Everyone knows Stuttgart as the birthplace of mobility and a powerhouse in the automotive industry. But there’s much more to this dynamic destination.
Stuttgart is constantly evolving, offering a unique setting for hosting business events.
In this blog post, I’ll showcase the unique opportunities Stuttgart offers for your event, from hotels and venues to experiences, all with sustainability woven into the event planning process.
Areas of business expertise in the Stuttgart region
The automotive industry has a strong presence in the region, but it’s far from the only sector driving innovation here.
Stuttgart region is also home to thriving clusters in mobility, energy and environment, engineering, financial sector, bio and medical technology, creative industries, aerospace and information technology.
This diverse economic landscape strengthens Stuttgart’s reputation as an innovation hub and also makes it an attractive setting for business events. It is offering attendees insights into leading industries and innovative research. Venues and experiences linked with world changing corporate history and the sense of pioneer spirit await delegates.
Through the Baden-Württemberg International initiative, government, academia, and industry work together to anticipate the ‘next big thing,’ making the region increasingly attractive for businesses and investment and supporting internationalisation.
Stuttgart Region is home to an impressive array of international companies, including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bosch, IBM and Hewlett-Packard.
Beyond these global brands, the region’s economy is strengthened by medium-sized businesses (SMEs), which play a key role in driving the region’s prosperity and innovation.
Stuttgart: A well-connected hub for national and international events
Stuttgart offers excellent connectivity thanks to its international airport and train routes linking to domestic and international cities.
One of Europe’s most modern train stations is currently under construction in the city. The forthcoming Stuttgart 21 Project will further enhance connectivity, positioning Stuttgart as a high-speed rail hub in Europe.
To promote sustainable travel within the city, free public transport tickets are provided for attendees who book their hotel stays through Stuttgart Marketing.
Sustainability: how Stuttgart leads in sustainable events
Stuttgart stands out in sustainable event planning, with local hotels, venues, and city infrastructure that can support a sustainable event planning process.
City-wide sustainability initiatives
15-Minute City Concept
Stuttgart’s compact layout supports the ‘15-minute city’ concept, allowing most venues to be reached within 15 minutes by walking, cycling, or public transport. This setup reduces transport emissions and encourages attendees to use sustainable travel options. Here’s how:
- Event organisers have a wide selection of nearby venues, making it easy to promote walking or public transport.
- Attendees booking hotels through Stuttgart Marketing receive free public transport tickets, with frequent connections between venues, hotels, and the airport.
Venue sustainability highlights
Hotels and venues in Stuttgart adopt a unified approach to sustainability, embedding practices that cover environmental, social, and economic responsibilities. Local venues prioritise:
- Local sourcing: Many venues source food and beverages locally.
- Sustainability training: Staff undergo regular training to maintain high sustainability standards, and many hotels and venues hold certifications for their sustainable practices.
- Accessibility: Numerous venues are designed to be barrier-free, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity.
Examples of sustainable events in stuttgart
Stuttgart has hosted several events with a strong sustainability focus, including Urban Future 2023, the Louis Braille Festival 2024, and UEFA EURO 2024.
Event example Urban Future 2023: A 72-meter-long table was set up on Tübinger Straße during Urban Future 2023, featuring the innovative event concept ‘Rescue Dinner,’ where vegetables destined for disposal were used to create a unique dining experience.
Stuttgart’s automotive heritage: unique venues for business events
Stuttgart’s identity is deeply intertwined with automotive innovation, being the birthplace of the first car.
This heritage offers event planners unique opportunities to create memorable experiences that incorporate the automotive theme.
Mercedes-Benz Museum
The Mercedes-Benz Museum is an extraordinary event venue.
It displays 160 vehicles and 1,500 exhibits dating from 1886 to the present.
The building itself is a modern architectural masterpiece, with a DNA-inspired spiral design that incorporates automotive materials like aluminium and glass.
For event planners, the museum offers three meeting rooms, with the largest accommodating up to 350 seated guests. Further event space is available for receptions and dinners in public spaces after the museum closes to the public.
The highlight is the Casino room on the upper floor, where floor-to-ceiling windows frame panoramic views of Stuttgart’s landmarks, including the MHPArena, VfB Club Training facilities, and the historic Grabkapelle auf dem Württemberg nestled among the vineyards.
The venue also offers in-house streaming and webcast services for hybrid events and a range of curated experiences, including guided architectural tours and driving events. Catering services are available in-house, with a focus on locally sourced ingredients.
Pro Tip: Book exclusive after-hours access to elevate your event. The museum’s expansive exhibits become a striking backdrop, allowing guests to explore automotive history at their leisure.
Activity needed? Teams can experience pit stop action in an active competition within the museum.
The Mercedes-Benz Museum attracts millions of visitors each year, but hosting a private event here gives your guests the rare experience of having this iconic venue all to themselves—truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
You can read more about event venue specifics here.
MOTORWORLD Region Stuttgart & V8 Hotel Motorworld Region Stuttgart
MOTORWORLD Region Stuttgart & V8 Hotel Motorworld Region Stuttgart are located in Böblingen, just 30 minutes from Stuttgart’s main station and excellent connections to both Stuttgart Airport and the fairgrounds.
MOTORWORLD Region Stuttgart has been transformed from a historic airport into a unique automotive-themed event destination.
The venue’s distinctive concept centers on a rotating display of privately owned vintage and sports cars in glass boxes. That creates an ever-changing backdrop for events.
This living museum atmosphere combined with 14 conference rooms and six themed restaurants ranging from an Italian trattoria to an in-house brewery, providing varied catering choices for any event type.
Among the venue’s meeting spaces, standouts include the JU-52-Lounge, an aircraft-themed room for 9 people, and the Arthur-Dünkel-Lounge which accommodates up to 130 seated guests with views of the classic and sports car collection.
Pro Tip: Book a cooking class at the MOTORWORLD Pop-Up Kitchen and relive the legendary Solitude racing era through food and stories.
Legendenhalle at MOTORWORLD Region Stuttgart
The largest event space of MOTORWORLD is the Legendenhalle, spanning over 1,000 square meters with capacity for 650 seated guests.
The space lets in natural daylight and adjustable evening lighting, making it suitable for everything from conferences to gala dinners. The hall can be combined with the adjacent Hangar space and corporate area for larger events, while offering unique add-ons like flight simulators and guided tours.
Learn more about MOTORWORLD Region Stuttgart for your next event by visiting the website.
V8 Hotel Motorworld Region Stuttgart
The V8 Hotel began as a boutique property with just 34 rooms in the V8 Classic building. Its unique automotive theme proved so popular that in 2018, the V8 Superior Hotel was added, bringing the total to 187 rooms, including 26 distinctively themed accommodations that celebrate automotive history.
Each room features thoughtful automotive touches, from car-shaped chocolates to themed furnishings, creating an immersive experience that delights both car enthusiasts and those seeking something different from a traditional business hotel.
My room ‘Made in Germany’, at the V8 Hotel Motorworld Region Stuttgart was inspired by the luxury and quality of Mercedes-Benz’s 1970s S-Class, W 116 model.
The hotel’s event spaces include two primary venues – Speed (273 square meters) and POWER (395 square meters) – accommodating up to 200 seated guests, plus three flexible meeting rooms for up to 90 people.
A special heavy-duty elevator allows vehicles to be incorporated into events.
Learn more about venue specifics of the V8 Hotel and Motorworld Region Stuttgart by visiting their website.
Radisson Blu Hotel at Porsche Design Tower Stuttgart
Opened in November 2023, this modern hotel blends automotive heritage with contemporary luxury, overlooking Stuttgart’s city vineyards.
View from the Radisson Blu Hotel at the Porsche Design Tower Stuttgart overlooking the vineyards.
The 168-room hotel features 600 square meters of dedicated event space, including a main meeting room that accommodates up to 120 people.
The welcoming lobby and reception occupy the ground and first floors, while the dedicated event spaces and meeting rooms are located on the 9th floor.
A stunning panoramic terrace on the 10th floor provides views across the city and vineyards – giving you a feeling of being in the countryside and not in a city centre. Wellness facilities are on the 11th floor and guest rooms from the 12th to 23rd floors.
The hotel’s Restaurant Balaustine has quickly become a local favourite, with its Levante cuisine drawing 60% of guests from the Stuttgart area. The restaurant reflects the hotel’s connection to its wine surroundings, serving wines from the adjacent Stadtweingut Stuttgart vineyards that guests can see from the restaurant.
Learn more about venue specifics here.
Unique venues
Stuttgart offers more than traditional conference spaces. These unique spaces combine Stuttgart’s rich heritage with modern facilities.
Stuttgart TV Tower (SWR Fernsehturm Stuttgart)
Standing 144 meters tall above Stuttgart, the TV Tower stands as both an architectural icon and a unique event venue.
As the world’s first television tower, it pioneered a design that later inspired similar structures from Frankfurt to Johannesburg.
This venue offers guests an event space that makes a powerful statement in engineering history.
Event planners can choose from three settings within this landmark structure:
The Tower Top, accommodating 60 seated guests, provides an unmatched 360-degree panorama stretching from Stuttgart’s cityscape to the distant Black Forest and Odenwald mountains. This exclusive space creates an immediate wow factor for corporate events.
At ground level, Restaurant Leonhardts welcomes up to 140 guests (100 indoor, 40 terrace) with seasonal cuisine. The venue specialised at interactive experiences, offering everything from wine tastings to cocktail workshops, perfect for team events.
For those interested in the tower’s heritage, private guided tours can be incorporated into your event programme.
Pro Tip: Consider combining a sunset reception on the terrace with dinner at the top of the tower for an unforgettable event experience.
Learn more about the specifics of Stuttgart TV Tower by visiting the website.
Cultural and Congress Centre Liederhalle (Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Liederhalle)
Located in Stuttgart’s city center, the Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Liederhalle is the city center’s largest event venue.
It was originally built in the 1950s and extensively modernised in 2020.
At its heart are two impressive main halls:
- Beethoven-Hall: Seating for 2,089 guests, renowned for exceptional acoustics and distinctive architecture
- Hegel-Hall: Accommodating 1,869 guests, featuring flexible staging and advanced technical capabilities
The venue offers further capacity with 14 additional meeting rooms for groups from 16 to 752 attendees.
Each space includes modern technology, natural daylight and adaptable layouts. For international events there are four dedicated interpreter booths.
Event planners also appreciate the venue’s thoughtful design, including separate foyers for the main halls – perfect for registration, networking, or exhibition space.
Pro Tip: A key advantage of this venue is its proximity to the MARITIM Hotel Stuttgart. With 555 rooms just steps away and integrated catering services, it offers delegates added convenience for their event.
Learn more about hosting your next event at the Liederhalle here.
Hotels in Stuttgart
Stuttgart’s hotels offer both excellent meeting facilities and comfortable accommodations. Many are conveniently located near major venues to ensure a smooth experience for event attendees.
MARITIM Hotel Stuttgart
With the largest room capacity in downtown Stuttgart of 555 guest rooms and adjacent to the Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Liederhalle, MARITIM Hotel Stuttgart is a top choice for large business events.
Its highlight event space is the Stuttgart Riding Arena built in 1885. It provides a unique setting for events of up to 700 participants seated. The Riding Arena can be combined with the Galerie room to increase the space up to 750 people seated.
Stuttgart Riding Arena at MARITIM Hotel Stuttgart, suitable for events of up to 700 participants, such as conferences and gala dinners (Copyright: Maritim Hotelgesellschaft).
The next biggest space is the Maritim Hall for 350 people, with further 14 smaller rooms for events from 12 people.
For the convenience of conference attendees, Maritim has designed a special concept called the Meet @ Maritim Meeting Lounge. When multiple meetings take place on the same day, attendees from all events can access the Meet @ Maritim Meeting Lounge.
MARITIM Hotel Stuttgart has its signature bar, the piano bar, that is open both to hotel guests and external guests.
It also has a swimming pool, sauna and a small fitness studio, a hair salon and a Beauty Lounge.
From the end of September until Christmas the hotel constructs a mountain hut outside the hotel for an alpine atmosphere. The hut can accommodate up to 100 people and is a perfect location for a christmas party with a dedicated winter menu with local specialties and fresh Stuttgart Hofbräu draft beer, Austrian wines, and fine Tyrolean schnapps.
To learn more about venue specifics visit the website.
Waldhotel Stuttgart
The Waldhotel Stuttgart is situated in Stuttgart’s forest. The four-star superior private hotel offers 96 rooms and 6 meeting spaces. The forest location provides a unique backdrop for business events, accommodating up to 100 people theatre-style.
Selecting this venue brings unique benefits to your event, including team-building activities in the forest, networking sessions on the summer terrace, and training in naturally lit meeting rooms. You can also add a wellness component with access to the gym and spa.
From left to right: Catering option at Waldhotel Stuttgart, Elsässer room at Waldhotel Stuttgart. Copyright: Waldhotel Stuttgart.
Wellness and Relaxation area at the Waldhotel Stuttgart.
Insider Tip: Request a forest-facing Superior room for a unique experience – the balcony offers peaceful nature sounds of birds and rabbits and forest views. The Restaurant Finch offers regional cuisine, including seasonal ingredients and an impressive local wine selection.
Dinner at Restaurant Finch. The menu is updated every 2-3 months.
Learn more about the specific room configurations and other hotel services by visiting the website.
Ruby Hanna Hotel & Bar
The Ruby Hanna Hotel & Bar opened in Stuttgart in January 2024, marking the Munich-based group’s 17th hotel in Europe. It’s also the first in Germany to combine a hotel and co-working space under one roof.
The hotel, with 148 rooms, is located in the Gerber-Quartier—a unique urban development.
Its distinctiveness lies in its integrated urban design, a mixed-use space in the heart of Stuttgart’s city center that combines commercial, residential, and retail areas. Here, shoppers, residents, and visitors come together in a vibrant urban setting.
The hotel’s design pays tribute to the region’s wine culture, with lobby elements inspired by the early days of winemaking and alcohol distillation.
For events, the hotel offers Ruby Fred Workspaces—a 1,425-square meter space featuring public areas and meeting rooms.
The space includes a multifunctional kitchen island and a professional barista coffee machine, elevating both event and co-working experiences.
Learn more about Ruby Hanna Hotel & Bar here.
Team events and experiences in Esslingen
When hosting events in Stuttgart, planners can elevate their programs with unique wine experiences from one of Germany’s premier wine regions.
Just 15 minutes from Stuttgart’s city center, Esslingen—a charming medieval town and home to Germany’s oldest sparkling wine producer Kessler offers a perfect complement to Stuttgart-based events with its rich historical and cultural heritage amid stunning vineyards.
Leonardo Hotel Esslingen
Located in the heart of Esslingen’s historic city center, the Leonardo Hotel Esslingen opened in January 2024.
With 151 comfortable guest rooms, the hotel offers business travellers an extreme level of convenience being located close to key event venues in Esslingen.
My room at Leonardo Hotel Esslingen.
The hotel’s two standout features are designed to elevate any corporate event experience:
Panoramic terrace: Offering breathtaking views over the surrounding wine region, this terrace provides the perfect setting to immerse yourself in Esslingen’s wine culture. Enjoy a glass of Kessler, Germany’s oldest sparkling wine, whose headquarters are just a short walk from the hotel. Watching the sunset from the terrace before heading to dinner in one of Esslingen’s historic restaurants is an experience you should add to your itinerary.
Connection to Neckar Forum: As the largest event venue in Esslingen, the adjacent Neckar Forum gives event organisers unlike any other flexibility and space options. Direct access from the Leonardo Hotel Esslingen to this venue makes it easy to create a smooth experience for guests.
The hotel has five meeting and event rooms spanning a total of 296 square meters, including a spacious meeting foyer and a terrace. Each room is fully equipped with essential conference amenities, including stationary equipment, screens, projectors, free high-speed Wi-Fi, and more.
Learn more about Leonardo Hotel Esslingen here.
Neckar Forum
The Neckar Forum is the largest event venue in Esslingen, with capacity for up to 1,200 seated guests in its main hall.
Its standout architectural design allows natural daylight to flood the spaces, creating an inviting atmosphere. The venue’s modern facilities, paired with Esslingen’s historic charm just a short walk away, add a unique and memorable touch to any corporate event.
It includes a large, expandable hall, a foyer, and three smaller meeting or workshop rooms, which can be rented either together with the main hall or separately.
It adheres to the ‘Right and Fair’ sustainability code for the German-speaking event sector, making it an ideal setting for green meetings.
You can learn more about the Neckar Forum here.
Esslingen Old Town Hall
The Esslingen Old Town Hall provides a unique opportunity to immerse your event in the rich history of Esslingen.
Situated in the heart of the city, it is Esslingen’s oldest venue, featuring five event rooms with views extending to the vineyards.
The largest room accommodates up to 150 guests.
Learn more about event spaces at Esslingen Old Town Hall here.
Dicker Turm (Thick Tower)
Here, you’re right in the heart of the vineyards! You can stroll through the vines (as we did) or take a bus to reach it. Opened in 2021, this venue is truly unique due to its historical significance and prime location overlooking the old town and vineyards.
Walking to the Dicker Turm is an option (and enjoy the views), but it’s also possible to reach it by bus or arrange a group transfer.
Start your event with a drink reception on the terrace, then move to the event room, which accommodates up to 44 guests for a banquet.
Pro Tip: Consider a two-city programme that showcases the region’s diversity: Begin with business meetings and events in Stuttgart’s modern venues, then transition to Esslingen for cultural and wine experiences and networking events.
Learn more about events at the Dicker Turm here.
Conclusion
Stuttgart is an evolving city with a rich history, international outlook and commitment to sustainability.
Its wide range of venues, modern infrastructure, and unique venues make it a strong choice for business events.
Known as a ’15-minute city,’ Stuttgart is highly accessible, with most venues reachable by walking, cycling, or a short public transport ride—an advantage for events prioritising sustainability.
The Stuttgart Convention Bureau works closely with local venues and partners to support event planners, providing reliable guidance and practical solutions for creating successful events.
Copyright header photo Nizam Ergil on Canva.
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