The FIFA World Cup 2026 comes to a close this weekend with Spain and Argentina facing off on Sunday, and while it’s another year of heartbreak for England, there’s some hotel inspiration to be taken from the tournament…
Argentina - finalists
Belmond Hotel das Cataratas (Iguazú Falls)
Rooms: 193 rooms and suites
Event spaces: The Iguassu Room (the principal indoor event space), plus the pool deck and the hotel's gardens for receptions.
Location: Inside Iguassu National Park on the Brazilian side of the falls - the cross-border transfer from the Argentine park entrance is around 30 minutes via the Tancredo Neves bridge.
Standout: Being the only hotel inside the park means that it has the unique advantage of offering private guest-only access to the falls before the park opens to the public and after it closes.
Spain - finalists
OKU Andalusia (Cádiz)
Rooms: 255 rooms and suites
Event spaces: Indoor meeting rooms, terraced infinity-pool decks and other outdoor spaces - plus the beachfront setting itself functions as a gala venue.
Location: Pretty much the most southern point of Spain - La Alcaidesa, on the Costa de la Luz between Tarifa and Sotogrande. It’s approximately 20 minutes from Gibraltar Airport and 90 minutes from Málaga Airport.
Standout: The property only opened last year, and has a beautiful modern aesthetic that influencers would be jealous of. What’s more, it is situated right on the beach, has incredible views from the top of the property and an amazing spa offering.
England - semi-finalists
Raffles London at the OWO
Rooms: 120 rooms and suites
Event spaces: The Whitehall Ballroom, the Lawrence, the Morse and Code Rooms, and the Poppy Suite. Plus nine restaurants across the wider OWO complex.
Location: Whitehall, Westminster — the Old War Office building, between Horse Guards Parade and the Cenotaph. Five minutes from Trafalgar Square and Charing Cross station.
Standout: The hotel is stepped in history and is an iconic London landmark. The building was Churchill's War Office and Ian Fleming's intelligence HQ. Plus, it delivers the quality you’d expect from the prestigious Raffles brand.
France - semi-finalists
Le Meurice, Dorchester Collection (Paris)
Rooms: 160 rooms and suites
Event spaces: Three dedicated private function rooms, with the largest being the Pompadour. Standing capacity across the rooms is up to 320 combined.
Location: In the heart of Paris, directly opposite the Tuileries Garden, an eight-minute walk to Place de la Concorde and the Louvre. But it also manages to avoid the hustle of the city.
Standout: It was re-awarded the official French "Palace" distinction in June 2026 - and it’s easy to see why. The property is as regal as you’d expect from a Dorchester Collection property and is the perfect size for an incentive group.
Morocco - quarter-finalist
Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech
Rooms: 135 rooms, suites and villas
Event spaces: The hotel offers a combination of a 480-person Palm Ballroom plus breakout rooms, pool decks and gardens.
Location: 20 minutes from Marrakech Menara Airport and 20 minutes from the medina means that the resort is easy to get to and well-located but sits outside the chaos of the city within palm, olive and orange groves at the foot of the Atlas.
Standout: The beauty and tranquility that the Fairmont offers on resort means groups can escape and ‘turn off’ - they can even enjoy a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Atlas Mountains. But can still experience the energy of Marrakech nearby.
Belgium - quarter-finalist
Hotel Amigo, Rocco Forte Hotels (Brussels)
Rooms: 174 rooms and suites
Event spaces: Multiple function rooms across two floors, with the largest holding around 120 in theatre style.
Location: A two minute walk from the Grand-Place, the central square and the most iconic gala venue in the city. Furthermore, Brussels is a very walkable city, and so everything essential is close-by.
Standout: The location means groups can enjoy activities in Brussels but also take a day trip to Bruges. As a destination it is great for both business-focused meetings and incentive-focused activities - the perfect balance of the two in Rocco Forte luxury.
Norway - quarter-finalist
The Thief (Oslo)
Rooms: 119 rooms and suites
Event spaces: The hotel has dedicated conference and meeting rooms, plus the rooftop terrace with panoramic Oslofjord views - the standout event space in the city.
Location: On the waterfront peninsula next to the Astrup Fearnley Museum. Ten minutes from Oslo Central Station and 40 minutes from Oslo Airport Gardermoen. Oslo is also a very walkable city (weather dependent).
Standout: Oslo is the entry point to Norway for global travellers and The Thief is the perfect luxurious starting point. From the capital, groups can then head north to chase the Aurora, Bergen for the fjords or Lillehammer for an Olympic experience.
Switzerland - quarter-finalist
Six Senses Crans-Montana
Rooms: 77 rooms and suites, plus bookable residential apartments
Event spaces: Four function rooms, with the Cabane Mont Blanc the principal space. The spa and rooftop pool are also bookable for private wellness sessions.
Location: Crans-Montana, in the Valais canton. Perfectly nestled in the heart of the Alps with panoramic Matterhorn views and 360-degree views of the Plat Morts glacier.
Standout: Groups can wake up to glacier views, as opposed to having to commute to them. It’s also a ski-in, ski-out resort and has all the Six Senses wellness touches that you’d want for a mountain retreat incentive.
We at Black Book have a truly global view of hotels and venues that can suit every brief - from luxury incentives to large-scale conferences. And we can help with a variety of services from venue finding and group accommodation to full end-to-end event management.
If you’d like to discuss how we can help with your next conference or incentive trip then get in touch.