My Favourite Places For Career Coaching in London

12 Jul My Favourite Places For Career Coaching in London

Posted at 15:29h in Business, Coaching by
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My pick of the best places to have career coaching in London

 

One of the best things about career coaching in London is the variety of possible venues; one of the worst is that so many of them are loud, crowded and have little privacy. As I often need to come up with somewhere to meet, I must continually source new and appropriate venues. Sometimes it needs to be a confidential. focused session with a whiteboard and lots of space. For these types of sessions I often work out of my London hom.

However, some career coaching clients prefer their coaching to be somewhere more informal and then I have a number of great career coaching venues up my sleeve. Here are some of my current favourites (in no particular order) to have career coaching in London. Please do leave a comment and let me know your suggestions…

1. Sofitel St James

The Rose Lounge at this Five Star Hotel is one of my very favourite places to take my career coaching clients, especially women who tend to love it. You can settle in snug sofas and enjoy a very feminine, pampered meeting over rose tea and macaron, or choose from one of the many other teas available. It feels pretty confidential too, so ideal for sensitive conversations.

Service is always attentive, and I’ve occasionally been lucky enough to be there when they’ve had a harpist. If the Rose Lounge is full, or you’re looking for something a bit less girlie, the bar is equally sophisticated and still has that luxurious touch, but is often a little quieter during the day.  Closest tube is Piccadilly Circus.

http://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-3144-sofitel-london-st-james/index.shtml

2.Waterstones, Piccadilly

One of my favourite places to meet clients in London: enjoying afternoon tea at watersones, Piccadilly

One of my favourite places to meet clients in London: enjoying afternoon tea at watersones, Piccadilly

 

You can probably tell that Piccadilly is one of my favourite areas in London, possibly because it’s within easy walking distance of Oxford Street and also homes Fortnum and Mason. The flagship store Waterstones on Piccadilly presents a great opportunity to combine a career coaching session with a little book shopping, or a new notebook from the stationery section. The Fifth floor restaurant allows you to dine, or just take coffee or a cocktail or glass of wine, in an atmosphere that’s slightly buzzier than a hotel lounge, but a little more interesting than your usual Costa or Cafe Nero. You can take a client there for an informal afternoon tea for a fun touch, but this perhaps isn’t the best place for confidential conversations. Don’t think you have to limit yourself to day time meetings only. Waterstones in Piccadilly is open until 10 pm many nights. Nearest tube is Piccadilly Circus.

https://www.waterstones.com/bookshops/piccadilly

3. Threadneedles Hotel, Bank

If you’re on the city side of London, the Five Star Threadneedles has a lovely lounge area, just past the reception, with huge sofas that you can reserve. Despite being a hotel, this still has a bit of that City atmosphere and seriousness that can make for very productive meetings. Again, it has a nice confidential feel that is perfect for career coaching.

Service is a little shaky as they have to leave the bar to take your order and sometimes they seem to just forget, but if you are happy with a more relaxed service, combined with a good city vibe, this may well work for you.

http://www.hotelthreadneedles.co.uk/

4. Juice and Public, Piccadilly

If you’d rather nibble on something more on the healthy lines during your meet up, or are meeting someone you know would appreciate this, this Juice bar just off Piccadilly has plenty of tables, a great choice of juices (but also cakes and coffee if you’re not that virtuous) and extends right back past the juice bar to a collection of quiet tables at the back. I’ve tried this on a weekday morning and found it nice to have something other than the same old tea and coffee on the menu, and everyone I’ve met here seems suitably impressed. The staff are very friendly and happy to explain unusual ingredients. I’ve heard breakfasts are good so that’s next on the list to try. Nearest Tube Piccadilly Circus.

9 Wardour Street, London W1D 6PB, England

5. Carluccios, St Pancras

This is my top place for a quick business lunch. It’s romantic; no, not soppy romantic, but it has all the romance of travel with the Eurostar lurking, ready to zip to Paris. Everyone likes something on the Carluccio’s menu, and they are very good at catering for gluten and dairy free. The coffee is very, very good and you always know that the food is going to deliver. The atmosphere at this branch is always vibrant and buzzy, but if you want somewhere a little quieter to discuss the finer points, you can head next door to the St Pancras Renaissance for a drink or mint tea to finish. Nearest tube is Kings Cross.

LONDON, ST PANCRAS

6. Reunion Champagne Bar, The Grosvenor, Victoria

The Grosvenor at Victoria holds nostalgic memories for me. As a student at Kent I used to head up to London for cocktails at the Grosvenor, and considered myself to be so so sophisticated. Now the bar is in a completely different place, but it is very glamorous, and so useful if you’re looking to chat over a cocktail or glass of wine, although you can still grab a tea or coffee here too.
Situated inside Victoria station, it’s got great transport links, and suitable for my career coaching clients who are coming in from Surrey or Kent. Even though the station is hustle and bustle city, once you’re inside the hotel the chaos on the others side of the doors just melts away. Nearest tube is Victoria.
A good place for client meetings in London: The Grosvenor, London

A good place for client meetings in London: The Grosvenor, London

 

 

7. The Goring, Victoria

If you’re in need of a place to impress, especially someone who might be quite old school, this is it.  Be warned, this is not the place for you if you’re on a budget. Prices are steep and odds are your client is going to like it so much they’ll want that second cappuccino plus the plate of biscuits that goes with it. You can choose from leather sofas and low tables, tables by the window or more buzzy tables by the bar that will guarantee friendly smiles from the staff. Nearest tube is Victoria.

 

8. Paperchase, Tottenham Court Road

In complete contrast to the Goring is the coffee shop on the first floor. It’s not posh, but I do like meeting here, over a cake or two. With a plethora of stationery (including some nice high end stuff) to browse to my heart’s content, plus a reasonably priced coffee shop with a view over Tottenham Court Road, this is fine for quick meetings to update on progress. And, come Christmas time, you can get all your shopping done at the same time! Nearest tubes are Tottenham Court Road and Warren Street.

 

9. Eastway Brasserie, Liverpool Street

Part of the Andaz hotel, this is a bustling brasserie that I favour for breakfast meetings. Staff are efficient and food is very good, and they can do a soya cappuccino, always a plus for me! I especially love their white tea, and often find that once the furore has died down and career coaching client has left, I stay on for a quiet cappuccino and work or make notes on my own. It’s also a perfect place to jump on the central line, but do check out how to get here before suggesting it for meetings; directions are a little awkward. Nearest tube is Liverpool Street.

 

10. Friends House, Euston Road

I know this sounds a bit of a bizarre one, but the cakes are excellent at this Quaker cafe, and there’s something quite calming about the atmosphere that makes it ideal for career coaching in London. It just feels very authentic and normal, and yet quiet enough to hear your companion. Service is friendly and you can also book private meeting or conference rooms at a reasonable price. I often a combine a meeting with a visit to one of the free exhibitions at the Wellcome Trust just down the road. Closest tubes are Euston and Kings Cross.

http://www.friendshouse.co.uk/

So, that’s my round up. Please do add any favourites of your own in the comment section below…

 

 

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2 Comments
  • Ian Hamilton
    Posted at 10:55h, 13 July Reply

    Great post Paula – always handy to have ideas for when I visit clients in London 🙂

  • Heather Waring
    Posted at 11:28h, 11 August Reply

    It’s not in central London but if they can get there I love to meet clients at Butler’s Retreat on the edge of Epping Forest. It’s in a beautiful clapperboard building, the views are amazing and the food is good too. Love to have a breakfast meeting there and then go for a walk after.

    In London, I’m with you Paula regarding Waterstones in Picadilly, I also love the members area in the Royal Festival Hall where those huge windows provide amazing views whatever the season or time of day.

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