Planning a successful event is all about making the right decisions. As an event organiser, you likely have a multitude of questions and challenges swirling around in your head. Every little detail matters, but there is one question that stands above the rest: Which venue is the best fit for your event?

Choosing a suitable venue is not only one of the first decisions you will have to make — because until you select a venue, not much else can be organised — but also one of the most crucial. The location, size, amenities, services, and atmosphere of the venue can make or break your event.

To save you hours of research and endless enquiries, we have created the ultimate guide to finding the perfect venue for you.

Read on to discover the five most important criteria to quickly and easily evaluate and compare venues.

 

1. The venue has to be easily accessible

The location of your venue plays a vital role in the success of your event. Both the distance your attendees are required to travel and how easy it is to reach the venue with different means of transport affect how accessible the journey is. Ideally, the venue should be easy to reach by car as well as public transport and offer ample car parking. If you are hosting an international event, the proximity to the closest airports also needs to be considered.

An important note: Accessibility is not only key for your guests, but also for logistics. If equipment or other items need to be delivered, check the available access routes alongside loading zones.

 

2. The venue has to be the right size for your event

The perfect event venue is neither too large nor too small. What room size you might need depends on:

• the format of your event
• the number of participants you expect
• the desired seating arrangement

Tip: Use our event space capacity calculator to estimate what room size you require based on the number of participants and seating arrangement.

 

The format of your event determines the type of venue you need

Different types of event spaces are more or less suitable depending on the format of the event you are planning:

For meetings, workshops, seminars, and similar events, meeting spaces such as board rooms and seminar rooms are ideal. Conference hotels and event centres offer a wide range of rooms to choose from. This makes it further possible to split off into breakout rooms as groups.

Conferences, conventions, and congresses are usually best held in event halls and congress centres. Especially for large-scale events, convention centres are the perfect choice, as they offer comprehensive infrastructure designed for large gatherings, such as stages, lighting and sound systems, interpretation booths, break rooms, catering options, and more.

For corporate parties, Christmas parties, gala dinners, and other culinary events, we recommend choosing banquet halls, ballrooms, or restaurant facilities depending on the size of your event.

 

Choose your preferred seating arrangement

To determine the required room size, you first need to decide on a seating arrangement.

Which seating arrangement is the best for your event will depend on the format and focus of your event. While some seating arrangements prioritise a clear view of the stage and presenter, others encourage more interaction among participants.

Not sure which seating arrangement to choose? Check out our blog post „The best seating arrangement for your event.”

Don’t forget that not every seating arrangement might be available in every event space.

 

Determine the right rooms size for the expected number of attendees

Once you are clear on the format of your event, the most suitable seating arrangement, and how many guests you are expecting, you can determine the size of event space you are looking for. Our event space capacity calculator can help with this.

It is vital that your chosen event space leaves enough room for ideas, productivity, and interaction, while not being so large that your event appears to be lost in it. Ideally, the room should appear comfortably filled but not crowded.

 

3. The venue has to offer suitable infrastructure and amenities

Both the event space and its amenities need to be up to standard. Here are a few aspects that you should pay special attention to:

 

Equipment and technology

Ensure that the venue is well-equipped with the necessary technology to keep your event running smoothly.

Standard event technology — Wi-Fi, projectors, screens, whiteboards, or flip charts — tends to be included in the room hire or the offered seminar packages. Additional equipment may be available for a fee or might need to be rented through a third party.

Should you require more specialised event technology, such as interpretation booths or sophisticated lighting and sound systems, these criteria will further narrow down the number of suitable venues.

 

Room design and amenities

The way an event space is designed and the facilities it offers will greatly impact the comfort of your guests. Ideally, an event space should feature plenty of natural light and windows with a view outside. The available heating, air conditioning, or other ventilation as well as lighting and blackout options need to be taken into account.

If group work or other breakout sessions form part of your event, you might keep an eye out for flexible event spaces that can easily be divided with mobile partitions and thus transformed into different workspaces.

For more on what to look out for when choosing your event space, read our blog post „The secret to choosing the perfect seminar room”.

 

Facilities beyond the event space

Don’t forget to check what infrastructure and facilities are offered outside the main event space. When comparing venues, make sure to consider the following:

• Sanitary facilities: Are there enough toilets for the number of participants?
• Reception: Is there a cloak room? What about reception staff?
• Breaks: Does the venue offer access to attractive break zones? Do guests have easy access to an outdoor area?

 

4. The venue has to align with your catering requirements

Self-catering, catering packages offered by the venue, or external catering through third party companies?

The food and beverages you provide for your guests are crucial for your event’s success: Without sustenance, our energy levels and productivity quickly drop. A good meal, on the other hand, re-energises us and fosters a sense of connection among guests.

Many event venues, in particular conference hotels and function centres, offer a wide range of catering options. From simple coffee breaks to full board including overnight accommodation, everything is possible.

Note that some venues, however, do not offer any catering, and you have to organise food and beverages separately. This means additional organisation but also gives you the freedom to tailor the catering to your liking.

Conversely, some venues will not allow external catering, limiting event organisers to the conference packages offered by the venue or fixed agreements with partner companies.

Whatever option you prefer, make sure to check that your catering needs are aligned with the venue’s way of operating.

 

5. The venue has to allow for an engaging supporting programme

A well-thought-out social programme that is aligned with your event vision and attendees has the potential to elevate your event. Whether it be team building activities, excursions, or wellness offers, the right supporting programme will make your event truly memorable.

As a key element of your event’s success, the possibilities for the social programme should not be overlooked when choosing the perfect venue.

Consider the following aspects as part of your decision-making process:

 

Location and surroundings

The setting of your venue indirectly impacts your supporting programme. A conference centre in the inner city, for example, will offer different possibilities than a wellness resort in the Alps. Consider whether you prefer typically urban activities, such as city tours, or experiences that can easily be offered in a more remote location and keep this in mind when choosing a venue for your event.

 

Activities offered at the venue

Many event venues, in particular conference hotels, offer a plethora of supporting programme activities, which might form part of their conference packages or can be booked as add-ons. It is worth taking a look at what programmes and activities might be offered as part of the event management when comparing venues.

Good to know: Similar to the catering options, different event venues have different conventions. Depending on the venue, your social programme might be offered by the event venue, organised in cooperation with the venue’s partner companies, or you might have to book it externally through a third party.

 

Overwhelmed with trying to find the perfect event venue?

Konflinx is here to help. Our online platform makes it easy to discover, compare, and book suitable event venues quickly and easily online.

 

How it works
 

1. Browse our wide selection of popular event venues across Austria. If a venue sparks your curiosity, simply add it to your list of favourites with one click.
    
2. Once you have found one or more venues, send us an enquiry — no strings attached. You can use our enquiry form to list all your needs and criteria, and we will check for you what venues are best suited for your event.
    
3. Our conference experts will create an easy-to-understand presentation of your selected venues, featuring an overview and a clear comparison to make your decision easy.
    
4. Once you have chosen the perfect venue, you can book it quickly and easily through Konflinx.

 

We’d love to support you with finding the perfect setting for your next event.