Purpose-built conference centres in all major cities, combined with academic venues, plus accommodation options to suit every budget, make planning an event a question of almost too much choice.
Accessibility is easy too with four international airports offering direct flights including New York, Atlanta, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Dubai, Stockholm, Berlin, Milan, Madrid, Munich and over 100 from London daily.
From intimate exclusive-use venues ideal for a corporate board brainstorm, to large and impressive projects such as the high profile plans for the Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire, there is something for every organisation opening all the time.
Glasgow has recently welcomed its newest luxury hotel, Blythswood Square. Following the major renovation of an historic building to five star splendour, the hotel houses 100 guest rooms and suites, a superb spa and a glorious restaurant and cocktail bar located in the former ballroom. Other plans for Glasgow include the proposed six star Jumeirah Hotel and the latest announcement of a significant refurbishment of the historic Grand Central Hotel – due for completion later this year – bringing the hotel back to its Victorian grandeur with a modern touch.
Other hotel news for Scotland includes the newly refurbished Turnberry Resort which has just completed a multi-million pound renovation programme focusing on the restoration of the iconic public spaces and 46 of its 198 luxuriously appointed guest rooms. Unashamedly a golf hotel, the resort also includes a spa as well as its famous courses, making it a superb location for golf focused corporate events. Another landmark opening is the Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro where a luxurious new look has been unveiled including a stunning new restaurant, the Kailyard by celebrity chef Nick Nairn. The hotel features 200 beautiful bedrooms and suites, a superb range of meeting options including event space, syndicate rooms and a dedicated conference centre catering for up to 200 delegates.
For those looking to mix business with pleasure, there is always something new to try in Scotland. In Perthshire, the gateway to the Scottish Highlands, Highland Safaris in Aberfeldy has launched a ‘Rough Diamond’ package for groups which can include a mountain top feast in a bothy or any one of a wide range of outdoor activities focused on their four-by-four safaris. Stunning exclusive-use venue, Lodge on Loch Goil in Argyll, has recently introduced a cook school, while the Arran Adventure Company has launched a range of packages that include outdoor exhilaration including the ‘Sea & Summit’ experience.
For the truly adventurous, new experiences with a real difference include winter eco-camping at Comrie Croft; plus luxury hotel Ardeonaig on the shores of Loch Tay has linked up with local estate Ardtalnaig to offer visitors a full outdoor package. And in a first for Scotland, the recently refurbished Crieff Hydro Hotel in Perthshire has just introduced a welcome alternative to balancing the books by offering the ultimate balancing challenge – exciting and invigorating off-road Segways that anyone can take part in.
The exclusive-use market is lucrative in Scotland too, and takes advantage of the superb range of castles and stately homes that offer a real home from home for groups large or small. New on the market is impressive Gosford House, just under an hour’s drive from Edinburgh airport and one of Scotland’s most significant stately homes, which is now offering teambuilding events and dinners for up to 120. Having been lovingly restored to its former glory and awarded five stars by VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance Scheme, Lethan House is another property that is now available. This beautiful 17th Century mansion, also in East Lothian, is perfect for a small corporate event.
Luxury abounds in Scotland and it’s not just the new developments that make the country special. In the north, the stunning Rocpool Reserve hotel in Inverness has recently been voted Scotland’s best small luxury hotel of 2009.
The hotel is a city centre exclusive hideaway and offers a boutique choice for a corporate event. Inverness has also seen local Culloden House achieve the ultimate accolade as this magnificent hotel has recently been selected by Condé Nast Traveler Magazine as one of the finest hotels in the World and now proudly features as part of the Condé Nast Gold List 2010. And on the Isle of Skye, one of Scotland’s best-loved hotels, the Kinloch Lodge with world renowned cook and food writer, Lady Claire Macdonald at its helm, was recently awarded a Michelin Star, the first for the island.
With award-winning venues, new investments and a wealth of choice, Scotland really should be top of the agenda for memorable business events. Only in Scotland can you hold a meeting overlooking Edinburgh Castle, dine in the Queen’s state room on the Royal Yacht Britannia or take the funicular railway to host a special dinner in the Ptarmigan restaurant at the top of CairnGorm Mountain. The list goes on and for anyone doing serious business, Scotland takes its business tourism seriously.
Amanda Henderson sums it up by saying: “We are confident that our range of venues, combined with our passion for our country and all that it offers, as well as our indigenous expertise in sectors such as medicine, bio-technology, education and many more, give us an unbeatable edge over other locations.
“Scotland is famed as the home of golf, our cities all boast vibrant cultural programmes, we have team-building activities to suit every audience and there are outdoor activities for the most energetic to the enthusiastic novice, so we offer plenty of opportunities to have fun as well!”
Find out more at www.conventionscotland.com or by contacting the VisitScotland BTU team on +44 (0)131 472 2355