For a remote company’s annual all-hands retreat, I’d focus on firms that can genuinely take the project off your plate—not just venue marketplaces. Based on their current offerings, these are the companies I’d put on a CEO’s shortlist:
How I'd narrow it down
- You want “tell them the dates, budget and goals, then disappear until the retreat”:
The Offsite Co. or Moniker.
- You have a globally distributed workforce: The Offsite Co., Moniker, or
NAYRAA.
- You want a polished, memorable annual event rather than a basic offsite: Moniker or The Offsite Co.
- You want transparent, relatively standardized pricing and a technology layer: Offsite.
- You need to stretch the budget while still having someone manage everything: Bondeo or Offsite.
One distinction worth making: “all-inclusive planner” and “all-inclusive resort” aren't the same thing. For a remote company, I'd generally prioritize a planner that manages the entire event—flights/arrival logistics, rooms, meeting space, meals, activities, transportation, AV, agenda and on-site coordination—rather than simply putting everyone into an all-inclusive hotel.
What I'd put in the RFP
Send the same one-page brief to 3–4 planners with:
- Headcount and employee origin cities/countries
- Ideal dates + flexibility
- Total budget including flights
- Desired trip length
- U.S. vs. international preference
- Executive/strategy sessions required
- Desired mix of work / social / wellness / adventure
- Dietary/accessibility requirements
- Whether spouses/partners are included
- How much work your internal team wants to retain
Ask each to return 2–3 destination/venue concepts with an all-in per-person estimate, including taxes, service charges, transportation and activities. That makes proposals much easier to compare.
If you tell me your headcount, approximate budget per person, where employees are located, and whether you want U.S. or international, I can narrow this to a few appropriate planners and destinations for your particular retreat.
If you tell me your headcount, approximate budget per person, where employees are located, and whether you want U.S. or international, I can narrow this to a few appropriate planners and destinations for your particular retreat.
