I was responsible for hosting a introductory session with guests from across Europe plus members of my team to come together and explore collaboration activities. Finding an inspiring location in Amsterdam that is: easily accessible, a unique location, with good + helpful service, nice food/catering options, and also affordable....this is no small task. Luckily, I found it all at the Gewoon boot.
Not only is the story behind the boat inspiring, but the ability to look out onto the water while conducting a workshop is something our participants really like. Joan, one of the owners, presented the location and told the group various aspects of it. The projector, screen, IT, wifi, etc etc worked flawlessly. The breakfast and lunch options were many (they have a wide selection of options so you can really scale up/down as your needs see fit) and turned out to be delicious. We ordered some muffins and croissants to kick things off and had delicious sandwiches and warm soup (we chose pumpkin and mushroom soups as options). The coffee and cappuccino was plenty. Our guests (visiting from Scotland, Hungary, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and France) all loved the location and really felt inspired. Many mentioned they would love to host the next meeting...but knew they could not match the location!
The only challenge for this location is that some people on my team and guests were slightly affected by seasicknesses, as when boats go by the boat itself can shift. Honestly, I think it affects about 10% of a group, but it is good to be aware of.
This is a really great location in a part of Amsterdam you may otherwise not visit and is perfect for thinking outside the box. A great experience! read more