MURThank you for your response to the earlier posts in the series for the best hotels for team building programs in South India, North India, Goa and West India. We round up our journey in search of the best hotels and resorts for team building programs and team off-sites across India by covering the East and North East of the country in this post. As earlier, we have kept the same criteria in mind while selecting our top 6, which include quality of banquets and accommodation, connectivity from major cities across the country amongst others. Below are our list of top 6 hotels and resorts in East India for conducting team building programs and leadership workshops (in no particular order)
1. Vedic Village Spa Resort, Kolkata
Now operated under the Best Western brand, The Vedic Village Spa Resort is one of our favourite options for teams looking for venues in and around Kolkata. The convenient location (at a 30 minute drive from the Kolkata airport) makes it also suitable for teams which are spread across geographic locations.
Source: vedicvillage
The resort boasts a good green environment and has interesting leisure options available for guests, including kite flying, archery, horse riding etc. The big swimming pool also makes it a convenient location to conduct our Rating Challenge team building activity. The banquet facilities are also good for medium sized groups of up-to 100 participants.
2. The Ffort Raichuk
The Ffort Raichuk Resort is constructed in an old fort style architecture and is majestically located in more than 60 acres of green landscape on the banks of the magnificent Ganges. A convenient 2 hours’ drive away from Kolkata Airport, this is one of the better options for teams converging from different parts of the country to one location in the East. The property is a beautiful mix of artificial water bodies and greenery and hosts a variety of interesting activity options – stargazing, bird watching, boat rides amongst them.
Source: Theffortraichuk
The conference facilities are good too, making it suitable for medium sized groups of up-to 100 people to host a team off-site. Conducting a Geocaching Challenge on the huge 65 acre property grounds is one of our favourite team building options at this venue.
The Mayfair Group boats of 3 good properties in the East of the country and all of them make it to our Top 6 list of properties in the East.
3. Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneshwar
As the name suggests, the Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneshwar is an excellent resort utilizing the spread of water bodies in the property to give a lagoon experience to visitors. The Kalinga style architecture of the buildings adds to the charm of the experience. The resort also has an excellent spa and a host of activity options for guests, which include sports options like basketball, tennis etc and boat rides in the lagoon.
Source: Mayfair Lagoon
One of the best features of the resort is the variety of conferencing facilities, more than ten options in indoor and outdoor combined make it an excellent choice for teams in the east who need multiple breakaway rooms for brainstorming and business planning sessions.
4. Mayfair, Gangtok
Our favourite amongst the 3 Mayfair properties in the east, The Mayfair Spa Resort and Casino is situated in the capital of Sikkim, Gangtok. The breath taking views of the Himalayan ranges and plush mountain forestry make every visit to this property a memorable one. It also boasts the only fully operational Casino in this part of the country! The number of options available for team activities, however make it just an added bonus to a memorable stay – the activities include jogging trails, trekking and mountain biking amongst others.
Setting up a cooking challenge outdoors, with the Himalayan mountain ranges providing the perfect backdrop is one of our recommended options for a team building activity at the venue.
Source: Mayfair Gangtok
The small but excellent conference facilities it an ideal option for small and mid size groups, especially leadership teams looking for a getaway from the corporate hustle and bustle.
5. Mayflower Heritage, Puri
Located on the beautiful Puri Beach, the Mayflower Heritage is an excellent option for teams based out of the East of India. The Bhubaneshwar airport is located a convenient 2 hours away and offers good connectivity to other parts of the country for teams having members flying in from different parts of the country as well.
Source: Mayfair Puri
The new conference rooms also make it a good option for large teams of upto 100 participants. A visit to the Jagannath Temple is a must do during a visit to this venue as are a dip in the pristine waters at the beach. The Beach Challenge is one of our favorite team building activities at the resort.
6. Ri Kynjai, Shillong
Overlooking the picturesque Umiam Lake in Shillong, the Ri Kynjai is an ideal offbeat destination for teams looking for a unique experience in the North East. The beautiful thatched hut style accommodation adds to the charm of the overall experience.
Source: Rikynjai
Spread over 45 acres of beautiful greenery, this is definitely a must visit for teams looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. The experiences at the resort include meandering walks in the beautiful environs to evening dance performance symbolizing the North East culture. The outdoor conference room with a panoramic view of the lake has to be one of the best outdoor conferencing experiences across the country and is an ideal option for leadership teams looking for a quiet getaway from the corporate jungle.
What are your favourite properties in the East of India for conducting team building programs and off-sites? Do join the conversation?
