Black Hat Europe: Hotels & Where to Stay
7 Dec – 10 Dec 2026 ExCeL London 4,000 attendees
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- Pay over up to 16 weeks
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- Free cancellation rooms
Black Hat Europe 2026 returns to ExCeL London from 7 to 10 December 2026, with hands-on Trainings running across all four days and the Briefings and Business Hall concentrated on 9 and 10 December. Europe's edition of the world's most technical security conference draws around 4,000 researchers, red-teamers, CISOs and security engineers for new vulnerability research, tooling and the Arsenal open-source demos. ExCeL sits in the Royal Docks, a purpose-built events district where the hotel maths is stark: a modest cluster of hotels lines the dock within walking distance, and once those go, everyone else commutes by DLR or Elizabeth line from Canary Wharf, Greenwich or the City — in December darkness and cold. Because Trainings attendees arrive days before Briefings crowds, the walkable stock erodes earlier than the headline dates suggest. The rates on this page are live and bookable, from dockside hotels to well-connected fallbacks, so you can fix a short commute before it disappears.
Popular areas for attendees: Royal Docks · Canary Wharf · Greenwich.
- Hotels ranked by genuine walking or DLR time to ExCeL London's entrances
- Live 4-5 star rates across the Royal Docks, Canary Wharf and Greenwich, updated through the December sell-down
- Free-cancellation rooms prioritised — handy while Training seats and travel sign-off are pending
- Instant tax invoice at checkout for security-budget expensing
Event at a glance
- Dates
- 7 Dec – 10 Dec 2026
- Venue
- ExCeL London
- City
- London, United Kingdom
- Airport
- LCY
- Attendance
- 4,000
Recommended Hotels for Business Travellers
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Stay close to the venue
Hotels ranked by walking distance.
Flexible bookings
Pay Weekly available on free cancellation rooms.
Rates shown for the event window, Sun, Dec 6 → Fri, Dec 11 (arrive the day before, leave the day after) — or choose your own dates above.
Hotel rates near major event venues rise as the dates approach and the closest hotels sell out first. Booking a free-cancellation rate early locks the price with no downside.
On the map
The venue, your hotel options and where to eat — all in one view. Tap the map to explore it full screen.
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- The best hotels within walking distance of the venue
- Where to host clients for dinner near the halls
- How to beat the sold-out fair-week rooms
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Need to expense this trip? Business invoices available at checkout.
Where to eat during Black Hat Europe
ExCeL sits in the docks, but the Elizabeth line puts serious dining 15 minutes away — book the client dinner in town and keep the dockside gastropub for post-show pints.
Da Terra
Latin American-Italian tasting menus
Bethnal Green — ~25 min from ExCeL via Elizabeth line
Rafael Cagali's two-star room in the old Bethnal Green Town Hall — East London's most impressive client-dinner ticket and the closest two-star to the Royal Docks.
Tip: Last seatings ~8pm — leave the show floor by 7. Book before DSEI/WTM week.
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Galvin La Chapelle
French-Mediterranean
Spitalfields — Elizabeth line from Custom House (~15 min)
A soaring converted Victorian chapel holding its Michelin star since 2011 — one of the easiest genuinely impressive rooms to reach from ExCeL.
Tip: The set lunch is strong value for a starred room between sessions.
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Rules
Traditional British · since 1798
Covent Garden — ~30 min from ExCeL
London's oldest restaurant — game in season, steak and kidney pie year-round, beneath gilded art-crammed walls. The definitive old-London experience for international colleagues.
Tip: Upstairs cocktail bar for a pre-dinner martini; book evenings.
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St. JOHN
British nose-to-tail
Smithfield — Elizabeth line to Farringdon (~15 min)
Fergus Henderson's whitewashed smokehouse has defined modern British cooking since 1994 — Michelin-starred, unfussy, and beloved by every chef you'll meet.
Tip: Roast bone marrow and parsley salad; zero dress-code anxiety.
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The Fox Excel
Gastropub
Royal Victoria Dock — 2 min walk from ExCeL's west entrance
A converted tobacco warehouse beside the ExCeL entrance — the default for post-show pints, casual client catch-ups and decent pub food without leaving the docks.
Tip: Slammed within an hour of halls closing — grab a table before 5:30pm.
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WatchHouse Cabot Place
Specialty coffee
Canary Wharf — one Elizabeth-line stop from Custom House
The polished specialty roaster's Canary Wharf outpost — excellent espresso and laptop-friendly seating, the best serious coffee minutes from ExCeL.
Tip: Before 8:30am on show days to beat the Wharf commuter rush.
Open in Google MapsAfter the halls close: London
Client dinner, team night out or a free day after Black Hat Europe — bookable experiences in London, same account, same checkout.
While you're in London
Few cities pack more world-class sport and entertainment into a business week than London, from Premier League nights to West End-scale arena shows.
Premier League football (Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, West Ham)
With several top-flight clubs inside the city, there is usually a Premier League fixture within reach on any given trip during the season.
Find ticketsWimbledon Championships
The world's most famous tennis tournament is a bucket-list experience, and the daily ticket queue makes it possible even on short notice.
Find ticketsNFL London Games
Regular-season NFL games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley give US-facing travellers a familiar spectacle with a London twist.
Find ticketsThe O2 Arena concerts
One of the world's busiest arenas, The O2 almost always has a major artist, comedian or show on during your stay.
Find ticketsSix Nations rugby at Twickenham (Allianz Stadium)
England's home Six Nations matches are huge occasions, and hospitality packages suit client entertaining perfectly.
Find ticketsFixtures recur each season; exact dates for your fair week are confirmed at ticket search.
Getting there
From London City (LCY)
- City Airport is practically next door to ExCeL — the DLR reaches the venue's stations in around 5-10 minutes
- Use Custom House for ExCeL's west side or Prince Regent for the east entrance
- LCY's short-haul network covers Amsterdam, Zurich, Frankfurt, Dublin and other European security-industry hubs
- Contactless tap covers the DLR fare; no ticket needed
From Heathrow (LHR)
- The Elizabeth line runs from Heathrow directly to Custom House — one train, roughly 50-60 minutes, no changes
- Custom House station connects straight into ExCeL's western entrance via a short covered link
- Contactless pay-as-you-go handles the full journey; fares are a fraction of a taxi
- A taxi from Heathrow to the Royal Docks takes 60-90 minutes in traffic and typically costs £90-120 — hard to justify against the direct rail
Getting around during Black Hat Europe
Getting to ExCeL London daily
- Custom House (Elizabeth line and DLR) serves the west end of ExCeL; Prince Regent (DLR) serves the east — check which hall your Trainings or Briefings occupy to pick the right stop
- Dockside hotels along Western Gateway and Royal Victoria Dock are a 5-15 minute walk from the entrances
- From Canary Wharf, the Elizabeth line reaches Custom House in minutes; from Greenwich, the DLR connects via a change
- Ride-hail works, but in December darkness and dock winds the covered station-to-venue routes are usually the more pleasant option
Around London
- Contactless tap covers Tube, DLR, Elizabeth line and buses with automatic daily capping
- The Royal Docks is quiet at night — most attendees head to Canary Wharf or the City for dinner, both a short Elizabeth line or DLR ride away
- December means pre-Christmas party season across London: restaurants and hotel bars in Canary Wharf book out, so reserve group dinners early
- The Emirates Air Line cable car crosses the dock to Greenwich Peninsula and the O2 — a scenic, if breezy, December detour
Visa & entry
Visa-free / visa on arrival
- Nationals of the US, EU/EEA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and around 80 other countries attend visa-free for up to six months but must hold a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
- The ETA costs £20 (from April 2026), is obtained through the official UK ETA app, and remains valid for two years
- Irish citizens are exempt; carriers now enforce the ETA at boarding
eVisa / visa required
- Nationals of India, China, Turkey, Nigeria, South Africa and other non-ETA countries need a Standard Visitor visa with an online application and biometrics appointment
- Apply two to three months ahead — December processing collides with holiday backlogs
Documents to carry
- Black Hat registration or Training confirmation, plus an employer letter for visa applicants explaining the professional purpose
- Hotel booking details and return or onward travel evidence
- The ETA links to your passport electronically, but keep the confirmation accessible in case of questions
UK entry requirements and ETA rules continue to evolve — check GOV.UK or your nearest British embassy for the current position before booking.
First time at Black Hat Europe?
- Check your pass type against the schedule — Trainings run 7-10 December but Briefings and the Business Hall only occupy 9-10, so arrival dates differ by ticket
- Book Trainings early; the popular hands-on courses sell out well ahead and dictate your whole travel window
- ExCeL's central boulevard is nearly a kilometre end to end — note your hall numbers and use the closest DLR station rather than defaulting to Custom House
- December in the Royal Docks is cold, windy and dark by 4pm — pack accordingly and favour a dockside hotel to shorten the exposure
- Badge pickup on the first Briefings morning queues heavily; register the previous afternoon if your pass allows
Insider tips from repeat attendees
- Arsenal's tool demos are where practitioners actually talk — smaller crowds and the authors themselves, unlike the packed headline Briefings
- The final afternoon of the Business Hall is the best time for honest vendor conversations, once the booth-scan frenzy fades
- ExCeL's boulevard catering is adequate but pricey — dockside pubs and cafes along Royal Victoria Dock offer better lunch value ten minutes away
- Stay dockside and skip the commute entirely: the difference between a 5-minute walk and a DLR ride matters more in December than any other month
Black Hat Europe travel FAQs
Where should I stay for Black Hat Europe?
The hotel cluster along Royal Victoria Dock beside ExCeL is the prime choice — several properties sit within a 15-minute walk. Canary Wharf is the best-connected fallback via the Elizabeth line, with Greenwich a pleasant DLR-linked alternative.
How much do hotels cost during Black Hat Europe?
Dockside hotels reprice upward once Trainings attendees start booking, and December party season inflates Canary Wharf too. Expect clear premiums over a normal winter midweek, though London-wide December demand matters as much as the conference itself.
How early should I book hotels for Black Hat Europe 2026?
Two to four months out for the walkable dockside stock — earlier if you are taking a four-day Training and need the full 7-10 December span. Free-cancellation rates cover you while course registration is pending.
Which airport do I fly into for Black Hat Europe?
London City (LCY) if you can — it is minutes from ExCeL by DLR. Heathrow (LHR) is the long-haul option, with a direct Elizabeth line train to Custom House at ExCeL's doorstep in under an hour.
What is the difference between Black Hat Trainings and Briefings?
Trainings are paid, multi-day hands-on courses running 7-10 December 2026; Briefings are the research talks, running alongside the Business Hall on 9-10 December. They are ticketed separately, so confirm which you are attending before booking flights and hotel nights.
EventEscapes is an independent travel platform and is not affiliated with Black Hat Europe or its organizers. Dates and venues can change — verify with the official event site before booking travel.