The MeetingsIn Blog
On 7 April, Dolce Hotels and Resorts, one of the leading groups in the global meetings industry, took a trip to merry old London. This early spring showcase event was a celebration of more than one milestone - the company's 30th birthday and the unveiling of their latest destination, the Ravella at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada, United States. This latest venue is added to an extensive portfolio that includes properties in the United States, Canada, France, Belgium, Germany and Spain.
Dolce hosted their event in the trendy Avenue restaurant in St. James' Street in Central London. Meetings industry professionals who were visiting London for the event were undoubtedly in awe of the ultra-posh surroundings - halfway between Piccadilly Circus and Buckingham Palace.
The Dolce group also unveiled some revolutionary culinary ideas and dishes for attendees of their showcase to enjoy. Their new Thoughtful Foods for Thoughtful Minds initiative was behind the nutritious and scrumptious cuisine choices. Bear in mind that the wholesome food that Dolce now serves certainly isn't carrots, celery and other crudités. The food offered up at the showcase, which included an endless variety of cured meats, fondue and a lovely selection of olives had the taste, appearance and ingredients of good old European comfort food.
The Dolce Hotels and Resorts UK Showcase event was also held in celebration of their success following their change in image and presentation in 2008. The company has seen wild success since adopting the 'nourishment, connectivity and community' mantra. By creating an atmosphere similar to that at their numerous international properties, it's certainly safe to say that they sold a number of venue finders and other meetings industry professionals on their unique sense of style.
Odds are you own a mobile phone and there's a good chance that it's a smart phone capable of browsing the internet and using mobile applications. In 2009 alone, Gartner estimates 172 million smart phones were sold around the world. (Source: TechCrunch). Companies in many different industries have noticed this trend and are taking advantage, including the meetings industry where hotels, airlines and restaurants are offering consumers the opportunity to book or reserve from their phones. But what is the best way for them to approach this: a mobile app or mobile friendly website? If you are an amateur meeting planner or in charge of booking a group's stay somewhere, which method would you prefer to use for booking meeting rooms or ground transportation?
Well recently you have probably heard about apps for iPhone, Android, Blackberry and similar devices in the news and on TV commercials. Apple, creator of the iPhone, even had a popular campaign running whose slogan was "There's an app for that!". Companies who moved quickly and put out mobile apps enjoyed a booming success as smart phone users adopted them and became fond of the multiple icons they could flick across their screen. But companies favoring apps over their mobile sites should beware.
A study by comScore, a digital marketing authority, has come out showing that there's at least some evidence that people are tapping both applications and the browser nearly equally. In fact, "Users of both groups are increasing year-over-year at about the same rate with applications experiencing 28 percent growth, and the number of people accessing the browser jumping by 31 percent". (Source: MocoNews).
This debate is playing out in the meetings industry right now and our feedback is shaping the way we can plan travel and events. It is very exciting to see how the mobile arena is constantly improving and we at MeetingsIn are ready to embrace it as well. Soon, the way you can book a meeting room or event will change and we can meet on the go.
It is very hard to tire of London, but if you are feeling a little jaded try seeing the city from a new perspective- from the Thames (The Thames is the longest river in England and the second longest in the UK -the Severn is the longest in the UK).
From the Thames, you can view many of the must sees of London: St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Shakespeare's Globe, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the Millennium Footbridge, the London Eye and more. Four World Heritage Sites are also seen from the Thames: Palace of Westminster, Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich and Kew Gardens.
There are a variety of tours you can take, from the hair raising to the sedated and from the basic to the luxurious dinner cruises. A popular experience is the Hop on Hop off boats which have a full commentary, always very interesting facts that bring the city to life and often made all the more entertaining by some of the would be comedian banter! The direct boat trip takes about an hour there and back, but you can make it last all day with lots to see and do along the way.
For a unique land/water experience try the Duck Tours. These are amphibious vehicles, originally designed to be used by the military to carry supplies from ship to land during World War 1. See sights on land in the city center and on the river without leaving the comfort of your seat! If you are looking for more of a daredevil adventure then the inflatable boats are for you. They go from the London Eye to Canary Warf or from the London Eye to the Thames Barrier (the second largest moveable flood barrier in the world, designed to prevent London being flooded by exceptionally high tides and storm surges).
It is a wild ride, but do not worry if you get a mouthful of Thames water as it is said that the water in the Thames is so clean you could take a glass of it leave it overnight to let the silt settle and then drink it! Not something I would recommend, but clearly there have been great efforts to clean up the river. The Thames used to be INCREDIBLY dirty as All of London's waste ended up there and the stench became so bad in 1858 it was known as the GREAT STINK! It was so bad Parliament was unable to meet! Relaxation and romance more your scene? Take a lunch or dinner cruise.
The London Showboat offers a unique dinner and cabaret- a four course dinner, a live singer and dancing. Many of the cruise boats can be hired for private events with private hire rates. Imagine a special dinner function, a delicious meal, music and the constantly changing scene of floodlit bridges and buildings; a magical experience! There is even a Christmas Day Lunch cruise and of course a New Year's Eve cruise (about 225GBP for a 4-course dinner or 150GBP for a buffet).
If you want to hold a day meeting/conference with a difference take a look at the Hispaniola. Permanently moored on the Thames alongside Victoria Embankment by the Jubilee Footbridge, just opposite the London Eye, it has stunning views upstream towards Big Ben and downstream to St. Paul's. It can cater for 100 classroom style and 150 theatre style.
Personally, I would have liked to have been around in 1683-84 when the Thames was completely frozen for 2 months with the ice reaching a thickness of 11 feet. Frost Fairs were held on the Thames, a street of shops was built on the frozen water, coaches and horses operated as they did on land and during the last Frost Fair in 1814 an elephant was lead across the river! On second thought, I do not like cold weather so I'll settle for a Thames cruise!
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