Depending on the location, size of space, services and infrastructure offered, and other factors – the price may vary.  In downtown Toronto you can expect to spend between $50 – $200/person per day on just venue fees (possibly without audio-visual equipment or catering services.)

When planning meetings, its recommended to find a location which is easy to get to – for all participants. If you are the host, it might make sense to plan the meeting close to where you work or live so that you have less running around.

In downtown Toronto there are a host of venues to book meetings at with hourly, daily and even monthly rates – consider how easy the one you want to book is to get to for everyone attending; by transit, foot and car.

There are all sorts of venues to consider for meetings – including:

• Purpose-built meeting venues – like StartWell on King Street West in downtown Toronto, when you can find a venue which has specifically been designed to enable collaboration whilst offering a variety of rooms for different types of meetings, these are usually the best resource to rely on for all of your company’s meeting space needs. Their attention to detail and all-inclusive offerings will make the experience of hosting there more reliable and fun.
• Hotels – normally hotels may not have a variety of rooms on offer. When they do, consider that they usually force you to order food from their own kitchen plus use unionised staff for AV support and general service – so they aren’t the most cost effective or agile solution. Normally it is difficult to adjust the temperature of the room, or mix furniture between tables and couches etc to suit your meeting at Hotels. The main advantage of this option is that your guests attending a meeting may find it convenient to meet at the hotel where they are staying.
• Cafes – You can easily host a small meeting at a cafe, but will likely suffer a lack of privacy, small table sizes, crowded and noisy atmospheres plus the inability to dial in any remote participants to your meeting. Cafes are the best spots for informal meetings that don’t require privacy and can be wrapped up quickly.
• Coworking Spaces – Usually coworking spaces will have functional meeting spaces with technology, but they may not come with stationary or flip charts – its always worth contacting the space you are considering to ensure you have the materials you need for meetings requiring presentations. Coworking spaces also offer the opportunity of workspace before or after your meeting at hourly or daily rates.
• Banquet Halls and Conference Centres – for meetings requiring seating at tables for more than 150 people, these venues are usually the only option.  Normally quite costly, large conference centres can be convenient when planning conferences, trade shows and large scale events that require proximity to the financial core and transit hubs like Toronto’s Union Station. These venues usually suffer a lack of authentic experience and intimacy.

Its always worth paying for space when you need to rely on what it provides; consider the value of location, presentation materials and technology, privacy and safety when assessing the value you are paying for in renting a meeting room.

Though a commute from around the GTA may not seem worth the time spent in your car or on transit, when you are bringing people together from far distances it is often valuable to make the meeting into an experience – meeting downtown gives you a wealth of options for meals during or after your meeting plus other entertainment options to make the meeting memorable.

It can be difficult to read body language and truly get to know the people you are meeting with when you do it exclusively online. Meeting spaces give you the ability to spend time face to face with people – offering the ability to have more interactive experiences.

Purpose built meeting spaces can give you everything you need to effectively communicate with the guests you are bringing together for your meeting.