Journal

Notes from the desk, the road and the river.

Firsthand reports on venues, retreats, cultural details and the small things that make a gathering feel like it belongs exactly where it is.

Venues & Partnerships · London·August 2026·3 min read

Inside Access: Nomad Hotel London

There are venues you find on a search, and venues you are invited into. Nomad Hotel London belongs firmly to the latter, and it is exactly that distinction that sits at the heart of how we work.

Long banquet table beneath brass chandeliers and painted cloud murals at Nomad Hotel LondonLondon, United Kingdom

We were recently welcomed to Nomad on an invitation only familiarisation trip, alongside a select group of London event planners. No public booking link, no open enquiry, just direct access built on relationships we have cultivated within the events sector over years of delivering at the highest level. This is one of the quiet advantages we bring to every client and every brand we work with: when the room is not listed anywhere, we are already in it.

The space

Nomad's appeal for corporate and leadership work lies in its flexibility. The venue is built around multi functional spaces that shift effortlessly between registers: a boardroom conversation in the morning, a leadership dinner by evening, a brand activation the next day. For clients seeking a venue that can hold the gravity of a strategic offsite while still feeling considered, characterful and far from generic hotel conferencing, Nomad delivers.

The interiors carry that same duality: refined enough for C suite gatherings, warm enough that leadership meetings do not feel sterile. It is the kind of backdrop that lets the substance of the room, the people, the conversation, the decisions being made, take centre stage without the space fighting for attention.

Why this matters to us

Access like this does not come from a directory. It comes from being known and trusted within the event sector, from years of relationships with venues, operators and fellow planners who bring us into rooms before they are announced. It is a strength we quietly build into every proposal: not just recommending a venue, but knowing it, having stood in it, and having the relationships to secure it on our clients' terms.

For our corporate and leadership clients, that means access to spaces that feel exclusive because they are, and the confidence that comes from working with a team that is already inside the door.

Panelled dining room with painted cloud murals and candlelit tables at Nomad Hotel London
Painted skies, dark panelling, candlelight
Glass roofed atrium with hanging etched glass lanterns at Nomad Hotel London
The atrium, under glass
Two guests in conversation against panelled walls at Nomad Hotel London
Conversation, off to the side
Guest in conversation holding a glass during the Nomad Hotel London familiarisation evening
The familiarisation evening
Venues · Porto·August 2026·4 min read

Porto Venues Worth Knowing: Three Properties for Retreats and Celebrations

Porto has quietly become one of my favourite cities for company retreats, women's association gatherings and private celebrations. I have tried and tested the venues myself, and three stand out.

Palácio do Freixo · the grounds

Granite balustrade terrace at Palácio do Freixo looking over the Douro river
The terrace, and the Douro beneath it
Gilded enfilade gallery inside Palácio do Freixo
The gilded enfilade, inside
Carved granite balustrade and tall palace windows at Palácio do Freixo
Granite balustrades, baroque windows
Baroque granite facade, carved urn and terrace at Palácio do Freixo, PortoPorto, Portugal

Palácio do Freixo (Pestana)

Palácio do Freixo now offers a newly built tent, installed this April, taking capacity up to 150 to 200 guests. For smaller groups, the palace's own ballrooms offer two options: an intimate space for around 20, or an interior ballroom for around 150. Breakfast is served à la carte so every guest gets it their way, the concierge service is exceptional, and the grounds sit right on the Douro.

150, 200 guests (tent)20 or 150 guests (ballrooms)Douro riverside
Terrace, fountain and Douro views at Casa Camélia in PortoPorto, Portugal

Casa Camélia

Casa Camélia offers something more intimate. Manicured gardens, direct Douro views, and a personal touch from the owner, a Swiss architect who built the property and documents the story in the entrance foyer. With nine bedrooms, grounds for alfresco dining and a vineyard setting, it is a natural fit for retreat style celebrations. Full property buyout available on request.

9 bedroomsAlfresco diningFull buyout available
Monverde vineyard retreat in the Vinho Verde regionVinho Verde, Portugal

Monverde

Monverde delivers farm to table organic cuisine, roomy bedrooms and genuinely personal service. It is officially rated four stars. Having stayed there, I would argue it deserves more.

Organic cuisineWine & wellness4 stars, deserves more

Casa Camélia · the grounds

Granite stair framed by bougainvillea at Casa Camélia, Porto
Bougainvillea along the granite stair
Courtyard terrace with fountain, parasols and Douro views at Casa Camélia
The courtyard, the fountain, the city beyond
Terracotta urns and parasols on the sunlit terrace at Casa Camélia, Porto
Terracotta and morning sun on the terrace
Gravel garden path through fig trees and hydrangeas at Casa Camélia, Porto
The garden path, under fig and vine
Palm tree above the gardens with the Douro river and Porto rooftops beyond, Casa Camélia
The Douro, from the top of the gardens

Planning something in Porto?

For capacity details, pricing and availability across all three properties, get in touch.