8 Neutral Meeting Places for Professionals to Consider

Finding the perfect location for a business meeting or collaboration can be a daunting task, especially when you want to establish a neutral environment that is both professional and comfortable for all parties involved. An ideal meeting space should not only facilitate communication and productivity but also make a good impression on your clients or partners. To help you in your search, we compiled a list of the eight best neutral meeting places for professionals to meet, each offering a unique atmosphere and a range of amenities to suit your specific needs.

1. Rented Meeting Rooms as Neutral Meeting Places

Unless a small business or solopreneur has a permanent office with a professional meeting room, rented meeting space is at the top of the list of best options. Rented meeting rooms deliver a professional environment without the commitment of a long-term lease. They can be booked on-demand in hourly, half-day, daily, and weekly increments through providers like Davinci Meeting Rooms. 

These on-demand neutral meeting places provide businesses and solopreneurs with a neutral meeting place without the overhead of a permanent office space. They are in locations that demand respect from a brand impression standpoint and include a lobby greeter to ensure you and other meeting attendees are assisted with all of your questions. Further, professional neutral meeting rooms through Davinci Meeting Rooms come with all the technological video conferencing capabilities, high-speed internet, and presentation tools you need for a successful meeting. They even offer catering services for beverages and food.

2. Hotel Meeting Rooms as Neutral Meeting Places

Hotels often feature well-appointed meeting rooms or conference spaces that can be rented for business events. These venues are particularly convenient for out-of-town clients or partners, as they provide easy access to accommodations and other hotel amenities such as dining options and parking facilities. Hotel meeting rooms typically offer a range of seating arrangements and sizes, allowing you to choose a space that best suits your needs. Additionally, many hotels provide event planning services, catering, and audiovisual support, ensuring a hassle-free experience. 

But for many business meetings, hotel meeting rooms may not be the best choice. For example, hotel meeting rooms can be expensive to rent, particularly in high-demand areas or during peak times. Rented meeting rooms in comparison are typically half the cost. Hotel meeting rooms can be noisy and come with distractions and privacy concerns. In addition, hotel meeting rooms have limited customization options and parking can be an issue (or the “trek” from parking to the meeting room can be lengthy). 

3. Day Offices as Neutral Meeting Places

Day offices through on-demand office space providers like Davinci Meeting Rooms can be an excellent choice for certain meeting types. Day offices offer professionals seeking a temporary, private workspace environment that can accommodate two to four individuals depending on the day office. These offices are typically fully furnished and equipped with essential amenities such as high-speed internet, presentation tools, video conferencing, and office supplies. Day offices often can be rented by the hour, half-day, day, or week, providing a flexible and cost-effective alternative to traditional permanent office spaces. They also garner great brand impressions due to their locations. However, day offices are designed to accommodate only a few people. Thus, if you’re meeting involves three or more individuals, then day offices cannot accommodate all your participants.

4. Coffee Shops as Neutral Meeting Places

Coffee shops have long been a popular choice for casual business meetings, offering a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. While not as formal as other meeting spaces, coffee shops provide a comfortable environment where professionals can discuss ideas and collaborate over a cup of coffee. Many coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi and have ample seating, making them a convenient option for meetings on-the-go. When choosing a coffee shop for your meeting, look for establishments with ample space and a quiet atmosphere to ensure a productive environment. 

Coffee shops are in the public sphere and they offer no privacy and are noisy—full of people talking, coffee machines, and background music. Meetings can be disrupted and you never know when someone might be eavesdropping on your business conversations. Coffee shops also have seating and space limitations and meeting participants can occupy a space for only so long before they need to vacate it. Wi-Fi can be unreliable and slow as well.

5. Public Libraries as Neutral Meeting Places

Public libraries offer quiet, comfortable spaces for professionals to conduct meetings or work on projects. Many libraries feature private study rooms or conference areas that can be reserved in advance, providing a distraction-free environment for focused work. Additionally, libraries often provide free Wi-Fi, printing services, and access to a wealth of resources, making them an excellent choice for research or project planning. 

Public libraries, however, aren’t ideal meeting places for many of the same reasons identified for coffee shops. Despite the signs around a library reminding patrons to remain quiet, libraries can become noisy and distraction to those in meeting rooms. Privacy can be limited and the availability of meeting rooms at the public library can be problematic. Most public library meeting rooms have constraints when it comes to size and cannot accommodate large meeting groups. Public libraries also have strict policies and their meeting rooms cannot be customized and catering options are off limits.

6. Restaurants with Private Dining Rooms as Neutral Meeting Places

Restaurants with private dining rooms offer a unique and comfortable environment for business meetings, particularly those that involve a meal. These venues provide a more intimate setting for discussion and collaboration, often featuring a dedicated waitstaff and customizable menu options. When selecting a restaurant for your meeting, consider the cuisine, atmosphere, and noise level to ensure the space aligns with your needs. Some well-known restaurants with private dining rooms include Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, and Maggiano's Little Italy.

But restaurant private dining rooms are expensive and the amount of time you can use a room typically has limitations. They also lack presentation tools, video conferencing, and other technology capabilities. And while meeting rooms at restaurants are separate from the rest of the restaurant, this doesn’t mean they are immune from noise coming from the rest of the restaurant. 

7. Business Incubators and Accelerators as Neutral Business Places

Business incubators and accelerators are organizations that support early-stage startups and entrepreneurs by providing resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities. These spaces often feature dedicated meeting rooms, event spaces, and coworking areas that can be utilized by members or rented by non-members for professional meetings. As these venues are specifically designed to foster innovation and collaboration, they offer a stimulating environment for creative brainstorming and problem-solving. Some renowned incubators and accelerators include Y Combinator, Techstars, and 1871.

But for businesses and solopreneurs to use space at a business incubator or accelerator, you typically need to be funded by the business incubator or a member at the accelerator. They also may lack the neutrality you need. These locations also can be disruptive and distractions can arise frequently.

8. Museums and Cultural Institutions as Neutral Business Places

Museums and cultural institutions often feature unique event spaces that can be rented for professional meetings and gatherings. These venues provide a visually stimulating and inspiring environment, making them an excellent choice for creative brainstorming or presentations. Many museums offer meeting rooms, auditoriums, or galleries that can be reserved for private events, as well as catering and audiovisual support services. Some popular museums and cultural institutions with meeting spaces include the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

There are limitations when it comes to meeting spaces at museums and cultural institutions. Museums and cultural locations are in only certain locations and typically in downtown areas. Cost can be a challenge at museums and cultural locations as well. At the same time, as museums and cultural locations were not designed with meeting rooms in mind (presentation tools, video conferencing, etc.), they may be problematic.

Neutral Meeting Place Critical to Achieving a Great Meeting

Selecting the perfect meeting location for your professional needs is a crucial aspect of fostering a productive and successful collaboration. From rented meeting rooms and coworking spaces to hotel meeting rooms and day offices, there is a diverse range of options available to suit your specific requirements. Keep in mind factors such as accessibility, atmosphere, and available amenities when choosing a meeting space to ensure a comfortable and professional environment for all parties involved.

About Patrick Spencer

Patrick Spencer (Ph.D.) is the President and Founder of TIRO Communications that helps companies develop, build, and manage content, customer, advocacy, and demand-gen programs. Included in its offerings is TIRO Cognition Insights, a data analytics tool that enables B2C and B2B businesses to pinpoint what their customers and competitors’ customers are saying and to identify corresponding actionable product, services, competitive, sales, and marketing intelligence. LinkedIn Profile: LinkedIn Website: www.tirocommunications.com