Best All-Inclusive Corporate Retreats for UK Businesses
By Ellena Wilson
The UK workforce remains one of the least engaged workforces in Europe, this is why for businesses looking to build their next big corporate event, they need more than just a day-event. Corporate retreats are all about reconnection, realignment and investment in staff wellbeing. But if your company is considering up scaling your retreats, think further than the UK countryside and choose an all-inclusive corporate retreat at a destination.
The all-inclusive element elevates your event from standard to a higher luxury standard. By bundling the accommodation, catering, meeting facilities, activities and transport into one single package, businesses gain budget certainty and efficiency whilst reducing administration and increasing a more engaging experience for employees.
These all-inclusive corporate retreats mean that you can spend less time worrying about logistics and more time bringing your people together, especially with included on-site support.
These all-inclusive corporate retreats mean that you can spend less time worrying about logistics and more time bringing your people together, especially with included on-site support from a dedicated corporate retreat facilitator. But first of all:
STRENGTHEN YOUR WORKFORCE
REWARD YOUR EMPLOYEES
TAKE THE OFFICE OUTSIDE
ALIGN STRATEGY WITH SUCCESS
What is an all-inclusive corporate retreat?
An all-inclusive corporate retreat is a professionally organised business event where every aspect of the experience is planned, coordinated, and managed as part of a single package.
Many people associate “all-inclusive” with everything being covered in the price However, at a corporate level this often goes far beyond food, drinks and accommodation. An all-inclusive corporate retreat considered every aspect for attendees, even down to the visas.
At its most comprehensive, an all-inclusive corporate retreat can include:
- Flights
- Airport transfers
- Accommodation and venue finding
- Breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner
- Drinks packages
- Meeting rooms
- AV equipment
- Team-building activities
- Evening entertainment
- Day-time activities
- Private dinners (full buyout of resort restaurant?)
- Any excursions (cultural, leisure, adventure)
- Event management (planning, coordinating etc)
- Onsite support
- Contingency
All your companies’ major costs are agreed in advance, which means fewer employee expenses, fewer unexpected supplier bills and less administrative costs during and after the event.
The best all-inclusive corporate retreats are clear on everything. Think of how the three core-planning stages will deliver the retreat.
A pay-as-you-go route: Provides greater flexibility but can quickly spiral out of control. If your attendees are drinking or have free time, the budget can quickly spread thin if not thoroughly pre negotiated.
All-inclusive corporate retreats are not a one-size fits all solution, they should be bespoke to your business. When planning your retreat, decide upon your ‘base’ budget then investigate the extras of the more lavish activities and meals. Alternatively seeking planning assistance from a trusted events agency like Red Blaze can be the solution.
If your company are nervous about having ‘unlimited everything’, all-inclusive can be crafted bespoke to you. For corporate groups, it can be an option to consider your all-inclusive definition can be included and optional extras clearly separated on the budget so you can select the budget more suited to your needs and ultimately curate the experience your company needs. Planning your final budget is easier to decide after selecting your destination.
For a group of 30 delegates, a £40,000 budget will spread further in Southern Europe as shorter flights will tighten your budget as opposed to booking long –haul flights and transfers to Thailand or Costa Rica.
What are the best Countries for all-inclusive corporate retreats?
Portugal:
An ideal destination for the gastronomy experiences, sustainability, accessibility, wellness all at a reasonable price point.
Portugal has so many incredible cities that attract all-inclusive corporate retreats, it’s our favourite location for those wanting an international-retreat experience without travelling too far from the UK.
Cities like Lisbon, Cascais or the Algarve deliver a combination of everything your all-inclusive corporate retreat could be.
The activities of a Portuguese all-inclusive corporate:
- Water based activities: Sailing, Surfing, Kayaking, Canoeing, Inflatables
- Wellness based activities: Coastal Hikes, Wellness sessions, Spa experiences, Yoga and Pilates sessions
- Low level sport: Golf, Beach Olympics, Beach Day, Paddleboarding
- A structured Corporate Algarve Olympic Games
The option to have a competitive corporate-retreat or team-building sport theme with differing levels of agility.
Our top accommodation options for Portugal:
- Ukino Terrace Algarve
- Auramar Beach Resort
- Pestana Blue Alvor Beach
- Sheraton Cascais Resort
- Club Med Da Balaia, Algarve
Portugal works particularly well for a September retreat. Moving outside the busiest summer weeks can make European destinations more practical for corporate groups.
Spain:
At the heart of Spanish all-inclusive corporate retreats is nightlife, culture and sport incentive activities.
As Spain is a short flight away, the diverse cities give businesses enormous flexibility for corporate retreats, it’s a year-round perfect destination that can combine business facilities with culture.
Beach, City or Both?
Marbella and Malaga: Like Portugal can lend itself to sport, sunshine, sport and team building. It’s the perfect place to combine beach sport days with more relaxed.
Barcelona: Business facilities, busy metropolitan city with incredible architecture.
Ibiza: A destination with a higher price (lower out of season) but is ideal for a higher-energy partying atmosphere.
What does an all-inclusive corporate retreat look like in Marbella?
Objective
To bring the Body Smart Fitness team from around the UK and USA to collaborate and unwind in a fun, engaging and fitness-oriented environment, whilst treating the team to a hot climate before the winter. Red Blaze stepped in as the dedicated corporate retreat planner to help deliver this unique flagship team retreat.
The Solution
This year, Red Blaze was privileged to assist Body Smart Fitness with their annual Corporate Retreat, bringing together UK and US employees in Marbella, Spain. The objective? For Red Blaze to organise and execute a three-night retreat filled with fun activities, evening entertainment and moments to celebrate the company’s achievements.
The group arrived intermittently at Club Med Resort, greeted with welcome drinks to start their retreat on a high note. The team then savoured dinner at Suenos Restaurant, before spending their evening at leisure. The following day, the group participated in team meetings and posed for team photos, before enjoying the afternoon with the best that Club Med has to offer. Activities included pool games, paddle, golf, tennis and beach volleyball.
The next day began following an onsite dinner the previous night. The group engaged in a surprise hotel activity, before enjoying another evening of leisure, with some of the group exploring Marbella’s lively nightlife. The following day, the team enjoyed their breakfast before departing for home.
Learn more by reading our case study. Just click here.
Italy:
With some of the richest, long-standing modern cultures, Italy is the perfect destination for European luxury, food and memorable cultural experiences.
If your all-inclusive corporate retreat is focused more upon the retreat aspect than the corporate side, Italy is perfect. Sicily and the Amalfi Coast are on the more expensive price budget but are so worth it.
Club Med Cefalù, Sicily
Club Med is an excellent brand this venue is a part of the brand’s exclusive collection. Situated on Sicily’s northern coast and hosts 28 activities from yoga to paddleboarding. When selecting a beautiful destination, a simple sunset dinner with excellent local food and incredible views can be far more memorable than an extravagant themed event.
Costa Rica:
For companies prepared to make a longer flight, Costa Rica provides an entirely different corporate experience. Teams can build programmes centred around nature, adventure and wellness not just European sun but Southern American rainforests, wildlife, water activities and experiences. Costa Rica is an incredible place for a bucket-list incentive travel location that can be centred around sustainability.
Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica overlooks Papagayo Bay and Hyatt markets this resort as an excellent venue for meetings and incentive trips. There are a multitude of group dining options and dedicated planning support. With 202 rooms, suites and event spaces that can accommodate awards evening and a functioning conference venue.
Thailand:
Another destination with a further flight is Thailand. Once again, it is not a suitable destination for a quick two-night company offsite and would most definitely hike your budget up. For a 4–5-night incentive all-inclusive corporate retreat but ultimately would be very worth it.
Teams can experience a plethora of activities where experiencing it in Thailand is most defiantly a bucket-list experience.
Consider Incorporating:
- Thai cooking experiences
- Muay Thai
- Wellness experiences at resorts or in the wildlife, the beaches
- Cultural Tours
- Group Dining
- Water Activities
Club Med Phuket:
The recently renovated Club Med Phuket offers 31 activities and has onsite Thai cooking and Thai boxing available. For UK businesses looking for all-inclusive corporate retreats, a Thailand event is on the premium end. The objective is not the hold meetings and team-building activities offsite but to provide genuine once-in-a-lifetime rewards.
The Ultimate Top Tip when planning your all-inclusive corporate retreat:
Don’t over-program your retreat.
If you’ve selected a beautiful resort with excellent facilities that your team seem genuinely excited for, they will need enough free time to use them. Although it is not a holiday, the team will need time for themselves to relax and unwind and prepare for any excursions or dinners. They also will want time to use the pool or an impromptu game of paddle and badminton or even relaxing in the gardens.
How much should a corporate retreat cost?
We previously briefly discussed price-points in this article and whilst this is one of the most frequently asked question, the answer is frustratingly very subjective. Ultimately, it comes down to these factors:
- Destination
- Hotel Standard
- Flight Dates (school term times, in season, out of season)
- Room Configuration (twin rooms or single rooms – villas or hotels?)
- Activities (hot air balloons vs school sports day)
- Level of exclusivity (full buyout?)
An example of a 3-day all-inclusive corporate retreat itinerary (working with a budget of £40-£50k):
Day 1: Arrival and reconnecting with your attendees
The morning would be flying from London Gatwick or Heathrow and is followed by a private coach to the resort with refreshment upon arrival. Allow your employees time to check in, unpack in their rooms and settle in before the group come together for an informal working lunch. Do not schedule a two-hour presentation immediately after a flight as the attendees will need time to adjust to their new surroundings. Instead, follow with a short resort-based orientation and a light team activity. As the evening draws in, this is where the retreat feels like it is truly beginning. The first evening is not surround about the corporate aspect of the retreat but instead getting to know one another and begin with sunset welcome drinks, followed by a three-course group dinner. Allow for the option for a bar or entertainment segment after the dinner but understand that many may want to retire, ready for two action-packed days.
Day 2: Rewards whilst realigning with your team
Start with an earlier breakfast as this shall be your longest day in the working portion of the programme. Allocate a 10am-12pm segment for the corporate kick off. This is where you shall incorporate company updates, leadership presentations and then break into smaller groups for strategy workshops. After the first working segment has ended move the group to a luncheon with a view. The afternoon activity could be free time if the activities are paid for differently. Alternatively, some healthy competition could surround a city-scavenger hunt, cooking competitions, beach Olympics or even a sailing challenge. Alternatively, a CSR or sustainability activity is the perfect way to incorporate green activities to where you’re visiting, giving back to local communities and wildlife. As this would be the final evening, this is ultimately your retreats biggest social moment where instead of a restaurant table, transform the space to a big social moment where the private dinner feels like a celebratory event. Perhaps themes to your destination or a reflection of your brands goals.
Some all-inclusive corporate retreat theme ideas:
- Retro 80s-night, Farm-To-Table, Hard-Rock
- Alice-In-Wonderland, Barbie, Bridgerton, Burlesque
- Enchanted Forest, Japanese Cherry Blossom, Mardi Gras
- Shipwrecked, Under-the-sea, Treasure Island
Transform your dinner into an evening long event by incorporating an awards ceremony or even live music if it is appropriate.
Day 3: A post retreat reflection and a return home
Begin the day with breakfast at leisure with the space for mindful activities, as a chance to reflect on the corporate retreat. Optional yoga or even a coastal walk.
A short closing session about what your team is going to take from the retreat and bring back to the business. Follow with lunch before private transfers back to the airport.
What your Leadership Retreat to Lisbon Could Cost:
This is an estimated scale of costs, prices ultimately can rise and drop due to flights, venue demand etc. For a more detailed and current pricing budget, contact Red Blaze to begin planning your all-inclusive corporate retreat.
Cost Item | Per Person | Total |
Return flights London-Lisbon | £250 | £7,500 |
Accommodation (2 nights) | £450 | £13,500 |
Premium all-inclusive food & beverages | £450 | £13,500 |
Airport transfers | £50 | £1,500 |
Meeting room hire & AV | £100 | £3,000 |
Team-building activity | £125 | £3,750 |
Contingency (5%) | £70 | £2,100 |
Total Cost | £1,495 | £44,850 |
The above estimation is based upon a quality 4-Star hotel in Lisbon. For a group of 30 attendees, a comparable all-inclusive corporate retreat in Europe would typically range from £36000-£50000. If you’re looking to enhance your experience or upgrade your accommodation, then you should look to budget £51000-£69000. Premium leadership all-inclusive corporate retreats will range from £75000+ in peak seasons for luxury five-star resorts, unique experiences and enhanced event support.
Ready to plan your next all-inclusive corporate retreat?
Whether it’s 30 people in Portugal, a company-wide retreat in Marbella or a once-in-a-lifetime incentive programme further afield, Red Blaze can manage the experience from the initial venue search through to the journey home.
From flights and accommodation to activities, dining, attendee management and onsite delivery, we’ll build the retreat around your people, your objectives and your budget.
Speak to Red Blaze about your next all-inclusive corporate retreat.
