Travel &
Accomodations

Conference Hotels

We have arranged special deals with two Loughborough University campus-based hotels, Burleigh Court and The Link for the duration of the conference. The conference registration fee and the conference hotels are both bookable via the registration page (see Registration tab for the link). Please note that registration and hotel accommodation cannot be booked separately. Delegates need to book the accommodation in the same transaction and can only access the room options after selecting an ‘attendee category’ to book their place at the conference.

However, the number of rooms available are limited so delegates may need to arrange alternative accommodation once these rooms are fully booked (the online store will indicate this with an exclamation mark).

There are several other hotel options available in the town centre and in the surrounding areas. More information is below.

Other Accommodation Options

In addition to the conference hotels, there are several accommodation options in Loughborough town centre and the surrounding areas.

Accommodation in Loughborough town centre:

Loughborough town centre is located about a 45-minute walk from the Holywell Park Conference Centre (the location of the conference).

The Sprint Kinchbus service runs regularly (up to every 10 minutes) between Loughborough train station, the city centre and the University campus and an adult single fare is £3. The journey takes around 20 minutes from the town centre to the conference venue (Holywell Park).

Options in Loughborough town centre include:

East Midlands Parkway

Loughborough is located near the East Midlands Parkway airport, where you can find several hotel options, including:

There is a Skylink bus service which runs from East Midlands Airport and travels to Loughborough. They run every 20 minutes and an adult single fare is £3. It could take as little as 30 minutes to travel to Loughborough.

You can also get the train from East Midlands Parkway station to Loughborough train station (the journey takes around 8 mins). The Sprint Kinchbus service runs regularly (up to every 10 minutes) between Loughborough train station and the University campus and an adult single fare is £3.

You can find more information on travelling from East Midlands Parkway to Loughborough University here.

Leicester

Leicester is a nearby city. You can travel by train from Leicester to Loughborough in around 12 minutes. The Sprint Kinchbus service runs regularly (up to every 10 minutes) between Loughborough train station and the University campus and an adult single fare is £3.

Leicester has numerous accommodation options, including:

You can find train information for travel from Leicester to Loughborough here.

Accommodation in nearby villages:

Loughborough is surrounded by beautiful countryside and several small villages. These venues in nearby villages are not accessible by public transport, so delegates would require access to a car or taxi journey to reach the conference venue (Holywell Park):

Getting to Loughborough University

By Air

East Midlands Airport is only 7 miles away from campus and offers both domestic and international flights. For destinations and a full timetable contact the East Midlands Airport Information Desk on +44 (0)8719 199000. A taxi from East Midlands Airport to Loughborough campus will cost £18 – £22. There is a regular bus service between East Midlands Airport and Loughborough town centre (running up to every 15 minutes); the journey takes around 30 minutes and a single fare costs £3.

By Rail

Regular services operate between Loughborough and other main line towns - including daily trains to and from London St Pancras International, 90 minutes away. Tickets are available up to 3 months in advance via the Trainline - https://www.thetrainline.com/ and considerably cheaper if you buy ahead of time. Taxis are normally available from the town station to Loughborough campus for around £8, or you can use the Sprint shuttle bus.

By Coach

Coach and bus services operate from the centre of Loughborough. Travel by National Express or regional bus services to Loughborough then connect with local Kinch bus town services to the Loughborough University campus. For enquiries about all these services call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33.

Getting around campus

The Sprint shuttle bus has stops around campus, including outside Holywell park. A single fare is around £3, payable by cash or contactless.

Places to eat and things to do in Loughborough town centre

The Loughborough Odeon on Cattle Market is a fantastic example of mid-century architecture. Check out the Film SIG’s Friday programming at the venue.

Caravelli Italian Restaurant on Sparrow Hill is housed in The Old Manor, one of the oldest buildings in Loughborough. The recent discovery of a stone fireplace indicates it was originally built in the mid-fourteenth century. The building has a fine Swithland slate roof and a central gable facing the road through which the original front door would have run.

For things to do and see in and around Loughborough, check out the Visit Leicester website. A more comprehensive list of heritage trails, museums and local parks is available at Discover Charnwood.

Loughborough town centre boasts plenty of independent coffee shops, pubs and casual restaurants. Here’s a few recommendations from the local conference committee:

For coffee (and a bite)

For food

For a drink