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ResourcesUnusual venues · 12 min read · checked 2026-11-10

Unusual meeting and offsite venues, around the world.

16 venues on six continents where the setting does some of the work: a Gothic campus, an Oxford college, a hotel in a quarry, a 1962 airport terminal, cave suites and a conservatory. Each with the facts that decide a shortlist, checked against the venue's own site, and the compromises it involves.

Compare all 16

Browse

By continent, or by kind of place.

Geography helps you plan; the themes help you choose. No venue paid to be here, and none has a relationship with RFPVenue.

At a glance

All the venues, side by side.

The largest published space and bedrooms as each venue states them. 'Best for' is our judgement.

VenueWhereLargest spaceBedroomsBest for (our view)
Ashridge HouseUnited KingdomFairhaven: 250 theatre, 150 classroom189 bedrooms in five accommodation blocks near the main houseA residential leadership programme of 20 to 150, or a plenary of up to 250 with many breakouts.
Christ Church, OxfordUnited KingdomGreat Hall: banquets of 100 to 300; Lecture Theatre: 120College bedrooms (single, twin, double; en-suite or standard); the number is not publishedA residential vacation conference of 50 to 120 with a Hall dinner.
Ashford CastleIrelandFour dedicated meeting rooms for up to 100 people (venue factsheet)83 keys: 77 rooms, 5 suites and a cottageA board or leadership retreat of 8 to 50.
TreehotelSwedenNot published: the venue offers 'capacity for groups of all sizes' on requestTreerooms and guesthouse rooms; the number is not publishedA small leadership offsite of about 6 to 20.
Natural History MuseumUnited KingdomHintze Hall: 650 dinner, 1,200 standingNoneA conference dinner or awards evening of 150 to 650.
TWA HotelUnited States45 event rooms across 50,000 sq ft, up to 1,600 people across spaces512 guestroomsA fly-in leadership meeting of 10 to 40, or a conference or gala of several hundred.
McMenamins Kennedy SchoolUnited StatesKennedy School Theater: 225 theatre57 guestroomsA team offsite of 20 to 50, or a company meeting of up to about 200 in the theater.
Sofitel Legend Santa Clara CartagenaColombiaSanta Clara (former chapel): 300 theatre, 200 banquet126 rooms and suitesAn incentive or conference of 100 to 300 with breakouts.
Huilo Huilo Biological ReserveChileTo be confirmed: the reserve lists a meeting room and an events centre without capacitiesSeveral lodges, including Hotel Nothofagus (55 rooms) and Montaña Mágica (9)A small leadership offsite with outdoor team-building, once the meeting room is confirmed.
InterContinental Shanghai WonderlandChinaWonderland Grand Ballroom: 900 sqm, column-free, up to 850 guestsAbout 330 rooms and suites (the operator's pages give 330 and 336)A conference or gala of up to about 850, or a leadership group of 14 to 60.
Gardens by the Bay: Flower Dome venuesSingaporeFlower Field Hall: 800 theatre, 700 banquetNoneA conference of 200 to 800 or a gala dinner of up to 700.
The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi DesertUnited Arab EmiratesFalcon Ballroom: 140 theatre, 80 banquetAbout 100 private villas (the operator's pages give 101 and 109)A leadership offsite or incentive of 30 to 140.
Kagga Kamma Nature ReserveSouth AfricaRooikat conference room: 20 to 30 (the venue's pages differ)Lodge for 30 sharing or 15 singles: cave suites and hut suites, plus open-air suitesA strategy retreat of up to about 15 to 20.
Maropeng, Cradle of HumankindSouth AfricaConference room 2: up to 160Maropeng Boutique Hotel: 24 bedrooms, up to 48 guests, one accessible roomA conference of 80 to 160 with a heritage visit, or a residential group of about 24.
Q StationAustraliaGovernor Bourke Ballroom (1912): up to 200105 rooms and 9 cottagesA residential conference of 50 to 200 close to the city.
The Hub at Hobbiton Movie SetNew ZealandThe Hub: 130 theatre, 60 classroom, 80 banquetNone publishedA day conference of 50 to 130 at The Hub, then a set tour and evening dinner.

5 venues

Europe

Castles, colleges and historic campuses

Ashridge House

Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom

A Grade I listed neo-Gothic house with more than 700 years of history, from monastery to royal residence, that is also a business-school campus.

Largest space
Fairhaven: 250 theatre, 150 classroom
Bedrooms
189 bedrooms in five accommodation blocks near the main house
Other spaces
  • More than 50 conference and function spaces, including 50 syndicate rooms
  • Coach House: 150 theatre
  • Lady Marian Alford: 130 theatre, 36 boardroom, 100 dining
  • Brindley: octagonal, pillar-free, 128 theatre
Equipment
Every meeting room has a laptop screen and flipcharts; larger rooms add projector, speakers and microphones. A recommended supplier handles bigger productions.
Getting there and access
Off M25 junction 20. Berkhamsted station is 35 minutes from London Euston; about 30 minutes by car to Luton airport and 45 to Heathrow.
Best for (our view)
A residential leadership programme of 20 to 150, or a plenary of up to 250 with many breakouts.
Limitations
Shares the site with an active executive-education campus. Step-free access is not published; ask.
Source this or something like it →London city guideVenue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (4 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

Castles, colleges and historic campuses

Christ Church, Oxford

Oxford, United Kingdom

A working Oxford college: residential delegates sleep in college bedrooms and dine in the Tudor Great Hall.

Largest space
Great Hall: banquets of 100 to 300; Lecture Theatre: 120
Bedrooms
College bedrooms (single, twin, double; en-suite or standard); the number is not published
Other spaces
  • Research Centre: 100 theatre, 50 boardroom, 80 cabaret
  • McKenna Room: 60 theatre, 34 boardroom, 55 dining
  • Music Room, lecture rooms and small boardrooms for 10 to 50
Equipment
Wi-fi and flipchart included; built-in AV in the lecture rooms and Research Centre, which adds microphones and a webcam. AV can be hired for other rooms.
Getting there and access
Central Oxford. The Lecture Theatre is accessible with a hearing loop; most bedroom blocks have no lift (117 St Aldates is the exception).
Best for (our view)
A residential vacation conference of 50 to 120 with a Hall dinner.
Limitations
Conferences only in college vacations (March to April, July to September). In term, only the McKenna Room is available, for weekday meetings and dinners. Adults only; deposits generally non-refundable.
Source this or something like it →London city guideVenue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (4 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

Castles, colleges and historic campuses

Ashford Castle

Cong, County Mayo, Ireland

An 800-year-old castle, once home to the Guinness family, in 350 acres of woodland on Lough Corrib.

Largest space
Four dedicated meeting rooms for up to 100 people (venue factsheet)
Bedrooms
83 keys: 77 rooms, 5 suites and a cottage
Other spaces
  • A 32-seat private cinema
  • A boardroom for 8
  • Billiards Room for receptions
Equipment
Not itemised by the venue; ask.
Getting there and access
About 45 minutes to Ireland West Knock Airport, 90 to Shannon and 2 hours 45 to Dublin Airport. Wheelchair accessible where possible.
Best for (our view)
A board or leadership retreat of 8 to 50.
Limitations
Small meeting capacities; remote from Dublin. Confirm room-by-room capacities with the hotel.
Source this or something like it →Dublin city guideVenue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (3 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

Forests and treehouses · Unusual architecture

Treehotel

Harads, Norrbotten, Sweden

Architect-designed rooms in the trees of Swedish Lapland; one of them, the Dragonfly, is also a conference room.

Largest space
Not published: the venue offers 'capacity for groups of all sizes' on request
Bedrooms
Treerooms and guesthouse rooms; the number is not published
Other spaces
  • The Dragonfly treeroom (meeting room by day, sleeps 4)
  • A conference room and breakout boardrooms in the guesthouse
  • Tipi tents
Equipment
'Modern technology support', not itemised.
Getting there and access
Luleå airport about 1 hour 10 minutes by road or 25 minutes by helicopter; Stockholm to Luleå is about 70 minutes by air.
Best for (our view)
A small leadership offsite of about 6 to 20.
Limitations
Remote, in northern Sweden. No capacities published; everything is on request.
Source this or something like it →Stockholm city guideVenue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (3 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

Museums and film settings

Natural History Museum

South Kensington, London, United Kingdom

Dinners and receptions in Hintze Hall, under the museum's galleries.

Largest space
Hintze Hall: 650 dinner, 1,200 standing
Bedrooms
None
Other spaces
  • Earth Hall: 200 dinner, 400 standing
  • Darwin Centre and Courtyard: 150 dinner, 350 standing
  • Images of Nature gallery: 80 dinner
Equipment
Dry hire: sound and lighting through the museum's approved suppliers only.
Getting there and access
Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD.
Best for (our view)
A conference dinner or awards evening of 150 to 650.
Limitations
Evening events (18:00 to midnight), not daytime meetings; no meeting rooms are listed. Approved suppliers are mandatory.
Source this or something like it →London city guideVenue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (3 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

2 venues

North America

Unusual architecture

TWA Hotel

JFK Airport, Queens, New York, United States

A hotel inside Eero Saarinen's 1962 terminal at JFK, with a restored 1958 Lockheed Constellation as a cocktail lounge.

Largest space
45 event rooms across 50,000 sq ft, up to 1,600 people across spaces
Bedrooms
512 guestrooms
Other spaces
  • Constellation Ballroom: 6,000 sq ft, divisible
  • The 1962 Room: 4,200 sq ft
  • Boardrooms for up to 10
  • The aircraft lounge: 75 standing; rooftop pool and bar: 200 standing
Equipment
On-site technology staff for AV and teleconferencing; wi-fi throughout the events centre.
Getting there and access
About 5 minutes by AirTrain from any JFK terminal, with an indoor route to the lobby. Lifts serve every floor; entrances are accessible.
Best for (our view)
A fly-in leadership meeting of 10 to 40, or a conference or gala of several hundred.
Limitations
Ballroom capacities by layout are given on request.
Source this or something like it →New York city guideVenue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (3 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

Castles, colleges and historic campuses

McMenamins Kennedy School

Portland, Oregon, United States

A 1915 elementary school reopened as a hotel in 1997; some guestrooms keep their classroom chalkboards.

Largest space
Kennedy School Theater: 225 theatre
Bedrooms
57 guestrooms
Other spaces
  • Gymnasium: 150 theatre, 112 banquet
  • Martha Jordan and Mina Parsons rooms: 48 theatre, 18 conference each
  • Agnes Kennedy White Library: 12 conference
Equipment
Free wi-fi; the cinema can be used for large presentations. No room-by-room AV list.
Getting there and access
Minutes from Portland International Airport (no figure given). Accessible parking and rooms on request; one wing has no lift.
Best for (our view)
A team offsite of 20 to 50, or a company meeting of up to about 200 in the theater.
Limitations
Theater and some rooms are weekday daytime only; one bar is 21+. Spaces are priced as food and beverage minimums.
Source this or something like it →Venue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (2 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

2 venues

South America

Castles, colleges and historic campuses · Unusual architecture

Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena

Walled City, Cartagena, Colombia

A restored 17th-century convent in Cartagena's UNESCO-listed Walled City; the ballroom is the former chapel.

Largest space
Santa Clara (former chapel): 300 theatre, 200 banquet
Bedrooms
126 rooms and suites
Other spaces
  • Las Clarisas I and II combined: 40 theatre, 40 boardroom
  • El Sol: 30 theatre, 30 boardroom
  • Rooftop and terrace receptions for 100 to 120
Equipment
'State-of-the-art technology', not itemised.
Getting there and access
Rafael Núñez International Airport is close by; the hotel's own pages give different travel times, so check.
Best for (our view)
An incentive or conference of 100 to 300 with breakouts.
Limitations
Layout capacities beyond the published table are on request.
Source this or something like it →Venue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (2 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

Forests and treehouses

Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve

Panguipulli, Los Ríos, Chile

A private biological reserve in the Patagonian rainforest whose lodges include the mountain-shaped Montaña Mágica.

Largest space
To be confirmed: the reserve lists a meeting room and an events centre without capacities
Bedrooms
Several lodges, including Hotel Nothofagus (55 rooms) and Montaña Mágica (9)
Other spaces
  • A meeting room and an events centre for corporate events and congresses (location and size not published)
  • Outdoor team activities in the reserve
Equipment
Not published.
Getting there and access
Reachable by car, bus, barge or plane; the reserve publishes no distances.
Best for (our view)
A small leadership offsite with outdoor team-building, once the meeting room is confirmed.
Limitations
Remote. The famous Montaña Mágica lodge is not described as the meeting venue; confirm where you would meet and how many fit before planning.
Source this or something like it →Venue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (4 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

3 venues

Asia

Unusual architecture

InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland

Sheshan, Songjiang, Shanghai, China

A hotel built down the wall of a former quarry, 88 metres deep, with two of its floors under water.

Largest space
Wonderland Grand Ballroom: 900 sqm, column-free, up to 850 guests
Bedrooms
About 330 rooms and suites (the operator's pages give 330 and 336)
Other spaces
  • Three meeting rooms for 60 each
  • Two boardrooms for 14
Equipment
Multimedia and AV support; wi-fi.
Getting there and access
About 40 minutes from the National Exhibition and Convention Center; outside central Shanghai. Accessible rooms and lifts.
Best for (our view)
A conference or gala of up to about 850, or a leadership group of 14 to 60.
Limitations
Capacities by layout are on request.
Source this or something like it →Shanghai city guideVenue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (3 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

Unusual architecture

Gardens by the Bay: Flower Dome venues

Marina Bay, Singapore, Singapore

Event halls inside the Flower Dome conservatory.

Largest space
Flower Field Hall: 800 theatre, 700 banquet
Bedrooms
None
Other spaces
  • Waterview Room: 200 theatre, 300 banquet
  • Further venues across the gardens, listed by area
Equipment
Flower Field Hall: sound system, projectors and screen, VIP holding room, banquet kitchen. Waterview Room: mobile sound, projector and screen.
Getting there and access
About 10 minutes' walk from Bayfront MRT; private lifts for guests and disabled visitors.
Best for (our view)
A conference of 200 to 800 or a gala dinner of up to 700.
Limitations
Hours and prices on request.
Source this or something like it →Singapore city guideVenue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (3 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

Unusual architecture

The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert

Wadi Khadija, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

Private villas in a 1,235-acre gated desert nature reserve.

Largest space
Falcon Ballroom: 140 theatre, 80 banquet
Bedrooms
About 100 private villas (the operator's pages give 101 and 109)
Other spaces
  • Al Wadi Meeting Room: 60 theatre
  • Three breakout rooms and a courtyard for 50
Equipment
Not itemised by the resort.
Getting there and access
80 km to Dubai International Airport and 23 km to Ras Al Khaimah Airport. Accessible routes to meeting spaces and accessible rooms.
Best for (our view)
A leadership offsite or incentive of 30 to 140.
Limitations
A luxury resort rather than a desert camp; priced accordingly.
Source this or something like it →Dubai city guideVenue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (2 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

2 venues

Africa

Unusual architecture

Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve

Cederberg, Western Cape, South Africa

Cave suites set into sandstone rock formations in the Cederberg wilderness, with rock-art tours.

Largest space
Rooikat conference room: 20 to 30 (the venue's pages differ)
Bedrooms
Lodge for 30 sharing or 15 singles: cave suites and hut suites, plus open-air suites
Other spaces
  • Half-day and full-day conference packages
Equipment
Ceiling projector and 1.8 m screen, speakers, wi-fi.
Getting there and access
About 3 hours 20 minutes from Cape Town; the last 35 km is gravel. Private gravel airstrip.
Best for (our view)
A strategy retreat of up to about 15 to 20.
Limitations
Very small and remote, with a gravel-road approach.
Source this or something like it →Cape Town city guideVenue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (3 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

Museums and film settings

Maropeng, Cradle of Humankind

Sterkfontein, Gauteng, South Africa

The official visitor centre of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, with conference rooms and a boutique hotel.

Largest space
Conference room 2: up to 160
Bedrooms
Maropeng Boutique Hotel: 24 bedrooms, up to 48 guests, one accessible room
Other spaces
  • Hominin House lecture room: up to 100
  • Two further conference rooms for up to 80 each
Equipment
Not published.
Getting there and access
The hotel is a 5-minute walk from the visitor centre; the site publishes no distance to Johannesburg.
Best for (our view)
A conference of 80 to 160 with a heritage visit, or a residential group of about 24.
Limitations
Layouts and AV on request; confirm the hotel is operating for your dates.
Source this or something like it →Johannesburg city guideVenue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (3 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

2 venues

Oceania

Castles, colleges and historic campuses

Q Station

North Head, Manly, Sydney, Australia

A heritage-listed former quarantine station in Sydney Harbour National Park, with meeting rooms in its historic buildings.

Largest space
Governor Bourke Ballroom (1912): up to 200
Bedrooms
105 rooms and 9 cottages
Other spaces
  • Rooms for 26 to 120 in former station buildings, including a former men's smoking room
  • A boardroom for 12
Equipment
AV and high-speed internet; flipchart and whiteboard in packages.
Getting there and access
About 30 minutes from Sydney CBD: ferry from Circular Quay to Manly, then the station's shuttle.
Best for (our view)
A residential conference of 50 to 200 close to the city.
Limitations
Capacities are published as ranges; layouts on request.
Source this or something like it →Sydney city guideVenue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (2 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit.

Museums and film settings

The Hub at Hobbiton Movie Set

Hinuera, Matamata, Waikato, New Zealand

A purpose-built conference venue on a working sheep farm, beside a film set that guests can tour.

Largest space
The Hub: 130 theatre, 60 classroom, 80 banquet
Bedrooms
None published
Other spaces
  • The Hub's two rooms separately: 80 and 50 theatre
  • Dinner venues on the set for 30 to 310 seated, available with a set tour
Equipment
The Hub's hire includes in-house AV and a technician; catering is extra.
Getting there and access
About 2 hours from Auckland international airport; 45 minutes from Hamilton, Rotorua and Tauranga.
Best for (our view)
A day conference of 50 to 130 at The Hub, then a set tour and evening dinner.
Limitations
The Hub is the meeting room; it sits beside the visitor centre, not on the set. The set is visited by guided tour only, and its dinner venues are bookable only with a tour.
Source this or something like it →Venue website and photos ↗

Checked 2026-11-10 against the venue's own pages (2 sources). Confirm availability and figures with the venue before you commit. Hobbiton is a trademark of Middle-earth Enterprises, used under licence by the venue's independent operator. Neither is connected with RFPVenue.

Before you shortlist

Five questions to ask an unusual venue.

What our sourcing desk checks before an unusual venue goes in front of a buyer.

  1. 01

    Decide what the setting is for

    Inspiration, focus, a reward, a story for the team? An unusual venue earns its premium when the setting does a job the agenda needs. If it is only a backdrop, a good hotel near the office does the meeting better and cheaper.

  2. 02

    Check the room, not the photographs

    The famous part of a venue is often not where you meet. Ask which room your plenary is in, its capacity in your layout, daylight, blackout and step-free access, and where the breakouts are.

  3. 03

    Plan the journey as part of the event

    Remote venues cost travel time on both ends. Count transfers, the last kilometres of road, and what happens if a flight is late. Ask who books the coaches.

  4. 04

    Ask what is exclusive and what is shared

    Many unusual venues are also visitor attractions, campuses or working sites. Find out what you have to yourselves, when, and what public or students share the space.

  5. 05

    Price the whole stay, not the room hire

    Food and beverage minimums, mandatory suppliers, evening-only hire and tour tickets change the total. Write the full package down once and ask every venue to quote that.

Writing the package down once is the step that makes venues comparable; the meeting venue RFP template does it in one page.

Questions

Unusual venues, briefly.

What makes a meeting venue unusual?
A setting with a story of its own: a historic campus, a building with remarkable architecture, a landscape or a museum. The venues here also do the practical part: published meeting rooms, equipment and, for most, bedrooms for a residential offsite.
Are unusual venues more expensive?
Often, once transfers, minimum spends and mandatory suppliers are counted, though not always: a college in vacation or a heritage site can compare well with a city-centre hotel. Compare complete packages, not headline room hire.
How did you choose these venues?
For a setting that is genuinely distinctive and a meeting offer the venue publishes on its own site, with at least two venues on each inhabited continent. Every figure was checked on the venue's own pages on the date shown. No venue paid to be included or has a relationship with RFPVenue.
Can RFPVenue book one of these venues for us?
Send us the brief and the venue or the style you have in mind. We fix the brief into one package, find and approach comparable options in that region, and bring their quotes back like-for-like. Our service is free for buyers; you pay only the venue.

Have a setting in mind?

Send us the brief and the venue or style you like. We fix it into one package, approach comparable options in that region and bring the quotes back like-for-like. Free for buyers; you pay only the venue.

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