New Continental Hotel, Millbay Road, Plymouth, PL1 3LD

Tel: 01752 276798

Cheese Fest Plymouth!

Who doesn’t love a cheesy event?

We say, let there be Cheese – and plenty of it!!

Cheese Fest lands in Plymouth for the very first time EVER! Put the date in your diary now: 11th May 2019 …  we are super excited!!

CheeseFest UK is an amazing festival, touring the entire width and breadth of the UK. It’s unlike many other festivals you have ever witnessed before! Bringing with it so much cheesy fun! With sensational live music; Wallace and Gromit will be mingling; model making with Aardman Animation; Wallace and Gromit life size vehicles; cooking demos; activity areas;  street food and so much more!

What a day!

cheese fest

An action packed day is on the cards; celebrating 30 cracking years of Wallace & Gromit.

Experience some of the cheesiest cheeses in the world!  With Melted Raclette, Cheese Wheels, Gooey Mozzarella Sticks and a whole host of cheesetastic tastes from the UK’s best cheese traders!

There are 15 live dates throughout the UK, celebrating all that’s great in the world of cheese. Expect the most incredible melted delights and delicious cheese-based cuisine presented for your culinary pleasure by the finest fromagers from across the land. What’s more; there will be so much for the entire family that you will feel a day just isn’t long enough!

CheeseFest UK promises to be a grand day out for all the family with a jam packed programme of feasting and entertainment hosted by the world’s most famous cheese ambassadors Wallace & Gromit. Kids can enjoy model making, life-size vehicles, film screenings of popular Wallace & Gromit movies, and a meet & greet with Wallace and Gromit themselves. Young and old, all are welcome, so don’t be sheepish! – get involved!

For more details check our website www.cheesefestuk.com

Stay and Play!

Why not extend your stay?  We have great promotions and offers that mean you can stay for as little as £50 per night! For more information check out our offers page!

Pre-Theatre Food In Plymouth

We love a good show…and we know you do too! But what about your  food pre-theatre here in Plymouth..?

We have the answer! Why not start your visit to the theatre in style! Our restaurant, Steve’s Brasserie, is open for pre-show theatre dining every Monday-Saturday from 5.30pm.

Relax, unwind and enjoy classic flavours with a modern twist. Tempted? We are too EVERYDAY when we  smell the amazing aroma coming from the kitchen!

What’s more, two sensational courses will not only leave you fully sated and safely in your seat for show-time, but are just £16! Or, add that extra sparkle to your evening! Indulge in a three course meal for £20!

The smash-hit production of ANNIE comes to Plymouth for 1 week only starting on Monday 6th May. It’s direct from London’s West End.

Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Her luck soon changes when she’s chosen to spend a fairytale Christmas with famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Meanwhile, spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search for her true family…

With its Tony® award-winning book and score, including the unforgettable songs It’s The Hard-Knock Life, Easy Street, I Don’t Need Anything But You and Tomorrow, you can bet your bottom dollar that you’ll love it (!) and with a treat before you take a seat; it’s the perfect evening out!

Pre-theatre dining in Plymouth is easy and satisfying when you choose Steve’s Brasserie. Read here for more information on Steve’s Brasserie!

We Are ‘Jolly Roger’ Ready!

Pirates Weekend!

It’s almost time…and we can not wait! 

There is just less than a month to go for the award-winning Pirates Weekend Plymouth! A weekend that offers a swashbuckling weekend of free fun for all the family to enjoy. What’s more; the sun always shines on Pirates!

This amazing weekend is organised by the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership Business Improvement District. It is one of THE most amazing weekends in Plymouth and this year takes place on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 May. Britain’s Ocean City becomes alive with merry activities as the weekend unfolds across the Barbican, Sutton Harbour and West Hoe.

Meaning you wont miss a thing!

What’s It All About?

Well! What you can be sure of is two amazing days packed full of entertainment and activities. Including a pirate trail, storytellers, puppet shows, arts and crafts activities, street entertainment, amazing food and much more!

Sarah Gibson, Waterfront Manager and Chief Executive of the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership, said:

“Pirates Weekend Plymouth won Silver at the 2018 Devon Tourism Awards for Tourism Event and Festival of the Year as the best family Pirates Weekend in the South West. Designed and funded by Waterfront businesses, Pirates Weekend Plymouth has activities linking the Barbican, Sutton Harbour and West Hoe Park, whilst Mount Batten Pirates powerboat experiences and PDSSA pirate sailing lessons will give visitors a treat to get out onto the water too.”

“In its eighth year, Pirates Weekend Plymouth is unmissable – so get yourselves dressed up as pirates and come along for two days of brilliant fun!”

What To Wear..!

What’s not to wear! We say go crazy with those head scarfs and eye patches; fancy dress is encouraged throughout the weekend; and new for this year is a Pirate Parade, sponsored by Lazy Jacks. Led by the The Drake Corps of Drums and the infamous Jonty Depp, all of Plymouth’s pirates will march through the streets of the Barbican together.

WHAT’S MORE…

Every young participant dressed as a pirate will be given a special gift!

Children can also follow a Pirate Trail around the Barbican and Sutton Harbour, this is amazing fun for them and you get to see the sights whilst they are totally entertained! This event is sponsored by Sutton Harbour Group.

You can find maps from the Tourist Information Centre for just £2, every participant will receive a prize for completing the trail and also be entered into a draw to win a Lego Creator set.

A full programme of shanty bands will entertain the crowds between 10.30am and 3pm each day. The area will be full of action in a number of locations: along Southside Street, outside Capn’ Jaspers and on board the Grayhound tall ship.

For more information about all the activities at this year’s Pirates Weekend Plymouth, head to visitplymouth.co.uk.

What we know for sure – you will have an amazing time!

 

Don’t Hide From Easter…

Can you have a healthy Easter..?

With miles of shelves stacked with chocolate eggs and sugar-rich sweets; hot cross bun mountains and  beer and wine displays galore; going anywhere over Easter can be an open invite to take a break from temptation and indulge in Easter and Bank Holidays treats.

Like a bully in the playground, they can taunt you until, the next think you know, you’re packing the foil-covered bunnies away in the cupboard!

BUT its so difficult to see past all the unhealthy treats when it comes to Easter and Bank Holiday…

It can be hard, and we don’t need to tell you how to replace the treats with healthy options, we all know that a carrot with hummus is much better for us than an eleven inch chocolate bunny with Haribo eggs from its cute little basket!

So we ask the question “Can you really have a healthy Easter?”

Many of us have a long weekend to look forward to, four days off with family and friends; BBQs, nights out, lazy days…and we know that time for celebration often includes some indulgence.

Taking a break from the usual routine and enjoying some relaxation time is essential for our minds and our bodies, but, if you’re anything like us, we don’t want to completely fall off the fitness train and then need to run the track to get back on!

Simply put, we know that we will indulge; you know that you will indulge too! And for some it will be just a little, for others a little more! But how do we stay on track, not undo too much of our great work, but still have a great time?

Tips we love you will already know.  But like muscles getting stronger with repetition, what you practise grows stronger. So yes, it may be things you know; but re-read, remember and realise …

You are stronger than you think and there are no bullies in the playground!

Quality over Quantity…

Don’t think you CAN’T indulge in any of your cravings this Easter. Frankly, a little of what you fancy does you no harm! We all need the odd treat – but be advocates for quality over quantity.

Rather than be pounced on by the big yellow supermarket sign: 8 eggs for £10! Opt for a single egg; one you will feel you have really worked for; treated yourself too. One you sit down to enjoy, piece by piece, moment by precious moment.

Remember: You don’t need to fill your kitchen cupboards because the supermarket tells you too! 

It doesn’t have to be all about the chocolate!

When you think of indulging and treating yourself, for many of us, the first thing that comes to mind isn’t always chocolate. Chocolate is a familiar ‘friend’ because Easter (and clever marketing) has infiltrated our minds!  If you think about it as an important time to celebrate and to reward yourself, we all need rewards!  Have something to look forward to. But that isn’t always in the chocolate form!

Seeing other people treat themselves to things reminds us that we deserve it too, and it’s all too easy to think that our ‘indulgence’ can be mirrored by theirs – or clever marketing!

I bet chocolate, for many, wouldn’t be a reward!  For some of us, 30 minutes to ourselves, in a place we love with an indulgent Magazine or a great Podcast is worth so much more  than a cream egg!

Really think about what you need, what you want to indulge in and stretch for it, make it happen and enjoy it – whatever ‘it’ is.

Enjoy the moments…

The weather’person’ says we are in for a weekend hotter than Egypt! So make the most of it! Time with the family where exercise is part of the family fun.

And if the sun really does shine like they say it will, it’s perfect timing to indulge in the great outdoors, rather than the bag of Mini Eggs!

Go for a country walk or bike ride. Visit some historical sites. Play a game of football in the park, or maybe even take yourself to your nearest beach for a spot of volleyball!

Be together, on your feet, out in the air making memories.

And let’s face it, if we are eating and drinking a little more than usual this weekend, the more we are on our feet – the better!  

Be prepared and don’t get hungry!

Meeting friends for a drink hungry, inevitably means you are more likely to over indulge in a light bite or appetiser to accompany the Gun & Tonic!

Family buffets and BBQs full of chocolate and pastries will be so much harder to decline if you haven’t fuelled yourself on nutritious goodness beforehand or gone prepared with some healthy treats that everyone can enjoy.

Make sure you have a healthy breakfast, eat a high fibre or protein snack before the goodies are in your eyeline, and you are far less likely to overindulge.

ENJOY!

You have no reason not to have THE best weekend. Don’t feel you have a mountain to climb or that you have to hibernate, blindfolded with your arms tied behind your back to get through the four-day weekend!

Know that you do have control.  You can make the right choices and you are doing an amazing job.

Here’s to you.

Here’s to a Happy Easter with everyone you love making memories that will last forever and pounds that you can work off next week!

Membership at Club Continental: where people matter 7 days a week. 

Poised With Her Message…

Poised with her message; The Messenger…

Over the last few weeks; we have had many of our guests’ ask us about the large bronze sculpture outside the entrance to the Theatre Royal Plymouth. Wondering why it was there and what it was all about!

There have been so many in fact,  that we thought we would use this time to pop a lens over the sculpture and, in our words, share what we know about The Messenger.

The seven metre, almost 10 tonne bronze beauty was brought to life by Cornish artist Joseph Hillier. The sculpture itself was inspired by a split-second pose which was struck by an actor during a rehearsal for the award-winning production of Othello.

Believed to be the UK’s largest cast bronze sculpture, Joseph explained that ‘The Messenger’, although inspired by the pose, also represents a great deal more…

Our Thoughts…

Like the artist himself, we believe that Theatre is so much more than just a home for putting a great show on the stage. Its actors breathing life into words; its audiences being captivated by the messages carried through the auditorium; it’s using art and culture to make deep rooted, significant change within communities. Yes its theatre, but by golly it’s also so much more!

Although not the official explanation, for that you can head over to the custodians themselves on the Theatre Royal Plymouth’s website, we see this sculpture as a  metaphor for what great theatre does within a community and for its patrons. It carries a message. It encourages debate and opinions that usually differ; and most of all truly great theatre makes us ask questions and share thoughts.

Like with many of our guests, The Messenger will no doubt be like Marmite. People seem to either love it or hate it!  But the point is, if we were all the same, wouldn’t that be a boring message!

 

Theatre Royal Plymouth…

Theatre Royal Plymouth is the premier arts organisation in the South West. They have many amazing and diverse performances on its stages. There is always a show for everyone. For more information on what to see, visit their website for their new season brochure and book you stay (and maybe play) today!

For more information from the custodians themselves, please visit the Theatre Royal Plymouth’s website.

A Hotel Porter…

A tree doesn’t make a forest…

Yes, that’s true, but by golly a Hotel Porter with the personal touch will always make an impression!

Our Hotel Porter are exceptional, they perform a valuable role for us at the New Continental Hotel.  In fact, many guests would say that our Hotel Porters can make an integral first impression to their overall stay. After all, they are part of the front of house team, and will typically escort you (or just your bags!) to your room and make sure you have everything you need to fully enjoy your experience in Plymouth.

It’s an incredibly varied role, suited to fit individuals who enjoy a day of differing tasks and diverse requests! Key to all things for our Hotel Porters is providing a high level of service for all of our guests, those staying with us and those attending events.

But what is it really like, being a Hotel Porter at the New Continental Hotel..?

We ask Luke, who is one of our Full-Time Porters, to share what happens during a busy hotel day.

Hotels In Plymouth

“Welcoming guests to the hotel and to Plymouth is an amazing part of my role; especially when I am supporting the reception team and checking them in and out. It’s great feeling useful to guests; when they need to have their luggage taken to their rooms or simply providing them with some ‘local’ knowledge on the area and attraction that they may enjoy. Knowing that I have helped to make a guests stay memorable and enjoyable is certainly a great feeling.

I also love transforming our function rooms in preparation for events, working behind the bars and just supporting all the departments in the hotel when they need me. My job is so varied, every hour provides me with new tasks, challenges and opportunities.

It really isn’t a career I even thought about, I didn’t even know existed,  it was complete happenstance that I stumbled upon this job and now I look at it as a really great career path, one that really suits my personality too.” 

What does it take..?

A Hotel Porter has to have a can-do attitude. Be a team player and ultimately use his or her initiative with a pro-active approach to ensure we always give our guests unique and fabulous options; to really be able to make the most of their time and visit to Plymouth.

We are looking for a warm and welcoming porter where service comes from the heart and has a passion for working with people to ensure guests leave with lasting memories.

With a natural intuition for what creates amazing service, you will work closely with our Front of House and Housekeeping teams to ensure that our Guests have a seamless arrival and stay, and your duties will be wide and varied.

What next..?

So…are you looking for an amazing opportunity to further your hospitality career? Or perhaps make a change and try something new? Then why not send your CV now? Take one step closer to being part of our hotel family at the New Continental Hotel.

 

Contact Us

 

Red Arrows Return For A Spectacular Summer In The City…

Red Arrows returning for Plymouth Armed Forces Day

We are very excited that the spectacular Red Arrows will return to Plymouth this year for Armed Forces Day on Saturday 29 June.

7 years ago, here at the New Continental Hotel, we witnessed huge crowds gathering to watch the impressive aerobatic team. It’s truly sensational that they are returning once again, as Plymouth hosts the national Armed Forces Day event.

We hear from Councillor Pete Smith, Deputy Leader of Plymouth City Council. He explains why he believes this addition will make such a difference:

“We are absolutely thrilled that the Red Arrows will be returning to Plymouth this summer, adding extra excitement to our already impressive Armed Forces Day line-up.”

The Red Arrows will close the air display, which starts at 5pm. What’s great is the display will also include a rescue demonstration from the Coastguard in partnership with the RNLI and flypasts from a Royal Navy Merlin helicopter and an RAF Spitfire. It really will be a day to remember!

With so much more…

Visitors to Armed Forces Day can also enjoy the arena programme, with parades, bands and the popular field gun competition, as well as displays of military vehicles and equipment.

Following the air display, there will also be a free outdoor evening concert headlined by One Step Behind, the UK’s leading Madness tribute band. Also taking to the stage are last year’s X Factor runner-up Scarlett Lee and a Tom Jones tribute act.

There will be some road closures and exclusion zones put into place around the time of the air display to ensure public safety. We will keep you posted as we find out more, but to stay in tune and find out more as it’s released, you can visit the site: Armed Forces Day 

Stay with us…

If you are thinking of visiting Plymouth this summer, then the Armed Forces weekend is a great weekend to really see the beauty of our Ocean City. Check out our availability now and make a plan to really look forward to.

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