Hotel Palace Berlin Completes Refurbishment!
The Grand Harbour Hotel In Southampton
The Holiday Inn Stratford Upon Avon
The Holiday Inn Stratford upon Avon is ideally located within walking distance of the town centre and only a mile away from the main train station, in addition to this there are ample car parking spaces and the venue is easy to reach by car. The reception area is large and modern looking, with a statement fire place in the centre. The amount of space makes the reception area perfect for additional registration desks. There are a multitude of meeting spaces, with capacities ranging from 20 – 550 theatre style. There is plenty of space outside of the larger meeting rooms for refreshments or even exhibition spaces. Although not all of the meeting rooms are together, they are clearly sign posted and easy to locate. The bar and restaurant area is very large and has views of the river and a lovely outside terrace area- which would be great in the summer months. Overall, the venue is a great candidate for meetings large and small and its location makes it an excellent contender for clients wanting to hold a meeting or event in the area.
New Hotels For Berlin 2015
The Riu Plaza Hotel near Kurfürstendamm will begin welcoming its guests in 2015 as well. Just 250 metres from KaDeWe, the Spanish hotel will offer 357 guest rooms and six conference rooms for up to 840 participants.
The Amano Group is also continuing to invest in Berlin. After opening its first hotel here in 2009, its largest hotel yet will open in 2015, directly opposite Berlin’s Main Rail Station, and will be christened the AMANO GRAND CENTRAL. 249 rooms and a conference centre are planned. Highlights include a health club overlooking the government district and a rooftop terrace and sky bar.
Berlin offers some of the most modern hotel landscapes in Europe and 2015 will see the number of new hotels in Berlin continue to increase.
The Aygün hotel group from Turkey is planning two new Titanic hotels for Berlin. The Titanic Deluxe Berlin will open in February 2015 after renovations on the former costume and props storage building of the Deutsche Staatsoper on Französische Straße next to the Gendarmenmarkt are complete. 208 rooms and suites on six floors will be on offer. A grand ballroom and a 100 m² conference area equipped with the latest technology will also be featured at the luxury hotel. In autumn 2015, the group will then open the Titanic Business Berlin hotel on Chausseestraße in the northern part of the Mitte district. The hotel will have 389 rooms and suites with modern furnishings which will ensure a luxurious ambience. A 1,800 m² ballroom and 15 meeting rooms with the latest conference technology will also be featured by this new convention hotel.
The Riu Plaza Hotel near Kurfürstendamm will begin welcoming its guests in 2015 as well. Just 250 metres from KaDeWe, the Spanish hotel will offer 357 guest rooms and six conference rooms for up to 840 participants.
The Amano Group is also continuing to invest in Berlin. After opening its first hotel here in 2009, its largest hotel yet will open in 2015, directly opposite Berlin’s Main Rail Station, and will be christened the AMANO GRAND CENTRAL. 249 rooms and a conference centre are planned. Highlights include a health club overlooking the government district and a rooftop terrace and sky bar.Barcelona – If You’Re Looking For An Unusual Venue
In November, our team of international venue finders visited EIBTM. Katharine went to visit some unusual venues, which really have a flavour of Barcelona and are ideal for offsite dinners.
The National Art Museum of Catalonia is open to the public every day and can be used by groups in the evening for dinners. The capacity is 2,000 people in the main room and guests have access to the art collections in the galleries on either side of the foyer. The terrace in front of the building or foyer area can be used for a drinks reception. Very little needs to be done to the main room in the way of decoration as coloured lighting can be used to great effect, which is fortunate as the galleries close to the public at 6pm in the winter and 8pm in summer. On the 1st floor the Cupola room is domed with a painted ceiling and statues and has capacity for 200 people for dinner. This is linked to a restaurant with balcony looking over the city, fountains and bull ring. The restaurant can be privatised for groups of 140.
The Maritime Museum is a gothic building in the old port area, between the sea and La Rambla. It has one main room: The Sala Marques da Commillas, with a marble floor, stone pillars and wooden arched ceiling which has capacity of 800 for a dinner. There is also a gallery with a huge replica ship and the courtyard, either of which could be used for a drinks reception.
The Palau de la Musica is an art deco building, with a bar in the courtyard outside and inside is a tiled arcade with stained glass. The main concert hall has a spectacular glass skylight and can take 350 for a dinner. The foyer area or courtyard can be used for drinks. Alternatively the foyer has capacity for 320 for dinner. There are rehearsal rooms and a smaller concert hall, also in art deco style and a modern auditorium which can also be used for events. The drawback with this venue is that is can only be used when there are no concerts. There is no parking so it is not possible to drop large groups by coach outside.
Jacqui’S Speaking At Chs North On 24Th March In Leeds
There is growth in the economy and the commercial environment is changing, so how can event organisers prepare for a different world? Jacqui Kavanagh, CEO of Trinity Event Solutions and Chair of the HBAA will be exploring how to get the best deal as we negotiate our way out of recession at Corporate Hospitality Show North on 24th March in Leeds.
We are seeing that the meetings industry is already operating in a different landscape as the role of a revenue manager in hotels and venues is becoming more important. The trends that we are seeing are that: there is less opportunity for negotiation on rates; the rate offers are only valid for a set period of time leading to time pressures to make a decision; space is being managed more tightly with minimum numbers per room becoming more strict and contracts have a deadline for return and will be pulled if not signed swiftly.
This session will give you an understanding of how the changing environment will affect you. It will also consider different approaches to placing business and give you the negotiation skills needed to get the best result for your event. For the last few years it has been a buyers’ market, but as this is changing, you need to make sure that your business is the most attractive for the hotel or venue. Are you aware of the market that the hotel is operating in and can you demonstrate that your business the most desirable for the venue?
Customers and key stakeholders who have entered the events industry in the last few years have never bought outside a recession and we all need to be prepared to make the most of new opportunities as we come out of the downturn and understand the risks and challenges that are facing us in the future.
Take A Look At The Hotels In Barcelona
Our international team visited Barcelona recently to take a look at some of the hotels that are suitable for our clients. The city was looking good and we came away with plenty of options for different sizes of groups and in style and location.
The first hotel stop was the Hotel Rey Juan Carlos, only 15 minutes from the airport, with spectacular views over the city. This is a 5* hotel and has recently become a Fairmont property. It has a large amount of conference space with flexible meeting rooms in the hotel building and a convention centre in the grounds. The largest room is a purpose-built auditorium of 2,000 people. There are three pavilions in the gardens for events there’s lots of outside space too. This hotel really is a great option for large groups and it offers a wide variety of different locations on the same site. Refurbishment of the whole property will start in 2015 and take three years to complete. The existing restaurant will be extended, shops in the lobby will be removed and a destination restaurant added.
The Silken Diagonal is a modern 4-star hotel located on the Av. Diagonal and only 20 minutes from Barcelona El Prat Airport. The hotel has a large welcoming foyer area that is full of interesting features that contribute to a subtle ship theme. The hotel has 5 meeting spaces located on the lower ground floor that are fully flexible with partitioned walls. The rooms are well-equipped with the latest AV technology.
The Majestic Hotel & Spa is situated in the middle of Paseo de Gracia, close to Gaudi’s building and in the heart of the city. The luxury 5 star hotel has a welcoming foyer off the main street which instantly provides a calming environment from the busy city just outside. The 275 bedrooms were refurbished in 2012 in an elegant and traditional style with modern touches throughout. There are 9 soundproof meetings rooms, the largest of which can seat 500 theatre style, were also refurbished in 2012 and have air conditioning and high speed WiFi.
The Hilton Barcelona is located on Barcelona’s main avenue, Diagonal Mar. It is within easy reach of two large shopping centres, the FC Barcelona stadium and El Palacio de Congressos de Catalunya and just 10 minutes from the city centre. It has been refurbished within the last 18 months and has a modern and contemporary feel. As you enter the building you are greeted by the large bar area which is bright with a large orange sculpture that extends up the core of the building – the reception is to the left as you enter.
There are two meeting levels, one with natural daylight and one without. The two main ballrooms are on the lower ground, although they don’t have natural daylight they have a high ceiling (4.7m) and no pillars and the lighting replicates natural daylight. Both ballrooms can be divided into three rooms and the maximum capacity in both are 125 pax, theatre style. There is a large foyer outside ideal for catering and an exhibition area, there is also access to a patio area which can be set up with sofas for outside seating. The other 7 meeting rooms are located on the first floor, all have natural daylight with access to the upper foyer area for catering and exhibition. The open core in the heart of building lends itself to lots of light and the feeling of space.
There is an impressive restaurant in the style of Gaudi that opens up onto the terrace at the front of the hotel. During the summer months there are always tables with umbrellas in this area giving the hotel a bit of a buzz. This is a smart, business hotel in a good location. It is functional but with a touch of class – the staff were also extremely welcoming and friendly.
The hotel Princess Sofia is a traditional 5* property located on the Diagonal Mar Avenue. It is a large property with plenty of meeting space but in need of refurbishment in places. It has a very grand entrance way, lots of dark wood and marble with classical, bold décor. The hotel has 500 bedrooms and 28 Meeting Rooms, the majority of which are located on the first and second floor. There are 4 fixed meeting rooms on the 18th floor that have great views of Barcelona and a panoramic room on the 19th floor allowing 360 degree views and with a great terrace for reception drinks. The meeting rooms offer lots of option for layout but there are pillars that need to be taken into consideration. The large meeting rooms all have natural daylight. There is also a spa on the first floor located near to the meeting space.
The service and welcome at the hotel was excellent and the meeting facilities are very good. It is however, a very traditional hotel with a few signs of wear and tear. There is free WiFi throughout the hotel and upgrades to the executive level (an additional €60) gives access to the executive lounge, a complimentary massage in the Spa and free use of the meeting rooms for up to 2 hours.
The Hesperia Presidente is a smaller property with just 151 bedrooms and 8 meeting rooms. The maximum capacity is 110 theatre-style. Although the reception area is small it is elegant with some impressive sculptures and natural stone. The meeting space is located on the 2nd floor, all rooms have natural daylight but there are columns in the rooms which need to be taken into consideration. The attention to detail in this hotel is very good, with lots of little touches that make a good impression from the sweet cart in the foyer space to the large, sometimes quirky, sculptures throughout.
The bedrooms were quite small but with great views. They were elegantly furnished with a modern and contemporary finish. Our feeling is that it is a lovely, boutique hotel, elegantly furnished and in a good location.
The Hilton Diagonal Mar is situated at the end of the main avenue in Barcelona close to the sea and the Barcelona International Conference Centre and opposite a large shopping centre. It is a large, spacious hotel, with a bright and airy reception. There are 433 bedrooms, many with a sea view and 22 meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 1,000 delegates. There is one large ballroom that can host up to 700 delegates, although it has no natural daylight, the room opens up onto a spacious foyer with floor to ceiling glass windows. It also has one of the tallest ceilings at 7m high. There are various size break out rooms across 3 floors of the hotel, most of which have natural daylight. The hotel has a modern and contemporary feel, the bedrooms are well equipped and there are also relaxation rooms for the business traveller, decorated in relaxing colours and a comfortable office area to work from. There is a lovely roof terrace with a newly constructed pergola which would be ideal for reception drinks or a networking event.
This area of Barcelona has a number of large conference hotels, it is a bit like a concrete jungle but with access to the beach and lovely promenade just minutes away it is an ideal location for large groups. It is also 20km from the airport, which depending on traffic could mean a lengthy transfer.
AC Hotel Barcelona Forum has a very cool, urban feel, almost masculine in design and colouring. It is dark, with greys, blacks and a touch of red and the interior finishing has an industrial design, for example metal meshing and scaffolding poles around the stairwells, all very tastefully finished. One of the main plenaries is on the 4th floor and has natural daylight with a maximum capacity of 200 theatre style. The break out rooms are opposite and all have modern AV technology and daylight There is also the Sagrada Familia which is the largest plenary with a maximum capacity of 550 theatre style.
The hotel restaurants are very impressive, with high quality designer furnishings. There is also a spa and roof top pool, which can be used to host a cocktail evening. There are 368 bedrooms in total, most of which have a great sea view.
The Eurostars Grand Marina is situated at the marina in the heat of Barcelona and designed to look like a liner to blend in with the boats and cruise ships that frequent the port. It has a very welcoming feel with bright and airy rooms and tasteful furnishings. There is a terrace on the 8th floor that can be hired exclusively which has superb views of the city’s coastline. The meeting space is limited but there is direct access to the congress building next door and works in conjunction with that space. There is a very nice private dining space accessible through a private corridor. There are 291 bedrooms which were refurbished a year ago, most have sea views.
Considerations: When a cruise ship has docked in the Marina it is immediately adjacent to the hotel, it is so close you can see into the rooms and watch the activities on the deck. There are two cruise ships per week during high season and one during the low season.
Barcelo Sants hotel sits immediately above the main train station and can be accessed through the station itself or by a sweeping driveway behind. It is a very modern hotel and has been given a ‘space’ theming throughout in a recent refurbishment. The main reception area is large with a very tall ceiling. There is a space hub in the centre with a circular light fixture to give a modern and futuristic feel which has been finished off with ‘pop’ seats. The hotel has 3000sqm of event space with 14 Meeting Rooms and a large exhibition hall that can hold cars. The 364 bedrooms have an orbital feel, they are very modern with clean lines and open plan bathrooms. Considerations: This is a very different hotel and the theming works very well. The location is a little off putting from the outside but once you’re in the hotel you have very little knowledge of being above a train station. There are great views from the hotel but has little outdoor space.