At some stage in our career most of us will have had to attend a conference or worst still, hold one.

And the thought of holding a conference in front of business colleagues can be a daunting task, especially if the previous ones you have been to have been pretty dull and unprepared.

Well fret no further, as we at Weetwood Hall Hotels in Leeds have come up with some top tips to help you deal with the pressures of a conference, and how we can help you in making sure that yours is a successful one.

1. Plan Early and consider your guests

It is a good idea to set a date and a place for a large conference about a year in advance as hotels, conference centres, halls etc are booked out on a regular basis for weddings, functions and other conferences, which may often leave you in the lurch in finding a place to stay.

On top of this, if you have guests travelling from afar, make sure that you choose a conference centre close by to a hotel, or better still choose a conference centre which has hotel rooms too.

At Weetwood Hall in Leeds they have the largest and most flexible conference centre and hotel in the North of England.

There are 106 en-suite bedrooms, 14 of which are located in the original Manor House.

Amenities include, Satellite/Freeview flat-screen televisions with 19 TV/radio channels including Sky Sports and two sub-titled channels, direct dial telephone, work desk, trouser press and iron, hairdryer and beverage tray with mineral water and chocolate.

At Weetwood there is a dedicated team who will help you book your conference room accommodating to suit all your needs and requirements.

2. Set a theme for the conference

Start promoting your theme from the beginning. Include it on the registration forms. Mention it in all the confirmation letters. This will set a sense of excitement for the conference and set the tone for the rest of the day.

At Weetwood Hall, the team are offering fresh summer incentives to spice up your conference. You can choose one of their summer themes to ‘warm up’ the atmosphere at your conference.

On offer they have, Croquet on the glade with a summer punch drink, ice lollies, barbeques or an oriental buffet on offer for you and your guests.

3. Plan a variety of events

People learn and work in different ways and participants may get more out of a conference if you tailor their experience to their own needs. Plan lecture sessions, discussions, workshops and social events. Be sure to allow the guests’ time to relax throughout the day.

At Weetwood there are five self-serve refreshment breakout areas one of which is dedicated to Fair Trade along with complimentary Internet/E-mail stations. Wireless broadband and ADSL is also available throughout.

4. Ensure that all your technical equipment is ready to go

You will want to do an audio and visual run through the night before the conference. Make sure that all of the microphones, computers and other devices are functioning. Have backup systems available. There should be technical support people on site to repair any problems.

At Weetwood Hall all of the conference and syndicate rooms have ADSL broadband connectivity, telephones and flipcharts as standard.

The Lawnswood, Headingley, Cookridge, Bramley and Kirkstall Suites all have an extensive range of in-built technical equipment including:

• Ceiling mounted data projector
• Wall mounted screen
• Lectern with laptop input
• Touch screen control
• DVD/VHS/CD player
• PA system (not required in Kirkstall)
• Hearing induction loop
• Voice enhanced microphones
• Wi-Fi
Conference rooms such as the "Wood" rooms and Office Syndicate also have data projectors, audio systems, screen and laptop input as standard.

Portable equipment includes:

• Data projectors
• Plasma screens
• Flipcharts
• TV/video units
• OHP
• White boards
• Screens
• 35mm projectors
• Video camera
• PA system
• Laptops
• Digital document scanner
• Video links
• Document camera

5. Prepare well for the conference

It is important that you spend plenty of time preparing and planning for your conference in order for it to be a success and keep your guests’ exciting and engrossed in what you are saying.

At Weetwood a dedicated ‘Trainers Room’ has been built for and organisers can relax, work and prepare for their presentations.

The room includes a flip chart, PC, Internet access, Microsoft Office software, colour printer and a document shredder. The addition of lounge seating, television, refreshments and newspapers provides a place to relax as well as work.

6. Keep your guests entertained and raving about your conference

Get your guests raving about your conference and what a day you put on for them. Get creative and start thinking about what you could involve in their day to make it memorable and the talk of the town.

At Weetwood Hall, Leeds, you and your guests can take part in a range of different activities such as Intimate Dinner Parties, Championship Golf Courses, Complimentary access to a health and fitness club, or The Manor House for a Private Event, all adding that little bit extra to your conference.

For further information on the conference facilities available at Weetwood Hall, or to book a meeting or conference room, contact the Conference and Events team on 0113 230 6000 or visit website.

• ENDS

For further information and images please contact:

For further information contact:

Katja Pandza,
Sales & Marketing Executive
Tel direct line: 0113 388 5790

Notes to Editors:

1. Set within 9 acres of parkland estate, Weetwood Hall is the largest and most flexible four-star conference centre and hotel in the North of England.

2.The hotel offers 106 en-suite bedrooms, including 12 luxury Manor House bedrooms and 2 feature four poster bedrooms individually decorated to reflect the traditional style of the house.

3.The venue boasts a dedicated conference centre with 18 primary conference rooms and 19 syndicate rooms, along with some of the most up to date technology available. The largest conference room can seat up to 200 people theatre style and 120 people cabaret style with the capability of a video link to another room seating 160 (theatre style).

4.Conference Leeds is the official conference bureau for Leeds and West Yorkshire. Its remit includes Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Wakefield and Calderdale which covers 230 venues along with a multitude of meetings industry support companies.