When a regular client approached me with the task of finding the perfect venue for their company’s summer event, the challenge was clear: it needed to be a space that could comfortably host over 140 people, offer seamless transitions between business meetings team building and networking in addition to providing excellent catering in a picturesque setting.
After a thorough search, Horwood House emerged as the ideal location, blending its countryside charm with modern event amenities. In this case study, I’ll walk you through the process from brief to the final decision and share how Horwood House delivered an exceptional event experience for my client.
The Client Brief
Our client was looking to host a Company Summer Event for their whole company, combining work with networking due to the fact that they are all home based. This was their one time to get everyone together from all areas of the company. The key details of the brief were as follows:
- Location: The venue needed to be conveniently situated along major routes between the Midlands and Milton Keynes, with options across areas like Gloucester, Derby, Shropshire, East Staffordshire, and Yorkshire.
- Event Date: The client was flexible with the date, targeting any Friday from 7th June to 19th July 2024. Although Thursday’s were an option should availability restrict Friday’s working only 6 month in advance.
- Event Schedule: The event would begin at 12:00pm with a buffet lunch, followed by an afternoon meeting from 1:30pm to 5:00pm, including a tea/coffee break and team building activities. Group check in would follow with time for delegates to change/shower. The evening would commence with drinks reception and a BBQ, running until late at night with the option of a late bar for those still with the stamina to do so!
- Capacity and Space: The venue needed to accommodate a minimum of 140 attendees, with a cabaret or theatre-style setup for the meeting. The brief also requested a separate area for tea breaks and a spacious outdoor area for the BBQ, making access to a garden or terrace a big advantage.
- Catering Requirements: A casual finger buffet for lunch, followed by tea, coffee, and cakes in the afternoon. For the evening, the client was looking for a relaxed BBQ with a drinks selection, ideally served outdoors but with a wet weather option as a back up.
- AV & Equipment: The meeting room had to come equipped with a suitably sized screen, projector, PA system, and microphones, ensuring a professional setup for the afternoon sessions.
- Accommodation: The event required a minimum of 140 bedrooms double for sole occupancy, ensuring that everyone attending could stay overnight.
- Additional Requests: The client also emphasised the importance of natural daylight in the meeting room, free parking with good access to main motorways and train station.
- Budget: I never send a brief to a venue without a disclosed budget. This is a priority for me, as it allows me to guide my client on the type of venue and inclusions they can realistically expect, ensuring all parties have clear expectations. It also enables the hotel or venue to provide the best possible price and package, knowing the client is fully aware of the quotes being presented—no surprises for anyone!
Initial Research and Venue Search
Once I received the brief, I carefully reviewed the client’s requirements to ensure I had a clear understanding of their vision and goals from this event. Why were they all coming together, what was most important to them, what are they hoping to achieve? Where there any elements that are able to be compromised or least important plus to name a few. From the ideal location to the need for versatile meeting spaces and accommodation for all their attendees, it was clear that finding the right venue would be key to the success of this event.
With the client’s objectives in mind, I began researching potential venues that not only met the logistical demands but also offered a beautiful backdrop for both work, team building, networking and enjoying the BBQ get together. Leveraging my extensive network of venue contacts, I quickly identified a range of properties that were well-suited to the event’s needs, focusing on those with spacious outdoor areas, natural light in meeting rooms, and strong AV capabilities.
I reached out to several venues that fit the bill, providing them with the client’s brief and asking them to complete my proposal template. This template helps streamline the information-gathering process, ensuring we get clear details on everything from availability and catering options to AV setups and room configurations.
I kept communication open with all venues, following up on any missing details and answering their questions to ensure we had accurate information for the client. This step was essential to make sure my bespoke proposal would give the client all the data they needed to make an informed decision to get to shortlist stage.
The Proposal: Collating and Presenting Venue Options
Once all the venue responses were in, I created a master proposal, carefully collating the information into an easy-to-read document for the client. Each venue was presented on its own slide, with clear details on availability, capacity, layout options, catering, AV facilities, and accommodation. This allowed the client to easily compare their options side by side
For those venues that didn’t provide all the required information initially, I made sure to follow up with them or left it as tbc depending on the priority of the information required for this stage. The proposal was a comprehensive document that addressed all the client’s requirements and preferences.
Shortlisting and Site Visits
After sending the master proposal, I arranged a call with the client to discuss the various options in detail. Together, we reviewed each venue’s pros and cons, allowing the client to create a shortlist of venues to explore further. This process not only refined their choices but also ensured we aligned with the event’s specific requirements. It was also a great opportunity to adjust any internal details that had changed and explore additional options to support budget and quality control.
I then arranged site visits for the shortlisted venues, accompanying the client, who values this hands-on approach. Having two perspectives during these visits is invaluable—while the client focuses on their internal requirements, I bring an operational and logistical viewpoint from my years of experience in hotels. Together, we discuss our thoughts with the venue representative, addressing any queries in real time.
Walking through the event from a delegate’s perspective is crucial—from arrival to departure. We consider practical details such as where luggage is stored before check-in, where registration takes place, and the proximity of toilets and cloakrooms to the meeting space. It’s all about fine-tuning the event flow and minimizing any potential hiccups—because no one wants a delegate getting lost on the way to the loo!
You also both get a full sense of the atmosphere, facilities, and overall feel of each venue. At Horwood House, we ensured a food tastings would be available alongside a second site visit once the contract was signed, which was a key factor in confirming that the catering could meet the standards expected for the event. These visits gave the client such confidence in their final planning stages and again a perfect opportunity to bespoke any changes that have then come in that time.
Final Decision: Horwood House
In the end, Horwood House stood out as the perfect venue for the event. Its countryside charm, combined with modern facilities, offered the ideal balance the client was seeking.
Key features that set Horwood House apart included:
- The setting: Nestled in beautiful gardens, the outdoor space was perfect for the client’s BBQ and drinks reception, offering plenty of room for guests to relax and enjoy themselves.
- Event spaces: The Cook Suite provided an elegant and flexible space for the afternoon meeting, with natural daylight streaming in, just as the client had requested.
- Accommodation: With over 140 bedrooms available, Horwood House comfortably met the accommodation requirements, ensuring everyone could stay overnight.
- Exclusivity: Taking over the majority of the beds and meeting space ensured an exclusive feel without the price tag of a take-over. Although other guests would have been enjoying the spa and restaurant facilities, they were in completely different areas to where my clients group was for each element.
The combination of beautiful surroundings, versatile event spaces, and excellent AV facilities meant Horwood House aligned perfectly with the client’s vision for their summer event.
Event Planning and Execution
Once Horwood House was selected, I requested the contract and set up a zoom call with the client to go through each detail. Not all clients require me to do this but I am here for it if required! We went through each stage of the day, minimum numbers, logistics, back up plans and flow of event. We discussed if each element was budget appropriately with their budget and provided value for money and quality required. I helped support that nothing was missed off or ‘unclear’ at contract stage. It’s really important that the client is happy to sign the contract and I am happy that they are happy. Now is the time for any changes to be made!
Once the contract was signed by the client, I introduced the client to the venue team at the hotel to commence final details such as menu choices, dietary requirements, final numbers and final agenda timings. The venue staff took care of everything from there, coordinating logistics to ensure the event ran smoothly on the day. Guests were looked after from the moment they arrived, and the venue’s organisation ensured that every detail was taken care of. From my perspective, the coordination between the venue and the client was seamless, and it all came together beautifully on the day as the client then fed back:
Post-Event Feedback
I’m always keen to hear how the event went. Did everything go as planned? Was everything achieved as expected? Is the client happy? The feedback I received from the client following the event was overwhelmingly positive. They were thrilled with how everything had gone, and individuals were singled out for praise.
Here’s a summary of the feedback:
“The event at Horwood House Hotel was fantastic. The service throughout the day was impeccable, and the guests absolutely loved the Lounge Manor House. The Cook Suite was a standout, and everyone was thoroughly impressed with the bedrooms and overall setting.
From the moment the guests arrived, they were well looked after. The AV setup worked well, and the staff were praised for being so lovely and helpful. The BBQ in the evening was a hit, with food served quickly and efficiently. Special thanks go to Norma, who looked after me when I missed breakfast and even took the time to have a chat, which was much appreciated.
The WhatsApp group set up for last-minute communications worked brilliantly, and Layla did an amazing job handling last-minute changes. The bar staff were excellent, even making a special drink for me when I didn’t want an alcoholic beverage. Overall, the team’s attention to detail and kindness really created a wonderful atmosphere. It was a resounding success, and the clients couldn’t have been happier.”
This glowing feedback highlights how the staff at Horwood House went above and beyond to ensure the event was a success, with particular praise for their attentiveness.
Conclusion
The success of this event at Horwood House reinforced just how important it is to find the right venue that aligns with a client’s vision. By taking the time to understand the brief, researching appropriate options, and guiding the client through the selection process, we were able to deliver an event that exceeded expectations. It was a privilege to help make this event a reality, and the client’s satisfaction spoke volumes about the power of a well-chosen venue.
Behind the Scenes: What does the client not see?
It takes an incredible amount of time, knowledge and experience to get from the starting point of an idea to the result of feedback such as the above. With so many moving points the following are just some things that clients to not see, but I will point out that all the clients I work with value what I do and how I got here:
- Hours of researching online via websites, my CRM system, and other resources so I do not enquire with venues that didn’t have the rights space, bedrooms, grounds or travel elements.
- 250 + emails contacting other properties and the back and forth with the shortlist checking for availability, price, size of space, layout possibilities, transport options overflow accommodation in case this was a compromise for smaller venue and date changes due to availability changing through the process
- Additional 125 emails and calls back and forth with the chosen venue, client and myself
- Chasing venues who have not given all the information required at proposal point (I have a table to be completed which isn’t always filled in)
- Time spent personally writing up the proposal with each venue having its own slide with the relevant information (No AI here!) Attention to detail and personal touch is paramount here.
- Personally comparing options once the proposal is complete (and during) before sending to the client. Is it clear and easy to read? Do the images show the function space in the best way for this particular event? Is the flow of the event clear? Access times clear? Min number to contract clear? Maximum capacity clear? Costs! And so much more!
- Exhibitions and networking events I attend throughout the year to ensure I keep up to date with the latest venue openings and refurbishments. I knew that Horwood House had gone through a £6 million refurbishment making it a venue that was on the bottom of my list a few years previously to the top of the list for this event in 2024.
- The head space taken up outside of work as well as during whilst the enquiry progresses, obstacles come up, agenda’s change, availability changes and solutions are found
- Taking a step back with considerations – would I be happy to receive this proposal/email?
If you are looking for a personable, bespoke venue finder to support your next corporate event with professionalism and efficiency, do get in touch: