Human-sized towns surrounded by nature and beautiful landscapes, bearing the traces of their rich past but looking towards the future, and all easily accessible by TGV from Paris Switzerland offers everything that event organisers are looking for today. Namely, compact destinations where almost everything is within walking distance and public transport is often free; cities that are environmentally friendly and can be reached quickly by train, without an excessive carbon footprint.
Indeed, thanks to the numerous daily return journeys offered by the Franco-Swiss TGV Lyria company, Geneva and Basel are only 3 hours from Paris, Lausanne is 3 hours 40 minutes away, and Zurich is 4 hours away. As for Montreux, world-renowned for its music festival, with just one brief change in Geneva or Lausanne, you can reach this other gem of the lake in a short amount of time. It's a city that has just seen its congress centre, the 2M2C, reinvent itself. A tour of the new offerings in all these major MICE destinations.
Geneva: A major convention hotel returns to business
A new era is dawning for the grandest hotel in Geneva, and indeed in all of Switzerland. The Hilton Geneva Hotel & Conference Centre This summer will see the completion of a long phase of transformation, begun in late 2024, focusing as much on improving its energy performance as on its aesthetics. Entirely reimagined by London architect Robert Angell, the hotel already unveiled its new contemporary spirit at the start of the year, particularly for its 295 rooms housed in one of its two buildings. Accompanied by a revamped reception and up-to-date wellness and fitness areas, this first phase also materialised with the launch of a brand-new catering concept, OXBO, focusing on local and seasonal cuisine offered by executive chef Emmanuel Garde.
The second phase, concerning its newest building, will see the refurbishment of the bar and indoor pool by the summer, among other things. But it focuses more particularly on the hotel's offering for business travellers with the transformation of its other 191 rooms, the Executive Lounge, but, above all, its immense space for meetings and eventsWith a surface area of over 3000 m² and comprising 22 rooms, the largest of which can accommodate conferences and receptions for 800 people, this business centre makes the Hilton a key hub for professional meetings, especially as it is located directly opposite the airport and the Palexpo exhibition centre, just 15 minutes from the city centre. A new address in the heart of a vibrant Geneva.
Lausanne: Big green, big history
Like the Hilton Geneva, The Hotel Angleterre in Lausanne has recently undergone a renovation phase to give new impetus to this venerable establishment, whose history dates back over 250 years, to the time when Lord Byron used to come and write his poems on the shores of Lake Geneva. Located at the port of Ouchy, this four-star hotel, managed like the luxurious Beau-Rivage Palace by the Sandoz group, has treated itself A new setting to combine timeless charm, modernity and eleganceThe hotel thus offers 75 updated rooms and junior suites, while subtly evoking the era of the Romantic painters.
With light and softness, the distant Alpine peaks and the lake as a horizon: the Angleterre hotel offers its verdant setting for "home from home" seminarsNestled in a green setting spread across its four buildings, the establishment dedicates one of its pavilions to meetings and executive committees, for professionals seeking relaxation and inspiration. This is achieved through four spaces ranging from 21 to 45 m² and a 70 m² lounge, more suited to receptions, while during good weather, cocktails can spill out onto the terrace or take place in the garden. An outdoor swimming pool and an Italian restaurant: the Hotel Angleterre is thus conducive to pleasant getaways. In every sense of the word, as it is EarthCheck Silver certified and classified at Level III of the Swisstainable programme, and can provide a free carbon footprint assessment for an event upon request.
Montreux: New Music, New Hit
With a gaze fixed on the future, a foundation built upon its rich past: the Montreux Music & Convention Centre (2M2C) reconnects the threads of its history after three years of closure for renovation. The time to reinvent this mythical venue, open since 1973 and which has seen all the stars pass through for the Montreux Jazz Festival, from Prince to Bowie or Freddie Mercury, from Aretha Franklin to Lady Gaga. Complete modernisation technical infrastructure and refurbishment of security and accessibility shutters, but also Full renovation residential and public spaces, and adapting the venue to the sustainability standards set out in ISO 20121: everything must change so that nothing changes, and so that the 2M2C remains a leading venue for both cultural and professional events. Indeed, B2B events account for 65% of its business, ranging from international conferences and corporate conventions to institutional summits.
For all these clients, the big change saw the 2M2C to open up to the outside, to connect with its sublime surroundings, a very large majority of the spaces now benefit from a view of the lake or the surrounding mountains behind large bay windows. Another development is the redesigned circulation, with the convention centre now having Five independent entries. " It's a considerable asset because it allows for better management of flows, avoids certain crossovers between audiences and, above all, offers each organiser a real cocoon. » describes Jean-Pierre Pigeon, Director General of 2M2C.
Boasting 18,000 m², 54 spaces spread across 4 exhibition halls, 15 subcommittee rooms, 6 simultaneous interpretation booths and 2 multi-purpose rooms, the Montreux Music & Convention Centre is once again making its mark on the international congress map. To top it all off, its venues are imbued with the memory of the celebrities who have graced its stage, whether it's the renowned Stravinski Auditorium, the Miles Davis Hall, or the new Quincy Jones Hall. The 2M2C is not just technical infrastructure: there's a vibe, a memory, something alive within its walls.explains Jean-Pierre Pigeon. And that also counts towards the experience of events. "
Zurich: Mama Shelter adopts Swiss time
Mama Shelter has made its debut in Switzerland by participating in the lifestyle revival of one of Zurich's flagship establishments: the former Swissôtel. For a long time, it was a popular venue for corporate events – particularly because the tower it occupies is one of the tallest in the city – and it aims to become so again, driven by this brand with its joyful and creative DNA. Mama Shelter Zurich Indeed, it shakes up the codes of business hotels with a hotel that has a playful spirit, fitting into the energy of Oerlikon, a former industrial district that has become a cultural and economic hub.
Located just a stone's throw from the train station and a ten-minute walk from the exhibition centre, while still being close to the city centre, Mama Shelter Zurich is an essential address for organisers looking for an atypical and resolutely human venue. To this end, this 178-room hotel – with light wood walls to incorporate local heritage into its design – dedicates an entire floor to private and professional events.
Divided into three modular workshops of 80 to 100 m², which can be joined together, this 550 m² space also includes four studios for more intimate formats, a 28 m² "Mama Creates" chill-out area, as well as a vast "Break-Room" for breaks. While groups have a banquet hall separate from the restaurant for meals, this creative urban retreat takes care of everything for relaxation with its large green terrace in fine weather or, indoors, a billiards table and a table football as well as DJ or karaoke evenings to boost team spirit.
Basel: the industrial past reinvented
With the Work 8 or the A sixty-sixBasel is bringing professional events into the post-industrial era. Behind these code names lie two venues that are both original and trendy for lively evenings or studious conferences. A former machine tool production site founded in the 19th centurye Built in the 19th century by the Sulzer-Burckhardt company, Werk 8 was transformed into a lively venue in the late 1990s under the guidance of architects Barbara Buser and Erich Honegger, two leading figures in the conversion of disused spaces. Since then, the hall, whose original architecture has been preserved, has housed a bar-restaurant that has carved out a prime spot on Basel's mixology scene.
Large volumes under its glass roof, a metal structure, exposed concrete: this 640 m² space can be privatised in its entirety for up to 450 people, or host several groups simultaneously, depending on their size. Receptions, workshops, meals, product presentations: Everything is possible, during the day as well as in the evening.
Also adapted for hosting professional events, A 66 offers a bright, modern space in the heart of the city, in Basel's historic district, in what was formerly the Bühler AG printing works, designed in the late 1940s by Ernst Egeler. Impressive volumes, large bay windows: the venue had already captivated architect Hans Zwimpfer, who established his offices there in the 1980s and made it a centre dedicated to architecture, design, and innovation.
Now owned by the scientific publisher MDPI, the A 66's timeless architecture is suitable for academic events as well as corporate meetings, offering all guests state-of-the-art technical equipment and, for relaxation, a bar and a bistro, as well as a lounge area. Available for full rentalwith a main hall capable of seating approximately 120 people and several additional meeting rooms, the venue is ideally suited for sophisticated networking events, workshops, professional conferences, expert meetings, symposiums, and round tables.
