Most people camp at Boomtown, but you’d be surprised how many stay in local hotels. For Boomtown 2025, I stayed at the voco Winchester Hotel & Spa, just down the road from the festival. Here’s what it was like, and the pros and cons of a hotel compared with camping.
I stayed at voco Winchester Hotel & Spa for Boomtown 2025, which ran from 6 to 10 August. My room was arranged through work.
Why Stay in a Hotel for Boomtown?
With a festival like Boomtown, when you add up the ticket price and the cost of extras, such as camping upgrades, it can easily come to almost £1,000. Next to that, the cost of a hotel doesn’t seem too bad, depending on what your accommodation standards are. I did the same for Primavera Sound in Barcelona in 2025, staying in a hotel a short walk from the site.
And plenty of people do it. Every day, there were dozens of people waiting outside the hotel in their festival gear, waiting for a taxi to take them to or from Boomtown.
How I Ended Up in a Hotel
Usually, I’m a big camper. I love camping at festivals, or sometimes hiring a camper van. But in 2025, I happened to be working with one of the artists headlining one of Boomtown’s main stages, and I was lucky enough to get a room at voco. It was all arranged through work, so I took the opportunity to have a nice hotel experience at a festival for once.
It turned out to be a very good year for it. The temperatures at Boomtown 2025 were extremely hot, so having an air-conditioned hotel room with a big bed and a shower was an absolute luxury.
What voco Winchester Hotel & Spa Is Like
The hotel is at Morn Hill, on the east side of Winchester, and it used to be the Holiday Inn Winchester. It’s about a mile from the Matterley Bowl as the crow flies, so it’s about as close to Boomtown as a hotel gets.
The hotel itself was fine. It was perfectly adequate for what you’d expect from a modern four-star hotel with a spa:
- The bed was large and comfortable.
- The air conditioning was the best thing about it. After a day baking in a field, walking into that room felt like climbing into the fridge.
- It was nice and quiet and peaceful, and it had everything you needed.
- The staff were very friendly, and they all seemed to be in the festival spirit.
Getting to and from Boomtown
Lots of people staying at the hotel got taxis, and there was a crowd waiting outside every day. If you’re doing the same, Boomtown’s essential guide says taxis and drop-offs should follow the Pick-up and Drop Off signs to just outside the West Gate, and that you should always pre-book. There’s a taxi point near the West Gate where you can book your journey back.
There were also shuttle buses straight from the hotel to Boomtown’s gate for artists, staff and volunteers, which was very handy. Those were only for people working at the festival, though, so don’t count on one if you’re going as a punter. If you’re coming by train, Boomtown runs its own shuttle from Winchester station, and I’ve written about what the Boomtown shuttle bus is like.
Check the re-entry times. Boomtown lets you leave and come back in, and your wristband gets scanned each way. But in 2026, re-entry was only possible while the gates were open, from 10am to 9.30pm Friday to Sunday, and you couldn’t bring alcohol back in with you. So if you’re staying off-site, plan to go in for the day and stay in.
Arriving Fresh and Clean Every Day
It felt strange arriving at Boomtown freshly showered every morning, knowing I’d be heading back to a proper bed and air conditioning while thousands of other people were camping in the heat. It was definitely a unique and novel experience.
Hotel vs Camping at Boomtown: Pros and Cons
It massively depends on your needs, your standards and your budget. Here’s how I’d weigh it up.
Pros of Staying in a Hotel
- A proper night’s sleep. A big, comfortable bed, in a quiet room, away from the campsite noise. Here are my tips if you’re sleeping in a tent instead.
- Air conditioning. In a heatwave, this alone is worth a lot. A tent turns into an oven as soon as the sun comes up.
- A shower every day. You’ll walk in fresh every morning.
- Somewhere safe for your things. You don’t have to leave anything in a tent while you’re out.
- You might bump into someone famous. Artists, musicians and other people playing at the festival stay in local hotels too.
Cons of Staying in a Hotel
- The cost. Hotels put their prices up when there’s a big event nearby, so it’s an extra cost on top of an already expensive ticket.
- Taxis. You’ll need one there and back every day, and you’ll be competing with everyone else staying nearby.
- You can’t pop back in late. Once you’ve left for the night, you can’t get back in after the gates close.
- No campsite atmosphere. Part of the fun of Boomtown is the campsite, and you’ll miss out on that.
- You can’t bring drinks back in. Alcohol is only allowed on your first entry, so you’ll be buying all your drinks inside. Here’s how much alcohol you can bring to Boomtown.
Is a Hotel Worth It for Boomtown?
If camping isn’t for you, or you’re on a bigger budget, a hotel near Boomtown is a very comfortable way to do it, especially in hot weather. I’m still a camper at heart. But in that heat, I won’t pretend I didn’t love that air-conditioned room.
If you are camping, read up on whether Boomtown gets muddy, getting searched at Boomtown and phone signal at Boomtown before you go.
Staying in a Hotel for Boomtown: FAQs
Can you leave Boomtown and come back in?
Yes. Your wristband is scanned on the way out and back in. In 2026, re-entry was only possible while the gates were open, from 10am to 9.30pm Friday to Sunday, and you couldn’t bring alcohol in when re-entering. Check the essential guide for your year, as the times can change.
Where do taxis drop off at Boomtown?
Taxis and drop-offs use the Pick-up and Drop Off signs, which take you to just outside the West Gate. No other gates should be used, and you shouldn’t be dropped off on the road outside the site. There’s a taxi point near the West Gate, but it’s best to pre-book.
How far is voco Winchester Hotel & Spa from Boomtown?
Very close. The hotel is at Morn Hill, on the east side of Winchester, about a mile from the Matterley Bowl as the crow flies. The drive to the festival’s drop-off point is longer, because you have to follow the festival’s traffic route.
Is it cheaper to stay in a hotel or camp at Boomtown?
Camping is almost always cheaper, because it’s included in your ticket. A hotel is an extra cost on top, and prices near Winchester go up during Boomtown week. But if you were going to pay for a camping upgrade anyway, the gap might be smaller than you think.
