BDRC today unveiled the winners of the Venue Verdict Awards for customer satisfaction with meeting venues. The Royal College of Physicians scoops the award for ‘No.1 UK Venue in 2007’, with Park Plaza Cardiff taking ‘No. 1 Hotel’ and the Sundial Group’s Woodside ‘No.1 Management Training Centre’. Sundial also takes the award for ‘No. 1 Venue Group’ for the second consecutive year, while Marriott claims top spot for ‘No. 1 Large Hotel Group’.

The Venue Verdict Awards are based on a combined performance across a series of measures, including overall satisfaction, likelihood to recommend, likelihood to return and the influence of the customer experience on brand perception. Event hosts are interviewed online after the close of their events, with feedback on all the key aspects of service delivered to general managers and venue staff in real-time.

Regional award winners included York Marriott (Yorkshire), Woodside (Midlands), Thistle Middlesbrough and Newcastle Marriott Hotel MetroCentre (joint winners for North East England), De Vere Venues Wychwood Park (North West England), Best Western Edinburgh Capital (Scotland), The Langstone Hotel (South Central), The Manor House (South East), Best Western Blunsdon House (South West), Park Plaza Cardiff (Wales and West England) and Royal College of Physicians (London).

Matt Costin, director of performance management at BDRC, commented: “The 2007 results not only illustrate the high standards of service that many venues are now delivering to customers, but also reinforce the connection between high standards and repeat business. Retaining customers is cheaper than winning new ones and we are seeing more evidence of the leading meeting venues taking a more proactive approach towards identifying high value customers and maintaining their relationship on an ongoing basis.”

The full list of award winners:

National Awards (UK)

• No. 1 Venue Group: Sundial
• No. 1 Large Hotel Group: Marriott
• No. 1 Venue (All categories): Royal College of Physicians
• No. 1 Hotel: Park Plaza Cardiff
• No. 1 Management Training Centre: Woodside, Kenilworth

Regional Awards

• London – Royal College of Physicians (CCE), Renaissance Chancery Court (Renaissance)
• Midlands –  Woodside, Kenilworth (Sundial Group), Eastwood Hall (Principal Hayley)
• South West – Blunsdon House Hotel (Best Western), Bailbrook House (Hilwood Resorts & Hotels)
• South Central – Langstone Hotel (Paten Hotels), Portsmouth Marriott (Marriott)
• South East – The Manor House, Godalming (CCE), Barnett Hill (Sundial)
• Wales & West of England – Park Plaza Cardiff (Park Plaza), Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel (Marriott)
• East of England – Best Western Marks Tey Hotel, Colchester (Paten Hotels), Marriott Hanbury Hotel & Country Club (Marriott)
• North West – Wychwood Park, Cheshire (De Vere Venues), Liverpool Marriott Hotel South (Marriott)
• North East (Joint Winners) – Thistle Middlesbrough (Thistle Hotels); Newcastle Marriott Hotel MetroCentre (Marriott)
• Yorkshire – York Marriott (Marriott), Barcelo Harrogate Majestic Hotel (Barcelo)
• Scotland – Edinburgh Capital (Best Western); Thistle Inverness (Thistle Hotels)