888poker LIVE will be holding its first-ever 888Poker LIVE Festival at the Coventry Building Society Arena from October 20 to 29. With a £500,000 guaranteed prize pool up for grabs in the Main Event, the festival promises to be a real high point in this Autumn’s UK poker calendar.
The packed 888Poker LIVE Festival schedule features a ton of events at varying buy-ins including a £200 + £200 + £40 Mystery Bounty to open the event, a two-day £110 Ladies Event, a £5k Super High Roller and £2,500 High Roller. The £888 buy-in Main Event, which kicks off on October 25, features four starting flights including a 1d turbo and all players get a generous 50k starting stack.
Grosvenor gave away 11 entries into the £888 buy-in Main Event at the recent GUKPT London. Among those who scored free seats were Weixiao Liao who won the Main Event and Ravi Sheth who won the Mini Main, along with all the Day 1 chip leaders in the Mini and the Main including Day 1b ME chip leader Ludovic Geilich. Three extra seats were given away in a random draw comprising all Main Event competitors. Grosvenor also announced that points for the National Poker League will be awarded during the 888Poker Live Festival; the league winner becomes the Grosvenor Player of the Year and wins a Grosvenor sponsorship package worth £40k.
As the Official Travel Partner for Grosvenor’s epic Goliath festival, MainEventTravel.com has years of experience in booking accommodation near the Coventry Building Society Arena. Don’t forget to check out our booking options offering free cancellation.
Below are details for six hotels that we recommend to players competing at Grosvenor Casino Coventry at the CBS Arena. They’re all comfy and conveniently located no more than 15 minutes’ drive from the venue.
DoubleTree by Hilton at the Arena
If you want to stay right bang next to the casino, then the DoubleTree by Hilton (pictured below) at the Arena is the hotel for you (ps not to be confused with the other DoubleTree by Hilton in Coventry city centre – see below.) This impressive hotel enjoys a prime location and has great transport connections – there’s an onsite West Midlands Trains railway station while Birmingham International Airport is only 20 minutes away. Hotel guests enjoy designated parking at £8/day. Your stay begins with a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie at check-in. Each guest room features free WiFi, a 42-inch flat screen HD TV and tea/coffee facilities. Faradays provides continental and Full English breakfast from 7am – 10am on weekdays and 8am to 11am at the weekend. Mill Bar & Brasserie offers classic seasonal British cuisine for lunch and dinner in a space divided into a restaurant, bar, and coffee lounge. The Anecdote (open 11am to 11pm every day) offers a great menu of street food-inspired classics, refreshing long cocktails, craft beers and sumptuous wines. The Anecdote also features a giant foosball table, shuffle-board and lots of funky areas. The hotel also has a well-equipped fitness centre.
Novotel Coventry
For those who want to keep up their fitness schedule, there’s a purpose-built gym on-site, open from 7am – 10pm. For snacks and drinks, room service is available 24/7; (and from 6pm – 9.30pm for hot meals.) Parking at the hotel is £5 for your entire stay – just let reception know on arrival. Check-in is 3pm; check-out is noon.
Royal Court
The Royal Court Hotel (pictured below) is always a popular choice with Goliath and GUKPT Coventry players. This beautiful Grade II listed country house, set in 11 acres of landscaped gardens and parkland, is just a ten-minute drive from the 888poker LIVE venue. The original manor house dates back to 1894 and was built by the car manufacturer William Hillman to house his large family. It’s been extended over the years and is now one of the largest hotels in the area with over 200 rooms.
The hotel restaurant serves delicious breakfast and dinner every day in the stunning baronial hall of the original manor house. Reservations are room-only with full English breakfast available from 7am to 9.30am on weekdays and 8am to 10.30am for £18/pp. Dinner is from 6.30pm to 9pm. The Java Lounge Café serves light meals and snacks from 6:30pm-9:30pm and the hotel bar is open until 11pm. All rooms feature a TV, telephone, hairdryer and tea- and coffee-making facilities. For a small fee, guests can enjoy excellent hotel spa facilities with a heated indoor pool, gym, sauna, steam room and hot tub - open from 8:30am-7pm on weekdays and from 9:30am-5:30pm at weekends. Hotel parking is free. WiFi is free in all the public areas; in rooms, it’s £7 for 24 hours (per device.) The hotel’s reception desk is open 24/7; check-in is from 4pm; check-out is up to 10am. Please note there is no room service.
Britannia Coventry
DoubleTree by Hilton Coventry
The DoubleTree by Hilton Coventry (pictured below) (not to be confused with the DoubleTree at the CBS Arena above) is a very stylish option for your 888poker LIVE sojourn. Located just off the M6, it’s only five miles/12 minutes’ drive from the Arena and/or Coventry city centre. It boasts a ton of amenities including free access to the fabulous LivingWell spa with 15m indoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and gym. All the rooms have a bathtub with shower, desk, 32-inch HDTV, media hub for connecting electronic devices, tea- and coffee-making facilities. There is free Wifi throughout the hotel.
The Larder restaurant serves up a varied menu of traditional and international options and you can also grab a Starbucks-brewed coffee here – or glass of wine from The Larder Bar. The restaurant is open daily from 6.30pm to 9pm (last orders for dinner are at 8.30pm) while the bar is open up to 11pm. Breakfast is served 6.30-9.30am on weekdays and 7.30-10.30am at the weekend. Full English breakfast is just £14.95. You need to book the restaurant but light meals/snacks are also available in the Larder Bar. Room service is round the clock (with a reduced menu from 10pm.) There is secure parking in front of the hotel for £6/day. Check in is from 3pm, check-out by noon.
Holiday Inn, Coventry
Holiday Inns (pictured below) are always a reliable option if you’re looking for affordable accommodation – and the Holiday Inn Coventry has all the creature comforts you’d expect from this well-known chain. The Holiday Inn Coventry is located at Junction 2 of the M6, close to both the CBS Arena venue (10 minutes’ drive) and the city centre.
All the rooms have TV and tea- and-making facilities and the Wifi is free. There is an onsite bar and the Open Lobby restaurant serves Full English Breakfast and dinner. There is also 24/7 room service. Breakfast is served from 6.30am to 9.30am weekdays and 7.30am to 10.30am at weekends. Dinner is from at 6.00pm to 9.00pm daily. Please note you will need to book dinner in advance to dine in the restaurant. A nice Holiday Inn touch is that, if you have left your laptop behind, you can use one at the hotel. Parking is £10 overnight. Check-in is from 2pm; check-out by noon.
Ramada Hotel by Wyndham Coventry
The Ramada (pictured below) is another reliable and reasonably-priced chain. The Queens Road Kitchen & Bar offers fresh food and drinks all day and night, featuring a mix of traditional favourites. Breakfast is served from 6.30-10am on weekdays and from 7.30am-10.30pm at the weekend. Dinner is available from 5.30pm to 9.30pm and there is also 24/7 room service (after 9.30pm, just pizza is available for hot food). There is secure parking for your convenience for £6.50 a day. There is also a small on-site gym with rowing machine and treadmill. All the rooms have plasma TV, hairdryer, iron and tea- and-making facilities and the Wifi is free. The front desk is open 24/7 and early check-in is available; otherwise, it’s 3pm check-in and 11am check-out.
Many of MainEventTravel.com’s booking options offer free cancellation in case your plans change before the tournament starts.