Some meetings are better held away from your own office. A board meeting, a conversation with investors or a decision about the team can be easier to discuss when colleagues are not walking past the door. Many organisations therefore look for a meeting space outside their own premises.

A different room does not make a meeting confidential on its own, though. This article covers which meetings usually need a protected setting and which questions you should ask a venue before you book.

Which meetings need a protected setting?

Board and supervisory board meetings: Strategic decisions, financial results and personnel matters are often discussed before they are communicated more widely.

Investor conversations: Funding rounds, valuations and plans are usually not meant for every listener.

Personnel decisions: Restructuring, leadership changes or difficult conversations with individual employees need discretion.

Client meetings on sensitive projects: Some clients prefer neutral ground, away from both their office and yours.

Legal or financial discussions: Negotiations, settlements or due diligence meetings.

Four questions to ask before you book

1. Who has access to the room during your meeting?

Ask whether other groups are in the building, whether staff walk through the room and whether anyone else holds a key. A clear answer helps more than a general word like “private” in the description.

2. Can conversations be heard in adjacent areas?

Ask whether conversations in the room can be heard in corridors, stairwells or outdoor areas, and the other way round. A viewing is the best way to check this for yourself.

3. Which members of the venue’s team are present, and when?

For some meetings it matters who sees the participants arrive. Ask who from the venue will be there during setup, during the meeting and at the end, and agree on when coffee or food is served so that conversations are not interrupted.

4. Do you need a non-disclosure agreement?

If the content of your meeting is sensitive, ask whether the venue will sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Further points for confidential meetings

Arrival: If participants should not be seen together, ask about the entrance and the route to the room.

Documents: Plan how printed documents are collected after the meeting. Check that nothing is left on whiteboards or flipcharts.

Technology: If people join online, use your own meeting link and check who can join.

Breaks: Decide where participants spend their breaks and whether sensitive topics should be discussed there.

Confidential meetings at LOFT1080

LOFT1080 is a 90 m² loft on two levels in Vienna’s Josefstadt district, the 8th district, for groups of 10 to 35. On the main level there is a meeting table, a lounge and a 65-inch screen. A few steps up, on the platform, there is a large worktable, a 55-inch screen and a bar. Behind a glass sliding door lies a green courtyard.

On request, our founder Alexander Raffeiner signs a non-disclosure agreement. Who has access to the loft during your meeting and what can be heard outside are questions we are happy to go through with you during a viewing. Every booking has a dedicated point of contact from our team who plans setup, technology and catering with you in advance.

The loft is about five minutes’ walk from the U2 Rathaus underground station and about 15 minutes from the U6 Josefstädter Straße station. Trams 2, 5 and 12 stop nearby. You can find all packages on the packages page.

Good to know

Seating: For confidential discussions, a table where everyone can see each other often works better than rows. Ask which layouts are possible.

Participants from abroad: If participants travel from other countries, send them directions from the airport or main station in advance, including the nearest underground and tram stops.

Frequently asked questions

Can I visit before booking?

Yes. Write to us with a preferred time and someone from our team will show you the loft.

Next step

Arrange a viewing and bring your questions. Write to us via the contact page or at welcome@loft1080.at, and we will get back to you on the same working day.