An Anchor of Stability for Decades

In the Amstelpark and at the edge of the Zuidas lies Rosarium, an event venue that has been a household name for decades, particularly in the market of corporate events. How has Rosarium managed to be running for so long? By being ‘simply good’ in a constantly changing market, by staying good, and by always innovating. GreaterVenues went to research this well-known Amsterdam-based venue.

It doesn’t take an expert to understand that the location of a venue is of paramount importance for events. And if you make your way to Rosarium, past the megacorporations on the Zuidas, past the big hotels and countless startups, it’s not hard to see that the market Rosarium serves is in fact in their backyard. The fact that it’s also right in the middle of the popular Amstelpark, that it’s surrounded by greenery, that it has ample parking and that it’s easily accessible by public transport; those aspects makes this event venue top tier.

Quality

Owner Maarten van Eembergen agrees that the location contributed to the longevity of Rosarium, but states that a good location alone is not enough. “Of course, we’re on a fantastic spot here. But that’s not enough. I think that we’ve been running for so long because we’re an anchor of stability in a constantly changing market. We see event venues doing the craziest things to stay relevant, with sometimes carnivalesque actions. But a successful event is not a circus, as far as we’re concerned. We aim for longevity by being ‘simply good’.”

In any case, Rosarium’s longevity shows that this approach has proven fruitful. But what exactly does this approach entail? This starts with the high segment in which Rosarium operates. Events at this venue are usually not overly flashy, because the guests – usually from the fields of IT, finance or the medical/scientific world – don’t need this. They need quality, excellent facilities and a certain degree of discretion.

Parklounge & Parker’s Wine Bar & Restaurant

These needs are met immediately after stepping into the Parklounge upon entering Rosarium. Recently renovated, this space offers all the above wishes of the customers: it’s luxurious, feels chic, but it’s not over the top. A semicircular, open stellar that reaches to the ceiling is well filled with beautiful bottles of wine. Of course, a sommelier in tight suit is present. The Parklounge is the perfect place to welcome guests and taste good wine and enjoy a luxurious atmosphere.

Opposite the Parklounge is the Wine Bar and Parker’s exclusive restaurant that consists of two parts. A smaller, enclosed part forms the restaurant, which is separate from the event venue and is accessible to the public for excellent food. The larger part, called the Wine Bar, is used for events and can be used for receptions or dinner. The beauty is that Rosarium has its own kitchen crew that caters for both the restaurant and events. And if you go for quality, then your own kitchen staff who cook at the highest level is a smart way to ensure continuity in F&B as the basis of your location. The chefs can also put together customized menus for events.

Event Spaces

From the public areas (the Parklounge, the Wine Bar and Parker’s restaurant), guests can make their way to one of the many events rooms after the reception. There’s a total of ten event spaces (!). Maarten: “We observed a demand in the market: break-out rooms to divide events, rather than just large plenary spaces. Rosarium actually consists of a chain of break-out rooms, which can be used combined or separately, depending on the needs of the client.”

Indeed, behind the Wine Bar, there’s an ‘event street’: a corridor with four doors on both sides that offer access to the event spaces behind it. Because of some smart movable walls, these spaces can also be combined. In this way, in consultation with Rosarium’s creative team, clients can look at whatever setup best suits their event.

Next to each door is a digital display on which information is displayed about what kind of event is going on, but it’s a nice tool for some additional branding as well: you can display the company logo and much more on it. These are the kind of details that make Rosarium ‘simply good’.

The style of the event rooms is – like the rest of the property – chic, sleek and modern. Neutral colours provide a light feeling and all rooms offer a view of the green park and the water that surrounds the Amstelpark. You won’t find distracting embellishment or lavish fringe here, it’s just warm and stylish. The basic facilities are also excellent. Maarten: “We have good AV installations everywhere, because light and sound facilities are so extremely important for every event imaginable. These are the aspects we can never cut back on to stay relevant.”

Team

When we walk into the final event space, a part of Rosarium’s team is busy working on a table. With three of them, they stand bent over a table and slide a fork or a knife a millimeter to the right here and there. “The details must be right. Everything has to be right. That’s what we want to stand for, and we have a fantastic team that’s really passionate about that. We now employ about 20 people, from managers to dishwashers, and everyone is committed 150% to deliver excellence for every event,” Maarten concludes.

And that’s what it means to be ‘simply good’: offer luxury and excellence and make every event a great experience. The team of this event venue has been doing it for many years, by maintaining a sober approach to events and always going for top quality. If you need high quality without too much craziness for your event, visit Rosarium.