Once you have decided which crew/s you will bring, then you need to figure out where you’re going to stay. Henley is a town of approximately 11,000 people, but nearly 3,000 competitors race at Henley Women’s and, if you include those trying to qualify, nearly 5,000 race Henley Royal. Those are just athletes, not coaches, trainers, administrators or anyone else.
But in a town so small the rest of the year, there are nowhere near enough hotel rooms (and the rooms there are command a hefty premium during the regattas). The tradition is that athletes and coaches stay with families in the town, often walking distance from the course.
But how to find that housing? Henley Women’s and Henley Royal each have a dedicated housing officer who can match a crew to a house or houses in the town. Sometimes it is just a room for a coach, or some places can take an entire eight plus cox with everything in between. All prices are set by the hosts themselves, and the housing officer/crew liaison can help you work to stay within your budget. Find out more >>
It certainly helps to start early as many repeat crews also repeat their housing, so a large swath of houses go off the regatta housing market very early in the year.
Consider also the distance to the course, pet allergies, kitchen access and whether coaches will live with the crew or be in separate housing.