THE MEETING PLACE IN BRIEF
• London's Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel has launched a new Meeting Memories package that includes an overnight stay at the four-star property, breakfast, day delegate package and special activity option. The 'Meeting Memories' on offer include a Thames river cruise, clay pigeon shooting sessions, spa treat- ments and motivational activities in Battersea Park, adjacent to the hotel. Packages are priced from £233 per person. The hotel has meeting and event space for up to 500 delegates.
• UNIQUE Venues of London has signed up six new members to its collection of meeting and events spaces in the capital. The six additions are Kew Palace, featuring George III’s Dining Room for up to 30 guests; the National Portrait Gallery, including the Ondaatje Wing Theatre and the rooftop Portrait Restaurant; Twickenham Stadium; the Royal Hospital Chelsea; the Wellcome Collection, with its gallery spaces, Reading Room and auditorium; and the Whitechapel Gallery, with 13 event spaces and a 500-capacity auditorium; taking the group to 78 members. Moya Maxwell, chairman of Unique Venues of London, says: “This year promises to be an exciting time for London and we are delighted to welcome these new members. Each offers something truly unusual and ensures that the consortium continues to represent London’s unique heritage and architecture – everything that makes the capital a fantastic destination for events.”
• meet Oxfordshire has launched a new website for meeting and event bookers. It features a comprehensive search facility of residential and non-residential venues in the region, plus a downloadable brochure.
• As the Olympic Games loom large on the horizon, event bookers and venues alike wait and see how the industry will shape up across the country this summer and beyond. Among those predicting a long-term boost for the capital is ATP Event Experts, whose head of UK event operations, Neil Pace, says, “London will always be an iconic events city, and 2012 simply elevates its appeal even more. There are plenty of businesses who will focus their events in and around Olympic venues for years to come.” He continues, “The good news for the rest of the UK is that events taking place during 2012 not associated with the Games are looking for first class venues outside of the capital. This is great for destinations with good facilities and infrastructure and this will be a chance to really put them on the events map.”
➔ Radisson meeting rooms hit the spot
HBAA UPDATE
PETER DUCKER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HOTEL BOOKING AGENTS ASSOCIATION (HBAA)
MY YEAR has got off to a flying start, not just with our annual dinner at the splendid new Hilton T5 at Heathrow, but also attending the Master Innholders General Managers’ Conference. It was interesting to see what GMs are thinking about as we enter what will be, for the UK, a year like no other. With a conference title of Going
for Gold, there were no prizes for guessing the main theme. That the man himself, Lord Coe, addressed the meeting speaks volumes for how important the support from hotels was to the bid process. Without their commitment of rooms, London's bid would not have been successful. So hurrah for London hotels, who
THE Radisson Edwardian Guildford hotel, which opened last autumn, has added extensive meeting and events facilities. The largest space can host up
to 400 people for receptions, or can be divided into three separate event spaces. There are a further three meeting rooms with capacity for up to 30 delegates theatre- style, plus a boardroom for up to 12 people. Delegate rates start
from £65 per half-day, £85 for a full day, and £325 for 24-hours. The new four-star deluxe hotel
has 183 guestrooms, wifi internet access throughout the property, a business centre, spa, pool, gym and two restaurants. Its clever design fuses the façade
of a historic coaching inn with a striking modern glass structure featuring a double-height atrium with three-metre chandelier.
HRG GOES BACK TO BASICS
will be busy in what can be one of their softest periods of the year, high summer. But what will happen after the show leaves town? That’s the focus for hoteliers just
now. If you are planning events in London this year our members are advising their clients that, if possible, they should be before May or after mid-September. Everyone is hoping for a long-term Olympic legacy for the UK, but that short term question is an issue. Another interesting session was about what reference sources influence people. Not surprisingly, the traditional guides have been eclipsed by user-generated content websites such as Trip Advisor. Disliked and distrusted by the majority of hoteliers, travellers use it to check the hotels their company chooses for its hotel programme – and their say counts for a lot. HBAs are often reporting Trip Advisor ratings too and it’s becoming the new star system. It isn’t going away so it's something we all need to get engaged with. A key session was presented
NEWSBTS
HRG is attempting to simplify its M&E offering
to corporates by launching a consistent process and offering that focuses on the major spends that are most akin to transient travel: meetings and groups. Its meetings service will include venue sourcing and contracting, a management facility, preferred suppliers and billing, while its group travel service will embrace group air travel and group hotels.
“It’s where we have the network
and skillset,” explains HRG's project director, John Harvey. “Downstream of that, for the events business, we can offer experts in laser shows and the like through third parties on a country by country basis,” says Harvey. He believes corporates can save
up to 25 per cent from a managed meetings programme versus an unmanaged one. It will announce its technology partners in April.
by PKF – leading analysts and consultants to the Industry – who quantified the gap between hotel performance in London (stellar) and in the rest of the UK (pretty flat). The difference remains remarkable,
so there is great value to be had from many hotels in the regions. Your agent will know which ones are offering the best deals at any time, so don’t rule it out for your meetings and events – particularly this year.
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