Which is better for a conference at Aston University, Conference Aston or Premier Inn Exchange Square?

Conference Aston, without question. It is embedded inside Aston University's campus, meaning delegates never need to leave between arrival and departure. The conference facilities are on-site, and there is no commute to manage. Premier Inn Exchange Square is approximately a 16-minute walk from campus and has no connection to the university. For Aston University conferences, there is no sensible alternative to Conference Aston.

Which hotel is quieter, Conference Aston or Premier Inn Birmingham Exchange Square?

Conference Aston is significantly quieter. The campus setting means restricted traffic, pedestrianised walkways, and very little street noise. After dark, the area quietens further. Premier Inn Exchange Square sits directly on Priory Queensway, one of Birmingham's busiest bus corridors, with bus stops immediately outside the entrance and near-constant daytime and evening traffic. Light sleepers should take this distinction seriously before booking.

Which hotel is better for arriving by train to Birmingham?

Premier Inn Exchange Square. Moor Street station is a nine-minute walk on a flat, largely pedestrianised route, easy with luggage and clearly signed. Conference Aston sits east of the city, and neither Birmingham New Street nor Snow Hill is a comfortable walk with bags. For Conference Aston, a taxi from the station is the practical arrival method, adding cost and transfer time that the Premier Inn rail traveller avoids entirely.

Do both hotels sit inside Birmingham's Clean Air Zone?

Yes. Both Conference Aston and Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (Exchange Square) sit inside Birmingham's Clean Air Zone. If your vehicle does not meet the required emission standards, you will be charged a daily CAZ fee at both locations. Check your vehicle's compliance status using the national CAZ checker before you travel. This is an additional cost on top of any parking charges and is easily overlooked at the booking stage.

Is Premier Inn Birmingham Exchange Square good for visiting Birmingham City University?

Yes, it is the most practical and affordable option for BCU visitors. The Millennium Point campus is approximately seven minutes on foot, and the hotel sits directly on the student corridor connecting the campus to the city centre. The Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum shares the Millennium Point complex at seven minutes' walk, making it an easy addition for families visiting with younger children during a campus trip.

Which hotel is better for a budget city-centre stay in Birmingham?

Premier Inn Exchange Square, for rail travellers. At a £ price point with the Bullring seven minutes away, Moor Street station nine minutes on foot, and the wider city centre walkable, the value proposition for train arrivals is compelling. Conference Aston sits in the ££ bracket, and its distance from Birmingham's attractions means additional taxi costs that offset the room rate difference. Drivers face parking and Clean Air Zone charges at both hotels.

Conference Aston vs Premier Inn Exchange Square

Q: Which hotel has better on-site parking?

Conference Aston. It has a dedicated hotel car park, Car Park 2 on the Aston University campus, at £9.50 per day, with spaces available to pre-book online. Premier Inn Exchange Square has no on-site parking. The nearest option is the Millennium Point multi-storey on Howe Street, costing approximately £10–£20 per 24 hours. Both hotels are inside Birmingham's Clean Air Zone, so non-compliant vehicles face additional daily charges at either location.

Battle Verdict · Birmingham

Conference Aston - Hotel and Conference Centre vs Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (Exchange Square) hotel

Conference Aston3

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3Premier Inn

👇Tap to reveal the winner

The Price Check

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🏆 Conference Aston - Hotel and Conference Centre wins this one

Conference Aston - Hotel and Conference Centre

Campus Calm, Conference Ready

✓ Why Conference Aston - Hotel and Conference Centre is the better pick here

Conference Aston offers one of Birmingham's calmest arrivals, a pedestrianised campus approach, step-free access, and direct taxi drop-off outside the entrance. No one-way systems, no bus gauntlet, no stress. The dedicated car park is pre-bookable on-site, making the arrival process predictable and manageable for most guests.

Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (Exchange Square) hotel

Premier Inn Exchange Square sits directly on Priory Queensway, a primary bus artery with stops clustered at the entrance. Taxi drop-off is genuinely awkward, heavy bus traffic makes pausing at the entrance difficult. By train it excels, with Moor Street nine minutes away, but the physical arrival at the hotel entrance is consistently challenging.

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⚡ Quick Verdict

🏆 Leads Overall

Conference Aston - Hotel and Conference Centre

3 category wins

arrival experience, parking, noise & quiet

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🏆 Leads Overall

Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (Exchange Square) hotel

3 category wins

city access & location, train access, value for money

Check Prices

🤝 It's a draw overall — 3 wins each

🏨Arrival Experience

Conference Aston - Hotel and Conference Centre

Hero's Choice

Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (Exchange Square) hotel

📍City Access & Location

Conference Aston - Hotel and Conference Centre

Conference Aston is embedded inside Aston University's campus, a self-contained environment east of the city. The Bullring is 16 minutes on foot, Broad Street 24 minutes. Excellent for campus events but a meaningful distance from Birmingham's restaurants, bars, and cultural attractions. Not a hotel for spontaneous city exploration.

Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (Exchange Square) hotel

Hero's Choice

Premier Inn Exchange Square delivers outstanding city walkability at a budget price. The Bullring is 7 minutes away, Moor Street station 9 minutes, and New Street is reachable on foot. Digbeth, BCU, and the Thinktank are all within walking distance. For guests who want Birmingham at their feet, this location is hard to beat at this price.

🚗Parking

Conference Aston - Hotel and Conference Centre

Hero's Choice

Conference Aston has a dedicated hotel car park, Car Park 2 on the Aston University campus, at £9.50 per day. Spaces must be pre-booked online. The approach is calm and straightforward with a satnav. The Clean Air Zone applies, so non-compliant vehicles face an additional daily charge on top of parking costs.

Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (Exchange Square) hotel

Premier Inn Exchange Square has no on-site parking. The nearest option is the Millennium Point multi-storey on Howe Street, costing approximately £10–£20 per 24 hours. The hotel is inside Birmingham's Clean Air Zone, adding an £8 daily charge for non-compliant vehicles. The combination of off-site parking and CAZ exposure makes driving here expensive.

🔇Noise & Quiet

Conference Aston - Hotel and Conference Centre

Hero's Choice

Conference Aston is exceptionally quiet for a Birmingham property. The campus setting means restricted traffic, pedestrianised walkways, and minimal street noise. After dark, the area quietens further and remains safe and well-lit. For light sleepers or guests needing concentration, this is one of the most reliable quiet options in the city.

Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (Exchange Square) hotel

Premier Inn Exchange Square sits on one of Birmingham's busiest bus corridors. Bus stops are clustered immediately outside the entrance, with near-constant daytime and evening traffic on Priory Queensway. Even with double glazing, the noise footprint from this road is real. Light sleepers should consider this carefully before booking.

🚆Train Access

Conference Aston - Hotel and Conference Centre

Conference Aston is not well-suited for train arrivals. Neither Birmingham New Street nor Snow Hill is a comfortable walk with luggage. A taxi from the station is the practical choice, or the Aston Street bus stop at five minutes' walk may provide useful connections. Train travellers face additional transfer costs that erode the mid-range price point.

Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (Exchange Square) hotel

Hero's Choice

Moor Street station is a nine-minute walk on a flat, largely pedestrianised, clearly signed route, easy even with luggage. Birmingham New Street is walkable at approximately 12–15 minutes. For rail travellers, this is the hotel's single strongest practical advantage, and it makes the Premier Inn an obvious choice for anyone arriving by train.

💰Value for Money

Conference Aston - Hotel and Conference Centre

Conference Aston sits in the ££ mid-range bracket. For conference delegates and university visitors for whom on-campus proximity is the entire point, the pricing represents genuine value. For everyone else, the distance from the city's attractions means you are also paying for taxi rides that a more central hotel would eliminate.

Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (Exchange Square) hotel

Hero's Choice

Premier Inn Exchange Square is a £ budget property with walkability that punches above its price. Seven minutes to the Bullring, nine minutes to Moor Street, rail travellers can cover central Birmingham without spending a penny on transport. Off-site parking costs erode the value for drivers, but for train arrivals, this is outstanding value.

🎯Best For

These hotels serve fundamentally different guest profiles. Conference Aston wins for campus events and quiet stays; Premier Inn wins for city walkability and budget rail travellers. The right choice depends entirely on your reason for visiting Birmingham.

Conference Aston - Hotel and Conference Centre

Conference Aston is purpose-built for Aston University events, conferences, open days, and parent visits. It also excels for quiet-seekers, focused workers, and anyone who needs a calm campus base within Birmingham. Outside of those use cases, the distance from the city centre limits its versatility for leisure or general business travel.

Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (Exchange Square) hotel

Premier Inn Exchange Square is best for budget-conscious rail travellers, BCU visitors, business guests with city-centre meetings, and anyone who wants to walk to the Bullring, Digbeth, and Moor Street without spending on taxis. It is also a practical base for hen and stag parties needing affordable accommodation near the city's nightlife.

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	Hero's Choice Conference Aston offers one of Birmingham's calmest arrivals, a pedestrianised campus approach, step-free access, and direct taxi drop-off outside the entrance. No one-way systems, no bus gauntlet, no stress. The dedicated car park is pre-bookable on-site, making the arrival process predictable and manageable for most guests.	Premier Inn Exchange Square sits directly on Priory Queensway, a primary bus artery with stops clustered at the entrance. Taxi drop-off is genuinely awkward, heavy bus traffic makes pausing at the entrance difficult. By train it excels, with Moor Street nine minutes away, but the physical arrival at the hotel entrance is consistently challenging.
	Conference Aston is embedded inside Aston University's campus, a self-contained environment east of the city. The Bullring is 16 minutes on foot, Broad Street 24 minutes. Excellent for campus events but a meaningful distance from Birmingham's restaurants, bars, and cultural attractions. Not a hotel for spontaneous city exploration.	Hero's Choice Premier Inn Exchange Square delivers outstanding city walkability at a budget price. The Bullring is 7 minutes away, Moor Street station 9 minutes, and New Street is reachable on foot. Digbeth, BCU, and the Thinktank are all within walking distance. For guests who want Birmingham at their feet, this location is hard to beat at this price.
	Hero's Choice Conference Aston has a dedicated hotel car park, Car Park 2 on the Aston University campus, at £9.50 per day. Spaces must be pre-booked online. The approach is calm and straightforward with a satnav. The Clean Air Zone applies, so non-compliant vehicles face an additional daily charge on top of parking costs.	Premier Inn Exchange Square has no on-site parking. The nearest option is the Millennium Point multi-storey on Howe Street, costing approximately £10–£20 per 24 hours. The hotel is inside Birmingham's Clean Air Zone, adding an £8 daily charge for non-compliant vehicles. The combination of off-site parking and CAZ exposure makes driving here expensive.
	Hero's Choice Conference Aston is exceptionally quiet for a Birmingham property. The campus setting means restricted traffic, pedestrianised walkways, and minimal street noise. After dark, the area quietens further and remains safe and well-lit. For light sleepers or guests needing concentration, this is one of the most reliable quiet options in the city.	Premier Inn Exchange Square sits on one of Birmingham's busiest bus corridors. Bus stops are clustered immediately outside the entrance, with near-constant daytime and evening traffic on Priory Queensway. Even with double glazing, the noise footprint from this road is real. Light sleepers should consider this carefully before booking.
	Conference Aston is not well-suited for train arrivals. Neither Birmingham New Street nor Snow Hill is a comfortable walk with luggage. A taxi from the station is the practical choice, or the Aston Street bus stop at five minutes' walk may provide useful connections. Train travellers face additional transfer costs that erode the mid-range price point.	Hero's Choice Moor Street station is a nine-minute walk on a flat, largely pedestrianised, clearly signed route, easy even with luggage. Birmingham New Street is walkable at approximately 12–15 minutes. For rail travellers, this is the hotel's single strongest practical advantage, and it makes the Premier Inn an obvious choice for anyone arriving by train.
	Conference Aston sits in the ££ mid-range bracket. For conference delegates and university visitors for whom on-campus proximity is the entire point, the pricing represents genuine value. For everyone else, the distance from the city's attractions means you are also paying for taxi rides that a more central hotel would eliminate.	Hero's Choice Premier Inn Exchange Square is a £ budget property with walkability that punches above its price. Seven minutes to the Bullring, nine minutes to Moor Street, rail travellers can cover central Birmingham without spending a penny on transport. Off-site parking costs erode the value for drivers, but for train arrivals, this is outstanding value.
	Conference Aston is purpose-built for Aston University events, conferences, open days, and parent visits. It also excels for quiet-seekers, focused workers, and anyone who needs a calm campus base within Birmingham. Outside of those use cases, the distance from the city centre limits its versatility for leisure or general business travel.	Premier Inn Exchange Square is best for budget-conscious rail travellers, BCU visitors, business guests with city-centre meetings, and anyone who wants to walk to the Bullring, Digbeth, and Moor Street without spending on taxis. It is also a practical base for hen and stag parties needing affordable accommodation near the city's nightlife.

The Dilemma

One hotel is embedded inside a university campus, insulated from the city's noise and chaos, offering genuine quiet and conference-ready facilities at a mid-range price. The other is a budget workhorse planted on one of Birmingham's busiest bus corridors, with the Bullring seven minutes away and Moor Street station nine minutes on foot.

Conference Aston is calm, purposeful, and self-contained. Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (Exchange Square) is loud, functional, and remarkably well-connected. These hotels are not competing for the same guest. But if you are unsure which one serves your trip, the answer depends entirely on why you are visiting Birmingham, and how much the arrival experience matters to you.

The Arrival Reality

Conference Aston: The Campus Exhale

Arriving at Conference Aston is one of the calmest hotel arrivals in Birmingham. The approach is through Aston University's pedestrianised campus, with restricted traffic, smooth walkways, and university buildings on every side. There is no one-way system to navigate, no bus queue to push through, and no noisy artery to cross. The hotel entrance is unmissable from fifty metres, with revolving doors, step-free level access, and the lobby clearly visible through the glass.

By taxi, you are dropped directly outside. By car, you follow your satnav to Car Park 2 on the Aston University campus, the dedicated hotel car park, and the approach is straightforward. There is, however, a non-negotiable caveat: parking must be pre-booked online at £9.50 per day, and the hotel sits clearly inside Birmingham's Clean Air Zone. Non-compliant vehicles face a daily CAZ charge on top of the parking fee. These are not afterthoughts, they are facts that materially affect the total cost of driving here.

By train, neither Birmingham New Street nor Snow Hill is a comfortable walk with luggage. A taxi from the station is the practical choice for most arrivals, or the Aston Street bus stop at five minutes' walk may offer useful connections.

Premier Inn Exchange Square: The Priory Queensway Gauntlet

The Premier Inn Exchange Square arrival is a different experience entirely. The hotel sits directly on Priory Queensway, one of Birmingham's busiest bus arteries, with bus stops clustered immediately outside the entrance. Buses arrive continuously. The street carries the standard-issue grit of a working city corridor, traffic fumes, construction echoes from the old Dale End area, and a functional rather than welcoming pavement environment.

Taxi and rideshare drop-off is genuinely awkward. The density of bus stops and the volume of traffic on Priory Queensway makes pausing at the entrance a stressful proposition for drivers. Warn your driver in advance and allow extra time. App-estimated arrival times rarely account for the practical difficulty of stopping on this stretch.

By train, however, this hotel delivers. Moor Street station is nine minutes on a flat, largely pedestrianised route that is smooth with luggage and clearly signed. This is the hotel's single strongest logistical card, and for rail travellers, it is a decisive one.

Arrival Winner: Conference Aston. The campus approach is calm, step-free, and stress-free. The Premier Inn arrival is loud, awkward by taxi, and functional at best, redeemed only by the nine-minute Moor Street walk.

The Location Trade-Off

Conference Aston, Campus Island

Embedded inside Aston University campus, zero commute for on-campus conferences or events
Bullring and Selfridges: 16-minute walk
Broad Street entertainment strip: 24-minute walk
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery: approximately 20 minutes on foot
Pedestrianised campus, restricted traffic, birdsong on the approach, genuinely quiet
Sacks of Potatoes pub nearby for post-conference evenings
Aston Street bus stop 5 minutes away for city connections
Outstanding for focus, recovery, and anyone who needs quiet between sessions

Premier Inn Exchange Square, Urban Workhorse

Bullring and Selfridges: 7-minute walk
Moor Street station: 9-minute walk on a flat, pedestrianised route
Birmingham New Street: walkable (approximately 12–15 minutes)
Birmingham City University Millennium Point campus: 7-minute walk
Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum: 7 minutes on foot
The Square Peg Wetherspoon: 4 minutes for budget meals
Digbeth creative quarter: walking distance
Sits on a primary bus corridor, immediate local transport from the pavement
No meaningful green space within a comfortable walk

Location Winner: Premier Inn Exchange Square. The city is literally on your doorstep. Conference Aston's campus calm is a genuine asset, but it comes at the cost of distance from Birmingham's restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions.

The Parking Reality

Both hotels require planning for drivers, and neither is straightforward.

Conference Aston has a dedicated hotel car park, Car Park 2 on the Aston University campus, priced at £9.50 per day. Spaces must be pre-booked online. Do not arrive without a booking, particularly during busy conference periods or university events. The hotel is clearly inside Birmingham's Clean Air Zone, meaning non-compliant vehicles face a daily CAZ charge on top of the parking fee. The approach is simple with a satnav, but the total driving cost can escalate quickly if you have not checked your vehicle's compliance status.

Premier Inn Exchange Square has no on-site parking. The nearest recommended option is the Millennium Point multi-storey car park on Howe Street (B4 7AP), costing approximately £10 to £20 per 24 hours. The hotel also sits inside Birmingham's Clean Air Zone, with a £8 daily charge for non-compliant vehicles. The combination of off-site parking, CAZ exposure, and the challenging one-way approach on Priory Queensway makes driving to this hotel a materially expensive and stressful proposition.

Parking Winner: Conference Aston. At least there is a dedicated car park, and the approach is calm. The Premier Inn has no on-site provision and a more difficult arrival by car.

The Price Reality

These hotels occupy different price brackets, and that gap matters.

Conference Aston sits in the ££ mid-range bracket. For the campus setting, conference facilities, and the level of quiet it delivers within Birmingham's inner ring, that pricing is reasonable. Add £9.50 per day for parking and any applicable CAZ charges, and the total cost of a driving stay rises noticeably.

Premier Inn Exchange Square is a £ budget property. For the location, nine minutes from Moor Street, seven minutes from the Bullring, the Premier Inn offers exceptional value for money on a per-night basis. Add off-site parking costs of £10–£20 per day and any CAZ charges, and the driving cost quickly erodes that budget advantage. By train, however, the value proposition remains compelling.

Price Winner: Premier Inn Exchange Square, for rail travellers. By train, the combination of budget pricing and outstanding walkability is hard to beat. For drivers, the advantage narrows significantly once parking and CAZ costs are factored in.

The Use-Case Verdicts

For a Conference at Aston University

Winner: Conference Aston

This is not a competition. Conference Aston is embedded inside the Aston University campus, delegates never need to leave between arrival and departure. No other Birmingham hotel can replicate this setup for Aston University events. The Premier Inn is a 16-minute walk away and has no meaningful relationship with the campus.

For an Aston University Open Day or Parent Visit

Winner: Conference Aston

You are inside the campus. There is no commute, no navigation, and no question of proximity. For parents accompanying students on open days or move-in weekends, the combination of on-campus convenience and pre-bookable parking makes this the only sensible choice.

For Business Travel (City Centre Meetings)

Winner: Premier Inn Exchange Square

Moor Street nine minutes on foot, New Street walkable, the Colmore Business District accessible without transport. For business travellers arriving by rail with city-centre meetings, the Premier Inn delivers efficient, cost-controlled access. Conference Aston sits east of the commercial core and adds friction for anyone moving across the city each day.

For Birmingham City University Visitors

Winner: Premier Inn Exchange Square

BCU's Millennium Point campus is seven minutes on foot. The hotel sits directly on the student corridor connecting the campus to the city centre. It is also the most affordable base for parents and family visitors, and the Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum is in the same complex for families with younger children.

For a Quiet Stay or Focused Work

Winner: Conference Aston

The campus setting delivers something Birmingham's commercial hotels simply cannot, restricted traffic, pedestrianised walkways, and genuine quiet. The Premier Inn sits on Priory Queensway, one of the city's busiest bus corridors, with bus stops immediately outside the entrance. For light sleepers or anyone needing concentration, Conference Aston wins decisively.

For a Weekend Break in Birmingham

Winner: Premier Inn Exchange Square

Seven minutes to the Bullring, walking distance to Digbeth, the canal quarter, and the city's restaurants, the Premier Inn's walkability makes it a genuinely useful leisure base. Conference Aston's campus setting lacks the atmosphere for a city weekend, and the 24-minute walk to Broad Street makes spontaneous evenings out impractical.

For Families

Winner: Premier Inn Exchange Square

The Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum at seven minutes walk is a genuine draw for families with children. Step-free entrance and smooth pavements make logistics manageable. Conference Aston has a pedestrianised campus that works well for families attending a university event, but the distances to Birmingham's main family attractions add transport costs and time.

For a Romantic Weekend

Winner: Neither, but Conference Aston by a margin

Neither hotel is designed for romance. The Premier Inn sits on a noisy bus artery. Conference Aston's campus setting is pleasant but lacks atmosphere. If you must choose between the two, Conference Aston's quiet, pedestrianised surroundings are considerably more agreeable than Priory Queensway. For a genuinely romantic Birmingham stay, look towards Brindleyplace or the Jewellery Quarter.

The Hero Verdict

These hotels are solving different problems. Getting this choice wrong will not ruin your trip, but it will cost you either money on taxis or sleep on a bus corridor.

Book Conference Aston - Hotel and Conference Centre if:

You are attending or organising a conference at Aston University
You are visiting Aston University for an open day, move-in weekend, or academic event
You are a light sleeper who needs guaranteed quiet in a Birmingham hotel
You are travelling by car and want a dedicated, pre-bookable car park on-site
You need to concentrate, for focused work, writing, study, or recovery
You want a campus experience rather than a city-centre commercial hotel
The pedestrianised, traffic-free environment matters to you or your group

Book Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (Exchange Square) if:

You are arriving by train and want the shortest possible walk from Moor Street station
You are visiting Birmingham City University or the Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum
You want to walk to the Bullring, Digbeth, and the city centre without spending on taxis
Budget is your primary driver and you are travelling by rail
You are on a business trip with city-centre meetings and need affordable, well-located accommodation
You are planning a night out and want a cheap, central base within reach of Digbeth and Broad Street
You have a family and want to combine a city visit with the Thinktank in the same trip

The Bottom Line: Conference Aston is a specialist tool, exceptional when the event and the hotel are in the same place, and a quieter, more considered option for anyone who values calm over convenience. The Premier Inn Exchange Square is a generalist tool, noisy, budget, and relentlessly walkable. Choose based on your itinerary, not on which hotel sounds more appealing on paper.