How to get the most out of your meeting room booking

28 May 2025

Tiegan-Lee Dunscombe, Colony’s Event Coordinator, shares her top tips for making the most of your teams when booking a Colony meeting room.

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At Colony, we have more than 25 meeting rooms to choose from, and with the right setup, your next meeting could be your most productive yet. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

As Colony’s Event Coordinator, I’ve had the pleasure of welcoming guests from all over the world to Manchester, a city that continues to grow in influence as a leading destination for meetings and events.

Recently named one of Cvent’s Top 25 Meeting Destinations in Europe, Manchester is now firmly on the map alongside London as one of the UK’s most sought-after locations for conferences, business meetings, and events of all kinds.

With that in mind, booking a meeting space in this important city should be simple, and fortunately, with Colony, it is!

But from experience, I know there’s more to a successful meeting than just a room with a table and chairs.

That’s why I’ve put together a quick guide to help you choose the right space and make every meeting minute count.

Choose a location that works for everyone

First thing’s first, where do you want your meeting to happen?

Location plays a big role in how easy it is for your team and guests to attend, so consider where your attendees live and work. If some members work remotely or live outside the city, I’d recommend choosing a meeting room near major transport links.

For example, our new venue, Colony Spring Gardens, is a great option for Manchester-based teams hosting clients or colleagues travelling from further afield. It’s just a few steps from St Peter’s Square and Market Street tram stops, as well as being only a 10-15-minute walk from both Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria stations. It’s also conveniently located near a wide range of hotel options for guests staying overnight.

Pick a room size

When it comes to booking meeting rooms, size really does matter.

Colony’s meeting rooms range from intimate spaces for four people, perfect for one-to-ones and catch ups, to larger setups that comfortably seat up to 18, ideal for board meetings or quarterly gatherings.

One of my top tips is to always check your meeting room has everything you need before booking, like screenshare technology and seating. You can easily find all the details about capacity and amenities on the Colony portal or app.

Every meeting room has a maximum capacity, but if you need an extra chair or two, that’s absolutely fine with us! If you have a seating request, such as theatre style, just check in with the team at Colony, who will be happy to see what they can do to accommodate you.

Colony Spring Gardens - MR 5.02

Create the right atmosphere

One of the most important factors to consider is what kind of space will best suit your meeting.

Location and size are a great starting point but don’t click ‘book’ just yet. The setting of your meeting plays a big role in shaping the atmosphere and mindset of your team.

A formal room can help keep everyone focused and aligned with your objectives, while a more relaxed or visually interesting space can encourage open conversation and creativity.

For example, Colony Spring Gardens has two meeting rooms, each seating up to seven people and equipped with screen sharing technology and large windows that let in plenty of natural light.

The first, MR 5.01, offers a refined, professional setting with oak finishes, perfect for structured meetings.

Alternatively, MR 5.02 is a softer, more creative space with calming shades of green and pink, ideal for workshops and brainstorming sessions.

Book early and be on time!

I can’t stress this enough, once you’ve chosen your meeting room, it’s best to book it as soon as possible. Our fabulous meeting rooms get booked up fast and you don’t want to miss out!

Another tip is to be punctual. Arriving late means losing valuable meeting time. If you think you'll need a bit longer, you can always extend your booking by speaking to a member of the team (as long as the room isn’t reserved right after your session).

If it’s a long meeting, take breaks

Once you’ve reserved a meeting room at Colony, no one is going to walk in and take it from you.

If your session lasts more than an hour, I (and most health professionals) recommend taking regular breaks. Whether it’s topping up your tea and coffee in our social kitchens or going for a short walk around our lovely buildings to stretch your legs, a quick pause can help everyone recharge their batteries and stay productive.

It’s also worth including some light ice breakers or team bonding activities to keep energy levels up, while our Co-lounges are great for informal breakout chats or downtime between sessions.

Colony Spring Gardens - MR 5.01

Consider your catering options

For meetings that run over an hour, it’s nice to have a few refreshments and potentially even some food available to keep your team fueled and energised.

While we don’t offer in-house catering, our community leads are happy to lay out tea, coffee, and biscuits for your team to help themselves to.

If you need something more substantial, you’re welcome to arrange your own food or use one of our trusted local caterers. We have a list of businesses we love, but you’re free to use whichever provider suits you best.

All of our venues are located in vibrant neighbourhoods filled with cafés and restaurants if you'd rather head out for a working lunch or coffee break.

Ready to book your next meeting?

I hope this has given you a few useful things to think about before organising your next team gathering.

To celebrate the launch of our new Colony Spring Gardens venue, we’re offering 25% off our two brand-new meeting rooms for a limited time. Just use the code ‘SPRING25’ when you book!

Looking to plan something a little bigger? Check out my guide to booking an event here.

Whether you're planning a workshop, board meeting, one-to-one, or something in between, Colony has more than 25 meeting rooms to choose from. You can explore your options by clicking the link below.