The choice of accommodation for a conference or seminar event, be it a hotel or otherwise, needs really careful thought and planning as it can have a huge impact on the overall success of the event. Here are a few important angles to take into account when selecting your accommodation for a conference, seminar or other corporate event.

A real change of scene and a breath of fresh air

If you’re planning an event beyond the confines of the office environment then you’re no doubt also deliberately choosing to take your staff out of the workplace context and away from their usual routine. Why not opt for an original venue – a conference hotel right on the sea in Marseille, Nice or Cannes, a picturesque hotel in the Provence backcountry or in the Camargue, for example. These kinds of venues will provide a genuine change of scene and a welcome breath of fresh air – both excellent for boosting creativity and team spirit.
When choosing where to stay, the general setting and the quality of the accommodation (in natural surroundings, with gardens or sunny terraces for breaks; bright, meeting rooms with plenty of daylight….) really do matter – you want to maximize the feel-good factor and inspire your teams who are participating.

Room quality and level of facilities

Whether it’s a single room or one with twin beds, participants should enjoy a level of comfort that inspires them to throw themselves fully into the event, invest in meetings and to remember the seminar as a positive experience. A good level of comfort implies spacious, well-appointed, soundproofed rooms with all the amenities you would usually expect in a conference hotel.
For working sessions, the hotel should have light, airy and spacious conference rooms that match your specific requirements: modern, comfortable furniture, large screens and top video-projection facilities, high-quality microphones and sound equipment, enough flipcharts etc.
Depending on the actual format of the event and how your meetings are organized, several smaller committee rooms might be needed for brainstorming in tighter groups or for rotating themed workshops that require several close but distinct workspaces. Most conference hotels on the French Riviera and in Provence have a large number of sub-committee rooms, or can arrange several hotel suites for smaller group meetings.

Standard of catering and spaces for relaxation

Between working sessions, meals are a perfect opportunity for more casual conversation and relaxation. Dining areas should therefore offer the same level of comfort and amenities as the rooms or meeting areas: a sea view in the case of conference hotels in Cannes, Marseille, Nice or Monaco; outside terraces for a hotel in the heart of Provence or in a village tucked away off the coast.
As for dining, most of the conference hotels in Provence and on the French Riviera offer menus based on typical Mediterranean fare – full of flavour, original and well balanced. Depending on the time allocated to meals and the participants getting to know each other, various formats are available: lunch buffet, 2-course quick menu, 3-course gastronomy menu, buffet cocktail party or even a BBQ on the beach if the hotel is right on the coast!
Spaces designed for relaxation in the hotels will also provide areas where participants can meet, chat and create those convivial moments that add up to a successful event: talking late into the evening in the bar or lounge of your conference hotel in Nice or in Antibes Juan-les-Pins; an early breakfast at the poolside in St Tropez; a relaxed work session looking out to sea on the beach at a hotel in Cannes or Marseille…

Matching event goals and participants

The setting, style and standard of the conference hotel you choose for your corporate event in Provence or on the French Riviera needs to be in keeping with the message you want to put across to your teams and match the participants who are attending: a prestigious, luxury hotel in Cannes, Monaco or St Tropez for an incentive or reward event; a conference hotel in downtown Marseille or Nice for those who like to party and get out and about; a seafront hotel Juan-les-Pins or Cassis for a more relaxing time close to the sea: a chalet-style hotel in the Southern Alps for a brainstorming, creative seminar event far from the madding crowd…

Are you looking for a conference hotel in Nice, Cannes, Marseille or Avignon for your next corporate event? Benefit from our considerable experience at Longitude 7 Events agency and let us help you to find the best options around.