The 10 Best Boutique Meeting Hotels Of 2017

The Meetings Star Award and the Conventa tradeshow together celebrate their 10th Anniversary. In the last decade, the Meetings Star Award has gained a special status among the event awards, while the award ceremony during the Conventa tradeshow has become a tradition that will this year be raised to an even higher level through a production of an autonomous event.

Based on 151 hidden guests’ ratings, which have been published in the Kongres Magazine, we have selected the winners of the MEETING STAR AWARD 2017.

• 5 categories, 12 hidden guests
• 465 evaluation criteria
• 55 City Meeting Hotels evaluated
• 44 Resort Meeting Hotels evaluated
• 17 Spa Meeting Hotels evaluated
• 16 Boutique Hotels evaluated
• 19 Congress and Convention Centres evaluated

So, which hotels were most highly rated by the hidden congress guests sent out to the field by Kongres magazine throughout 2017?

AMAN SVETI STEFAN
Sveti Stefan, Montenegro 4.92
One of the most beautiful and most photogenic resorts on Adriatic re-shone in 2013. The idea of an island village itself is already quite remarkable, while on top the hotel group Aman added elegance and minimalistic glamour typical for all of their hotels. An exceptional hotel, assembled by various villas and unique rooms arranged around the island, was born. The biggest advantage of the hotel certainly is its location and the feeling of privacy, which presents the perfect conditions for organisation of the most exclusive events. We were additionally impressed by the sense for preserving authenticity and incredible level of service.

FALISIA
Portopicollo, Italy 4.88
Luxury village of Portopiccolo boasts also Falisia Resort & Spa, the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region’s first five-star hotel. The hotel is a part of the prestigious American hotel chain Starwood and belongs to the Luxury Collection brand. Falisia is a boutique hotel with 65 rooms, each of them being unique. The hotel offers also two restaurants, a wellness health centre and three congress halls. The interior’s architecture leans on the town’s shipbuilding tradition and resembles the interior of a cruise ship. All together looks elegant, attractive and wears a touch of a timeless exclusivity.

HOTEL ADRIATIC
Rovinj, Croatia  4.87
Hotel Adriatic is a synonym for a contemporary boutique designe hotel with state-of-the-art restaurant and fully stocked bar. It is suitable mainly for smaller and more demanding groups. The hotel can be a great starting point for many different programmes in Istria. We easily imagine a smaller but more demanding incentive group that will combine the services of Maistra. Superb, if not superior boutique hotel that will impress you as well as you congress guests.

HOTEL PLESNIK
Logarska dolina, Slovenia  4.86
The hotel industry here has already almost a century old family tradition through the Plesnik family. It’s hard to find a place in Slovenia that is so closely linked with the families who live there. The individual attention to guests is embedded in the Plesnik family’s genetic code. Due to the tailor-made offer, high-quality service and most importantly because of the feeling that everything is possible, congress life in the valley is wishing to return. State Protocol finally entrusts them with the most demanding events.

VILA MENEGHETTI
Bale, Croatia 4.85
A truly magical place in the estate is the table set under the 100–year-old oaks with views over the surrounding vineyards. As an ensemble the estate feels like an island that has been dropped onto the mainland, a place where time has stopped and you are instantly relaxed. Everything here is to an extremely high standard, but at the same time oozing genuine warmth.

HOTEL CUBO
Ljubljana, Slovenia 4.82
The hotel is perfectly located and feels brand new. This ‘Boutique Hotel’ not only builds its profile and reputation among modern nomads through design trends and comfort, but it also focuses on an excellence of service and the attention given to each guest. Everything about the rooms and the hotel communal spaces is very modern and beautifully designed. The standard of food and service is top notch too. The hotel is elegant and über-modern, almost a design hotel.

HOTEL TOWNHOUSE 27
Belgrade, Serbia 4.81
A modern hotel in a picturesque historic building dating back to 1929, it is beautifully furnished and has excellent room facilities. Everything is stylish about this hotel and the support and excellent service from all of the staff makes it very special. The essence of the hotel is its exceptional friendliness. Rooms are perfectly maintained and clean as a whistle.

SQUARE NINE HOTEL
Belgrade, Serbia 4.79
An elegant, modern and sophisticated hotel in the heart of the Old City of Belgrade with an extremely good restaurant attached. Finest food, elegant service and special attention to every detail. And the swimming pool is one of the coolest designed that we know of.

HOTEL PUČIĆ PALACE
Dubrovnik, Croatia  4.79
The opposite of what can often be experienced in corporate hotels, at the Pučić Palace you will be treated with special attention and a very personalised service. It is suitable for small groups of demanding guests who will get to know Dubrovnik through a great hotel experience. If you have deep pockets this hotel definitely won’t let you down.

HOTEL BEVANDA
Opatija, Croatia 4.77
It started out as a superb restaurant, to which a hotel offer was added over the last year. The prime location and superior design overlooking the Kvarner Bay can also be a venue for very special events.

HOTEL VANDER 
Ljubljana, Slovenia  4.76
An urban oasis that offers tranquility right in the heart of Ljubljana’s Old Town. Unprecedented in Ljubljana the hotel is a modern reflection of the city and a completely new hotel experience. This is most clearly attested to by its recognition and classification on the prestigious list of the 154 best hotels in the world by the Condé Nast Traveller magazine. Big Plus: The charming terrace with a swimming pool in the middle of the roof and a stunning view of Ljubljana Castle and the old town rooftops.

The HIDDEN CONGRESS GUEST section is not paid for. The selection of hotels, which are
evaluated by the hidden congress guest, is left to the editorial board. The hidden guest
visits the hotels without prior notice.

The hotels are rated by the HIDDEN CONGRESS GUEST, who are professional people with years of experience in the meetings industry and the extra knowledge of hospitality management. The evaluation matrix consists of more than 450 measurable evaluation criteria that are divided into different categories, such as first contact with the customer, general impression upon arrival, behaviour of employees, as well as many others. Each category is assessed by the proportion of conditionality and an average rating, which in itself allows for the improvement of the quality of the individual criteria.