Oatlands Park Hotel

About the venue

Weybridge hotel on the site of Henry VIII's Oatlands Palace, rebuilt after a fire in 1794 and a hotel since 1856. It has 157 bedrooms, 12 event rooms and 10 acres above Broadwater Lake. Weddings take up to 300 and exclusive use starts at £45,000, while the York Suite holds 420 for conferences.

The Duchess of York made a cemetery for her pet dogs in the grounds at Oatlands, and it can still be seen in the gardens. She lived here until her death, after the house burnt down in 1794 and was rebuilt in a Gothic style. The site's royal story goes back to 1538, when Henry VIII began a palace here for Anne of Cleves. He is thought to have married Catherine Howard secretly in its chapel.

The palace was pulled down under Cromwell, but other details survive. A cedar by the main drive is thought to mark the birth of Charles I's son Henry, and the Duke of Newcastle's coat of arms is on the entrance gates. The house became the South Western Hotel in 1856, with Trollope, Zola and Edward Lear among early guests. In the First World War it was a hospital for New Zealand troops.

Today Oatlands Park Hotel has 157 air-conditioned bedrooms and 10 acres of grounds overlooking Broadwater Lake in Weybridge. There are 12 event rooms. The York Suite is the largest, taking 312 theatre-style, 300 for a banquet and 420 for a reception, and La Terrazza has bifold doors and holds 250. The Mulberry Restaurant is named after the Tudor mulberry tree, and there is still one in the grounds.

Weddings run three ways: traditional packages, dry hire with approved caterers, or exclusive use of the whole hotel. Meetings include AV equipment and free on-site IT support, and parking and Wi-Fi are free. Guests also get a free fitness suite and discounted driving at Mercedes-Benz World, which is nearby.

Site of Henry VIII's Oatlands Palace (1538)

Gothic rebuild after the 1794 fire; hotel since 1856

157 bedrooms, all air-conditioned

12 event rooms; York Suite takes 420

Weddings for up to 300, including dry hire

Exclusive use from £45,000 a night

10 acres above Broadwater Lake

Free parking, Wi-Fi and IT support