For more than 16 years, Meetings Star has been setting quality benchmarks for meeting destinations and hotels across New Europe through its independent and transparent evaluation system. In response to the growing importance of non-traditional event spaces, the platform introduced a new evaluation methodology in 2025, developed in collaboration with participating destinations and aligned with current industry dynamics.
Over the past year, anonymous “hidden guests” assessed a total of 38 standout special event venues, divided into two categories. Twenty-four venues were evaluated in the built historical venues category, comprising repurposed heritage properties adapted for events, while fourteen locations were reviewed in the outdoor and natural special venues category. The updated methodology allows for more comparable and qualitative assessments, reflecting how the role of event venues is evolving alongside changing formats, audience expectations and experiential design trends.
As event organisers increasingly seek distinctive locations that add narrative value and authenticity, special venues are becoming a central element of modern event strategies. Recognising this shift, Meetings Star has expanded its long-standing awards framework, traditionally focused on hotels and convention centres, to formally include special venues as a logical next step in the platform’s methodological evolution.
For the 2025/2026 cycle, Meetings Star awards for special event venues will be presented across two main categories, with winners to be revealed at the official gala award ceremony on 11 February 2026 during the Conventa trade show in Ljubljana. The announcement will mark the first official selection of leading special venues in New Europe under the Meetings Star system.
Purpose-built historical and repurposed venues
The first award category focuses on purpose-built historical and repurposed venues, spaces whose original function has been reimagined to host contemporary events. This group includes museums and galleries, castles and historical residences, industrial heritage buildings, former religious sites, theatres, educational institutions and other culturally significant properties now adapted for the meetings and events industry.
List of purpose-built historical and repurposed venues:
- ARENA PULA, Pula
- ARSENAL ZADAR, Zadar
- BARONE FORTRESS, Šibenik
- BLED CASTLE, Bled
- CASTLE TAGGENBRUN, St. Veit
- CASTLE TRAKOŠČAN, Trakoščan
- CENTER NOORDUNG, Vitanje
- CROATIAN STATE ARCHIVE, Zagreb
- DANUBIANA, Bratislava
- DOX PRAGUE, Prague
- FOTOGRAFISKA TALLINN, Tallinn
- HANGAR 7, Salzburg
- KASARNA KARLIN, Prague
- KULTURHAUS BROTFABRIK, Vienna
- KUNSTHAUS GRAZ, Graz
- LAUBA, Zagreb
- LJUBLJANA CASTLE, Ljubljana
- METASTADT, Vienna
- MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART, Zagreb
- OTOČEC CASTLE, Otočec
- SEAPLANE HARBOUR, Tallinn
- SZECHENYI THERMAL BATH, Budapest
- THE WHITE PALACE, Belgrade
- WINE CELLAR ŠIPČANIK, Podgorica
“Special venues have become one of the key differentiating factors of destinations that wish to become or remain competitive. Our new methodology will help us evaluate them equally and systematically based on the hidden guest experience and transparent quality standards. Our goal is to showcase that excellence in the events industry today is created where space, content and experiences merge into a convincing whole,” summarised Gorazd Čad, the initiator of the Meetings Star evaluation and co-founder of Conventa.
The evaluation of special venues is built around 15 carefully selected criteria, designed to deliver a holistic, balanced and comparable assessment of venue quality across markets.
Outdoor and natural event venues
The second category brings together outdoor and natural event venues, whose primary competitive advantage lies in their natural setting rather than built infrastructure. These include botanical gardens and parks, protected natural areas, waterfalls, caves and gorges, vineyards and wine cellars, lakeside and riverside locations, coastal settings, as well as mountain and Alpine venues.
List of outdoor and natural venues:
- BOCHNIA SALT MINE, Poland
- BRIONI ISLANDS, Croatia
- CASTLE VINEYARD LJUBLJANA, Slovenia
- CAVE ROMANE, Croatia
- CUBO GOLF COURSE, Slovenia
- DOPPLER ESTATE, Slovenia
- FERTORAKOS CAVE THEATRE, Hungary
- KITZSTEINHORN GLACIER, Austria
- LIPICA STUD FARM, Slovenia
- LJUBLJANA BOTANICAL GARDEN, Slovenia
- PARK ORSULA, Croatia
- POSTOJNA CAVE, Slovenia
- THALLASO SPA LEPA VIDA, Slovenia
- WIELICZKA SALT MINE, Poland
With its first-ever selection of outstanding special venues, Meetings Star is establishing a new reference framework for evaluating properties that play a critical role in the success of modern events. Beyond functionality, these venues contribute stories, atmosphere and memorable experiences, while significantly strengthening a destination’s international visibility and positioning.
