A rooftop is especially interesting when you want the location to be part of the experience. The view immediately creates a different setting, making you less dependent on extensive decoration or entertainment to create an atmosphere.

When comparing rooftops, look beyond the photos. Ask how many guests can comfortably fit with your chosen layout, which parts are exclusive to your group, and what the alternative is in bad weather. Especially when booking months in advance, a good weather scenario is at least as important as the terrace itself.

Location tip: at the Skybar Mr. Sato of Van der Valk Hotel Ghent, on the tenth floor, you have a panoramic view over the skyline of Ghent. The skybar can be exclusively rented for unique corporate events of approximately 30 to 220 guests and can be used for a reception, walking dinner, after-work, or networking event.

Do you want colleagues to experience something together instead of just eating and drinking together? Then you can start the corporate party with an activity in Ghent. Think, for example, of a boat trip, city game, workshop, or culinary walk before heading to the event location.

Attention: for the planning, the transition between both parts is especially important. An activity of an hour and a half may fit perfectly on paper, but work less well if a hundred people then have to move to the other side of Ghent all at once. Therefore, work backward from the desired start time of your dinner or reception. Consider not only the activity itself but also gathering, moving, and any delays. This will prevent the evening program from lagging even before it starts.

Entertainment works best when it adds something to the evening and not simply because "something" had to be on the program.

Therefore, start with the group size and type of guests. A cocktail workshop can work well with a smaller group, while with 150 or 200 guests you might rather think of entertainment that people can participate in at different times. A DJ, live cooking, photobooth, or short interactive act each requires different space and timing.

Our tip: before booking anything, also check what is technically possible at the event location. Consider sound, lighting, power supply, setup time, and the space a supplier needs. This prevents a good idea from later not fitting within the location or planning.

Are colleagues coming from different regions or countries, is the party going late, or are you planning a multi-day corporate event? Then having a hotel at the same location can simplify a lot of logistics.

At Van der Valk Hotel Ghent you can combine a meeting, dinner, corporate party, accommodation, and breakfast at the same location. This eliminates the need to organize separate transportation between the meeting venue, party venue, and hotel.

For larger groups, make agreements in advance about the number of rooms and how reservations will be managed. Also, decide if the company will centrally book the rooms or if guests will reserve within an agreed block of rooms. This may seem like a small detail, but it prevents many loose questions in the weeks leading up to the event.