The Official AstroFest Showguide!

Just arrived at Astronomy Now HQ, the Official AstroFest Showguide is your essential guide to the two day conference and exhibition, with speaker profiles, talk synopses, exhibitor profiles and floor plans....and it's free for all AstroFest attendees! Pick up your copy on the door.

Eating and drinking around High Street Kensington

The Kensington Conference and Events Centre will be offering light refreshments from its cafe-bar on the first floor throughout the two-day event, but you may prefer to dine out if you have more time. This list of restaurants and pubs (many of the latter also serve food) is by no means comprehensive, but is designed to give you an overview of some of the local eateries, all of which are no more than 15 minutes walk away from the Events Centre - just click on the restaurant/pub name for a location map and more information. If you have further suggestions please leave a comment! 

Coffee
There are plentiful coffee shops near High Street Kensington Tube station for coffee and a sandwich, including Pret a Manger inside the station arcade and a Boots and Marks and Spencers if you need to grab a sandwich or a drink on your way to the exhibition hall. There's also a Tesco Metro a short walk left out of the tube station. There's also a Caffe Nero on Wright's Lane just behind the tube station, and Starbucks can be found further down Kensington High Street in either direction.

Restaurants
For those looking for just a quick bite to eat:  

Byron - 'gourmet' burger chain  

Med Kitchen - brasserie 

Patisserie Valerie - coffee and cakes   

Pizza Hut - pizza & pasta  

Wagamama - Japanese/Asian 

For a more leisurely lunch or dinner (check with restaurant for booking information):

The Abbingdon - Modern European and international  

Balans - Brasserie  

Cafe Rouge - French bistro 

Maggie Jones - English  

Sopranos - Italian    

Sticky Fingers - American 

Thai Terrace - authentic Thai  

The Terrace - modern British  

For pub lunches or post-AstroFest beers:

The Britannia   (Separate dining area)

The Builders Arms  (World cuisine, world beers and real ale)

Churchill Arms (Thai food, Fuller's pub)

The Devonshire Arms  (Food) 

The Elephant and Castle (Real Ale)

Greyhound

Kensington Arms (Food and real ale)

Prince of Wales (Food available)

The Queens Arms (Food and real ales)

If you would like to make your own search for local restaurants, the full address of the AstroFest venue is: Kensington Conference and Events Centre, The Town Hall, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Hornton Street, London W8 7NX

Places to stay

Should you be planning on staying in London for a few days over AstroFest, we've put together a list of hotels that are near to Kensington High Street and which will suit a range of budgets. Arranged in approximate cost per night based on two people sharing unless otherwise indicated, this list is of course not exhaustive, so if you have any personal recommendations then please do add them to the list via the comments box! We look forward to seeing you in London on 10 & 11 February.

YHA London Holland Park
Holland House, Holland Walk, London W8 7QU 
£15/night/bed in shared dorm
yha.org.uk

Kensington Suite Hotel
128 – 130 Holland Road, Kensington, London W14 8BD
from £49 (single), £75 (double)
http://www.kensingtonsuitehotel.co.uk/

Kensington Close Hotel and Health Spa 
Wrights Lane, London, W8 5SP
From £62
kensingtonclosehotel.com‎

Holiday Inn London Kensington Forum
97 Cromwell Road, London, SW7 4DN 
from £70
http://www.hikensingtonforumhotel.co.uk/

Hotel Oliver
198 Cromwell Road, Kensington, London SW5 0SN
from £75
hoteloliver.co.uk

Premier Inn London Kensington 
11 Knaresborough Place, Kensington, London SW5 0TJ
£79
premierinn.com

Copthorne Tara 
Scarsdale Place W8 5SR
from £80
http://www.millenniumhotels.co.uk/copthornetarakensington/index.html

NH Kensington Hotel
202-220 Cromwell Road, Kensington SW5 0SW
from £90
http://www.nh-hotels.com/nh/en/hotels/united-kingdom/london/nh-kensington.html

Enterprise Hotel
15-25 Hogarth Road, London, United Kingdom SW5 0QJ
from £91
enterprisehotel.co.uk

Mercure London Kensington Hotel
1a Lexham Gardens, Kensington, London W8 5JJ
from £97 
mercurekensington.com‎

St Mark Hotel
4 Barkston Gardens, Earl’s Court, London, SW5 0EN
from £99
http://www.st-markhotel.co.uk/

Seraphine Hotel Kensington Olympia
225 Kensington High Street, Greater London W8 6SA
from £100
seraphinehotel.co.uk

Seraphine, Kensington Gardens 
9 Kensington High Street, Greater London W8 5NP
from £100
seraphinehotel.co.uk

Kensington House Hotel
15-16 Prince of Wales Terrace, Kensington, London W8 5PQ
from £108
kenhouse.com

The Rockwell Hotel
181 Cromwell Road, London SW5 0SF
from £113
http://www.therockwell.com/

The Parkcity Hotel
18-30 Lexham Gardens, London, W8 5JE
from £119
http://www.theparkcity.com/

The Park International
117 - 125 Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 4DS
from £125
http://www.parkinternationalhotel.com/

Ashburn Hotel
111 Cromwell Road, London SW7 4DP
from £133
http://www.ashburn-hotel.co.uk/

Royal Garden Hotel 
2-24 Kensington High Street, London W8 4PT
from £179
http://www.royalgardenhotel.co.uk/

The Milestone Hotel
1 Kensington Court W8 5DL
from £265
milestonehotel.com