Choosing a venue for your company’s next offsite meeting is an important undertaking, as it has the potential to make or break your team’s productivity and experience. Traditionally, most businesses have opted for local hotel conference rooms and event halls, but the rise and popularization of coworking spaces have shifted the patterns of professionals everywhere. With a mass return to in-person work and collaboration, decision-makers and planners must weigh their options, discerning whether what’s familiar is still the best avenue to successful gatherings or if coworking offerings and amenities are the innovation the modern businessperson has sought after for years.
At Common Desk, we know how important it is to gather as a team, and while we’re thankful for online meeting technology, there’s nothing quite like being face-to-face to hash out fresh ideas, discuss business strategies, or serve clients. That’s why we’re excited to share today’s blog about conference room rentals and meeting space within our coworking communities. As we dive in, we’ll compare and contrast the well-known hotel conference room versus ours, get to know what’s included in our meeting space offerings, and share some examples of how our conference rooms are utilized. If you’re a long-term member of Common Desk looking to make the most of your membership, a businessperson searching for a new place to hold a company offsite, or a guest with an exciting event in mind (retirements, receptions, team-building, etc.—yep, we do those too), then this is the post for you!
So what’s actually the difference between the two?
Hotels have been an industry norm for meeting space for decades. We’re all familiar with the process, and they provide the basics of what most businesses require to facilitate their affairs, i.e. a closed door, a bit of equipment, and some tables. Long story short, we get why they’re popular. Coworking spaces, on the other hand, are sometimes met with skepticism and hesitation due to their novelty on the market. Despite their newness, professionals everywhere are finding coworking spaces a flexible and helpful option going forward.
Exceptional Hospitality
While there’s certainly praise due to the hospitality provided by the hotel industry, it’s not cut from the same cloth as a coworking space. There’s a myriad of reasons why we use hotels, the majority being overnight stays, travel, or vacations. Because of this, hotel staff have to cater to a wide range of needs and likely aren’t prepared to support the details of a busy professional’s agenda. Coworking spaces are specifically designed to put your business first. We’re in the business of workspace, so you can rest assured that the comfort of your clients and colleagues in our spaces is at the forefront of our minds.
Around here, you don’t have to worry about a bus full of out-of-town soccer players filling the lobby, just as you’re about to set up for your meeting. Common Desk’s bread and butter is perfecting the daily motions of the workday in a flexible, convenient, and painless way, so you can hone in on the details that’ll make your company thrive. Coworking spaces, from their community teams to built-in amenities like fast Wi-Fi, standing desks, and more, can deliver an exceptional meeting space experience to you and your team because we understand your priorities and concerns. Simply put, we get what makes you tick on a fundamental level.
Space Accommodations
Hotel conference rooms don’t always cater to smaller parties, and big groups are left to contend with busy calendars and other companies for coveted space. That leaves solopreneurs and small business staff fighting for seats at bustling, coffee shops that lack privacy, and large groups rushing to pay high prices to accommodate their whole crew before slots are spoken for. At coworking locations, there’s more availability spread out across the space. Common Desk has everything from huddle rooms that seat duos, to private spaces that seat up to 10 or 12. For example, Common Desk’s smallest coworking community has 2 conference rooms that accommodate over 5, while its largest comes in at a whopping 15 meeting rooms—and while we’re here, have you heard about our training rooms? At select locations, we offer 32-person training rooms that are exceptional solutions for big corporate workshops, department meetings, or private parties.
Fully equipped and Beyond
A hotel can provide an enclosed space for your team and perhaps some of the necessary tech to facilitate your meeting, but you’ll likely have to tote your equipment from the office into the building. At a coworking space, everything you need to make magic is already included in your reservation. Common Desk’s conference rooms are fully equipped with ergonomic furniture, whiteboards and markers, HDMI capabilities, and A/V, as well as Apple Airplay, and Wi-Fi. We also offer our guests complimentary drip coffee, tea, and water, and the majority of our spaces have fully functioning coffee bars with espresso drinks available for purchase. In addition, we also encourage our guests and members to order catering for their team, should they want to share a meal in between sessions, whereas some event centers and hotels may charge an additional fee to bring in refreshments from outside sources.
Networking Opportunities Galore
Lots of people come in and out of hotels. As we mentioned earlier, they’re high-traffic destinations, so you’re bound to meet interesting folks. However, the mix present isn’t always ideal for connecting with your city’s hub of professionals. When you book a meeting space at a coworking company, you’re inserted into your local community of businesspersons, spanning a slew of different industries. You’ll never know who you’ll meet who may have the keys to unlock the next step of your career, be your next mentor or friend, or require the exact services you market. From clients to future colleagues, coworking spaces expose you to like-minded individuals focused on crushing professional goals. Common Desk emphasizes the importance of networking and community by throwing weekly happy hours and engaging events so that our members and guests can get to know one another. If you book a conference room with us, you and your team are more than welcome to join us for any events happening in the shared space on the day of your meeting!
Simple Booking Process
Hotels often require fees for cleaning, pre-authorization, and more, while coworking spaces typically have a quick and seamless system for reserving space. At Common Desk, you’ve got a few options. If you’re a member, log in to your member portal and check out available rooms through the app. Based on your membership, credits will be automatically deducted from your monthly allotment and you’re good to go. If for some reason, you’re having trouble with the app, pop down to your hospitality bar, and the team at your location will be able to set up a meeting for you without trouble. Keep in mind, members are able to reserve rooms across our entire network of coworking locations. Are you a member at CD – East End in Houston but find yourself in Dallas for a meeting? No sweat! Our chain of locations from McKinney to Downtown Dallas are open to you for the duration of your visit.
For guests and potential members, feel free to fill out this contact form or give us a call at 214-216-6913. Our Customer Experience department is a team of kind, responsive individuals who understand the importance of squaring away details promptly. Our process is simple and usually only requires contact information to get you on the schedule. From there, our payment options are flexible and we’re happy to fill you in on every need-to-know from parking to local spots for lunch so you’ve got peace of mind long before the day of your big event.
Intuitively Designed Locations
Let’s be real, most of us don’t go to hotels for the workspace ambiance. As thankful as we are for safe places to rest on work trips or during time off, hotels don’t usually provide beautiful, uplifting spaces that are conducive for long, mentally taxing work days. Luckily, that’s where we come in. At Common Desk, we’re proud of the meeting rooms we’ve created. Designed with you in mind, many of our conference rooms prioritize natural lighting, high-end finishes, and instinctive layouts.
A defining feature between hotels and coworking spaces is the area of focus. In coworking, we’re privileged to solely support workday rhythms. We’ve never had to contend with bedroom suites, gyms, or banquet halls and it shows in the blueprints of our buildings. Our conference rooms are spread out across the entirety of our coworking spaces, as opposed to tucked into the rear of the building or away from the lobby. Although it can afford professionals privacy, many hotel floor plans have opted for their conference rooms to be near HVACS, ice and vending machines, or pools, as optimal space is allocated for overnight patrons.
We believe where you work is just as important as the job you do, especially for those day-long meetings when you and your team have to be all in. In our conference rooms, you’ll find warm and welcoming interiors, that cut the possibility for distraction, as well as fun, whimsical charm. One of our Common Desk values is ‘having a blast’ and patrons can clearly see that reflected in some of our more quirky features, like false bookshelves that actually lead to your workspace for the day. Don’t believe us? You’ll just have to stop by to see it for yourself.
Final Thoughts
Regardless if your team is fully remote or returning to a fixed office, it’s important to know where to meet when the time comes. As you weigh the options available in this ever-evolving workspace landscape, keep in mind that Common Desk has got your back, loaded with amenities meant to streamline your workweek.
If you’d like to take a tour to preview our meeting rooms or have further questions regarding rentals, schedule a visit here or drop us an email at hello@thecommondesk.com.
