THE MICHELIN STARS OF THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY
The award competition for the leading destinations, venues, hotels and individuals – the Meetings Star Award – has become a reference point and sort of Michelin star selection within the meetings industry. Winners for 2023 will be announced in fifteen categories at the gala award ceremony.
WHICH ARE THE BEST BOUTIQUE MEETING HOTELS?
Among 277 certified hotels from 19 New Europe countries, winners will be announced in five categories (city, resort, spa, boutique hotels and congress centres). A dedicated category will award the best Slovenian hotels and convention centres.
Each hotel can receive up to three stars in accordance with our criteria:
3 STARS⭐⭐⭐ – final score from 4.81 to 5.00
2 STARS⭐⭐ – final score from 4.61 to 4.80
1 STAR⭐ – final score from 4.41 to 4.6
In the category of boutique meeting hotels, 49 certified hotels received the stars. The stars represent recognition for all recipients and prove their quality.
Boutique hotels are defined as hotels with less than 50 hotel rooms. Still, their conference capacities are noticeably smaller compared to larger hotels. Most of them only have one or two meeting halls. They are ideal for incentive programs or smaller corporate events, though.
BEST BOUTIQUE MEETING HOTELS IN 2023
WINNER: Vila Planinka, Jezersko, Slovenia, final score 4.98
The investor set a goal to redefine what a boutique, five-star, sustainable hotel stands for. Five years after opening, the hotel is still in excellent shape, fully occupied even in the off-season. Vila Planinka illustrates how popular boutique meeting hotels are becoming. The hotel’s sustainable formula comprises an original story, intimacy and serenity. At the same time, the hotel can host strategic meetings, teambuilding programs and meet-ups of luminaries. Vila Planinka is an ideal incentive hotel that can be rented for events. There are many reasons why guests feel great here. We were most impressed by the service efficiency, quality design and the convincing team – the hotel family. The superb Restaurant Vila Planinka, which recently received the coveted Michelin recommendation for the third consecutive year, plays a crucial role in satisfying guests. Its culinary offer and philosophy earned it a place in the Michelin Guide for 2023. We are not surprised the hotel has become an ideal model of a sustainably oriented boutique hotel that will hopefully gain many admirers in Slovenia and beyond.
2. MENEGHETTI WINE HOTEL & WINERY
The Meneghetti Wine Hotel & Winery was designed to capture your heart and excite your soul. It is a hotel where everything is top-tier, leaving no room for mediocrity.
3. ROXANICH WINE & HERITAGE HOTEL
Staying in the hotel is a “road movie” through the culture and history of this part of Istria. The hotel as a whole is incredible and will amaze even the most demanding business guests.
4. SUNROSE 7 – HERITAGE BOUTIQUE HOTEL
With Sunrose 7, Bohinj has become a serious incentive destination capable of hosting even the most difficult boutique events. The hotel’s MICE team certainly won’t shy away from high-end clients now.
5. VERNO HOUSE BUDAPEST
Verno House cannot be mistaken for any other hotel in this category in Budapest. Its location and, most notably, refined interior design make it inimitable.
5. KAI 36 HOTEL & CAFE BAR
Kai 36 Hotel & Cafe Bar is not among hotels that sell square metres or bet on their generic IKEA-inspired design. This hotel aims to craft experiences and seems to appreciate its guests.
6. MAMA THRESL
Mama Thresl is where an urban soul meets the Alps. It breathes a modern, active lifestyle while carrying a signature from its owners.
7. TRIANGEL BOUTIQUE HOTEL
Triangel Boutique Hotel is a discreet, superb boutique hotel. Its exterior does not turn heads but instead elegantly incorporates into the stunning ambience of Triglav National Park.
8. BOUTIQUE HOTEL ALHAMBRA
The hotel and villa harmoniously blend the historic charm of sophisticated Art Nouveau architecture with contemporary design into a unique space that exudes warmth and discreet luxury.
9. HOTEL NOMAD BJELAŠNICA
The essence of the hotel lies in the final product. Hotel Nomad is, without a shred of doubt, one of the best Bosnian incentive mountain hotels.
10. PALAZZO RAINIS HOTEL & SPA
In contrast with general trends of minimalism, the hotel remains loyal to the iconic and timeless classic style. Palazzo Rainis Hotel & Spa is charmingly opulent and can easily compete against luxury hotels.
We sincerely congratulate all the finalists in the category of best boutique meeting hotels.
HOW DOES THE EVALUATION OF HOTELS TAKE PLACE?
The competition primarily showcases best-case examples favoured by event organisers and satisfied attendees, tailored to their needs.
The two-phased evaluation includes a self-evaluation by the hotel and an unannounced visit by the hidden congress guest. Our assessors evaluate a hotel based on clear criteria and present where the hotel can improve. The assessors are experts with a wealth of experience in the meetings industry with additional knowledge and experience from the hospitality industry.
Our evaluation matrix is named the Hidden Congress Guest evaluation, comprising 654 criteria. Each category is calculated based on the percentage of fulfilling criteria and the average grade, enabling the hotels to improve each segment and criteria. Find out more about the award competition here.
All certificate recipients can be found in Kongres Magazine’s venue and hotel finder FIND VENUES at https://kongres-magazine.eu/search-venues/. You can seek hotels according to the certificate or final mark.
