The journey from the first email to the coffee break takes five steps: brief, venue selection and estimate, contract, detail coordination, event day. One hotel team handles everything, so you don't have to coordinate the venue, equipment, catering and transfers with different contractors.
Below, we explain how this works at Corinthia St Petersburg on 57 Nevsky Prospect, and what you should prepare on your side at each step.
Step one: brief
The first email solves half the task. The more precisely you describe what you need, the faster you will receive an estimate that you can take to management.
It is useful to include right away:
- date and time — with an alternative option if the dates are flexible;
- format — conference, seminar, board meeting, presentation, gala dinner;
- number of participants and how much it may change;
- day schedule — when guests arrive, when the breaks are, when the event ends;
- catering — coffee breaks, lunch, buffet or banquet;
- equipment and décor — what is needed on stage and in the hall;
- accommodation and transfers — how many participants are coming from other cities.
Even if half the details are still unclear, write them as they are. We will ask the questions ourselves.
Step two: venue selection and estimate
We suggest venue options to suit your format and seating arrangement and show how capacity changes when the layout is changed. At the same time, we check the less obvious details: whether there is enough time for setup, where the registration desk will go, where to set up the coffee break so that the break fits into fifteen minutes. We have written in detail about how the choice of venue depends on the format in the article «Which conference room to choose».
It makes sense to clarify in the estimate right away what is included in the rental and what is charged separately: equipment and technician services, setup the day before, additional hours for a late finish, service, décor. This breakdown eliminates most unpleasant surprises at the closing-document stage.
It is worth keeping the dates in mind well in advance. Large conferences and forums are usually booked three to six months ahead, while December evenings and the spring business season are booked even earlier.
Step three: contract and payment
Next, we confirm the date, venue and terms. For legal entities, we work by bank transfer and prepare the documents on our side.
At this point, it is also useful to agree on two things: by what date the number of participants can be changed without altering the estimate and until what time the venue remains yours.
Step four: details
Two to three weeks before the date, the most substantive part of the work begins. We coordinate the coffee break, lunch or banquet menu, seating plan, hall décor, event schedule and equipment operation procedures.
This is also where we resolve the small details that turn out to be crucial on the day of the event: where guests are welcomed, where they leave their outerwear, who manages the participant lists, what the wayfinding around the building looks like, whether a separate room is needed for speakers and meetings with partners. We ask you to confirm the final number of participants a few days before the date: the kitchen uses it to purchase products and calculate the servings.
If participants are coming from other cities, we simultaneously book rooms and arrange transfers from the airport and to the venue.
Step five: setup and event day
Setup takes place the evening before or early in the morning, so that the venue is ready and the equipment has been checked by the time guests arrive.
On the day of the event, a hotel representative is assigned to you: they keep track of the schedule, make sure the coffee break is brought into the hall exactly at break time, the lunch is served at the required minute, and they handle any issues as they arise. Your only task that day is to run the programme.
The evening part, if there is one, moves to the banquet hall in the Art Deco style: the banquet menu is prepared by our chef. Out-of-town participants go up to their rooms after dinner instead of looking for a taxi through the city at night.
After the event
We dismantle the equipment and décor, prepare the closing documents and hand them over to you. If the event is annual, this is a convenient time to book the date for the following year right away: popular dates fill up quickly.
Full-service event organisation is exactly how we work with the hotel's 17 venues and a team that does this every day. The hotel has been named «Russia's Leading Conference Hotel» seven times and «Russia's Leading Business Hotel» four times by the World Travel Awards.
Send us your brief, and we will select a venue and prepare an estimate. You can discuss your event by phone at +7 (812) 380-20-01.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I book a venue? Large conferences and forums are usually booked three to six months ahead, while December evenings and spring business dates fill up earlier. Send us even approximate dates, and we will check venue availability.
What should I write in the first email? The date, format, number of participants, approximate schedule, catering, equipment and accommodation requirements. If some details have not yet been determined, write them as they are: we will clarify the rest ourselves.
What is included in the venue rental price? The details depend on the format, so we always show the estimate item by item: rental, equipment and technician services, service, catering, décor, additional hours. Request a calculation, and you will see the full breakdown.
Can the number of participants be changed after approval? Yes, within the agreed deadlines. We ask you to confirm the final number a few days before the event: the kitchen uses it to calculate purchasing and servings.
Who is responsible for the event on the day? A hotel representative who manages your venue: they keep track of the schedule, monitor the serving of coffee breaks and lunch, and handle any issues throughout the day.
Can I pay by bank transfer? Yes, for legal entities we work by bank transfer and prepare the closing documents after the event.
