Hosting Your Corporate Retreat: Where to Stay, What to Do

Corporate retreats can strengthen your business. It can foster team unity, boost morale, and serve as a long-term talent retention strategy. But this company event must be organized well to deliver a return on investment, which means planning the corporate retreat with precision.

Here’s a quick guide to arranging your company’s retreat.

Planning Your Corporate Retreat

Every retreat starts with clear objectives. What is the main outcome you want to achieve from the corporate event?

Then, you need to consider the program and the activities that would allow your retreat to achieve those objectives. Once you know how your retreat will unfold, the next step is to look at locations that can meet all your requirements for the event.

Some companies plan by choosing the kind of retreat that aligns with their objectives.

What are the types of corporate retreats?

• Team-building – these retreats usually feature workshops and challenges.
• Strategy – this type of retreat schedules planning sessions and leadership summits.
• Wellness  – these retreats focus on helping employees learn mindfulness techniques and provide them with relaxation to reduce stress.
• Hybrid – this company retreat combines work sessions and leisure activities.

Budget

Whatever type of retreat you’re planning for the company, it needs to have a budget. A realistic and appropriate budget ensures financial control, efficient allocation of resources, and successful execution.

Location

The location of your corporate event venue is crucial. It not only sets the tone for the entire event but also shapes the participants’ experience and influences your return on investment.

One of the locations to consider is Ras Al Khaimah. The northernmost emirate offers some of the region’s unique cultural and historical experiences. With its archeological heritage, diverse cultural sites, and magnificent natural beauty — from the rugged mountain peaks to the golden beaches that stretch for miles — Ras Al Khaimah marries laid-back charm with thrilling adventures.

You and your team will find plenty of top things to do in Ras Al Khaimah, that’s for sure. The breadth of activities is not the only appeal for companies that hold their retreats in the emirate.

Ras Al Khaimah is also home to many luxury hotels and resorts, providing access to business-friendly venues and modern amenities. There are plenty of beachfront hotels, apartments and villas in the city, and ritzy accommodations near the desert.

Some of these accommodations include:

• Sofitel Al Hamra Beach Resort
• Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island
• InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah Mina Al Arab
• Anantara Mina Al Arab
• The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert
• Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah
• Rixos Bab Al Bahr

With various hotels in Ras Al Khaimah, your corporate retreat will have options on budget and amenities.

What you choose may be influenced by your retreat’s activities.

Activities and Engagement

The location and corporate event space you’re considering will shape the activities employees can expect.

If you’ve decided on a mountain lodge, your retreat schedule may include team challenges, including outdoor activities like hiking and ziplining. If you’ve picked a beachfront hotel, your retreat committee may organize watersports competitions and beachside dining under the stars. If your venue is near Ras Al Khaimah’s cultural sights, your retreat activities may include heritage and cultural tours, and wellness treatments.

The duration of your corporate retreat will also determine the number and level of activities to schedule. Some retreats last an entire day, which means prioritizing high-impact activities (e.g., skill-building workshops, team-building exercises, etc.). Other events happen over a few days, which leaves more room for more activities.

Event Design

Some of the big companies outsource their corporate retreat planning. A few might turn to their hotel of choice to facilitate the company event. Ras Al Khaimah hotels offer professional event planners who can customize and deliver a program that fits your retreat’s objectives.

A professional retreat facilitator will make the planning and execution process seamless and easier on your team. You’ll get access to support staff for event coordination, technology, and logistics. You may also benefit from the professional facilitator’s network of partners, including guest speakers or trainers for some sessions.

The facilitator can match your retreat objectives and team size to the venues and activities. You can then focus on quality time with your team.

The Details

Details matter when you’re planning any event. In this case, you’ll need to cover logistics and operations.

Depending on the venue, your retreat plan may need to organize travel arrangements for remote employees or everyone. Will you need to schedule airport transfers at different times? Can you hire just one bus to take everyone from the airport to the hotel?

Another key detail is the food. Some of your team members may have dietary restrictions due to health (e.g., low salt, low fat, no sugar, etc.), allergies (e.g., gluten, nuts, lactose intolerance, etc.) or lifestyle (e.g., veganism, vegetarianism, paleo diet, etc.). Information about your team’s dietary restrictions will inform what menus your retreat must offer.

The next detail to take care of is the schedule. Although corporate retreats bring the team closer together and inspire creativity, don’t overfill the program.

Do not pack the schedule with back-to-back sessions because the retreat may cause stress. Give participants time off between sessions to explore the venue, engage with other employees naturally, and breathe.

Finally, make sure that room arrangements make sense for the team. If you’re on a budget, communicate shared accommodations early on. When participants have to lodge together, ensure that they’re compatible to avoid awkwardness.

Choosing Your Corporate Event Venue

Corporate retreats offer several benefits to the business, from fostering team unity to providing a growth strategy. Whether you’re organizing a small or big retreat, create an environment where everyone can recharge and collaborate in the best way possible.

Ras Al Khaimah can create that environment and ensure one unforgettable corporate getaway.

Learn more about Ras Al Khaimah today.