Trade fairs and conferences, especially in the fields of the medical and natural sciences, have a long tradition in Wiesbaden. Thanks to a wide variety of conference and meeting venues, Hessen’s state capital enjoys the reputation of a stylish event destination – without letting its reputation get the better of it. Lavish renovation and restoration work as well as continuous modernization efforts have created a perfect symbiosis between historical building materials and modern technology; a combination that event organizers, as well as trade fair and conference participants, hold in high esteem and don’t want to miss.
The Wiesbaden Kurhaus, which cooperates closely in numerous fairs and conferences with the Rhein-Main-Hallen Wiesbaden, also located in the city centre, represents this symbiosis like almost no other location. The multi-functional Kurhaus, opened in 1907, underwent a general renovation at the end of the 1980s and experienced a façade renovation, among other things, in the year 2009. The impressive foyer with its 21-metre-high dome is useful for glamorous receptions as well as for industrial exhibitions, and the numerous rooms in the Kurhaus and the winter garden form the ideal space for conferences and symposiums. The Friedrich-von-Thiersch Room, with seating for more than 1,000 guests, is a venue for formal receptions at conferences and fairs as well as a concert stage for noteworthy orchestras and a ballroom to be used at social highlights. The demand for modern ambience – whether for seminars, conferences, exhibitions or promotional and advertising events – is also fulfilled by the three rooms in the neighbouring Kurhaus Colonnade.
The exceptional comfort of the Wiesbaden Kurhaus and its Colonnade is perfectly complemented by good accessibility and outstanding parking availability. A landscape in front of the Kurhaus decorated by two impressive cascade fountains, the so-called Bowling Green, conceals a parking structure with space for around 520 vehicles. Guests arriving by car can find their way to the Kurhaus either via a double row of sycamore-lined walkways or underground via the elevator. The Bowling Green has long been established as an exciting location for open air concerts and is counted among the most popular open air stages in Germany, along with the Waldbühne in Berlin and the Königsplatz in Munich.
Stars from classical and pop – including Domingo, Pavarotti, Carreras or Eric Clapton, Lionel Ritchie and Elton John – have inspired more than 10,000 visitors in front of the splendid backdrop of the Kurhaus.
Functionality and convenience, as offered by the Rhein-Main-Hallen Wiesbaden with its approximatly 20,000-square-metre exhibition space and its large conference hall for up to 3,000 guests, are more and more in demand in combination with an exceptional location.
The hunting lodge located next to the Wiesbaden Kurhaus can offer space and the stylish ambience needed for trade fair and conference banquets, formal receptions or entertaining and informative get-togethers for the participants. This gem, not far from the city centre of Wiesbaden, claims its own uniqueness – and fulfills the demands of modern infrastructure. This Renaissance building from the year 1826 was destroyed in World War II and its ruins were a sightseeing destination from the 1990s; today, after several years of renovation and restoration work, it presents an ideal location for events of all kinds. The old architecture, a new glass roof and a unique observation platform allow the castle lodge to be attractive as an extraordinary location for a total of up to approximately 600 guests.
Customers of the Wiesbaden Kurhaus include international corporations as well as large banks and insurance companies. They gladly rely on the in-house Congress Service, which on request can provide logistics, technology, administration of events and hotel accommodation as well as the organization of supporting programmes, including popular and entertaining tourist attractions in the nearby Rheingau region. Kurhaus Wiesbaden GmbH is also a member of the Wiesbaden Congress Alliance, which combines large event centres in the city from sectors such as the Wiesbaden hotel trade as well as patrons from industry. The Congress Alliance, under the general management of Wiesbaden Marketing GmbH, presents the service offerings of its partner as under the roof and thus contributes to sharpening the state capital of Hessen’s reputation in the national and international market as an attractive destination for fairs, conferences and meetings.
The historic façade of the Wiesbaden Kurhaus, which can also be booked as a whole, conceals a modern event administration system with the latest technology: The rooms can be connected via central control for audio/visual and acoustic content, and simultaneous interpretation is available as well as radio and television broadcast.
Kurhaus-Gastronomie Gerd Käfer & Roland Kuffler GmbH provides a wide variety of culinary offerings in the elegant, impressive and opulent Kurhaus, which runs a popular restaurant in the French Brasserie style, enjoyed by Wiesbadeners and guests alike, as well as a beer garden in the Kurpark and an art nouveau restaurant in the Wiesbaden casino inside the Kurhaus.
Born in Münster in 1950, the author has been employed at the Kurhaus Wiesbaden operations since 1985; since 1996 he has been director of spa and executive director of today’s Kurhaus Wiesbaden GmbH. Previously he completed training in Münster as a hotel and restaurant administrator and holds a degree from the Hotelfachschule Heidelberg as a state certified graduate in business management.
