Venue Selection for Conference in Australia

Words: 845 Pages: 3

Hotels providing conference facilities with more than 300 rooms were considered so that there were no problems with booking. As a result, the following establishments were chosen in two cities: Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne and Rydges World Square in Sydney. These hotels contain a stage, more than ten meeting rooms in each case, and their restaurants and bars to organize award dinners and breakfasts. In addition, the hotels have a Wi-Fi network and the necessary equipment for holding conferences, particularly a projector and a screen in certain rooms: confirmation can be seen in figures 1 and 2.

Figure 1. One of the Rydges World Square Sydney Event Rooms

Figure 2. The King Edward Ballroom in Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne

Comparison Table

Table 1: Hotels Comparison Table

Item	Rydges	Rendezvous
Location	389 Pitt Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2000	328 Flinders Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3000
Style (overall and rooms)	Modern, Natural/Accessible King, Deluxe King	Classic, Elegant/Guest Queen/King, Deluxe Queen/King
Star Rating	4 stars	4.5 stars
Conference Facilities	13 meeting rooms for 20-300 people, spacious areas, onsite business center, office supplies on tables, stages, Wi-Fi, audio and visual technical equipment, theming and entertainment, natural light, deliveries, catering and personalized menus.	11 meeting rooms for 30-300 people, spacious areas, stages, office supplies on tables, Wi-Fi, audio and visual technical equipment, deliveries, catering and personalized menus.
Catering	Amber Restaurant, The Cidery Bar & Kitchen: more than 3 options for breakfast, lunch, afternoon, dinner and cocktail. Vegan, Halal, gluten-free, mobile bar and BBQ options	Mr Tompkins, High Tea, The Travellers Bar: more than 4 options for breakfast, lunch, afternoon, dinner and cocktail. Vegan, Halal, gluten-free options
Equipment	Screens and data projectors, microphones, headphones, additional audio and visual equipment and presentation aids available upon request, free Wi-Fi access, printing services, air conditioning, natural and artificial light	Audio visual equipment, including microphones, screens, data projectors, presentation aids, internet access, loading dock, printing services, air conditioning, ceiling highlight
Accommodation	After attending an event in our new conference centre, guests will enjoy our newly refurbished deluxe accommodation with large work desks, free Wi-Fi, and Rydges Dream Bed for the best night’s sleep.	The rooms in the heritage wing feature 7metre high ceilings with more than 10 options of king/queen beds, balcony availability and different facilities for individual accommodation.
Check in/Check out	Feb 4 2024 Sn/Feb 7 2024 Wd	Feb 4 2024 Sn/Feb 7 2024 Wd
Number of Delegates	150	150
Wi-Fi	+	+, with access to higher speed limit for 9.95 AUD
Cancellation	Cancellation Policy: 24 hours prior to scheduled arrival date. Cancellation fee can be charged for first night’s package, if the customer cancels the accommodation after 2pm one day before the day of arrival. Multiple cases can cause the application of the most restrictive requirements.	Cancellation Policy: before 2pm prior to scheduled arrival date. Cancellation fee can be charged for first night’s package, if the customer cancels the accommodation after 2pm one day before the day of arrival.
Payment Options and Fees	Current fees are 1.08% of the transaction total for Visa, MasterCard, Diners, American Express and JCB Card. Payments by Cash or EFTPOS do not incur transaction fees.	Credit Cards, Cash, EFTPOS 1.2% credit card transaction fee will apply for Visa and Mastercard, and 2.5% for Diners and Amex. Cash or EFTPOS do not attract this fee.
Other Things	Parking, public transport availability, delegate packages for conferences, disability access, smoking areas, outdoor area and space, smoking areas, rooftop, COVID-safe	Parking, public transport availability, delegate packages for conferences, disability access, airport shuttle, COVID-safe

Venue Recommendation

These hotels are similar in the main aspects considered in the National Management Conference and Awards dinner context. Differences are manifested in the styles of hotels, the additional services and facilities available, and the diversification of catering options. Given these contrasts, Rendezvous has an essential advantage in terms of logistical convenience – the airport shuttle, while Rydges requires this item to be included in the organization of the conference. On the other hand, Rydges has more leisure options, including outdoor areas and more diversified catering with BBQ and mobile bar options. Finally, credit card fees are slightly higher at Rendezvous.

From this point of view, both hotels can meet all the requirements for a conference, but Rydges has a more pronounced stage and more screens in the largest halls. Given the importance of target audiences, amenities, and infrastructure as crucial elements of event management, Rydges is a more attractive option, including lower card fees and more post-conference recreational opportunities (Allen et al., 2022). USP Rendezvous focuses more on the holidays; its benefits appear to be more appealing to this type of event, as evidenced by exhibition photography, video, and infrastructure as essential elements of the USP, such as having a loading dock and higher ceilings (Cindy, 2020). As a result, Rydges is more focused on business meetings, as evidenced by the more austere and monotonous style of the event rooms, and despite the downside of not having an airport shuttle, this hotel is a must-choose for a conference.

Reference List

Allen, J., et al. (2022) Festival and special event management. Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons.

Cindy, N. C. (2020) ‘Designing a Promotional Video as a Tool to Promote Swiss-Belinn Airport Hotel Surabaya to its Target Market’, Kata Kita: Journal of Language, Literature, and Teaching, 8(2), pp. 201-211. Web.

Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne. (2023). Conferences. Web.

Rydges. (2023). Venues and Events. Web.