Hotel ballrooms have historically served as a go-to venue type for planners who are hosting large conferences and events, but attendee expectations and event trends have evolved. Attendees are now looking for more experiences and photo-worthy moments when at a conference and there are many white-box venue spaces that give planners alternative options to “wow” guests and drive their own ROI.
According to the 2025 Cvent Planner Sourcing Report and the Future of the Meetings Industry Report from Future Partners, 49% of planners are currently sourcing non-hotel venues and 17% expect service levels at hotels to decrease, which will further feed into the growing demand for non-hotel venues. These venues, such as museums, private clubs or dedicated, purpose-built venues like Convene and etc.venues, are focused on hosting more corporate clientele. At the same time, planners are also finding these types of venues a more attractive offering – both due to the flexibility they provide and the unique atmospheres they offer.
Whether it’s an exclusive location or unique environment, the potential for better attendance and engagement or the ability to align the venue with event goals or mission, non-hotel venues will ultimately stand out in the minds of attendees. Here are some of the key benefits of taking your venue sourcing beyond hotels for your conferences in 2025 and beyond:
- Customisation and flexibility: In addition to balancing multiple business lines – sleeping rooms, restaurants, events – hotels typically have rigid guidelines around what can and cannot be brought into event spaces. Venues like Convene and etc.venues, on the other hand, are well adept at bringing a client’s vision to life and will even customise the furniture, lighting and food and beverage offerings to match the event theme.
- Unique atmosphere: Conference attendees will appreciate a break from the typical hotel setting, especially if they are used to attending multiple events in the same kind of venue. Non-hotel spaces can help reinvigorate attendees, breaking the monotony and making the event feel fresh and exciting. These types of venues can also help reinforce the theme of a conference or the identity of the organization that is hosting. For instance, a technology company might choose an innovative or cutting-edge venue to reflect its forward-thinking approach or a sustainability-focused event might be held in an eco-friendly space.
- Location and accessibility: Dedicated venues like Convene and etc.venues are often located in convenient, metropolitan areas, always in the heart of a city’s business or entertainment district, near public transportation and within an area that offers great cultural opportunities. If the majority of your conference attendees are travelling in from out of town, choose a unique venue close to key local landmarks or exciting tourist opportunities. This can help make the event more attractive for attendees, who may want to explore the area after sessions.
- Engagement and team building opportunities: Non-hotel venues can offer spaces that promote more natural and meaningful networking opportunities. For example, open spaces or interactive elements can encourage attendees to mingle and engage with each other in ways that a standard hotel ballroom may not. Some venues, like art galleries or museums, might even facilitate networking by providing interactive exhibits or spaces designed for collaboration. Other more sport-focused venues like Swingers and the Lawn Club have spaces for conferences and corporate day delegate meetings with mini-golf courses and sporting greens for team building under the same roof. Convene has relationships with local experts in all cities to facilitate additional team building opportunities. In London, there are several team building offerings Convene can organise including a mixology session, a sound bath session and a high performance personal development workshop, to name a few.
Looking beyond hotel venues for your next conference, summit, retreat or networking event can elevate the overall experience for your guests. The Convene portfolio has a network of more than 35 locations across nine global cities and is the largest single provider of dedicated meeting and event venues in the US and UK, with beautifully designed spaces and delicious food crafted by in-house executive chefs. If you are interested in learning more about booking an exhibition at a venue within the Convene portfolio, reach out today.
