Epic Incentive Experiences

With its rich history, stunning landscapes and quintessentially British villages and towns, the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead and its surrounds offer an array of exceptional hotels and experiences for incentive trips.

In today’s competitive corporate world, businesses are using incentive trips as a way to motivate employees and improve performance and revenue. More than just a perk, incentive travel is a powerful way to drive employee engagement, foster loyalty, build team cohesion and ultimately boost the bottom line.

To make it an incentive experience employees will never forget, there are some great ways to weave in your company’s values and corporate topics – choose from education, heritage, sustainability or ethical considerations and causes.  

Read on for our guide to incentive trips and experiences in the Royal Borough. We'd love to stay in contact so please make sure you click to subscribe - we'll be sharing corporate offers, news of hotel and venue openings and event inspiration for your clients and guests.

Incentive trips for any size or type of business

•    Customer-facing teams may appreciate a relaxing spa break, wellness experience or team-building activity as a break from their fast-paced, customer service environment
•    HR teams could focus on conferences, workshops and learning retreats to combine learning and professional development with networking and relaxing.
•    An adventure or prestigious event could be ideal for high-performing sales teams. Craft an experience to motivate and reward ambitious top performers.
•    For a multinational company bringing together teams from around the world, there would ideally be a heritage-related element for a shared cultural learning experience. Foster a sense of global community within the company by rewarding a diverse group of employees.
•    Small businesses may run smaller, personalised weekend trips designed to strengthen team relationships and cohesion.

Windsor Carriages in Windsor Great Park

The benefits of incentive trips

1. Building engagement and loyalty
Retain top talent and create a sense of belonging and appreciation among your employees with a well-constructed incentive experience. A truly VIP experience can cement the feeling of being valued and rewarded for effort, making for a lasting impression.
Incentive suggestion: VIP experience
Take a horse and carriage ride (and a picnic!) through Windsor Great Park with Windsor Carriages. Glamourous Ascot Racecourse’s Royal Ascot is the epitome of luxury for hospitality, fashion, fine dining and world-class flat racing. Themed racing events take place throughout the year. Take a private tour of Windsor Castle after hours to give your incentive group a sense of exclusivity.

Incentive suggestion: Dining and gourmet experiences
Enjoy Michelin dining at Great Fosters and Pennyhill Park or Coworth Park. The Royal Borough is home to some big names in the culinary world including The Fat Duck, The Hind’s Head and Caldesi in Campagna, all within the beautiful village of Bray – ideal for a gastronomic tour. Take a luxury skippered trip with The Boat Hire Company to visit local riverside restaurants along the Thames from Windsor to Bray, Maidenhead and Cookham. Hurley House Hotel specialises in exclusive Japanese rituals in their Omakase Sushi Bar – you can even book a sushi masterclass experience for a fun team challenge.

Pennyhill Park pool

2. A chance for rest and relaxation
Incentive travel offers employees a unique and memorable experience that they may not have the opportunity to do otherwise. It can create a sense of excitement and anticipation, which in turn boosts motivation.
Incentive suggestion: Spa days and stays
Whether you make it a day event or stay over for a night, there’s lots to choose from. Have a look at what’s on offer at our spa hotels including Fairmont Windsor Park, Coworth Park, Macdonald Frimley Hall Hotel, Great Fosters and Pennyhill Park.

Canoe & Kayak Adventures on the River Thames

3. Opportunity to bond with the team
Creating shared memorable experiences can help foster camaraderie, improve team building and allow employees to get to know each other outside of the workplace. Tailor trips to include activities, workshops, networking events and team-building exercises, making them both enjoyable and productive.
Incentive suggestion: Adventure & Challenge
Get in touch with Windsor's Canoe & Kayak Adventures for SUP board hire, guided canoe trips and more along the Thames. Enjoy relaxed teambuilding with Escape in 60 Escape Rooms Windsor – challenge the team’s skills!

Incentive suggestion: History and heritage
Give an international team an experience they’ll remember for years with private dining at The Windsor Guildhall, where you can invite the Town Crier dressed in his official regalia to welcome guests. Enjoy a guided tour of Windsor Castle with the multi-award-winning Windsor Tourist Guides Ltd, led by a Blue Badge guide who will share fascinating insights into local history.  

Fairmont Windsor Park walled garden

4. Recognition for positive contributions
There’s nothing like a pat on the back for a job well done. Countless surveys attest to the power of building a strong team by acknowledging individual contributions. There is also a measurable impact on reducing staff turnover and increasing employee engagement. Take the opportunity to carefully craft experiences that match your company’s objectives and values.

Incentive suggestion: Educations & learning
Cumberland Lodge nestled in the heart of Windsor Great Park is an education charity run as a social enterprise. Ideal for workshops and retreats, it can be hired for day events or exclusive use. Royal Holloway, University of London, has a fascinating history from which a multitude of themes can be developed. There are a variety of event spaces from a Victorian picture gallery and Chapel to modern lecture rooms.

Incentive suggestion: Sustainability
Our partner hotels are actively building their sustainability strategies, including considerations around the legacy and impact of an incentive trip. Fairmont Windsor Park has a kitchen garden and two beehives on their 40-acre site and they source food locally from The Royal Farms and Windsor artisans. The Castle Hotel Windsor includes in their ESG policy a pledge to be involved in community activities and local charities as a social commitment – get in touch to see how your own teams can be involved in similar initiatives.

All in all, the Royal Borough promises unforgettable experiences that cater to a variety of interests for those seeking an incentive.

We'd love to stay in contact so please make sure you click to subscribe – we'll be sharing corporate offers, news of hotel and venue openings and event inspiration for your clients and guests.