The next subject in our Vilnius Convention Bureau partner interview series is Janis Valodze, General Manager of the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel in Vilnius.
1. What is special about the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel – where is your strength when it comes to organizing a meeting or incentive?
I have the amazing opportunity to work for the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel. Our staff has a “Yes I can” attitude embedded in their DNA, they are not there to just make any event, but a very special one. In a more concrete sense, our historic hotel has a great mix of guest and conference rooms. We have 119 rooms and 6 conference rooms, the largest accommodating up to 100 people. And of course, the Astorija Brasserie, a French cuisine restaurant run by Gediminas Andriuskevicius is absolutely amazing, but we also have solid experience and are open to outside catering options.
2. What are the greatest benefits of Vilnius as a city in the eyes of international planners?
Vilnius is a great and convenient city with many benefits. Vilnius is very centrally located in Europe, it is not far from western or northern European countries and cities. Vilnius generally has a very easy and compact set up starting with the 6km trip from the airport to the fact that almost everything is in walking distance.
There are plenty of food and beverage options ranging from local specialities to international cuisines. Our city’s history and beautiful architecture are just a plus! In Vilnius, there are a lot of activities that are usually quite rare for a capital city such as hot air ballooning or kayaking. It is a very green city with many parks and hills. A short walk or drive can bring you to locations you feel are deep in the countryside, but you are actually a short distance from the capital city!
3. What is your personal hotspot in the city? Where do you go on a weekend with your family to enjoy the local spirit?
My absolute favorite place is the open kitchen in the Tymo Market which takes place every Friday during the summer months. It is a great place to relax after the work week, try different types of food, meet new people and listen to some music!
4. Do you have any new ideas on how to market Vilnius as an intl. congress space?
I believe the main focus should be to generally attract additional exposure on Vilnius as a whole. In my eyes, the main problem is that Vilnius is still relatively unknown! Everyone who visits Vilnius is excited and surprised, as have no idea how beautiful our city is!
Click here to read the rest of our interview series and more!
Your contact at the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel:
Janis Valodze
General Manager
janis.valodze@radissonblu.com
tel. +370 611 22323
www.radissonblu.com
Your contact in Vilnius:
Jolanta Beniuliene
Head of Vilnius Tourism and Convention Bureau
Go Vilnius | The official international economic
development agency of the City of Vilnius
jolanta.beniuliene@vilnius.lt
tel. +370 5 212 1833
www.vilnius-convention.lt
Your contact at tmf:
Ulrike Kiesel
Project Manger Content & PR
u.kiesel@tmf-dialogue.com
+49 931 9002 114