Planning an event or program internationally - The Netherlands

  

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Although virtually everone in the Netherlands speaks English - fluently - and several other languages, it doesn't necessarily mean you will or want to have cookie cutter experience. Of course you can stay at a mega-chain hotel similar to what you have back home and conduct your meeting the way you typically do, but then what would be the point of going to another country for your meeting without experiencing what the visiting country is all about. At the same time you of course don't want to give up on any modern conveniences either. However, when planning a program in a different country, it shouldn't be just a different experience for you but also for all your attendees. Otherwise it's just another day, another meeting, another country.

We'll start this time of with the Netherlands, being Dutch, but other countries - and other parts of the Netherlands - will follow. Although many have visited Amsterdam before, at the same time many have not, so that's where I'll start with this time.

The Netherlands is very quaint, green and mostly below sea level. And although most people assume that Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, it's really The Hague (Den Haag). Amsterdam is particularly known for its canals. These days, depending on the size of your group, almost anytype of program can be enjoyed by fully incorporating the canals. For your hotel, cocktails, dinner etz.

Many smaller boutique hotels (and a few larger ones) have opened up in Amsterdam, combining several (or many) of the 16th, 17th and 18th century canal houses into one. Some of them are located right on the canal, while others are hidden away behind gates.

What is often very suprising that not only from the outside you couldn't tell that it is a hotel, but many of them also have gardens, which you wouldn't be able to tell from the streetside. In addition their meeting and sleeping rooms are upto date with modern conveniences.

To further explore the canals, for example during cocktails after your meeting day is over and before heading out to a restaurant of an off-site event, antique canal boats can be used. Depending on the size of the group, you maybe have to rent a few to accommodate everyone, but the experience is so more authentic than a modern style canal boat.

And with many locations, your guests can be picked up right outside the frontdoor.

Another a-typical experience, that even most Dutch people haven't done, is to rent one of the majestic canal mansions. As with some of the hotels, they're are all located along the canals, with elegant and formal gardens behind their imposing facades.

Many historic buildings, palaces, houses and churches can be rented throughout Amsterdam for private events, with one of the most unusual ones being "Our Dear Lord in the Attic" (Onze Lieve Heer op Zolder), located in the Red Light District. As it is a "hidden" church, the church is actually on the top floor of the canal house.

Another option to spend time in the Netherlands is to actually go to the coast. My events are actually being combined with a few days in Amsterdam and then off to the coast for teambuilding, more meetings or just relaxation. One town, a little bit challenging to get to by public transportation but only a very short drive away from Schiphol Airport or the center of Amsterdam is Noordwijk aan Zee. With a wide range of hotels available, ranging from 2 stars to 5 stars at reasonable prices. Noordwijk is a very small quaint town right on the beach of the North Sea (Noord Zee). From large, almost imposing size hotels

To more quaint 4 to 5 star hotels, but still on the beach, and each with their own beach club.

And although you're maybe in a small town, even here special event spaces can accommodate your needs for a private event.

As you can see, the possibilities are unlimited for planning a meeting or social event in Amsterdam.