How to Choose a Conference Venue: A Step-by-Step Guide

Choosing a conference venue means finding a space that suits the format of your event. That means a main room that fits your audience, enough breakout space, the technology your sessions depend on, and a location attendees can reach easily. The venue affects attendance, the quality of sessions and a large share of the budget, so it is usually the first major decision in conference planning. This guide walks through the selection process step by step and ends with a checklist you can use when comparing conference venues.

What makes a good conference venue?

A good conference venue is chosen for the event’s format, and the headcount is only one part of that. It has a main room for plenary sessions, separate spaces for breakouts and catering, reliable technology and easy access for every attendee. An experienced venue team also helps the day run smoothly.

Capacity needs checking in the layout you plan to use, because a room’s maximum figure rarely applies to every set-up. Access covers transport links, parking and step-free entry. The terms should be clear as well: transparent pricing and a contract that reflects what you agreed.

What is venue sourcing?

Venue sourcing is the structured process of finding, comparing and securing a venue for an event. Professional event planners usually send a brief or request for proposal (RFP) to a shortlist of venues and compare the responses. They then visit the strongest options and negotiate terms before signing. A smaller conference goes through the same steps in a lighter form.

You will also see the term venue selection. It refers to the decision itself: picking the final venue from the options you sourced. The steps below cover both.

How to choose a conference venue: the short version

1. Define the conference format and requirements.
2. Choose the location.
3. Decide on the type of conference venue.
4. Check the spaces and layouts.
5. Assess the technology and conference facilities.
6. Compare costs and what is included.
7. Visit the venue.
8. Review the contract and book.

Step 1: Define the conference format and requirements

The programme comes first. The number of sessions, how attendees move between them and whether anyone joins remotely all decide which spaces you need. A clear brief also makes venue responses easier to compare.

Your brief should cover:

• the maximum realistic number of attendees, including speakers, staff and exhibitors
• the sessions: plenaries for everyone, parallel breakouts, workshops or panels
• whether the conference runs for a single day or several
• extra spaces for registration, exhibition stands, catering and networking
• whether participation is fully in person or hybrid

Capacity depends on how each room is set up, so a headcount alone is not enough. Our guide to room size and capacity explains how to work out the space each session needs. For smaller internal events, such as a leadership strategy day, our guide to planning a corporate offsite may be a closer fit.

Step 2: Choose the location

The right location is easy for most attendees to reach and suits the character of the event. A city-centre venue near major transport links works well for conferences with many local or day attendees. A quieter setting can suit multi-day programmes where attendees stay together.

Look at how close the venue is to rail, metro and airports for anyone travelling in, and whether there is parking on site or nearby. Every conference space should have step-free access, accessible toilets and clear signage. For multi-day conferences, or attendees coming from other cities, check for accommodation nearby. Restaurants and spaces for informal networking after sessions are worth noting too.

Step 3: Decide on the type of conference venue

Different types of venue suit different conference formats. Narrowing down the type early saves time, because each one packages space, services and pricing differently.

Small conference venues, such as a conference room in a business centre, are often the most practical choice for internal conferences and specialist seminars. If you are unsure which type of space fits your programme, compare a meeting room, conference room or event space first.

Most conference venues offer their spaces through conference room rental, also called conference room hire or conference venue hire, by the hour, half-day or full day.

Step 4: Check the spaces and layouts

A conference uses several spaces at once. Attendees spend time in registration, at breaks and in breakout sessions as well as in the main hall, and crowded or badly connected spaces disrupt the programme.

In the main room, check capacity in your planned layout, the ceiling height and the sightlines to the stage and screens. You need enough breakout rooms for parallel sessions, close to the main room. Registration needs space to welcome people without blocking the entrances. Catering and networking areas work best when they are separate from session rooms, so breaks do not require a room reset. If sponsors or exhibitors are attending, confirm there is exhibition space.

The layout changes how many people a room holds and how they interact. Theatre style suits keynotes, classroom style suits training, and cabaret style suits group work. See our guide to meeting room layouts for the strengths of each set-up.

Step 5: Assess the technology and conference facilities

Technology failures are among the most visible problems at a conference. Confirm what is installed, what can be added and who will support it on the day.

Things to confirm with the venue:

• projectors or screens, microphones and a PA system suited to the room size
• lighting and space at the front for speakers and panels
• Wi-Fi that can handle every attendee connecting at once
• streaming and recording, if sessions will be broadcast or shared afterwards
• cameras and audio that let remote attendees follow and take part in a hybrid conference
• a dedicated technician during the event

Ask the venue to list its conference facilities in writing, so you know what the quote covers.

Step 6: Compare costs and what is included

The base price of a conference venue rarely reflects the full cost. Compare quotes for the same programme, and check which services each venue includes and which it charges separately.

A typical quote is built from room hire or rental for the main room and each breakout room, plus catering for refreshments, lunch and any evening reception. Technology adds AV equipment, streaming and technical support. Staffing can cover event coordination, security and registration. Some venues charge for early access to set up and for time to clear down, and taxes and service fees may or may not be included in the quoted price.

For a detailed breakdown of inclusions and extras, see our guide to what conference room rental includes. For an example of how venue prices vary between cities, see our guide to meeting room rental costs in the US.

Step 7: Visit the venue

A site visit, also called a site inspection, shows you how the spaces connect, how the main room sounds and how attendees will move through the building. Visit your shortlisted venues before you sign, ideally at a similar time of day to your event.

On the visit, walk the route from the entrance to registration, the main room and the breakout rooms. Test the AV and Wi-Fi in the rooms you plan to use, and listen for noise between rooms and from outside the building. Meet the person who will coordinate your event on the day, and ask whether any other events are booked at the venue on the same date.

Step 8: Review the contract and book

The venue contract should reflect everything agreed during sourcing. Read it in full before signing, and ask for any verbal agreements to be added in writing.

Make sure the contract covers:

• every room, the access times and the agreed layouts
• the catering, technology and staffing included in the price
• the deposit, payment schedule and final balance
• cancellation deadlines and charges if the event is moved or cancelled
• how far attendance can change, and by when, without penalty
• responsibility for damage and for third-party suppliers

For the full booking process, from defining your needs to confirming the room, see our step-by-step guide on how to rent a meeting room.

Conference venue checklist

Use this checklist when comparing conference venues:

• Main room capacity confirmed for the planned layout
• Enough breakout rooms close to the main room
• Space for registration, catering and networking
• Exhibition space, if needed
• Transport links, parking and step-free access checked
• Accommodation nearby for travelling attendees
• AV, PA system and stage suited to the main room
• Wi-Fi capacity for all attendees
• Streaming or hybrid set-up, if needed
• Technical support during the event
• Itemised quote with all inclusions and extras
• Site visit completed
• Contract reviewed, including cancellation and attendee number terms

Find conference venues on FindMeetingRooms

FindMeetingRooms lists conference halls, conference rooms, meeting rooms and event spaces in cities across Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Australia and South America. You can compare conference venues by location, capacity and facilities, then contact them directly to request quotes for your programme. Choose your country to start your search.