"hospitality" room at small conferences

[iris lilies]

I will be arguing against excess in the "hospitality room" hosted by my plant society at an upcoming national conference held here at a hotel. This is a small conference of about 250 people.

I want to simplify this and other similar "hospitality" events. I think it's a frill that can be cut in this time of short resources.

this national,conference almost didn't take place because the plant societies are dying out, there are no people to,run these conferences, and the damned hospitality room is supposed to have 12 hours minding plus lots of shopping and preparation of foods.

the hotels have restaurants.

Once my bulldog club spent an entire meeting arguing over the traditional beer keg in the hospitality room, its cost, and paying the hotel's fee for same. The hospitality room at our annual dog show feeds 75 people every day, it's a huge job. But I digress.

Tell me your experiences with "hospitality" rooms at conferences and meetings in hotels. Is this really necessary? Do you expect anything beyond coffee and soda and a place to sit down to confer with colleagues?

[Float On]

At our state art guild conferences part of the fun of the hospitality room was also the give-away table. Supplies, samples, or items we no longer wanted were set out for anyone to take. It was great to go in for coffee and danish and come out with coffee, danish, and a tool or a new jewelry finding or a pottery mug.

[kally]

If people have a place to gather and chat and have fun then I would give it a miss. But I have always enjoyed the informality of a hospitality room.

[sweetana3]

None of our conferences had more than coffee and maybe some little finger food, but normally none. Yours seems very extravagent. Would suggest that anyone that wants it be responsible for it.

[rodeosweetheart]

I like them as a place to chill and to mingle, and find them restful!

But I've never had one with a beer keg. That sounds a little intense.

[iris lilies]

Thanks for your comments and keep them coming.

I will propose a room with tables as usual. We will provide a coffee urn serviced by the hotel, and perhaps muffins in the morning. When the muffins are gone, they are gone.

I've already offered the idea that we do not need and cannot support another canvas bag, specially ordered and printed, with the Logo of the event. Why do we even need a special logo for the event anyway, why not use the nationall organization's logo? Anyway, now I'm getting off topic. Easily 1/4 of the details of running these things could be eliminated.

[iris lilies]

I like them as a place to chill and to mingle, and find them restful!

But I've never had one with a beer keg. That sounds a little intense.

apparently beer and Bulldogs were entwined at one time, maybe like beer and motorcycles?

[SteveinMN]

The only event I've been to recently that offered anything like a "hospitality room" was a juried art fair that offered coffee and donuts in the mornings (until they were gone and that was it) and volunteers who would run bottles of water to the artists' booths in the afternoons. Nothing remotely resembling a "room" or "keg" or "hot food". I'm with you -- keep it simple.

[bae]

Coffee, tea, water, sodas, fruit juice, minor snacks for blood sugar are abut the speed of most conferences I attend.

[rodeosweetheart]

Forgot to add, recharging stations for electronics--outlets were very popular.

Cookies and coffee are wonderful--Starbucks catered last one, along with some cookie maker. Bottled water.

A therapy dog would have been nice for presenter nerves.

How about a flower jig saw puzzle out on a table for people to work on.

Cheap pens and paper for people to exchange information and network.

Art paper and crayons and a "design the next logo" contest.

A tv set so people can follow the news.

Dvd playing Manchurian Candidate?

[Tammy]

A therapy dog would prevent me and others with allergies from entering that room. Just an FYI yo consider.

[LDAHL]

Most of the hospitality rooms of my experience were sponsored by vendors looking to ply the unwary with liquor and hors d'ouevres to get them on their contacts database.

[Zoe Girl]

I have only had small hospitality rooms before, it usually fills the need to socialize, take a phone call, connect to your tech, and get coffee and snack. They have been reduced quite a bit over the last couple years, but no beer kegs ever in education conferences.

[iris lilies]

Most of the hospitality rooms of my experience were sponsored by vendors looking to ply the unwary with liquor and hors d'ouevres to get them on their contacts database.

Haha, you run in higher end circle than I do, now that I'm retired.

These are all hobby groups I belong to, and none of them make real money. Bulldogs, when done right, is a money losing proposition. Growing lilies isn't lucrative but for the large Dutch bulb companies and usually only a couple of Dutchmen show up to,this cobpnference.

Agree that vendors push a lot of money into professional conferences.

rodeo, the tip about paper and pens in the hospitality room is good, I might include that.

[Float On]

Besides most art fairs having nice hospitality rooms (with food all day) quite a few also offer a few people doing those chair massages. Nice for hurting bodies from setting up/tearing down and standing.