COOL is a matter of opinion. It is perhaps the greatest currency you can possess; whether you are running for President, or pitching for the next big event! It is what gives an events venue the position of strength

when negotiating with an event organiser…
The COOL Venues Awards were developed in 2007 by Wesley Mendy of Prestige Events.
Over the past seven years, Prestige Events magazine has tried toidentify for its readers venues which will make the difference, and set it’s editorial compass on what’s COOL for the benefit of it UK readership of event organiser's.
The barometer should not be biased towards all that is ‘new’ in our opinion. There is always a place for the classic / heritagevenue. They often possess a character, charisma, and class that many ‘newer’ builds cannot yet match. So what is COOL? A COOL venue should have: Charisma, Originality, Style, Innovation, Sex Appeal, Authenticity, Aspiration,and Uniqueness. COOL is a very personal opinion. Therefore, a panel ofjudges was selected to form a council. Each understood the intrinsic factors, elements and characteristics that deem a venue to be COOL.
The council represents adiverse collective; writers, industry figureheads, and event organisers /specialists. They have applied the strict guideline that each nominee should not be selected as a result of its technical capabilities, sincemany of these facets (lighting, AV, etc) can be imported. This year’s‘barometer’, created by a council of 12 judges (see bottom of page), provides very interesting reading. The Savoy, despite undergoing refurbishment, proved a problem in the COOLest for galas category. The headache was solved by the correct argument that in recent music awards, the late great Michael Jackson, who wasn’t active in album releases, but is still achieving huge sales, triumphed in many categories. Hence, the Savoy decision (and to those that didn’t make the shortlist, remember there is always next year and 12 months to change ‘opinions’)….
Coolest Hotel Chain / Group:
(Previous winner: Radisson Edwardian)
Winner:
Radisson Edwardian
Runners-up:
Malmaison
Morgans
Maybourne
Hotel Du Vin
Relais and Chateaux
Mandarin Oriental
Sheraton
Four Seasons
Von Essen
Barcelo
Firmdale
Soho Hotels
Coolest Independent Hotel
(Previous winner: None - NEW CATEGORY):
Winner:
The Hempel
Runners-up:
Hoxton Hotel
The Pavillion Fashion Rock n Roll Hotel
Blanch House
Danesfield Hotel
Zetter
Feversham Arms
The Grove
Gleneagles
The Clarence
The Haven
Mar Hall
Coolest Country House / castle/ stately home
(Previous winner: Stoke Park)
Winner:
Stoke Park
Runners-up:
Brocket Hall
Blenheim
Windsor Castle
The Grove
Waddesdon Manor
Mallory Court
Sudeley Castle
Luton Hoo
Tower Bridge
Kenwood House
Belvoir Castle
Wrotham Park
Coolest Boutique Hotel
(Previous winner: The Hempel)
Winner:
The Hempel
Runners-up:
Babbington House
Blakes
The Clarence
The Zetter
Drakes
Browns
Barnsley House
42 The Call
41 Hotel
Missoni Edinburgh
Sanctum Soho
Coolest ‘On water’ venue
(Previous winner: Royal Caribbean)
Winner:
Royal Caribbean
Runners-up:
Bateaux London
London duck tours
Sunseeker
Silverfleet
Rum Jungle
HMS Belfast
River and Rowing Museum
Silversea
Dixie Queen
Woods River Cruises
Thames RIB
Coolest Sporting venue
(Previous winner: Emirates Stadium)
Winner:
Wembley Stadium
Runners-up:
Emirates Stadium
Ascot
RBS Williams F1 Centre
David Beckham Academy
Wimbledon
Aintree
Chelsea
Stoke Park
City of Manchester Stadium
Lords
Sixways Stadium
Old Trafford
Coolest Museum / Gallery
(Previous winner: Natural History Museum)
Winner:
Natural History Museum
Runners-up:
Science Museum
Saatchi Gallery
Tate Modern
Magna
Design Museum
The Lowry
Tate Britain
British Museum
Delfina
Museum in Docklands
Tate Liverpool
Opus Covent Garden
Coolest conference / exhibition centre
(Previous winner: Barbican)
Winner:
Barbican
Runners-up:
Savoy Place
British Museum
The MayFair
RBS Williams f1
Excel
Altitude 360
The Public
Imperial College
National Media Museum
AECC
SECC
BFi Imax
Wellcome Collection
Coolest Bar / Club
(Previous winner: Absolut Icebar)
Winner:
Ministry of Sound
Runners-up:
Fabric
Buddha Bar
Matter
Whisky Mist
Amika
Paramount
Pacha
40/30 at The Gherkin
RS Lounge
The MayFair Bar
Cream
Coolest Restaurant
(Previous winner: Sketch)
Winner:
Nobu - Berkeley
Runners-up:
Hakkasan
Sketch
San Carlo
St Pancras Grand
The Yorke Arms – Ramsgill
Gordon Ramsay at Claridges
The Milestone – Sheffield
Hard Rock Café
Just St James
Gilgamesh
40/30 at The Gherkin
Coolest venue for Corporate Fun / Teambuilding
(Previous winner: Mercedes Benz World)
Winner:
Alton Towers
Runners-up:
Warwick Castle
London Zoo
Inishturkbeg Island
Shakespeare Globe / Swan at The Globe
Go Ape
Mercedes Benz World
Sno!Zone @ Xcape
Audi Quattro Showrooms
Magic Circle
London Dungeon
Goodwood
Namco Station County Hall
Daytona Motorsport
Coolest venue for Awards Ceremonies
(Previous winner: Roundhouse)
Winner:
Old Billingsgate
Runners-up:
Roundhouse
Natural History Museum
Boiler House at Battersea Power Station
St Georges Hall
Magic Circle HQ
Sheffield City Hall
Science Museum London
Banqueting House
Imperial War Museum
East Wintergarden
Grovesnor House
Coolest venue for galas / aspirational events
(Previous winner: Somerset House)
Winner:
The Savoy
Runners-up:
Bloomsbury Ballroom
Tate Modern
Celtic Manor
Home House
Il Bottaccio
Old Billingsgate
Somerset House
Natural History Museum
Troxy
Cannon Bridge Roof Gardens
Mar Hall
Coolest venue for Small Meetings
(Previous winner: Altitude 360)
Winner:
Tower Bridge
Runners-up:
Altitude 360
Wellington Arch
One Great George Street
40/30 at The Gherkin
Emirates Stadium
Inmarsat Conference Centre
IOD Hub
Whittlebury Hall
Rich Mix
Signor Sassi
Wallacespace
Coolest private member club
(Previous winner: None – NEW CATEGORY)
Winner:
City of London club
Runners-up:
40/30 at The Gherkin
Diamond Club at Emirates Stadium
Shoreditch House
City Golf Club
Adam Street
The Groucho Club
116 Pall Mall / IOD HQ
Home House
Paramount
Soho House
Met Bar
Coolest venue for Receptions
(Previous winner: Il Bottaccio)
Winner:
Altitude 360
Runners-up:
Saatchi Gallery
40/30 at The Gherkin
Household Cavalry Museum
Il Bottaccio
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
Skinners Hall
One Marylebone
The Deck at The National Theatre
The Old Fruitmarket
Tudor Barn Eltham
RIBA
Dreamvault
The Gallery Soho
Coolest venue for outdoor events
(Previous winner: The Hurlingham Club)
Winner:
Cannon Bridge Roof Gardens
Runners-up:
The Hurlingham Club
Alton Towers
Blenheim Palace
London Zoo
Somerset House
The Grove
Goodwood
Ascot
Kensington Roof Gardens
Celtic Manor
Warwick Castle
Coolest all-round / multi-purpose venue
(Previous winner: 40/30 at The Gherkin)
Winner:
Roundhouse
Runners-up:
40/30 at The Gherkin
Altitude 360
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Eden Project
Wales Millennium Centre
Magna
Science Museum, London
SECC
Truman Brewery
The Clarence
Emirates Stadium
Coolest venue Architecture
(Previous winner: 40/30 at The Gherkin)
Winner:
40/30 at The Gherkin
Runners-up:
Roundhouse
Somerset House
Tate Modern
Cutlers Hall
Emirates Stadium
Claridges
Wales Millennium Centre
LSO St Lukes
The Crypt at St Pauls Cathedral
Eden Project
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*NEW CATEGORY*
COOL Venue of the Noughties:
Winners (shared):
Emirates Stadium
The Gherkin
2009 COOL Venues Awards judges panel
Wesley Mendy (Prestige Events)
Kristiana Kruysmulder (Prestige Events)
Errol Griffiths (Prestige Events)
James Harrup (Prestige Events / JWH Creative)
Will Broome (Londonlaunch)
Emily Gillan (Purple Grape)
Kate Disley (UBM)
Clayton Dean (Red Carpet)
Ben Turner (Design Scene)
Arthur Somerset
PJ Stevens (Leap PLC)
Suzie Bailey (Staar Productions)
Julian Saipe (Zafferano)
Gini Wilde (Bonner and Hindley)
Lee Hoppen (SoonNight.com)
For more information:
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