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Leiden, a city worth exploring

‘Seeing is believing’. With this saying in mind, soon becomes obvious when a number of the partici- Marketing organized the inspirational pants in the weekend is picked up from their hotel by means of battery-powered Tuk-Tuks. The participants weekend ‘Discover the convention city of were dropped off at the Academy building of the Leiden Leiden’. So, late September, more than 20 University for a visit to the Hortus Botanicus Leiden. meeting planners and event organizers from This Hortus dates back to 1590 and this means that it is all over the country came to see with their the oldest Hortus of the . Apart from a huge variety of that can be admired in various gardens own eyes what Leiden has to offer with regard and hothouses, the site also includes some buildings to corporate events. suited for a corporate meeting, such as the ‘Tuinkamer’ (garden hall) with the Cycas terrace, grand café Clusius Photography Hielco Kuipers with its Curator’s terrace and the Orangery. In grand café Clusius, which can also be leased on an exclu- uring the inspirational weekend a number of sive basis, the food and drinks are provided by caterer Leiden Marketing’s partners is given the op- Vermaat. He uses mainly biological ingredients and Dportunity to present themselves to a dedicated herbs from the gardens. The Orangery from 1744 is group of interested organizers of corporate meetings where the entire group is welcomed by Martijn Bulthuis, and events. That this opportunity is used to the full, Manager Leiden Marketing. After a delicious lunch

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there is a short tour of the tropical hothouses. for the 139th time one week later. Apart from a Then it is up to Gilde Leiden (Leiden Guild) to boat tour along Leiden’s canals and its environ- give a tour which provides all kinds of infor- ment, Rondvaart Leiden also offers tailor-made mation on the history of the city of Leiden and boat tours and various arrangements, in which a the Academy building. This tour includes the boat trip can be combined with various activities, so-called ‘Het Zweetkamertje’ (the sweat room) like workshops, dinners (with theater or in the style where all graduates placed their signatures on of a Jan Steen household) or a complete Boat beach About Leiden the walls. These signatures include those of Experience including boat trip, trip by covered If there is one thing the inspira- Princess Beatrix and King Willem-Alexander. wagon and surf canoeing. tion weekend in Leiden has proved, it is that regarding conventions and Leiden’s entertainment At the end of this animated history lesson the boat business meetings the city offers a That the city of Leiden has a very extensive his- moors at the Stadsgehoorzaal (city auditorium), plethora of locations and organiza- tory, becomes obvious after a short walk along that together with the Leidse Schouwburg (theater) tions that can help make an event a the Rapenburg towards the seventeenth-century is part of the Stadspodia (City Stages) Leiden. The success. What is more: most of the . This library was founded present building has had some renovations, but the locations are within walking distance after the death of the jurist Joannes Thysius in impressive facade in neo-Renaissance style from of each other, and where leisure 1653 and comprises his collection of books which 1891 still emanates a great deal of grandeur. The activities near the various historic at that time was already extensive at some 2,500 guided tour along the long, white-walled and pur- locations are concerned, the city copies. More about Leiden’s history and the ple-fl oored corridors includes the Grote zaal (great offers more than enough options. The Relief of Leiden is told by an actor playing the hall) that is an excellent venue, singly or in com- fact that Leiden is located close to Leiden-born painter Rembrandt van Rijn, dur- bination with various lobbies and sub-halls, for a The Hague, Amsterdam and Schiphol ing a boat tour provided by Rondvaart Leiden. convention, company party or large dinner. Here, Airport, makes it even more attrac- Enthusiastically, the actor relates the story of the parts of the original interior can be seen, such as tive to visit this city, either in a pri- origin of the tradition of ‘Haring en Wittebrood’ the panelling and balconies. With its own lobby vate or in a professional capacity. (herring and white bread), that is to be celebrated with VIP or meeting room, the Aalmarktzaal, an

MeetingInternational.org 35 extension completed in 2004, is also worth a visit. Haagsche Schouw’ where a dinner is served. After In the lobby the most recent renovation project has this dinner, the programme continues at the village been completed: an additional lobby was created of Katwijk, where the participants visit the musical and the original hall doors were put back in place. ‘Soldaat van Oranje’. Especially for this successful Then it is time for a tabletop in the Breezaal. In musical the former military airfi eld ‘Vliegkamp this hall, the entire authentic interior was pre- Valkenburg’ was restructured into two event loca- About Leiden Marketing served, which provides a beautiful background tions. In the TheaterHangaar ‘Soldaat van Oranje’ Within Leiden Marketing, Senior for presentations given by a number of Leiden is breaking every record: for three years in a row Marketeer Congresses and Business Marketing’s partners. every performance of this musical that had its Events Yvonne Kret is responsible premiere in 2010, has been sold out. In September for the activities concerning the Sold-out hall it even welcomed the one millionth visitor. The corporate market. Together with The next partner on the programme is Van der theater has an auditorium with more than 1,100 her team she organizes meetings Valk Hotel Leiden, associated with Valk Exclusief. seats, a foyer, a tasteful restaurant and a balcony. like the ‘Inspiratieweekend’ to make This concept comprises 35 hotels of this chain With its surface of 2,450 square meters and various secretaries, meeting planners and that offer extra luxurious rooms and other facili- sub-rooms, Hangaar2 can seat no less than 2,500 PCOs acquainted with the possibili- ties. The look and feel of these hotels also meet the persons. If required, the Hangaar can be combined ties Leiden has to offer. Apart from expectations and demands of the modern guest with the TheaterHangaar. There are also meet- that, the team will assist you with and business. The hotel in Leiden is certainly no ings rooms and a VIP lounge, available to smaller professional and independent advice. exception to that concept. Recently, the renova- groups. Just seeing Hangaar2 already impresses Leiden Marketing is happy to provide tion was completed of the 80 rooms and suites that the participants, but of course this impression is you with free of charge promotional are located in separate towers. The main building easily surpassed by the musical itself, in which the and illustration materials, to organize contains 5 multifunctional halls and boardrooms. seats, mounted on a revolving disk, rotate the spec- your location visit and support in the The hotel also boasts a fi tness room, a terrace tators along the various scenes: a beach with waves, compilation and production of a so- boarding on the Oude Rijn river and the cosy the Noordeinde palace, the Kurhaus and even an called bidbook. bar ‘The Old Inn’. The participants’ visit centers authentic Dakota aeroplane. The visit is completed mainly on the stylish and modern restaurant ‘Het with a guided backstage tour after the show.

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After a busy day the group is brought to various four-star foyer with bar and terrace and a penthouse on the eighth hotels, including the Golden Leiden Centre, for a fl oor with a view of the coastline. well-deserved night’s rest. This hotel, located in the vicinity of the central railway station and directly next to the Tulip The fi nal location on the programme is the Holiday Inn Inn Leiden Centre, offers a unique combination of three Leiden. In 1968 this hotel was the chain’s very fi rst loca- and four star rooms, as well as halls of various sizes, a pleas- tion on the mainland of Europe. The four-star hotel and antly decorated lounge and a restaurant with an extensive convention centre has 200 rooms, restaurant, bar, lounge lunch and dinner menu. and for the few free hours a fi tness room, swimming pool and sauna. Specifi cally for the business market, Holiday Journey through man Inn Leiden also has 14 meetings rooms and an event hall On Day 2, it is CORPUS’s turn to impress the group. Of for 2,000 persons. With the renovation of the old tennis course, this attraction in the city of Oegstgeest is known centre, this space will be transformed into a multifunctional for its spectacular ‘journey through man’ experience: in an convention and event hall. At the hotel the day is concluded hour’s time, you can get a remarkable and unforgettable with a walking lunch: in each of the hotel’s various facilities, insight in the workings of man. The corporate market can the participants are offered a small dish. Eventually, the easily justify the visit to CORPUS by combining it with a participants return home, fi lled with inspiraton and looking business meeting in the CORPUS Congress Centre. This back on a very successful weekend. centre has a large convention hall seating 540 persons, a

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