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WINNERS OF PRESTIGE EVENTS MAGAZINE’S 2008 COOL VENUES AWARDS ANNOUNCED!  One minute you are COOL, the next minute you are not.
COOL is a matter of opinion. It is perhaps the greatest currency you can possess; whether you are running for President, or pitching for the next big event!
The COOL Venues Awards were developed by Prestige Events magazine to recognise an unsung and largely influential element that emerges in the process of planning a corporate event – How exciting is the venue? Will the invitees RSVP? Will they turn up? In the current economic climate, the pressure on an event organiser is even more apparent. Every corporate event organiser strives to ensure their next event is THE hot ticket. Over the past six years, Prestige Events magazine has tried to identify for its readers venues which will make the difference, and set it’s editorial compass on what’s COOL for the benefit of the reader. The barometer should not be biased towards all that is ‘new’ in our opinion. There is a place for the classic / heritage venue. They often possess a character, charisma, and class that many ‘newer’ builds cannot yet match. So what is COOL? A COOL venue should have: Charisma, Originality, Style, Innovation, Sex Appeal, Authenticity, and Uniqueness. COOL is a very personal opinion. Therefore, a panel of judges was selected to form a council. Each understood the intrinsic factors, elements and characteristics that deem a venue to be COOL.
The council represents a diverse collective; writers, industry figureheads, and event organisers / specialists. They have applied the strict guideline that each nominee should not be selected as a result of its technical capabilities, since many of these facets (lighting, AV, etc) can be imported. This year’s ‘barometer’, created by a council of 12 judges (see bottom of page), provides very interesting reading (and to those that didn’t make the shortlist, remember there is always next year and 12 months to change ‘opinions’)…. Prestige Events Magazine 2008 COOL Venues Awards Results
(Winners in Bold text. Last years winner in brackets) COOLest hotel chain (Holder: Radisson Edwardian) Radisson Edwardian (Winner)
Firmdale
Malmaison
Guoman
De Vere
Hotel Du Vin
Morgans
Park Plaza
Relais & Chateaux
YoTel
Four Seasons COOLest Country House / Castle / Heritage venue (Holder: Somerset House)Stoke Park (Winner)
The Grove
Brocket Hall
Luton Hoo
Mar Hall
Rothschild Manor
Mallory Court
Pennyhill Park
Skibo Castle
Addington Palace
Tyringham Hall COOLest Boutique Hotel (Holder: Baglioni Hyde Park)The Hempel (Winner)
Blakes
Haymarket Hotel
The Zetter
The Clarence
41 Hotel
Le Monde
The Lowry Hotel
Browns
The May Fair
The Pelham COOLest On Water venue (Holder: Silverfleet) Royal Caribbean (Winner)
Silverfleet
Bateaux London
HMS Belfast
Sunseeker
London Duck Tours
Rum Jungle
The Floating Boater
King Cruises
London RIB
Silversea Cruises COOLest Sporting venue (Holder: Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium)Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium (Winner)
Twickenham
Williams F1
Wembley Stadium
Daytona Motorsport / Sandown Park
Aintree
Ascot
Epsom Downs
Chelsea
Urban Golf
West Ham United COOLest Museum / Gallery (Holder: Natural History Museum)Natural History Museum (Winner)
Science Museum, London
Magna
Saatchi Gallery
Museum of Childhood
V&A
Custard Factory
Design Museum
Tate Modern
Victoria Miro
V22 COOLest Conference / Exhibition Centre (Holder: Macdonald Aviemore)Barbican (Winner)
Celtic Manor
Savoy Place
ACC Liverpool
Ministry of Sound
AECC
The Roundhouse
Macdonald Aviemore
Excel
Farnborough FIVE
Congress Centre COOLest Bar / Club (Holder: Ministry of Sound)Absolut Icebar (Winner)
Ministry of Sound
The Pigalle Club
Matter
Loungelover
The Hoxton Pony
29 Glasgow
Beach Blanket Babylon
Buddha Bar
Faces
Movida COOLest Venue for Corporate Fun / Teambuilding (Holder: Alton Towers)Mercedes-Benz Brooklands (Winner)
Peckforton Castle Land Rover Centre
The Circus Space
The Magic Circle HQ / Go Ape (tied)
Daytona Motorsport
Vinopolis
SNO-zone
Center Parcs
London RIB
Nick Nairn Cooking School /Wrotham Park (tied) COOLest Restaurant (Holder: Gordon Ramsay at Claridges)Sketch (Winner)
Nobu Berkeley
Mint Leaf
Gordon Ramsay at Claridges
The Wolseley
Buddha Bar
Hakkasan
Below Zero
San Carlo
Taman Gang
Steam Bake & Grill at De Vere Canary Wharf COOLest venue for Award Ceremonies (Holder: Grovesnor House)The Roundhouse (Winner)
Bloomsbury Ballroom
Troxy
O2
BAFTA
East Wintergarden
Natural History Museum
Williams F1
Science Museum, London
Old Billingsgate
SECC COOLest for galas (Holder: Natural History Museum)Somerset House (Winner)
The Hop Exchange
Royal Courts of Justice
Wembley Stadium
Natural History Museum
Banqueting House
Mar Hall
Il Bottaccio
Fortesqueues - The Room
Home House
The Westbury COOLest for receptions (Holder: Cannon Bridge Roof Gardens)Il Bottaccio (Winner)
Altitude SW1
30 St Mary Axe
Wiltons Music Hall
The Crypt in St Paul’s Cathedral
Christchurch Spitafields
The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow
Namco Station County Hall
Hard Rock Café
Middle Temple Hall
Park Plaza Riverbank COOLest for small meetings (Holder: Lords)Altitude SW1 (Winner)
Tower Bridge
Williams F1
Friends House
Rejuvenation Centre
Devenport House
Stoke Park
Somerset House
Andaz
IOD Hub
The Trafalgar COOLest for outdoor events / hospitality (Holder: Somerset House) Hurlingham Club (Winner)
Kensington Roof Gardens
London Zoo
Blenheim Palace
Celtic Manor
The Hempel
Gleneagles
Kew Gardens
Somerset House
Alton Towers
The Academy, Loughton COOLest venue architecture (Holder: 30 St Mary Axe)30 St Mary Axe (Winner)
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The Roundhouse
Royal Courts of Justice
National Space Centre
BA London Eye
Somerset House
Hoar Cross Hall
Sheffield City Hall
The Atrium
Tower Bridge All-round (Multi-purpose) COOL venue of 2008 (Holder: 30 St Mary Axe)30 St Mary Axe (Winner)
The Roundhouse
O2
Big Brother HQ
Altitude SW1
Somerset House
Il Bottaccio
London Dungeon
Ministry of Sound
Science Museum, London
St Pancras Grand To see the 2008 COOL Venues Awards final results in full with background on the judging panel, to receive your free copy of Prestige Events winter 2008/9 edition (out 12th December 2008), and a free annual subscription, visit http://www.prestigeeventsguide.com/ Judges Panel (organisation in brackets)
Zanine Adams (Visit London)
Suzie Bailey (Staar Productions)
Will Broome (Londonlaunch)
Clayton Dean (Red Carpet Security)
Kate Disley (CMPi)
Emily Gillan (EG Events)
Kate Kassar (Beyond)
Kristiana Kruysmulder (Prestige Events magazine)
Stephanie Laing (ISES)
Wesley Mendy (Prestige Events magazine)
Ryan Mendy (Corazon Capital)
Julian Saipe (Zafferano)
Alison Welsh (Big Bang)
‘Remember. There is no greater currency than COOL in times of austerity’ |
