What does it feel like to come together at Hotel de Londres Brig, exchange ideas and move forward together? We think our guests say it best.

“A space for creative thinking. As a concept and creative agency, we like places that are different and inspiring. For us, the Hotel de Londres Brig is exactly that kind of place. Its distinctive atmosphere and the intriguing mix of guests and club members give the space a character all of its own. A place to feel at ease, where thoughts flow, ideas take shape and there is room for creative thinking.”

Jonas Hauser
Owner and Creative Director, metaloop concept and creative agency

“From the moment you arrive, you feel at home – the warm atmosphere, great location, immaculate rooms and beautiful terrace create the ideal setting for meetings that are both focused and enjoyable. We particularly appreciate the modern, reliable technology, the personal attention, excellent food and the consistently friendly and helpful team. This all-round package makes your little gem the right choice for us time and again.”

Dominic Volken
Head of Resources and Staff, lic. iur. LL.M.
Swiss Federal Gaming Board ESBK

“We particularly appreciate the welcoming atmosphere, the special location and the wonderful terrace. The convenient location, friendly and professional service and facilities are also key factors for us. For a small group, Hotel de Londres Brig is the perfect choice.”

Nadin Hellmuth
Admin. Assistant Advanced Synthesis (Bioconjugates)
Lonza Visp - Switzerland

Team-building in the mountains doesn’t have to mean turning the day into an adventure programme. And a team offsite in the Alps doesn’t need every free hour filled with activities.

In Valais, some of the best options are often close at hand: get outside, get moving, experience something together, then return to the table with a slightly different perspective.

Team-building activities could include:

• a hike or walk together in the mountains
• a simple outdoor activity as a change from the working sessions
• a Valais wine tasting
• a meal together featuring regional produce
• time at the hotel or in the bar – with nothing organised at all

The right team-building activity depends on the group and what you want to achieve with the retreat.

Not every team needs action. And not every free hour needs organising.

In the mountains, sometimes a good coffee break outside is enough. The mountains provide the backdrop; the rest often takes care of itself.

A Valais wine tasting is more than something to add to the programme once the work is done.

The agenda takes a back seat, conversations become more relaxed and, at the same time, the team gets to know a little of Valais.

A Valais wine tasting brings together:

• regional wines and the stories behind them
• Valais culture and enjoyment
• time together away from the meeting room
• informal conversations within the team
• an experience that belongs to the place

And in Valais, you don’t have to go far. Wine is part of the landscape and part of life here.

A Valais wine tasting works well as part of a business retreat or team event: it brings together enjoyment, a sense of place and time spent together.

Regional catering brings a little of Valais to the table – whether it’s for a business retreat or a company event.

It doesn’t have to mean elaborate menus. On an intensive working day, food should taste good, provide energy and be uncomplicated.

Regional catering could include:

• light lunches during the working day
• regional specialities and house specialities
• a relaxed dinner together
• vegetarian and vegan options, as well as catering for allergies

How much does catering cost in Brig, Valais?

It depends on what you have in mind. As a guide:

• Valais apéro platter from approx. CHF 19 per person
• standing lunch from approx. CHF 33 per person
• smoker menu from approx. CHF 56 per person

How do you find good catering for a company event or business retreat?

Hotel de Londres in Brig, Valais – a boutique seminar hotel in Switzerland – places great importance on good local caterers and chooses its partners carefully. Depending on the occasion, budget and what you have in mind, there are several caterers and options to choose from.

So you don’t have to work your way through endless offers, but can choose what suits the team and the occasion.

Shared meals are as much a part of a retreat as the working sessions. Thinking often continues around the table – just a little more relaxed.

And regional catering puts a little Valais on the plate, too.

A private chef comes to where the guests are and cooks on site. For a business retreat or company event, this can turn a meal into a relaxed shared experience.

A private chef can be a good option for:

• dinner together after the working sessions
• a menu tailored to the group, with a focus on regional and seasonal produce
• smaller groups who prefer to have the place to themselves
• an evening where food and time together take centre stage
• teams who deliberately prefer not to go to a traditional restaurant
• a team event where the group cooks together, guided and supported by the chef

The advantage: there’s no need for the group to move somewhere else in the evening. Everyone stays together, the working day is over and there are no distractions from changing location or other restaurant guests. If you like, dinner itself can become the team event: prepare, cook and then eat together, with the chef there to guide and help.

At Hotel de Londres in Brig, a private chef can be an alternative to traditional catering or a restaurant visit, depending on the occasion and what the team has in mind. Our own smoker on the large terrace overlooking the car-free town square is particularly well suited to it.

Seminar hotel or city hotel? It depends on what the team wants to achieve with its business retreat.

A traditional seminar hotel usually offers plenty of infrastructure and well-established processes. It is often larger, with several seminars, conferences or events taking place at the same time. A smaller city hotel can offer a different setting:

• smaller scale and fewer events taking place at the same time
• more privacy and peace for your own team
• personal attention rather than a traditional seminar operation
• workspaces, accommodation and meals under one roof
• short distances – both within the hotel and around town
• restaurants, culture and activities right on the doorstep
• greater flexibility in the daily schedule, food and supporting programme

For smaller teams and SMEs in particular, that can be appealing. They often don’t need a large conference centre, but rather a place where focused work, accommodation, meals and time together come together without fuss.

Hotel de Londres in Brig, Valais, is a city hotel rather than a traditional seminar hotel. With its individually designed workspaces, 18 rooms and central location, it is particularly well suited to smaller groups who like to have some privacy during their business retreat. Brig is also an ideal hub: Zurich, Bern, Basel and Milan can all be reached in around two hours. Teams from different regions can therefore come together easily – while still holding their company retreat in the heart of the Valais Alps.

What makes a top seminar hotel in Switzerland for SMEs?

Not necessarily the number of seminar rooms. What matters is whether the hotel suits the size of the team, the purpose of the retreat and the way the group wants to work.

For an SME, short distances, personal attention and flexibility can matter more than a long list of conference technology.

In the end, the best seminar hotel is the one that suits the team – even if it happens to be a city hotel.

The most important conversations rarely begin with within first hour. 

A good retreat needs time:

• to step out of operational mode
• to build trust
• to encourage open discussions
• to think strategically

That is why overnight retreats are often far more effective than traditional one-day workshops.

Often, the most valuable conversations happen:

• at dinner
• during a walk in nature
• between two sessions
• or late in the evening at the bar

Not in the official meeting room.

In practice, one to two days have proven ideal for many teams: long enough for depth, short enough to maintain focus.

A retreat needs a clear purpose.

Without a shared expectation, even the best agenda becomes ineffective.

Typical objectives include:

• strategic alignment
• decision-making
• leadership alignment
• team development
• innovation and ideation
• change management
• culture and values work
• annual planning or budgeting

What matters is not the number of topics, but the clarity of priorities.

A good retreat rarely solves everything.
But it creates focus on what matters most.

A retreat creates a different way of thinking.

In everyday business, teams often only react to:

• emails
• appointments
• operational challenges

A retreat creates distance from that.

This often leads to:

• better conversations
• more open discussions
• new perspectives
• stronger trust
• decisions instead of endless feedback loops

Less presentation.
More thinking.

Less information.
More clarity.

Environment influences behaviour.

People think differently when:

• they have peace and quiet
• they feel comfortable
• they are not constantly interrupted
• the atmosphere creates trust
• they are attentively supported

The right location supports:

• concentration
• openness
• creativity
• stronger team connection

When looking for a seminar room in Valais for a business retreat, it is worth considering more than just infrastructure and technology. Atmosphere, places to retreat to and the surroundings matter just as much.

It sets the tone for the entire experience.

At Hotel de Londres, meeting planners and their guests particularly appreciate the combination of easy accessibility and an atmosphere that is rarely found in traditional conference hotels.

From much of Switzerland, you can reach Brig in about two hours. Once you arrive, focused meetings, conversations in the Wohnstuba and breaks on the sun terrace flow naturally from one to the next. And at our 24-hour Honesty Bar, something many teams already know often becomes clear: the best conversations do not always happen in the meeting room, but when people have the time to listen and enjoy each other’s company without feeling rushed.

Perhaps it is the house. Perhaps it is the mountains. Most likely, it is both.

Distance creates perspective.

The mountains offer something that is often lost in everyday life:

• Peace.
• Fewer distractions.
• Fewer interruptions.
• More focus.

Many teams experience outside the office:

• more open discussions
• better concentration
• greater creativity
• stronger human connection

Not despite the environment — but because of it.

In Brig, the gateway to the Alps, with 45 four-thousand-metre peaks on the doorstep, it often takes no more than a glance outside to put things back into perspective.

Against this backdrop, some challenges suddenly seem a little smaller. What truly matters becomes much clearer.

That is precisely why a company retreat in the Alps can be more than a meeting in a different location. It creates the space for a change of perspective — something that is all too often missing in the pace of everyday life.

Smaller groups usually work more effectively.

In many retreats, the ideal group size is between 4 and 12 participants.

Larger groups often lead to:

• passive participation
• less openness
• longer discussions
• unclear decisions
• reduced genuine involvement

The more sensitive or strategic the topics, the more important a manageable setting becomes.

Quality rarely comes from size.

An effective retreat needs structure — but not overplanning.

The best formats combine:

• focused work sessions
• open conversations
• reflection time
• shared meals
• intentional breaks
• lightness and shared experiences

What matters is a clear flow:

• Which topics are currently most important?
• Which decisions need to be made?
• What should be different by the end?

A full calendar does not automatically create a good retreat.

Often, the most valuable insights emerge in the quieter moments in between.

Food directly influences energy, concentration, and mood.

Especially during intensive working days, the culinary concept becomes an important part of the overall experience. Food and drinks can support focus, improve mental performance, reduce stress, and restore energy. As the saying goes, we eat with our eyes first — thoughtful presentation contributes to both the atmosphere and a sense of wellbeing.

What works well:

• light lunches
• high-quality regional products
• seasonal cuisine
• balanced menus
• uncomplicated comfort food in the evening

Shared meals often create exactly the conversations that daily business leaves little room for — more personal, more open, and beyond the agenda.

It is also essential to consider:

• allergies
• dietary preferences
• individual needs

Thoughtfulness is often reflected in the details.

The most common reasons are surprisingly similar:

• no clear objective
• too many topics at once
• lack of decisions
• overloaded agendas
• the wrong participant mix
• no follow-up

Many retreats create discussions — but no direction.

A successful retreat needs:

• focus
• priorities
• clarity
• accountability
• trust
• team cohesion

Fewer topics often lead to better outcomes

Not always. But it often helps significantly.

External facilitation creates:

• neutrality
• structure
• focus
• stronger discussion leadership

Especially in situations involving:

• conflicts
• strategic decisions
• change processes
• leadership topics

an external facilitator can make a critical difference.

Because great facilitation is not about providing answers.

It is about making the right conversations possible.

The real challenge often begins after the retreat.

Back in everyday work, teams are quickly overtaken again by:

• meetings
• emails
• operational topics
• old habits
• endless coordination loops
• unspoken hierarchies
• lack of follow-through
• responsibility being pushed upward again
• day-to-day business taking over

That is why it requires:

• clear ownership
• concrete next steps
• shared priorities
• consistent follow-up
• regular check-ins
• accountability

A good retreat does not end when people leave.

It ends with implementation afterwards.

No.

A team event creates shared experiences.
A retreat creates space for conversations, reflection, and shared responsibility — and in doing so, strengthens relationships.

Both can be valuable.
But their purpose is different.

A good retreat combines:

• human connection
• honest exchange
• strategic thinking
• shared time away from daily routines

That is exactly where its strength lies.

Retreats are especially valuable during phases of:

• change
• growth
• uncertainty
• strategic repositioning

For example:

• before important decisions
• during leadership transitions
• in periods of growth
• before budgeting or strategy processes
• after intense project phases
• during cultural change

Often, distance is needed to see clearly again.

The right moment is usually earlier than teams think.

Final thought

Great retreats do not simply create better meetings.

They create space:

• for clarity
• for honest conversations
• for new perspectives
• for shared direction

Because the most important decisions rarely happen between two meetings.

They happen where people truly have the time to think together and listen to one another.