What makes a hotel or venue a favorite among event planners? There are a lot of answers to that question, but a few things are for sure: these hotels know their clients, market continuously where they source, and know their space.
Our latest Top Hotels List reveals the hotels that come out on top. Keep reading to learn how these hotels stand out from the competition and impress event planners year after year.
1. Prioritize the customer-centric approach
Planning is stressful. Things go wrong. Planners appreciate venues they can rely on to help solve their challenges. Hotels and venues that put their customers first and go above and beyond create long-lasting, fruitful relationships with event professionals.
It’s this customer-centric strategy that helped the JW Marriott Nashville land in the top five on our Top Hotels list.
“What really sets us apart and what we have become known for is the luxury level of service we provide (the quality of which was recently honored by Forbes),” said Silvia San Martin, director of sales and marketing.
The hotel continues to listen to what its customers want, leaning into trends such as sustainability and wellness. “Partnering with local organizations to drive team engagement is a trend that continues to grow,” said San Martin. “This also includes showcasing local products in tradeshows or breaks and providing volunteers for non-profit organizations.”
The team has many creative ideas, making it possible for event planners to design unforgettable experiences. “We continue to partner with customers at all levels, but the primary focus is efficiency by saving time for all stakeholders,” said San Martin.
💡Top tip for hotels: Focus on responding to RFPs in detail and include options, diagrams, and virtual tours to amp up the service before you’ve even started working together.
💡Top tip for event professionals: Select hotels committed to customer service. You’ll get a sense of this through RFP responses and the way they communicate with you from the start.
2. Demonstrate creativity
Flexibility and creativity lead to unique and memorable events. Hotels and venues that focus on creativity, whether in the meeting space, use of technology, or the amenities offered, differentiate themselves and are more likely to become a top choice among planners.
The Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, for example, got creative with its space and offerings, launching a full-scale renovation of all 1,408 sleeping rooms and 100,000 square feet of meeting space. These renovations provided additional amenities and luxury meeting options, as well as upgraded the technology and unique design of the hotel.
"The Philadelphia Marriott Downtown is an exciting, multi-faceted hub offering an ever-changing variety of creative ways to experience conferences, meetings, and the city itself," said Perry Kessler, director of sales and marketing.
“We are able to enhance experiences through active participation and engagement and will provide many more multi-sensory activities for conference attendees. Cooking events, wine or bourbon tastings, painting, and art are a few of our recent offerings,” said Kessler.
💡Top tip for hotels: Event planners appreciate out-of-the-box thinking, especially when it comes to problem solving. Use event diagramming tools, for example, to experiment with your meeting space and think up unique ways it could be used.
💡Top tip for event professionals: Look for hotels or venues that are open-minded and willing to try new things. Follow hashtags on social media like #CreativeHotels, #EventVenues, or #BoutiqueHotels to discover properties that aren’t afraid to get creative.
3. Foster lasting partnerships through trust and exceptional service
Long-term relationships between hotels and venues and event professionals are built through trust, transparency, and great service. These are the kind of relationships where both parties evolve and overcome obstacles together.
Building these relationships takes time, but do it right, and it could have a significant impact on the quality of your meetings and events. The team at the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico, for example, depends on its customer relationships to understand what makes a great experience.
According to Managing Director Mark Frances, “By understanding and meeting customer needs, we build stronger relationships and boost sales. Promoting collaboration and teamwork within the sales team encourages everyone to share what they know, enhancing our ability to create unique experiences for each client.”
As Frances’ teams learn more about their customers, they’re able to maintain meaningful relationships by offering better service. “Planners now value flexibility, technology, sustainability, and attendee experience. We address this with flexible booking terms, a virtual event platform, local sourcing, and a focus on personalized and memorable attendee experiences,” said Frances.
💡Top tip for hotels: Assign a dedicated account manager to each event professional. Consistent communication, personalized service, and a deep understanding of their preferences and needs are essential to building trust and repeat business.
💡Top tip for event professionals: Provide properties with detailed information about event goals, attendee demographics, and specific needs as early as possible. Clear communication helps hotels prepare and deliver a seamless event experience.
4. Harness technology
Technology and automation make the lives of hotel and event professionals easier—especially in the face of staffing shortages. That’s because it enhances efficiency and service quality and, on a personal level, reduces stress.
Use technology to automate tedious, routine tasks. This gives you more time to focus on the creative side of event creation or customer service.
The Hilton San Diego, for instance, is leveraging 3D technology to help planners cut down on time and money spent on site visits. “When our sales professionals combine their own expertise with the available technology and tools, some planners don’t even need to conduct an in-person site visit to feel confident that our hotel is the best fit for their needs,” said Pete Kane, commercial director of Hiltons of San Diego.
Of course, event technology isn’t all about efficiency—it’s also about enhancing the experience for customers and event attendees. “We have recently added a large LED wall in our lobby, which allows us to customize the guest and event experience immediately upon arrival. We’ve also upgraded our digital readerboards to showcase relevant information all throughout the hotel,” said Kane.
💡Top tip for hotels: Adopt technology for every stage of the event cycle, from attracting planners and converting RFPs to managing event bookings and improving your events business.
💡Top tip for event professionals: Using hotels that employ advanced technology will make your life a lot easier. Filter on the Cvent Supplier Network to find hotels that use useful technologies such as Cvent Event Diagramming (event planners and hotels use this to collaborate in real-time on room diagrams) or Cvent Passkey (hotels and event planners use this to streamline room blocking and maximize upsell opportunities).
5. Stand out with one-of-a-kind venue experiences
Increasingly, event planners are looking for hotels or venues that add a splash of color to their events.
Every property is unique in some way, whether it’s the location, amenities, interior design, or otherwise. Hotels that recognize their uniqueness and emphasize it appropriately are the ones that stand out.
You can’t get much more unique than the Fairmont Banff Springs, a Scottish castle built in 1888 that’s situated in the Canadian Rockies. Not only does this offer fantastic views, but it’s also a short drive from Lake Louise, a World Heritage Site.
Wendy Kirkpatrick, director of group sales, says the hotel’s iconic setting attracts many, but their unique offerings also help them shape their customers’ experiences. “We have some great outdoor spaces because if you come to the Canadian Rockies, you want to enjoy and appreciate where you are,” said Kirkpatrick.
Beyond the beautiful sites, the hotel offers a luxury spa, golf courses, skiing, team-building activities, tennis, hiking, and 13 restaurants guests can enjoy. Even the hotel rooms hold unique charm. “It’s not a cookie-cutter hotel room, that’s for sure,” said Kirkpatrick.
💡Top tip for hotels: Use online platforms like the Cvent Supplier Network to advertise what makes your property unique, whether it be your approach to sustainability, technology, or creativity.
💡Top tip for event professionals: Contact local Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards, which often have lists of unique venues and can provide tailored suggestions based on your event needs. They may also offer incentives or packages to encourage events in lesser-known locations.
What makes a hotel the best of the best?
Every hotel is different, but the greatest ones, in addition to the points mentioned in this article, are efficient, great with communication, and committed to the evolution of the event experience.
Discover the Top Hotels of 2024 in our latest eBook: The Best of the Best Meeting Hotels in North America
