The venue is the first big decision to plan a company retreat. It takes up most of the budget and defines the style of event and guest experience, meaning many of the other event choices are shaped around it.
If you’re comparing venues for corporate retreats in Michigan, here are some things to consider and questions to ask before making a decision.
What Type of Corporate Retreat Are You Planning?
Not every retreat has the same goals, so it’s important to think about what you want to accomplish before you make a decision. Based on your event type, here are some venue features to consider:
- Strategic planning or leadership retreat: A comfortable meeting room for focused group discussions, with a separate space for smaller conversations when needed.
- Team building: outdoor spaces and on-site activities allow for experiences that do not have to be trucked in.
- Department or company-wide day: Large conference spaces and parking that can accomodate everyone arriving at once.
- Board or nonprofit retreat: Privacy is key and pricing that can reasonably fit within your annual budget.
- Training or onboarding: lodging and meeting space in the same location allows for continued immersion after sessions conclude to promote team building and targeted learning.
- Year-end or milestone gathering: Delicious meals and on-site dining service provide comfort and ease while planning and a beautiful setting that feels like a reward instead of a conference room.
What Should I Look for in a Michigan Corporate Retreat Venue?
Meeting Space That Matches Your Format
Capacity gets quoted at maximum occupancy, which is not the way most groups sit. Ask for the number that applies to the layout you really want.
- Seating capacity for your layout: rounds, theater style, U-shape or classroom
- A breakout room or second space for small-group work
- Audio/visual equipment and Wi-Fi you can test before the day of
- Whether the room can be reset mid-day, and who does the resetting
Overnight Lodging on the Property
When people stay overnight for a retreat, where they sleep maters more than you think. When rooms sit a few steps from the meeting space, it’s easy to stay in “work mode”. Ask how many rooms are single occupancy and whether the whole group can be housed together.
Dining and Dietary Needs
- Whether meals come with the rental or get added on
- How dietary restrictions are collected and when the kitchen needs them
- Service style: buffet, plated, boxed lunches or stations
- Coffee and snack access outside of scheduled mealtimes
Gather dietary information at registration, not the week of the event. Kitchens need lead time, and late additions are where things go wrong.
Outdoor Space and Activities
Outdoor spaces and scenic views allow for rest and relaxation between work sessions. If this is important to you, look for centers that have additional acreage. Access to beautiful ground spaces and trails is a unique feature that a Michigan retreat center has to offer that a standard hotel ballroom does not. Trails, water and open lawn give you programming that costs nothing to run and a reason for people to get up from the table between sessions.
Drive Time From Your Office
For most Metro Detroit companies, the range that works is 45 to 75 minutes. Much past that and the drive starts eating the agenda. Check the route for anyone flying in, and confirm whether parking costs extra.
What the Rate Actually Covers
- The rental window, and the fee if you run past it
- A/V, setup, cleaning and parking charges
- Deposit amount and cancellation terms, in writing
- Whether another group will be on the property at the same time
- Who your on-site contact is during the event
Questions to Ask Before You Book a Corporate Retreat Venue
- How many people fit in this room in the layout we plan to use?
- Can we hold breakout sessions somewhere other than the main room?
- What is included in the rate, and what is billed as an add-on?
- Are meals available on site, and when do you need final counts?
- How do you handle allergies and dietary restrictions?
- Is there staff on-site during our event, and until what time?
- What happens to outdoor programming if the weather turns?
- Can we reserve the entire property for privacy?
- What is the cancellation policy and the deadline to make changes?
- May we tour the space before signing?
How Far in Advance to Book
- Multi-day retreats with lodging should be booked six to twelve months out, especially for fall and spring dates
- Large single-day events can usually be booked two to three months out
- Small day meetings are often available on much shorter notice, sometimes within a week
Weekends go first. Midweek dates stay open longer and give you more room to negotiate.
Why Companies Choose Maryville Retreat Center
Maryville Retreat Center sits on 240 acres along Lake Elliott in Holly, Michigan, roughly an hour from downtown Detroit and about 25 minutes from Flint. Companies book corporate retreats here when they want a refreshing change of scenery and an environment that fosters reflection and growth.
- Conference and meeting spaces with updated A/V, complimentary Wi-Fi and flexible layouts. The Lakeview Conference Room seats up to 80 at round tables or 100 theater style, with an adjacent small conference room and library for breakouts.
- The San Damiano Center, a standalone building with a serving area, meeting space, full IT and A/V capability and accessible entry, accommodating up to 100 guests.
- Felix and St. Joseph Lodges for groups of 10 to 20, with kitchenettes and living room seating for less formal working sessions.
- Overnight lodging on the property, so nobody has to drive anywhere once they arrive.
- Dining services prepared on site, customizable for vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan needs. Available as an add-on to your retreat.
- Recreation and activities including lake and nature trails, pontoon and pedal boats, beach, fire pit, screened gazebo and lawn games.
- Maryville is located at 18307 Taylor Lake Road in Holly, Michigan, about an hour northwest of downtown Detroit and roughly 25 minutes south of Flint. Ann Arbor is under an hour away, and Fenton is about 20 minutes up the road.
Staff are on site daily from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with an on-call team member after hours. Packages are broken out individually so groups can build the day around what they need.
Plan Your Corporate Retreat in Michigan
The fastest way to know whether a venue will work is to walk it. Book a tour, bring your headcount and a rough agenda, and find out whether the space is a good fit for your event. Call (248) 634-5566, email Info@MaryvilleRetreatCenter.org, or book your experience online.
