Konstantin Goriainov
General Manager
Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya Hotel
Moscow is 80% business destination, and the majority of international corporations is already based in or investigating the Russian market. Oil and gas, pharmacy, FMCG, automobile, consulting, banking and finance are the industries that are the most developed and successful in the local market.
To promote a new launch, to set up a board meeting or to organize a conference, a meeting space is vital. Despite Moscow being a capital with a population of 15 million, there are not very many decent places to hold an event apart from a hotel. What does a corporate event manager need to look for and consider when choosing the right spot?
When defining the budget, make sure the details of the suggested conference package are clear and appropriate for the upcoming event. The size of the meeting room, its set up, coffee breaks, lunches, equipment — even the height of the ceiling — should fully meet your expectations. As soon as the budget is ready, look into the brand's sustainability and its reputation. That is a high guarantee of good service, which makes an event successful. Moscow is jammed with traffic, so if you have an alternative prioritize the closest location to your office or at least a convenient metro or railway station. Conferences are usually held by the organizer, who needs accommodation for attendees. With that in mind, it is another advantage in using a hotel as a place for the event.
If a VIP gala dinner event is on schedule, brand and previous experience or recommendations come out in the first place. For this occasion, the reputation and the chef's name are very important. To make an impression, do not be stingy with flowers and other VIP decorations.
Weddings, private anniversaries and kids' birthdays are becoming more and more popular in hotels. The hotel will provide you with not only its regular high-class quality but will also take care of entertainment program, lighting, master of ceremony and will meet any other request connected with this important event. A wedding package, for example, will usually include free accommodation for the bride and the groom, as well as a nice wedding cake.
What if you have your own selected space outside of a hotel but need catering? Yes, there is an existing list of very reputable outside catering companies, but a hotel's professional service still can be considered a priority. In that respect, the size of the event and its theme do not matter, as the hotel will be ready to take care of any type.
In sum, it is reasonable to mention that there is a usual practice for a hotel to show its loyalty to a customer when discussing, for example, corporate advertising requests, parking, free accommodation for the organizer or artists, and pricing conditions. A branded hotel that cares about its long lasting good reputation will never consider your event the only one. It will consider it the start of a possible business partnership. Besides, in comparison to other places, you might not get the right list of questions and answers related to the organization of the upcoming event, which reminds you of its success.
