It's a UK charity - National Childbirth Trust. They run all sorts of events - nearly new sales, fundraising parties, run a breastfeeding helpline etc. Mostly, though people do ante-natal courses through them. It seems to be the thing to do if you're a middle-class mummy in waiting

and you end up with a ready-made group of mummy friends, all with babies more or less the same age give or take a couple of weeks, as they group you by due dates. The course focuses on labour and birth, where to have the baby, pain relief choices, breastfeeding and a bit of how-to-care-for-your-newborn. It's known to be a bit hippy-dippy, very pro-breast feeding, anti pain relief sort of thing. I don't know if that's a fair judgement, just the impression I get!
You do have to pay for the course, though. Where I live it's going to cost about £200, which is quite a lot. I don't know many people in the area as we've only lived here a few months, so it will probably be nice to do it from that POV, especially for when I'm on maternity leave, and afterwards too as it's unlikely i'll be going back to work.
The NHS runs free 'parent-craft' classes in my area, which are more aimed at teaching you how to care for your baby I believe.
As for hospital rooms, I'm fairly certain that we just end up on an ordinary ward here with all the other new mums

You can pay for a private room, but it's just a room with a bed, tv (which you have to pay to use) and a private bathroom. Nothing fancy, but it is free so you can't complain!