Small-scale events can bring in big dollars for hotels—but designing a venue that will catch a meeting planner’s eye and running a business that will keep them booking more events can be a challenge.
According to meeting and event intelligence company Knowland, 70 percent of events in the U.S. have fewer than 200 attendees and 50 percent have 100 attendees or fewer. “Smaller meetings are on the rise as companies have continued with remote/hybrid work models,” said Jeff Bzdawka, CEO of Knowland. Business leaders have expressed “more interest” in bringing remote groups together for culture-building and corporate events like sales kick-offs, Bzdawka continued, noting that meetings of fewer than 25 attendees now make up 8.5 percent of events.
Designing Spaces
Jennifer Maxwell, regional director of sales at Raines, has seen a “notable transformation” in small meeting spaces in recent years that she credits to advancements in technology. For example, many hotels now incorporate soundproof airwalls into their larger event spaces so that the rooms can be divided as needed. Strong bandwidth behind the scenes can help attract hybrid events, and floors and tables should have built-in outlets that eliminate the need for visible cords. (Installing screens and monitors with casting capabilities also can help reduce the number of cords on the floor.)
“Small meeting spaces should prioritize functionality and versatility, even on a budget,” said Lisa Haude, SVP and director of interiors at LK Architecture. Essential elements include adaptable lighting that can adjust from bright to dim for video conferences and furnishings that are adaptable for multipurpose use.
Hotels are increasingly integrating smaller “hush” or private pod-type spaces within their larger conference areas, Haude continued. “Alternatively, some are reconfiguring pre-function spaces to include lounge areas that serve as quiet zones, workspaces and social hubs.”
Christa Polinsky, corporate director of events and hotel sales at The Indigo Road Hospitality Group, said that convertible furniture helps hoteliers offer multiple setup arrangements based on the square footage of the room. Other requirements include a big-screen TV that is HDMI-ready, dimmable lights and black-out shades on windows. “Having the meeting space accessible to other amenities in the hotel is ideal, like an outdoor space or a business center or a space with an amazing view is unbeatable.”
Maxwell noted the importance of location when designing an event space. “If the meeting space is located near an exterior [area], having the option to open up to a patio or a small balcony is a plus. This gives the group a private space to have a small breakout area while getting fresh air and a change of the meeting room scenery.”
In Texas, the Marriott Marquis Houston uses large, movable greenery walls to adjust breakout rooms to the required size. “This allows us to shrink the room and provide a meeting set and then the other part of the room in a meal set-up,” said Scott Gentile, director of sales and marketing.
Haude’s team is currently working on the Sheraton Denver West Hotel, in Lakewood, Colo. The property has small spaces within the lobby for informal meetings. These small spaces have community tables with built-in charging stations. Soundproof booths also are available for private work or video calls.
For the Sheraton Lakewood, Haude’s team designed several smaller meeting spaces with glass walls to create an “open, expansive feel” while ensuring event attendees do not feel closed-in. The rooms, she added, have “versatile lounge seating” that can transitions from casual meetings to work settings.
Operations
According to Knowland’s data, roughly 70 percent of meetings with 50 or fewer attendees took place in urban or suburban hotels in 2023, with resort destinations capturing only around 15 percent. “This suggests meeting planners for smaller groups prioritize cost-effectiveness and efficient execution,” Bzdawka said. Urban and suburban hotels can offer a range of venue pricing options and are often close to restaurants, bars and entertainment. This, he said, can enhance the overall meeting experience without breaking the bank.
A small meeting room, by its nature, must be flexible—and that flexibility depends on a hotel’s resources, Polinsky said. “For example, a small meeting space can be a conference room set up in the [morning] and then turned into a dinner space in the [evening] as long as the property has the correct tables to create each scenario.”
Maxwell said that her team gets “creative” with Raines’ spaces, offering the use of nooks in the lobby for breakout areas if needed. “We also try to offer flexible seating options to make the request work in smaller spaces.”
Polinsky noted that smaller boutique properties can waive the event room rental fee to capture food and beverage revenue—depending on the time of day and day of the week and based on the room block. “Comping the room rental is easier than messing with food cost or labor cost,” she said. “Everything in the sales world is negotiable, unless it is peak season or historically a time where the property would sell out with out a group.”
Raines tends to be “more flexible” with rates for last-minute meetings, Maxwell said, even offering an hourly rate as opposed to a half- or full day rate. “We can also advertise ‘need’ dates for meeting spaces on certain booking platforms which can promote special pricing to incentivize bookings during a slower time period,” she added, noting that an all-inclusive package and pricing can be appealing for event planners.
Sustainability
The Hotel Marcel is an all-electric, solar-powered, LEED Platinum-certified, zero-emission hotel in New Haven, Conn. Hosting meetings at a LEED-certified hotel can help an organization meet its sustainability goals, General Manager Ben Webster said.
The property promotes sustainable meetings with “multiple” charging stations for electric vehicles, an electric hotel shuttle to and from the nearby Amtrak Union Station, electric kitchen services for catering and electric heating and cooling facilities throughout all of the event spaces. The property also has a grid-forming inverter in each of its lithium battery rooms for off-the-grid operation and emergency power. “This enables our meetings and events spaces, and the entire hotel, to be operated as a venue that has no fossil fuels,” Webster said.
The Marcel’s onsite restaurant, BLDG, uses food sourced from within 250 miles of the property. ” BLDG chooses farms and suppliers that do not use pesticides, which have significant impact on local water supplies,” Webster said. ”We also compost all food waste, monitor practices of our partner farmers and use minimal frozen foods which require no water for defrosting.” For meeting buffets, the property uses induction chafers instead of single-use sterno units.
At times, Webster noted that keeping a small meeting sustainable can change the way it looks. “For example, certain event planners prefer items like linens,” he said, but pointed out that a typical six-foot banquet linen wastes 1,500 gallons of water to produce and more over its lifecycle to launder.” The Marcel uses linenless tables instead—but will help event planners source what they want if linens are truly necessary.
Four Tips
Knowland CEO Jeff Bzdawka shared several tips for hoteliers to attract more small events.
Affordability. “To keep costs in check, consider combining high-cost destinations with upper-midscale hotels instead of luxury ones. This allows for a wider variety of fun activities and dining options outside the hotel.”
Travel: “Transportation is a major cost for meeting planners, so ease of access is key. They prioritize destinations with non-stop flights and easily accessible locations to save time, hassle, and money.” Hotels can win business by highlighting public transportation information on their website, promoting cost-effective transportation alternatives (like airport shuttles or ride-sharing services) and arranging preferred group discounts with local transportation companies.
Attendee Well-Being: “According to the Knowland 2024 Meeting Planner Survey, over half (57 percent) of planners agree that attendee well-being is a top trend influencing meetings. Just because a meeting is small, doesn’t mean this issue is not top of mind as it may influence an event's location and overall structure, likely impacting content and programming. Hotels need to understand meeting goals and the role of well-being so they can provide strategies for the meeting, such as quiet rooms or options for programs like yoga.”
Package Deals with Integrated AV: “Highlight when smaller meeting spaces and boardrooms come equipped with integrated AV systems, monitors and on-site tech support. This eliminates the need for rentals and simplifies the planning process for smaller groups with limited staff.”
This article was originally published in the July/August edition of Hotel Management magazine. Subscribe here.