Planners are striving to find venues that can deliver extraordinary experiences while also engaging attendees. The pressure is on to create that all-important ‘wow’ factor and provide one-of-a-kind experiences that cater to attendees’ ever-growing expectations. This is where the trend of bleisure travel comes in.
Rise of Bleisure Travel
In 2024, venues are looking to capitalise on the concept of bleisure travel, where business travellers incorporate leisure experiences with their work trips, and leisure travellers combine working remotely with their desire to travel.
For venues, this presents a new revenue opportunity while continuing to provide planners with the facilities, technology, and exclusive offers to create memorable events.
With more people working remotely because of the pandemic and a surge of people starting to travel again, bleisure has seen tremendous growth in recent months. Bleisure was growing before the pandemic but has taken off recently.
There was talk of it taking over traditional business travel in 2022 and beyond. 89% of people plan to add personal vacation time to their business travel this year—many of whom will bring family and friends along.
And it is easy to see the appeal, especially after a tumultuous few years. People can travel for a conference or event and then spend an extended vacation in the area while they work remotely.
Unique Venues See a Surge in Popularity
To meet these demands, planners are prioritising experience-first event design, valuing uniqueness over traditional notions of extravagance. In their quest for bespoke experiences, planners are turning towards unconventional venues in locations that provide a unique aesthetic, so travellers are more likely to extend their stay.
These venues offer more flexible pricing and freedom to transform their event space and bring their vision to life. They also serve as a blank canvas for creativity and allow for the creation of more personalised events.
By embracing the shift towards experience-first events and offering unique experiences, venues can position themselves as highly sought-after partners.
Here are our top picks of venues perfect for bleisure travel, from spa venues to airport hotels.
Radisson Blu Manchester Airport
Nichole says: “It is simply stunning and not what you would expect for an airport venue. It is the only venue that is connected to Manchester Airport, so it is super accessible for your international delegates, and the space that they have to offer is incredible.
“With views of the runway from the executive lounge, the two floors of conferencing facilities provide the perfect space for a meeting or event whether it be a small board meeting for two, a gala dinner or a conference for four hundred in the newly refurbished Manchester Suite. Definitely more than just an airport venue!”
Buxton Crescent Spa Hotel
The luxury hotel comprises of eighty-one rooms and the spa is home to three pools and eight treatment rooms, with water wellness at the forefront of the hotel’s spa offering. The treatments continue to draw from nature as the spa has a salt cave that can accommodate six people, three individual mud treatment rooms, three individual thermal mineral baths and CO2 baths.
The hotel offers seven meeting rooms, from the Boardroom to the spectacular Assembly Room that can accommodate up to 186 delegates for a theatre-style meeting or 120 guests for a seated banquet with a grand, elegant ambiance.
Mottram Hall Hotel
The 4* Mottram Hall is a stylishly furnished elegant 18th Century Georgian hotel. It retains many original features and combines them with modern facilities and accommodation to create an appealing experience in a unique setting.
There are 131 bedrooms including executive doubles and four posters, some enjoying views of the ornamental lake or golf course. The hotel has three dining options to choose from Nathaniel’s, which offers traditional dining; guests can enjoy the more informal atmosphere of the Terrace Café Bar and the Brasserie in the clubhouse with its stunning balcony and superb views over the golf course.
There is conference space to suit meetings from 5 – 200 across eight meeting rooms, and the grandest room is the St Andrews Suite that can hold up to 120 for a dinner dance.
Treehouse London
Take in the landscape of London Town from above at our rooftop oasis offering world-class views of the London Eye, The Shard, Canary Wharf and Regent’s Park. For private meetings of up to 20, receptions for up to 300 guests, banqueting for up to 120 or anything that requires a drink, a smile, and an excuse to stay a while.
Nichole says, “I LOVE this style of venue! It is something that is so different, so unexpected, yet so stylish and modern. Forget about your standard boardrooms, forget about your plain rooms, this venue does it all for you. Stunning views of the capital city, bringing the outdoors inside, it does exactly what is says on the tin – Treehouse London provides that completely different feel to meetings and events. I cannot help but keep looking at the pictures, and I will be visiting soon for sure.”
To book a venue is so more than a space to meet. Each of these venues offers a wow factor that can transform the feel and memories of your delegates’ experiences.
Follow the link on each venue to book, or give give our venue search a try at EDGEVenues.com. Want to book a venue for your meeting or event?
