Hotels near Coventry Building Society Arena

Coventry Building Society Arena is at Judds Lane, Longford, Coventry, CV6 6AQ. Many people still search for it as the Ricoh Arena, and the arena's own Google Maps route link still carries that name. The arena's directions page gives CV6 6AQ as the sat nav postcode, but the Get Directions link on its conferences page uses CV6 6GE. Both postcodes appear on the venue's own pages, so if one does not land you at the right place, try the other and follow the signs for the arena.

By road, the directions page says the arena is about 800 yards from Junction 3 of the M6, with the M1 and M40 nearby. The venue's conferences page says it is within two hours' drive of 75 per cent of the country. The directions page advises checking for traffic disruption before you set off, and that is sensible advice for any event day, because the roads around the arena fill up when a stadium crowd or a large exhibition lets out at the same time.

By train, the simplest route is Coventry Arena station. National Rail lists it as Coventry Arena (CAA), at Arena Park Shopping Centre, Classic Drive, Coventry, CV6 6AS, managed by West Midlands Railway. The arena's directions page describes it as about a five minute walk from the arena, and its Plan your Visit page says the station is on the Leamington to Nuneaton line, about eight minutes from Coventry main station. The directions page states one train per hour in each direction Monday to Friday, and the same hourly pattern on match days with double carriage capacity. Because the service is hourly rather than every few minutes, missing a train costs you a long wait, so build in margin if you are travelling to a timed entry or a trade show opening.

National Rail's station page says Coventry Arena has step free access to all platforms, though that may involve long or steep ramps or street routes, and there are no lifts. It lists toilets, accessible toilets, a Changing Places toilet, ticket machines, a sheltered waiting area, bicycle storage and bicycle hire, and a drop off and pick up point. There is no staffed help listed, so if you need assistance, book Passenger Assistance in advance through the operator.

Coventry main station is the bigger interchange. The arena's directions page says London Euston is 55 minutes away by train and that a taxi from Coventry station to the arena takes roughly 10 to 15 minutes. Transport for West Midlands suggests another route from Coventry station: walk about 15 minutes to the Sainsbury's stop on Trinity Street, then take Stagecoach 148 or National Express 20, both of which leave you a short walk from the stadium along Foleshill Road.

By bus, the arena says services 3, 15 and 20, 20A and 20B stop at the retail park opposite, about a 10 minute walk away. Transport for West Midlands adds detail. The NX 3 links the city centre and stops near the subway to Arena Shopping Park, every 15 minutes on a weekday and hourly on a Sunday. The Stagecoach 148 and NX 20 run from Foleshill Road to the city centre and on to Nuneaton and Bedworth, with frequent services into the evening and on Sundays. The Stagecoach 60 runs from Binley, Clifford Park and Upper Stoke to Arena Shopping Park. The Stagecoach 55 and 56 and the NX 13 serve other parts of Coventry and Nuneaton, with a walk of about 15 minutes from the stops at Roland Avenue, Nunts Lane or the Wheelwright Lane junction. An Nbus Day ticket covers both National Express and Stagecoach services.

For major concerts and events, the arena says National Express Coventry runs a non stop service from Pool Meadow Bus Station to Judd's Lane. Only special tickets are valid on that service, and you buy one when you board a National Express Coventry bus. Transport for West Midlands also lists West Midlands on Demand, bookable through its app on match days for trips within Coventry and from Kenilworth, running 6am to 11pm. The arena's directions page lists several Coventry taxi firms if you would rather book a car, and walking from nearby areas such as Holbrooks, Ash Green or Longford takes about half an hour, according to Transport for West Midlands.

The arena is a stadium and an events complex in one, and the official website is clear about what it offers but not about which door serves which hall. The exhibitions page lists the event spaces as the Exhibition Halls, the Convention Centre and the Premier Lounge, with a combined 20,000 square metres of event space. The conferences page adds the Watchmakers Lounge, Dhillon's Lounge and Club Cov, and says events range from 7 delegates to 7,000 people. None of these pages gives individual hall sizes or describes which entrance leads to which room, so treat any hall plan on a third party site with caution and use the entry instructions your organiser sends you.

What the official site does say about entry is limited but useful. The car parking page says all four on site car parks are within walking distance of the North and South entrances. The accessibility page says that for Indoor Arena events, visitors enter directly through the main atrium, which it describes as easy access with minimal queuing. For the stadium bowl, it says step free access is available via concourse entrances and that accessible seating is placed near stadium entry points where possible. The matchday food and drink page refers to a North Stand and an East Stand, which gives you a rough sense of the stadium layout when you are planning a football or concert visit.

The conferences page notes that the venue has an on site railway station, and the National Rail page confirms that Coventry Arena station sits at Arena Park, so rail passengers arrive from the shopping park side. Exhibitors who need load in details, stand build times or vehicle access should ask the events team directly, because the exhibitions page does not publish loading information. The exhibitions page says bookings go through the events team or the booking enquiries page, and the venue's contact details are 02476 933 444 and info@CBSarena.co.uk.

Guests with access needs should use the venue's accessibility page. It says guide dogs are permitted in the stadium bowl, that visitors should bring their own wheelchairs and stay in them during events, and that for gates, lifts and drop off arrangements you should contact the ticket office at ticketoffice@CBSarena.co.uk or on 02476 933 444. Nothing on the site describes the lifts or drop off arrangements in detail, and this guide does not either.

Getting home after an evening event is the part of a trip to the arena that needs the most thought. The venue's directions page publishes last trains for Coventry main station, not for Coventry Arena station. On that page, the last train from Coventry to London Euston is listed at 23:31, or 22:48 on Saturdays, and the last train to Birmingham New Street is listed at 01:19, or 23:30 on Saturdays. These are the times the arena publishes for the city centre station, and they are a useful guide to how late the main line services run. They are not the times for the hourly local service from Coventry Arena, so check the operator timetable on the day before you plan a connection.

The local service is the weak link. The arena says the Coventry Arena service is one train per hour in each direction, and that it is about eight minutes to Coventry main station. National Rail's station page links to live departures for the station but does not print a timetable, and the West Midlands Railway timetable page could not be read when this guide was researched, so no last departure from Coventry Arena is given here. If your plan depends on making a particular connection at Coventry, look up the exact departure for your date on National Rail or the West Midlands Railway app, and have a taxi as a fallback.

There are other ways back. For major concerts and events, the arena says National Express Coventry runs a non stop service between Judd's Lane and Pool Meadow Bus Station, with a special ticket bought on board. Transport for West Midlands says the Stagecoach 148 and NX 20 run frequently into the evening, but the Stagecoach 60 has a last weekday service at 8pm, so do not rely on that route for a late finish. West Midlands on Demand is listed as running 6am to 11pm on match days. A taxi from the arena to Coventry station takes roughly 10 to 15 minutes by the venue's own estimate, and the directions page lists several local taxi firms.

If you are driving, remember the arena's car park rule. The car parking page says that after events there is a car park lockdown, meaning you cannot leave for one hour, and it gives pedestrian safety as the reason. Add that hour to your plans if you have a long drive or a hotel check in time to meet. If you are staying at the on site DoubleTree by Hilton, or at the Novotel on Wilsons Lane, you avoid most of this problem.

The arena has four on site car parks, and the car parking page says all of them are within walking distance of the North and South entrances. The page gives a total of 2,200 spaces, while the home, directions and Plan your Visit pages round the figure to 2,000, so expect roughly that number rather than an exact count. The page does not name the four car parks or describe their zones, though National Rail refers to Coventry Arena car parks A and B for rail passengers. Parking is booked online through the arena's parking website, cbsarenaparking.co.uk, and the arena advises booking as far in advance as possible.

Prices and operating procedures change for each event, so this guide does not quote prices. Opening and closing times also depend on the event. The car parking page gives football examples: for a 2.00pm kick off the car parks open at 11.00am and close at 7.00pm, for a 3.00pm kick off they open at 12.00 midday and close at 8.00pm, and for a 7.45pm kick off they open at 5.00pm and close at 11.00pm. It adds that you should check your specific event, because times can vary. Cars are parked at the owner's risk, and, as covered above, the car parks are locked down for one hour after events end.

Accessible parking is limited and handled event by event on a first come, first served basis. The car parking and accessibility pages say to book by emailing cbsarena@apcoa.com, that badges are checked, and that the badge holder must be with the vehicle. The car parking page does not cover coaches, electric vehicle charging or park and ride, so if you need any of those, contact the arena before you travel.

Two other parking details come from other official pages. National Rail's Coventry Arena station page says there is no station car park but 10 accessible spaces, and that rail passengers can use Coventry Building Society Arena car parks A and B at a discounted daily rate, paid at a machine on foot using a discount code shown on that page. The arena's Grosvenor Casino page says casino staff can validate your ticket for free parking. If you want to avoid parking altogether, the Plan your Visit page recommends taking the train or bus.

The arena is in Longford, on the north side of Coventry, close to Junction 3 of the M6. That position gives you three realistic choices for a base, and the right one depends on how you are travelling and how much you want to do in the evening.

The first choice is to stay at the arena itself or beside it. The venue lists the DoubleTree by Hilton as an on site hotel, and the Novotel Coventry M6 J3 on Wilsons Lane, Longford, describes itself on the Accor website as next to Coventry Building Society Arena and just minutes from it. Staying here means no parking queue and no late train to catch, which is the main argument for it if you are an exhibitor setting up early or a visitor going to an evening show.

The second choice is Coventry city centre. The arena's own Plan your Visit page suggests this if the DoubleTree is full, saying city centre hotels are easy to reach by public transport. The central stations and bus stops give you the options set out above: a train to Coventry Arena station, the Stagecoach 148 or NX 20 buses along Foleshill Road, or a taxi of roughly 10 to 15 minutes. The city centre also gives you more places to eat and more hotel choice, which matters if you are travelling in a group and need several rooms.

The third choice is Nuneaton, to the north. The arena lists Hampton by Hilton Nuneaton on its own website and says it is 6 miles from the arena and a short drive from the action. The arena page does not mention a shuttle or other transport between the hotel and the arena, so plan on driving or taking a taxi. The Coventry Arena to Nuneaton railway line, which Transport for West Midlands describes as linking Coventry Arena with Coventry, Leamington Spa and Nuneaton, is another option, although the hourly service means it needs planning.

Budget chains are the one category where this venue is thin. In the research for this guide, no Premier Inn, Travelodge or Holiday Inn Express could be confirmed within walking distance of the arena from a hotel or venue page. The arena's own website lists only the DoubleTree by Hilton and Hampton by Hilton Nuneaton as partner hotels, and the Accor page confirms the Novotel next to the arena, so those are the closest options with a verified connection to the venue. None of them is a budget brand.

If cost is the main concern, the practical answer is to stay in Coventry city centre and travel in. A fan guide to staying near the arena describes Premier Inn Coventry City Centre at Belgrade Plaza, Premier Inn Coventry City Centre at Earlsdon Park and ibis Coventry Centre, which it places near Coventry railway station. The guide gives no distances to the arena, and the hotel chains' own pages could not be read for this research, so check the map for the exact address and the route to the arena before you book. From Coventry, the options are the buses along Foleshill Road, a taxi of roughly 10 to 15 minutes by the arena's estimate, or the hourly train from Coventry to Coventry Arena.

Hotel prices move with the event calendar. The nights around a big concert, a football fixture or a large trade show sell out first and cost most, so book the room when you book the ticket. Event Escapes can book hotels for a team with a company invoice, and a custom quote is available if you are bringing a group to an exhibition or event here.

There are very few hotels within walking distance of the arena, and this should be said plainly. Two are verified by official sources. The first is the DoubleTree by Hilton Coventry Building Society Arena, which the arena's own pages describe as the on site hotel. The arena's Plan your Visit page gives 119 bedrooms, while the home page says 121, so treat the room count as approximate. The exhibitions and conferences pages specifically point exhibitors and delegates to this hotel.

The second is the Novotel Coventry M6 J3, on Wilsons Lane, Longford, CV6 6HL. The Accor page lists it as a four star hotel and says it is next to Coventry Building Society Arena and just minutes from it. The page gives no walking time or distance in minutes, so this guide does not either. Check a map for the walking route on the day, particularly if you are carrying luggage or arriving after dark.

The Grosvenor Casino is also inside the arena building, next to the DoubleTree, according to the casino page, and is open 24 hours a day except Christmas Day. It is not a hotel, but it explains why the complex stays busy late. Beyond these two hotels, the nearest stays are in Coventry city centre or in Nuneaton, covered in the sections above.

The best hotel for the arena is the DoubleTree by Hilton on the arena site, mainly because of location. It is the hotel the venue sends exhibitors and delegates to, and you can walk to the events spaces and the on site bar and brasserie without any transport. The Hilton website could not be read for this research, so details such as facilities and the layout of the rooms are not described here. Check the hotel's own page for those.

The Novotel Coventry M6 J3 is the other hotel with a verified link to the arena. The Accor page rates it four stars and lists the address as Wilsons Lane, Longford. It suits drivers, because it sits at the M6 junction, and it suits anyone who wants a different option when the DoubleTree is full on a major event night.

The arena also lists Hampton by Hilton Nuneaton on its website. It is 6 miles away according to the arena, so it is a car or taxi option rather than a walking option. If you want something more upmarket in the centre of Coventry, there are chain and independent hotels there, but this guide only names those it could verify, and you should compare them on a map against your event time.

The arena has food and drink on site, and that is the one part of the evening this guide can verify. The Plan your Visit page says The Mill Bar and Brasserie is open Monday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm. The food and drink page describes The Mill as a brasserie and coffee shop with a coffee counter, and The Anecdote as an on site sports bar with a menu that includes burgers, loaded nachos, chicken wings and fish and chips. The exhibitions page also names The Mill Bakery among the dining options for exhibitors.

On football and event days the stands have their own outlets. The matchday food and drink page lists Corner Kick Curry and Planet Doughnuts in the North Stand, pizza, a chip shop and the Grill Shed for burgers in the East Stand, and draught beer kiosks in all stands. It says more outlets are coming soon, including The Sky Bar, Sam's Snack Bar, Peter's Proper Pie Shop and Burger Joint. Indoor and outdoor Fan Villages open before games, with bars and food trailers, and the page says payment is cashless, card only.

The Grosvenor Casino inside the arena has a restaurant and a bar, according to its page, but gives no menu or hours for them. The casino itself is open 24 hours a day except Christmas Day. For anything beyond the arena, such as restaurants in Coventry city centre or at Arena Park, none of the pages read for this guide names specific places, so this guide does not either. If you are staying in the city, you will probably want to eat there before or after you travel to the arena.

Book parking early if you are driving. The arena says to book as far in advance as possible through cbsarenaparking.co.uk, and it recommends the train or bus if you want to avoid parking. Remember the one hour lockdown at the end of events. The Plan your Visit page, the car parking page and the National Rail page all point the same way: plan the end of your day as carefully as the start.

Check your event's own details. Hall names, entrances and times differ by event, and the arena's pages say that pricing and procedures change for each one. Use the information from your organiser or ticket for the right door and the right car park. For example, SPATEX 2027 runs from 2 to 4 February 2027 at the arena, with opening hours of 9:30 to 5:00 on 2 and 3 February and 9:30 to 4:00 on 4 February, according to the SPATEX website. The Engineering Design Show is at the arena on 7 and 8 October 2026, but its website lists the 2027 edition at the NEC Birmingham in September, so do not assume that show will return here.

Exhibitors should speak to the events team early. The exhibitions page says the venue's services cover catering, marketing, IT and AV and production, and it recommends the on site DoubleTree for exhibition staff. It also says bookings go through the events team or the booking enquiries page. If your team is travelling together, Event Escapes can book hotels for a team with a company invoice, and a custom quote is available.

Plan for payment and access. The matchday food and drink page says the arena is cashless, with card payments only. If you need accessible parking, email cbsarena@apcoa.com well ahead. For the stadium bowl, note the accessibility page's guidance on step free access via concourse entrances, and contact the ticket office on 02476 933 444 for gates, lifts and drop off. Finally, check the arena's what's on page before you book, because it lists the live dates for exhibitions, conferences, concerts and football, and it changes as new events are announced.