EDGE Venues

After the International Congress Convention Association (ICCA) declared Vienna the fourth most popular destination for international congresses worldwide in 2015, the Union of International Associations (UIA) followed suit by also awarding fourth spot to the Austrian capital.

Of the international congresses hosted in Vienna, 279 complied with the criteria for inclusion in the UIA ranking. This was enough to merit fourth spot for Vienna in a list led by Brussels (657). Second and third place went to Singapore (643) and Seoul (467), respectively. Vienna finished ahead of Paris (276) in fifth place, followed by Bangkok (229), Tokyo (215), Berlin (185), Geneva (171) and Barcelona (156). This latest international success reflects the growth achieved by Vienna’s meetings industry in 2015. At EUR 1,068 million, Vienna’s contribution to nationwide induced economic impact passed the one billion euro mark for the first time in 2015. Meetings and congresses in Vienna also set a new all-time record for overnight stays, at 1.7 million bed-nights for the year.

Broken down by country, Austria claimed 11th place with 338 events. This particular category was led by the USA (880), followed by Korea (780), Belgium (726), Singapore (643), France (489), Germany (437), Japan (431), Spain (411), Italy (383) and the United Kingdom (344). Vienna accounted for 82.5% of the Austrian total.

Conrad Manila: Conrad Hotels & Resorts’ (Hilton) new five-star venue. It is their first hotel in the Philippines. The design is inspired by the sleek boats on the bay it overlooks. Offering a peaceful respite from the City of Makati but easily accessed from airports, with close proximity to dining, shopping and attractions, Conrad Manila has the best of both worlds. Inside are 6 meeting rooms, including a ballroom, and a large veranda able to hold 1000 for a recepion. With built-in AV equipment and an onsite pool, fitness centre and restaurant, it is a comprehensive option for meetings and events.

Hawker House, London, is no longer the abandoned derelict space it used to be. Street Feast, now owned by parent company London Union, have been transforming spaces such as these into markets. The response has been immense, and Hawker House has been likened as a mini town of independent street food traders, rooftop bars and music festival vibes. It is situated in Canada street. Henry Dimbleby and Jonathan Downey, the bosses of London union, have made this venue available for corporate hire. In addition to 5 separate rooms, there is now an outdoor summer space. Titled ‘Land of Bamboo’, the venue features sand pits, trampolines and tiki huts. It brings the capacity of the venue up to 3500. Undoubtedly one of the more quirky venues, London Union suggests that it is perfectly suited to team building and large-scale conferences.

Berlin continues to expand its hotel offerings and there are currently more than 137,000 beds in 784 properoes to choose from. In 2016, more hotels will open with more than 1,200 bedrooms, particularly in Mitte and around Ostbahnhof in Friedrichshain areas. 

Hotel Openings in 2016

The 4* Titanic Chaussee Berlin opened in February 2016. It has 389 rooms and suites, a Mediterranean à la carte restaurant, Health Club and swimming pool.  There’s a large ballroom for 1,150 people in theatre style and 15 conference rooms equipped with the latest technology.

The Hotel Zoe at Hackescher Markt opened in February, too. The design is simple and elegant: Dark accessories, untreated concrete and warm light. The boutique hotel offers a roof terrace with views of the TV tower and a spacious breakfast area with a conservatory.

The bath house Oderberger Straße in Prenzlauer Berg, originally opened in 1902 and became Hotel Oderberger in March this year. After four years of renovation, it has been transformed to a 4* hotel with 72 rooms and two suites.  There are 20 conference rooms.  The swimming pool with sauna and wellness areas will reopen in October.

The Novum Winters Hotel Sophia opened in July 2016. This 3-star hotel has 133 rooms and suites overlooking an inner courtyard. The hotel features the “Intermezzo” bar with a wide range of cocktails and snacks, an à la carte restaurant, and a fitness room. The three conference rooms are fitted with the latest audiovisual equipment and can accommodate up to 45 people.

in September, 204 rooms on seven floors will open at the Moxy Berlin Ostbahnhof. From the site on the corner of Holzmarktstraße and Andreasstraße, the Oberbaumbrücke and the East Side Gallery are within walking distance, and Alexanderplatz is just two train stops away.

Outlook: Hotels Opening in 2017 and beyond

The Lindner hotel me and all will be a 4* urban-style boutique hotel with around 165 rooms.  It is in the new Volt Berlin shopping and entertainment centre at the southern end of Alexanderplatz. The Volt also has a surfing wave and a wind tunnel. The hotel is scheduled to open at the end of 2017.

The Hampton by Hilton Alexanderplatz, which will be the chain’s biggest hotel worldwide, will open in the second half of 2017. On the corner of Otto-Braun-Straße and Mollstraße, it will offer 344 modern rooms on nine floors.

In the next few years, a new city complex will be built directly by the East Side Gallery, with the Music Box event hall, a cinema, a bowling alley, and restaurants and bars. The new Mercedes Platz will be home to the 119-room Indigo Berlin City – East Side boutique hotel and the Hampton by Hilton Berlin City East with 254 rooms. They are both scheduled to open in late 2017 or early 2018.

Barceló is coming to Berlin: The Spanish group’s second hotel in Germany will be built at Berlin’s main railway station until 2018. The four-star-hotel offers 272 rooms and suites and a conference centre to its customers.

The Hotel Estrel, currently offering 1,125 rooms, will be adding 814 more rooms as construction of the 45-storey Estrel Tower is completed. The tower will stand 175 m tall, about two and a half times higher than the current Estrel Hotel, and will thus become the tallest high-rise hotel in Germany. The construction will begin in 2017; the opening is scheduled for 2020/21.

If you are considering holding an event, meeting or conference in Berlin, please call us on 01780 484050 and we will be happy to help.