THE MICHELIN STARS OF THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY
Now in its fifteenth edition, the Meetings Star Award competition will once more crown the leading hotels, destinations and individuals within the meetings industry. The coveted awards are a recognition of quality and a benchmark in its own right. We present the finalists for 2024/2025 and eagerly await who will earn bragging rights at the award ceremony on 19 February 2025.
The Meetings Star Award for the best destinations, venues, and individuals has become a reference point in the meetings industry. The gala award ceremony will take place on 19 February 2025, in Cankarjev dom.
WHICH ARE THE BEST BOUTIQUE MEETING HOTELS?
This year, 64 certified hotels received stars in the category of boutique meeting hotels. The certification attests to the quality of the hotels and their service.
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 4.60
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.
THE FINALISTS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
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.
HOTEL BOHINJ
Hotel Bohinj’s positive attributes are shining, ensuring the attendees of your next event will be thrilled about the story of the new hotel.
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.
KREINBACHER BIRTOK
Far from generic, Kreinbacher Birtok is a distinct, highly original and, in many aspects, outstanding incentive hotel. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it caters to guests seeking authentic experiences.
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.
MAMULA ISLAND HOTEL
You will doubtless feel splendid during your stay here, well impressed by the authentic hospitality that always places the guest in the limelight. The ambience is sophisticated and minimalist, oozing quality and subtle prestige.
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.
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.
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.
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.
VILA PLANINKA JEZERSKO
Vila Planinka illustrates how popular boutique meeting hotels are becoming. The hotel’s sustainable formula comprises an original story, intimacy and serenity.
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.
WHAT DOES THE EVALUATION OF HOTELS INCLUDE?
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.