Choosing the right venue for your conference, hospitality event or company training session can be fraught with difficulty and the sheer choice of venues can seem overwhelming.

That’s where Best Venues London comes in. We can take you by the hand, so to speak, and take you through the entire process, starting with these 8 key considerations:

Type of Event

Before you can book any corporate venue, you need to consider what sort of event it will be for.

Is it a corporate function that requires a formal professional environment? Will there be an element of fun, in which case recreational activities may be of interest? What about finding somewhere with a relaxed off-duty vibe or an artistic, boho feel?

Location

Deciding where to hold your business meeting or conference is crucial for any event planning; the location needs to be based on the specific needs of the event, and of your business.

Do you choose a vibrant Central London venue, a quirky nightclub or a modern conference centre? Or will the calm serenity or historic setting of a country venue, where there are no distractions, be more suitable?

Cost

It’s important to draw up a realistic budget to work to right at the beginning of the event planning process – and stick to it! Choose the best quality venue that you can afford without breaking the bank, while getting the most from your budget.

Size

Make sure you have an accurate number of delegates to cater for. There’s no point booking a conference room that can fit 200 people for a business event for 20.

Likewise, if your conference venue is too small, the whole event will suffer on account of something that could easily have been avoided.

Food & Drink

If you are planning a lavish gala dinner or other entertainment event, you will obviously be guided by the wealth of menu and catering options available, including the ability to have a bespoke menu and bar choices.

Look into famous chefs and the latest restaurant reviews to produce a dining event that wows, and don’t forget that vegetarian options may need to be included. Clearly, different catering criteria and budgets will apply to formal business meetings and conferences where food & drink are further down the list of priorities.

Facilities

Ask yourself if there are dedicated meeting facilities that are suitable for your event. What about tables and chairs, and IT/AV equipment? Find out about projection screens, LCD TVs, light, power and computer cabling and, of course, free WiFi access above all else.

Car parking

Depending on location, your delegates may arrive by car. This may not be a problem in a dedicated conference centre or rural venue, but could affect your choice of venue in Central London, where parking is both costly and limited.

Accommodation

Are you planning a corporate away day or weekend, or a residential training event? Perhaps a late finish will mean that overnight accommodation may be required? Choosing a hotel with good conference and training facilities may allow you to elegantly kill two birds with one stone.