By Karen Belasco – Venue Finding Manager

Had a fantastic day out in London with Sian Balsdon our newest Venue Finding Co-ordinator.

It all started off at the Holiday Inn Kensington Forum where we had a fantastic show round with Stephanie, the hotel has excellent conference facilities, part of the Academy, a well known brand throughout the Holiday Inn brand.

Our next stop was at the newly refurbished Kensington Close Hotel, which has undergone an extensive refurbishment of all public areas including the Bar, Restaurant and Meeting rooms – we are all very excited as just behind the largest meeting room the hotel have created a small exhibition room which will include plenty of natural daylight.  The next phase of the refurbishment will include a number of bedrooms, although some have already been refurbished as they have added over 100 more rooms.

Following on from this we went to the Multi-purpose Millennium Gloucester Hotel which has its own separate Conference Centre.  This venue is perfect for any type of conference as the Cromwell Suite can be split down into 9 different sections, with the Orchard Suite holding up to 500 delegates.  All bedrooms are well equipped with every amenity that a leisure or business traveller would require.

Our Accor Fam Trip then kicked off in the afternoon with our Wonderful Account Manager Jane Clements.

We saw a range of venues in the Accor brand from Large to Small from one brand to another – Two of the Newest Properties are the Novotel Blackfriars and the Novotel Paddington both very much new regeneration with slick lines and lots of glass with imaginative bursts of colours, both hotels come with hi-tech facilities including self service check in desk’s in the reception area, interactive info system and a Microsoft Surface table, an iPad dining table, Smartboards in 2 meeting rooms and an indoor swimming pool with digital art, what more could you want!!

The Sofitel London St James was next on our list and this is probably one of my favourite hotels in London, with 5 star qualities including The Rose Lounge a must for Afternoon Tea, The Balcon Restaurant with the unmistakably Parisian Twist.  All bedrooms come with sophistication and state of the art technology and all with their own distinctive character.   The meeting space is very versatile and will excel all of your meeting requirements; it also includes a fantastic 12 seating private dining room.

The Pullman St Pancras is another fantastic property in the Accor brand, not only is it conveniently located with just a short walk from both King’s Cross/St Pancras and Euston Station it includes over 300 bedrooms with 17 meeting rooms to include a 446 seater auditorium with its very own foyer area for all catering.

We finished off at the Novotel London West which is the Flagship of the Accor Group – we dined in their award winning Artisan Grill which has a fantastic Chef’s Table a wonderful addition to your dining experience – food is second to none and well worthy of the AA Rosette that it has achieved through the expertise of Head Chef Roy Thompson.

After a good night sleep in one of the 630 contemporary bedrooms we were shown the excellent conference facilities – The hotel has 32 meeting rooms and they can take anything from a small board meeting up to 1700 delegates theatre style for a full conference with a purpose built exhibition hall – Truly this hotel has everything that you would want.

For more information on any of the above venues or to enquire about our FREE venue finding service, please contact us on 01323 644 644 - we would love to hear from you!

The Conference People was created in 1986 and what an exciting time that was with so many new opportunities.  We quickly established the business offering exceptional service in both the specialist venue finding and event support arenas.  Our aspiration to be the ‘best in the business’ was regularly affirmed by our clients.

Over the past 26 years we have developed, expanded and constantly reviewed our service offering to react to both economic constraints and market opportunities as well as maintaining maximum sustainability. TCP became market leaders in many areas and, for example, were amongst the first to offer on-line delegate registration.  I care passionately about the ethics of our business and was a founder member of The Meetings Industry Association.  We have been very successful, most of all with a wonderfully low staff turnover, great customer feedback and the experiences of looking after thousands of varied events both in the UK and all over the world.

Times are no less exciting now – but different of course. In order to ensure the best development of our Event Management service I have taken the decision to form a partnership with Activate Event Management.  So now, our complete Event Management team together with our systems have moved to Activate’s offices in Horsham and will be supporting our clients in exactly the same way.

The Conference People will continue to go from strength to strength concentrating on our award winning free venue finding service and the Social Marketing programme of conferences. We will also still be managing the conference programmes for our publishing clients. Do call me personally to discuss anything – particularly how we can make your next event the best ever!

Robert

Robert@confpeople.co.uk

01323 644644

www.confpeople.co.uk

Bubbledogs

We were very excited to stumble across this creative Restaurant located on Charlotte Street in London. There unusual mix of Gourmet Hot Dogs and Grower Champagnes makes our mouth water at the thought!!

There is also a kitchen table that can accommodate up to 19 guests, where you can have an up close & personal experience with Chef James Knappett.

If you are looking for an unusual venue for an event, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01323 644644

We love Berlin in the office!

This wonderful city is full of culture, art treasures, trendy shops & conference venues/hotels and because the German capital sits in the heart of Europe, it’s an easy city to access via all modes of transport!

While in Berlin I stayed at the Hotel Concorde Berlin – this stylish hotel is located on the Kurfürstendamm Boulevard and has 267 bedrooms, two restaurants and a bar that offers amazing cocktails!!

If you are interested in holding an event in Berlin or any other European/International city, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01323 644644

Olso, the capital of Norway, is situated in the heart of Scandinavia and is surrounded by magnificent scenery. It has excellent green credentials with an unspoilt environment, fresh air and clean water.

Located at the head of Olso Fjord, the capital is a city of contrasts and is surrounded by forested ridges, lakes, skiing tracks and hiking trails all within the city limits. Its natural beauty, in combination with all the facilities of a modern metropolis adds to the charm of a city often called the “world’s biggest village”.

Olso is approximately two hours flight from the UK, there are 12 flights daily departing from London and a further 38 other major European destinations. From the airport the express train takes you directly to the trendy downtown area in around 20 minutes, where the majority of hotels, restaurants, shops and bars are located. This area is best explored on foot and whilst there don’t forget to call in at the National Gallery to see Munchs’ “Screem”.

The city has over 50 hotels offering more than 10,000 bedrooms. Although there is no official star rating system in Norway, hotels are of a general four star standard, making this destination perfect for pharmaceutical events. The Olso Congress Centre, located six minutes walk from Oslo Central Station, is the largest convention facility in Olso and can accommodate 1,400 delegates theatre style and has ample exhibition space available.

Tjuvholmen, the picturesque harbour area is home to the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, which is perfect for a welcome drinks reception. You can also set sail from here for an afternoons teambuilding by charting a traditional sail boat.

The region also has many exciting off-site dinner venues available, including the Dyna Fyr Lighthouse, the Mini Bottle Gallery and the Viking Ship Museum. For an unforgettable evening, how about holding your gala dinner in the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize Centre HQ.

The ski resorts are a 20 minute drive away and have runs suitable for all abilities. Arrange an offsite dinner on the Holmenkollen Ski Jump and you may even catch a glimpse of the incredible Northern Lights!

Does this tempt you? For more information on holding your event in Olso, please do not hesitate to contact us 01323 644644 – we would love to work with you.

Amy and Dan took time out of there busy schedule to show us round some of the popular Guoman & Thistle Hotels in London, here is just a quick snippet of what we saw…

To start off our fabulous trip we arrived at the Royal Horseguards Hotel on Friday afternoon and checked in to our Executive bedrooms. The bedrooms are beautifully decorated – you can even relax in the bath watching your favourite soap on the built in television!

We then had a show round at One Whitehall Place which is adjoining to the Royal Horseguards Hotel, it is perfect if you need overnight accommodation after a conference. Originally built in 1884 it has beautiful features in every room, The Gladstone Library can seat up to 350 delegates theatre style and enjoys high ceilings, chandeliers and natural daylight. This room is also interconnected with the Reading and Writing Room which can hold up to 450 guests and is perfect for a drinks reception or a private dinner.

Charing Cross Hotel, conveniently located next to Charing Cross Station, overlooking the Strand and just yards away from Trafalgar Square. The largest meeting room is the Betjeman Suite which can hold up to 350 guests with its high sculptured ceiling, marble pillars and glittering chandeliers, suitable for all types of events. With a further 239 bedrooms including suites plus 8 meeting rooms – it really is the place to be.

We then moved on to the Guoman Tower Hotel, located on the River Thames in the heart of London this hotel has magnificent views of Tower Bridge, The River Thames and St Katharine Docks, this hotel is perfect for both business and leisure. The largest room is the Tower Suite which can seat up to 550 theatre style but can be divided into smaller sections. The Tower suite also has its own foyer area with magnificent views, it would certainly be a talking point amongst your guests.

We also had the privilege of having dinner in The Brasserie Restaurant – with a huge variety it was difficult to narrow it down to three courses! I would recommend the Passionfruit Crème Brulèe, it was delicious!

On Saturday we visited three more of the Thistle branded hotels – I won’t go into details, you will have to carry on reading my blog over the next few weeks to get all the gossip!!!!

For more information on any of the above hotels , please do not hesitate to contact our Venue Finding department on 01323 644644 – we would love to work with you.

By Mel Arto

The Roof Gardens is a very quirky and unusual venue situated on the 6th and 7th floor of a listed building in Kensington High Street. This unique venue is set within 1.5 acres of themed gardens with over 70 full size trees and a flowing stream with fish and their resident flamingos; Bill, Ben, Splosh and Pecks!!!

The Roof Gardens can accommodate up to 500 guests for a drinks reception or up to 150 delegates for a theatre style meeting.

For more information on this venue, please do not hesitate to contact our venue finding team on 01323 644644 – we would love to work with you.

One to watch…by Hannah Thomas

Here at The Conference People we are always excited when a new property comes onto our radar! None more so than the brand new JW Marriott Marquis Dubai!

This landmark five star hotel is set to become one of the region’s most desirable destinations. Elevated above Dubai’s business district, on Sheikh Zayed Road, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai resides in the Business Bay area. Spread across two iconic towers, the hotel features exceptional event and business facilities, an enticing array of bars and restaurants and the sublime Saray Spa and Health Club.

The hotel is scheduled to be completed and open in mid December…watch this space!

For more information on the above hotel or any other hotels, please do not hesitate to contact us 01323 644644 – we would love to work with you.

Sian Balsdon’s Venue of the week

Altitude is situated in London’s popular Westminster area, with magnificent views over London’s famous landmarks such as the London Eye, Houses of Parliament and many more.

Altitude is a blank canvas with ultra modern floors that can be transformed to fit every requirement that you have. From spaces to fit 20 delegates boardroom to 300 delegate’s theatre style, Altitude could be the perfect venue for your planned events!

Why not make the most of your time at Altitude and head up to the Sky Bar! Located on the 29^th floor of the Millbank Tower, it is the tallest riverside venue, with magnificent views of London it will definitely be a talking point amongst your guests.

Contact our Venue Finding Team to find out more on this unique space on 01323 644644

Visited by Jacqui Doyle - Business Manager

Celtic Manor is set within 1,400 acres of stunning parkland in the Usk Valley. 90 minutes from London’s HeathrowAirport, and just 45 minutes from Bristol. 10 minutes from Newport train station with direct links to Cardiff, London and Birmingham.

The conference facilities are first class, with the largest meeting room, the Caernarfon Suite seating up to 1,200 delegates theatre style – but not forgetting the other 30 meeting rooms over the whole resort including the fabulous Twenty Ten Clubhouse, the Manor House and the Lodge.

Each of the Resort Hotel’s 330 bedrooms are beautifully decorated, and well equipped for both business and pleasure. I’ve been fortunate to stay here for both reasons! The Spa at Celtic Manor is sumptuous! Treat yourself to an Elemis Exotic Frangipani Body Nourish Floatation or go for a swim in the 20m swimming pool after a workout in the gym within the Forum Health Club.

For more information on the above hotel or any other hotels, please do not hesitate to contact us 01323 644644 – we would love to work with you.

Visited by Karen Belasco, Venue Finding Manager

Rome has to be one of the most romantic cities; I had the absolute pleasure to stay at the Rome Cavalieri on my travels – situated within 15 acres of lush Mediterranean parklands the absolute tranquillity of an oasis.  The rooms are exquisitely decked out in Roman Luxury and most have stunning views over the city.

The hotels meeting rooms have been named as the leading business and conference centre in Italy, with a number of meeting rooms to suit all of your business needs.  As a venue finding agency we have found it a delight to work with the conference organisers.

If you have time, why not take the opportunity to indulge yourself in the Grand Spa, which presents a unique range of pampering treatments.  If you are here on business or leisure, this hotel offers everything that you could wish for.

For more information on the above hotel or any other hotels, please do not hesitate to contact us 01323 644644 – we would love to work with you.

The venue finding team had a great Fam Trip with Grange Hotels this weekend. Our account manager Matt Weaving took time out of his busy schedule and weekend to show us around some of the fantastic properties the chain have to offer in London.

Grange Hotels are London’s leading independent hotel group and below are some of the hotels we saw:

Grange St Pauls Hotel

This 5 star hotel is located in the heart of the financial district and next to St Paul’s Cathedral.  It has a huge glass Atrium that follows through to the reception area, bars & restaurant.

With a main meeting room that can accommodate 730 theatre style and a further 13 meeting rooms located over two dedicated floors, the hotel has very flexible space.

The hotel also has 434 bedrooms (including suites), some with fantastic views over St Pauls Cathedral (we had the opportunity to drink a few glasses of champagne on this very balcony!).

The Sky Bar is located at the top floor and has a fantastic roof terrace with wonderful views over London making this an ideal place for drinks receptions & private functions.  We also got to experience the fantastic Japanese restaurant where everything is cooked right in front of yours, such a delight.

Grange Tower Bridge Hotel

The hotel was opened last May and is eco-friendly (incorporates renewable solar & photovoltaic panels, and has an on-site borehole to reduce water consumption).

With 370 bedrooms (including superior & executive rooms), 10 meetings rooms – the largest accommodating upto 750 theatre style and another for upto 400 theatre style this is the place to be.  Leisure facilities include a 25 metre swimming pool, sauna, steam room & luxurious spa

Grange City Hotel

Minutes from Tower Bridge, Tower of London and Tower Hill tube station, this 5 star hotel offers some unique panoramic views over the City.

The hotel has 15 meetings rooms including a state-of-the-art, double height, flexible auditorium accommodating upto 500 theatre style along with 318 bedrooms (including 10 suites & 1 penthouse)

Corporate events can be set in the piazza which features the historic Roman wall.

Grange Holborn Hotel

What a perfect location, just two minutes walk from Holborn station and minutes from some of the best areas in London i.e Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square with easy access to shops, museum, galleries etc.

The hotel has 201 bedrooms with all the amenities that you would require from a 4 star hotel.  On-site there is a purpose-built conference and events centre that offers 6 interconnecting meeting rooms so is very versatile for all of your conferencing needs.

The highlight of this hotel is a stunning roof top terrace that can cater for up to 150 pax – it also has an area that is fully glassed and can be used in the winter or Summer, great for corporate BBQ’s and other special parties / drinks receptions.

The Conference People look forward to continuing their close relationship with Grange Hotels.

For more information on the above hotels, please do not hesitate to get in touch.  For these or any other venue finding requirements, please contact us on 01323 644644 – we would love to work with you!