Grand Hotel Continental hosts meetings, seminars, private dinners and weddings for up to 100 seated guests, or 110 at a standing reception, in six rooms inside a patrician palace on Banchi di Sopra, the main street of central Siena. It has 51 bedrooms and suites and its own restaurant, a few steps from Piazza del Campo.
Seminars and company events
The hotel, part of the Starhotels Collezione group, sells meetings, seminars and conferences for groups of up to 100. The Salone delle Feste takes 100 in theatre style, 40 in classroom and 35 around a U-shaped table. The Sala Gori and the Library suit board meetings and workshops of 12 to 30. With the bedrooms upstairs, a two-day program can stay in one building, and the events team arranges set-up, decoration, flowers and music on request, from the first idea to the day itself.
Weddings and receptions
The Salone delle Feste is used for civil weddings, receptions and private parties. The hotel states that it is the only room of its kind in the historic center available for private events of up to 100 guests. Dinner can follow in the ballroom or in the courtyard restaurant, and a suite and guest rooms can be reserved for the couple and their families.
Rooms and capacities
Six rooms total about 373 square meters. The Salone delle Feste, 105 square meters, seats 100 at banquet and takes 110 for a cocktail. The Corte SaporDivino, the restaurant space, 96 square meters, takes 50 in theatre style, 70 at banquet and 80 standing. The Sala Gori 1° e 2°, 82.3 square meters, seats 45 at banquet and 30 in rows. The Library, 36.3 square meters, takes 30 in rows or 16 at table. The Sala Olimpia, 31.85 square meters, seats 20, and the Wine Cellar, 22 square meters, seats 12 or holds 25 standing.
Accommodation
There are 51 rooms and suites, from Classic and Superior rooms to Deluxe rooms with a view, some with a terrace, a Noble Junior Suite, a Heritage Suite, a Panoramic Suite and family rooms. Delegates and wedding guests can be housed in the same building as the event.
Catering
Food and wine are handled in-house by Sapordivino. The restaurant opens daily for lunch and dinner with a modern Tuscan menu of fresh pasta, local meats and seasonal dishes. The Lounge Bar by Sapordivino sits in the palace courtyard, and the Wine Cellar occupies the base of a medieval tower with 13th-century walls, used for tastings and small dinners.
History and setting
The building was a private residence before becoming a hotel. Its interiors keep 17th-century frescoes, trompe-l'oeil decoration, Murano glass chandeliers, marble floors and terracotta floors worn by centuries of use. Some rooms look over the Corso and the nearby monuments.
Getting there
The address is Banchi di Sopra 85, in the historic center of Siena, a short walk from Piazza del Campo and the Duomo. Siena railway station lies below the old town, and Florence airport is the nearest international airport for most groups.
