These four examples of venues, coast to coast, offer great spaces with no room nights required, as alternatives to hotel meeting spaces.

The Carlu
A national historic site hailed as one of the finest examples of Art Moderne architecture, this versatile event space is right on the subway line in downtown Toronto and has tons of parking. “It’s a whole collection of attributes that makes The Carlu so great and gets people so jazzed,” says Mark Robert, managing partner. For events of up to 350, the Round Room (yes, it really is round) is one of its most memorable gathering spots, accented with a crystal fountain centrepiece under a domed ceiling and grand circular light fixture. thecarlu.com

Centre Mont-Royal
From cocktails to concerts to conferences, this IACC-certified property in Montreal offers groups diversity with hotel-style services. Choose one of three multi-functional foyers with floor-to-ceiling windows for breakouts and lunches, meetings in one of six conference halls, or a gala in the Symposia Theatre. Surrounded by the chic hotels of the city’s Golden Square Mile, “We are like a mini convention centre with an extensive supporting cast of accommodation options,” says Luis Riberio, director of sales and business development. About 3,500 hotel rooms are within walking distance. centremontroyal.com

Pier 21
Once a portal for more than one million immigrants arriving through Halifax, this museum and event venue may evoke a personal history with many attendees. “One in five Canadians can tie their history to Pier 21,” says manager of facility rentals Lauren Patterson. Special programs are offered with conference registration to research family immigration history prior to your event. Operated by RCR Hospitality Group, the venue can accommodate receptions, banquets and meetings for groups of 20 to 550, and is within walking distance of the Westin Nova Scotian and the Cunard Centre. pier21.ca

Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
This cultural gem in Whistler, B.C., was a site for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, providing a green, LEED-certified venue. The stunning architectural backdrop of natural stone, wood and glass is intended to evoke a traditional Squamish long-house and a Lil’wat Istken (pit house). With details like carved cedar entry doors, original artwork and artifacts, and gorgeous forest views, the massive event space includes a museum and an 80-seat theatre. slcc.ca

What “bed-free” venues do you use for your conferences? Share your ideas and connect with peers on Facebook or at IgniteMeetingsConnect. More resources at ignitemag.ca.

INCENTIVES + MEETINGS
Meeting solutions for the little guy.
StarCite and Experient have introduced a service and technology bundle that aims to make it easier for small and medium-sized North American companies to manage their meeting and event spending. The launch of MeetingComplete brings together Experient’s strategic meetings management strategy, implementation and sourcing services, and StarCite’s meetings technology. The goal is to help companies design and implement meeting policies, better consolidate data, keep track of attendees, and provide more accurate reporting.

CORPORATE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT
Equal opportunities!
The Ontario Restaurant, Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) and the Government of Ontario have been working together to develop tools and resources to help the hospitality sector prepare for compliance to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). By Jan. 1, 2012, businesses must comply with the Accessible Customer Service Standard, the first of three accessibility standards under the Act. ORHMA has prepared a guide with information to help your business be AODA compliant that includes links to hospitality policy templates and best practice reviews. For more information and resources, go to the ORHMA website.

Corporate Gifts + Rewards
And the winner is…
The Global Business Travel Association and The Wall Street Journal announced the winners of the 2011 Business Traveler Innovation Awards. Seasoned road warriors nominated the services, products and ideas that make business travel easier and more productive, and the submissions were put to the public for a vote. The People’s Choice Award went to Hertz for NeverLost Generation5, a concierge-assisted routing service that creates and sends trips on demand right into the navigation device in travellers’ rental cars. Hertz will be honoured at the 2011 GBTA Convention in Denver, Colorado on Aug. 23, as will the winner of the Judges’ Selection Award, to be chosen at the convention from the top thirteen submissions.