natural beauty. With archaeological discoveries, unusual follies constructed during the 18th century, and stunning panoramic views out over the Cotswolds, Welsh borders and Shropshire Hills, you can escape into nature and relax while taking in your incredible countryside surroundings.
Wightwick Manor and Gardens is home to an incredible collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, it also has one of the largest collections of work by female artists in the country. Built in the late 19th century and the site of some intriguing and unique architectural structures including a Mathematical Bridge inspired by the one at Queens’ College, Cambridge, Wightwick Manor is a wonderful place to spend a day.
If amusement parks are something you enjoy then Birmingham isn’t too far from Drayton Manor. A twenty-five-minute drive or just over an hour by bus will have you on the doorstep of this exciting destination. With fast rollercoasters, the only Thomas Land (for big fans of Thomas the Tank Engine) and a 15-acre zoo with over 500 animals to visit including red pandas, poisonous frogs and a stunning radiated tortoise, it’s a place for the adventure-seeker.
Who doesn’t love chocolate? Birmingham is the home of the most popular chocolate brand in the UK, Cadbury. So, if you’re interested in learning more about everything chocolate then Cadbury World is where you should head for a day ‘Choc-full of Fun’. Rides, afternoon tea with Freddo and the chance to make your own unique chocolate bar form part of the adventure.
Stay with Charles Hope in Birmingham
Whether you’re looking for somewhere to stay for a week or six months, where you stay is important. You want somewhere that is going to give you the space to work and a place to relax when you’ve finished a day of meetings or hours in the office. It’s important to make sure that the accommodation you choose when you’re away for business is somewhere that fits your work and personal needs. A stay in our Birmingham apartments includes:
- Fully equipped kitchens ideal for entertaining guests or mixing up the perfect movie snack
- High-speed internet for work meetings and family video calls
- Space to enjoy downtime
- Comfortable double beds
Make your business trip to Birmingham something to remember
Birmingham is the second largest city in the UK with great transport links and large entertainment facilities that host renowned global events. Regional offices for Deloitte, PWC and Goldman Sachs, plus premises for BT, Fujitsu and Aldi make the city a popular business hub.
Whether you’re staying for a couple of nights, a week, or longer, a stay at a Charles Hope apartment is the ideal option when you want to enjoy everything that Birmingham and the nearby area has to offer to visitors and residents alike.
If you’re looking for information when staying with us, whether that’s a new restaurant, a cocktail bar or somewhere to take family when they visit, then our guest services team can help. We’re here to help make your stay everything you need it to be, seamless, relaxing and productive.
Ready to experience all that Charles Hope has to offer in Birmingham? Reach out to our team today on +44 (0)203 983 6300 or email us on reservations@charleshope.co.uk to find out how we can make your Birmingham stay one to remember.
