There are, of course, tons of questions to ask. That is unless you are working with retreat experts (wink wink) who immediately give you all the information.
The idea here is not to list them all but to take time for less obvious questions when starting to plan an event of that scale.
Food is an essential part of your corporate retreat. It is the edible glue that brings and keeps everyone together.
Whether the venue has its own restaurant or is working with a preferred service provider, it is essential that you get confirmation of the type of food being served (when going abroad it is always nice to explore the culture through the food too so try to avoid the basics and offer some local options) and of course how they can adapt to the dietary requirements of your team. You want to avoid a situation where the vegetarians are served a green leaves salad while the others get a three-course dinner.
Don’t take a simple “We can do it” for an answer if it is not coming from the chef. Ask to see menu options and get written confirmation.
How easy it is to access a venue is always an essential consideration. Make sure that on top of the trains and planes, you do not forget about transfers from and to the stations/airports but from/to the location and the activities.
If they are not included, always ask the venue for recommended local service providers, as they might have preferred prices.
Every event organiser dreads thinking about that: what if you cannot make it? What if something happens and you have to cancel?
Even if it rarely happens, being prepared for all circumstances is essential.
Asking about the cancellation policy and knowing that you will have to pay full price from a specific date will motivate you to stay on track with planning. In doubt, never hesitate to ask about postponing and other potential solutions.
There are standard check-in and check-out times for all guests, but what about your planning team? Can they access the space earlier to start setting up? Can they stay behind for a few hours to debrief? Make sure to ask the venue, as this will greatly helps with your planning.
Double-check with the venue the rules around curfew, sound levels, or even bringing your own decoration so you do not get any surprises when on-site being told to turn the music down or closing the party at 9 pm.
Alcohol is always an important question when planning a retreat. There is, of course,e the question of going with or without, but even more importantly, if you decide to have alcohol at your event, check with the venue if they can sell it to you (that is, they have the legal permit to do so), if they work with a service provider you should get in touch with or if you should provide your own.
Pro tip: venues are used to hosting events; ask them for advice on how much to order for your retreat.
Asking about Wi-Fi is a fairly basic question, but it is important to double-check if Wi-Fi is available everywhere or only in some areas. Does it reach all the bedrooms? Can people work outside? That way, you can manage your team’s expectations and plan your workshops and breakout sessions in the right spaces.
It should be mentioned early if the venue is shared with another event during your retreat.
However, don’t forget to ask if something is happening in the area at that time:
It might impact accessibility and noise levels and bring extra entertainment for your team.
And… yes, we said eight questions, but we have a cheeky 9th: never forget to ask if a campfire on site is allowed.
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