Although renowned for the ‘Granite City’ of Aberdeen with its distinctive, sparkling skyline, the county of Aberdeenshire has much more to offer discerning meeting planners and delegates alike.Offering the best of town, coast and country, it’s easy to see why this county is a popular choice of conference destination.
The city of Aberdeen offers a lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere, easily blending heritage and modern living, whilst surrounding the city, the shire provides the scenery the area is known for, combining rugged coastlines, tranquil lochs, inspiring glens and mountain landscapes to provide an idyllic, inspirational location for outdoor teambuilding events and corporate activities on both land and water. Add to that not only the wild valley of Royal Deeside but also Britain’s largest National Park, the Cairngorms, and you really have an exceptional setting to explore and enjoy for both business and pleasure!
Rural hideaways are perfect for those secluded conference retreats and strategy meetings without distraction, whilst the vibrant city is perfect for corporate hospitality events amongst the bright lights. Whatever your needs, Aberdeenshire has a venue to suit any occasion, able to cater for both large and small capacity groups.
Travel to, from and around Aberdeenshire is straightforward with the M90/A90 leading to the city by road, whilst rail links are also readily accessible including sleeper services connecting with London. Aberdeen International Airport offers flights to and from 40 global destinations making this an extremely viable meeting point for international and national conference delegates alike. Delegates wishing to remain in close proximity to the airport and transport links can take advantage of hotel venues including the Menzies Dyce Aberdeen Airport Hotel and the Thistle Aberdeen Airport, which itself provides a choice of 8 conference suites with capacity for up to 400 delegates.
Meeting plannersseeking a versatile venue able to cater for large conferences and exhibitions as well as small meetings and training events will find the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre able to cater for all needs. With 7,300sqm of exhibition space and conference rooms of all sizes with maximum capacity for 2,000 delegates, this venue is exceptionally well equipped and experienced in hosting corporate events to the highest standards. Having a reputation for excellence in the field of education it is no surprise to find several academic venues also providing first class meeting facilities, such as the University of Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University and the Kings College Conference Centre, where the modern conference centre facility is located in the historic old library. The Beach Ballroom is a unique and unusual venue boasting a fantastic beach location with striking views and a variety of meeting spaces, the largest being the main ballroom which is able to accommodate up to 1,025 delegates. Sporting venues include the Pittodrie Stadium, home to Aberdeen FC, which offers an array of flexible suites suitable for hosting exhibitions, conferences, banquets, training events and even weddings, whilst those looking for a striking historic venue should consider Fyvie Castle. Arts and culture are imbedded within the region and venues such as Aberdeen Arts Centre, Music Hall and Art Gallery and Museum provide a range of meeting spaces in unique settings sure to impress. Throughout Aberdeenshire, hotels provide first class conference and banqueting facilities whether city centre options or country house hotels set in tranquil, rural locations. For example, the Mercure Aberdeen Ardoe House Hotel & Spa is a stunning country house mansion and 4 star hotel with elegant meeting and conference rooms alongside banqueting suites, a ballroom with capacity for up to 500 delegates and a conference centre which accommodates 600. Alternatively Macdonald Pittodrie House is set within a 2,400 acre estate with access to the county’s incredible countryside for teambuilding events and corporate activities, whilst the historic house provides cutting edge technology throughout their meeting rooms. Major hotel groups represented in Aberdeenshire are Britannia Hotels, Cairn Hotel Group, Crerar Hotels, Doubletree by Hilton, Marriott, Park Inn by Radisson and Rezidor Hotel Group.