Kent's C&I options unveiled

HOTELS: Kent boasts several chain hotels: Hilton has two, one in Maidstone and the other at Dartford Bridge; QHotels owns the 100-bed Bridgewood Manor in Chatham and the upmarket Ashford International with 179 rooms; and Marriott has the recently refurbished 119-room Tudor Park Hotel near Maidstone. Nearby is four-star Eastwell Manor, which offers 63 rooms on a 3,000-acre estate. Also boasting its own parkland is the 53-room Chilston Park Hotel. More boutique facilities can be found at Wallett's Court Hotel, a 15-room white-washed manor house, which blends in with its setting by Dover's white cliffs. For larger meetings, the hotel partners with nearby eco-friendly venue, Pines Calyx.

VENUES: "Modern meeting facilities complement the charm of our castles and country houses," says Kent Conference Bureau officer Dawn Bowen. Contemporary options include the River Centre in Tonbridge, which can cater for up to 1,000 and the new Woolf Conference Centre at the University of Kent, with a lecture theatre for up to 480, six seminar rooms and 544 rooms. Canterbury Cathedral Lodge combines old and new with a 250-seat auditorium and the 600 year-old Chapter House. Heritage seekers can use Hever Castle and the stunning Leeds Castle, where groups of up to 180 can dine in style.

More unusual venues include the Faversham-based Shepherd Neame Brewery, which recently welcomed McDonald's, and Chatham Historic Dockyard.

RESTAURANTS: The Hotel du Vin in Tunbridge Wells offers exceptional modern European cuisine and three private dining rooms for up to 84. On the downs, the Kits Coty Brasserie offers great views and has attracted groups from BAE Systems and Kimberley-Clark.

INCENTIVES: Incentives vary from a round of golf at Leeds Castle or the Marriott Tudor Park, to a high-wire forest adventure at Go Ape and adrenaline-fuelled driving day at Brands Hatch or Buckmore Park's go-kart circuit.

Contact: Dawn Bowen at the Kent Conference Bureau: 01622 602485; info@conferencekent.co.uk; www.conferencekent.co.uk