How do you start off a FAM trip? By travelling to the location, of course. If at this point you might be wondering how to reach Bratislava, well, it’s all very easy. To get there you have the option of travelling by air, road or rail, or even the liquid option of arriving via the beautiful blue Danube. The Bratislava city airport offers numerous connections and works in conjunction with Vienna airport, which is only about 50km from Bratislava city centre. From other participants of the FAM trip there was a positive response to this last option of arrival, as they were flying directly into Vienna and reaching the city within a 40-minute car or train transfer, which was a very pleasant surprise for them.
On a business trip, where is the best place to sleep to get all of your required comfort? In a very fine hotel, naturally, and in this respect the FAM participants all highly recommended the Sheraton Hotel, with a special nod to their spacious rooms along with the friendly staff and excellent location, with the hotel located just a 10-minute walk from the Old Town. The participants also has the chance to inspect the fabulous 5-star Grand Hotel River Park, which really made an impression with its well-equipped meeting rooms, all with coffee stations to hand for hard working delegates.
What is an instant and solid benchmark of a recently visited destination? Its culinary offer, of course, and in this respect the Grand Hotel River Park and its culinary offer made a lasting statement as backed up by unanimously excellent feedback. The light meals that were full of colour and vibrant tastes were served in perfect combination with sweet cocktails freshly prepared with local ingredients. This aside, a list of amazing restaurants in Bratislava seems almost endless. If you’re in the mood for a traditional Slovakian food or international cuisine with a wide selection of excellent local wines then the Carlton Hotel is the place to head to, especially if you want to impress delegates or, as in our case, FAM participants. If you like to go a step further and enjoy getting hands on with culinary experiences, then the Stara Trznica Food Hall Market has an upstairs space to cater for small and large groups doing cookery classes, where you can cook your own Slovak style lunch. A very special treat of the FAM trip was getting to eat in the Primate Palace – an exceptional gala dinner service of 4 courses paired with wines and all served whilst listening to a traditional Slovak band.
Bratislava really has a lot to offer and with a wide and varied range of activities to boot, so there is no chance you’ll find yourself at a loss on a trip there. If you’re looking for the perfect photo spot (for that ultimate Instagram shot) then hop on an open-top bus ride through the city, which will take you to Bratislava Castle and some amazing viewpoints. Or maybe your temptation levels will rise when you learn about an off-road experience at the Volkswagen factory just 20 minutes from the city centre, with a walk through the factory itself also on offer? Or if it’s the sound of a boat engine you crave, then taking speedboats down the Danube River to visit the Divoka Voda Sports Centre will get the wind in your hair. For all adrenaline enthusiasts there is also a manmade rafting experience, with surfing and kayaking activity options at the water centre.
These are just some of the activities on offer and that the Bratislava FAM trip participants got to experience, but Bratislava has much more besides. Aren’t you already thinking of exploring it on your own and bringing your next meeting to this amazing city?
