When the London May Fair Hotel underwent its multi-million refurbishment, the "holy grail" was to create an element that would really set the hotel apart in the five-star market.

The answer was a theatre - a place that would draw private film screenings, act as an innovative, high-tech events and conference space and also provide potential for an exclusive film club. "London's largest and best - that was our aim for the theatre," explains Charles Oak, General Manager of the Radisson Edwardian property. "Quite a few private cinemas have opened in the West End in recent years so there was no point in doing just another one. We've looked at the market and provided something that moves the game along in size, quality and leading-edge technology."

The theatre has 201 seats in plush, comfortable velvet and delegates or filmgoers are assured of the most up-to-date technology. Ever wish you could gauge the response of your audience on the spot during a presentation? Now you can, thanks to the film theatre's Audience Response System (ARS) built into each theatre seat. This can be used at any time during the event to get instant audience participation and to pick up questions and responses, game show style. The theatre also stages a summer programme of films for guests and members of the hotel's film club.

The big-screen philosophy carries on into some of the hotel's suites too, with 10 of them coming with full home cinemas built in. At the touch of a button, the suite is transformed with a drop-down screen and projector. During the 30-second transformation, the lights dim, the curtains draw and the amazing sound of the guest's chosen DVD kicks in. Perfect for a smaller scale product launch!

Private views on Park Lane and in Stockholm

Just around the corner is the InterContinental London, where one of the many elements of last year's £76m refurbishment were 60 designer suites, including four 'signature suites' - one of which is the unique 112-sqm Cinema Suite overloooking Hyde Park and Knightsbridge. It comes complete with a screening room for six people. Draped in lush burgundy silk, the screening room comes with comfy movie-mogul reclining seats (Harrods popcorn included) and is fitted with £70,000- worth of the very latest technology - including a drop-down screen, surround-sound system, hand-made designer speakers from Artcoustic and a film library of over 250 titles.

Roland Fasel, General Manager of the InterContinental London Park Lane, explains: "In the competitive environment of the London hotel market, a suite with its own cinema is clearly a differentiator based on the success rate demonstrated by reservations so far. The concept of a suite that has a fully integrated cinema is unique and clearly suggests the epitome of modern elegance." Of course, at £3,000 a night in the Cinema Suite, it's a touch more expensive than piling everyone in to the boardroom for a presentation - but it's a sound investment that your audience will not forget if it's an important message that you want to convey.

Over in Stockholm, there's a sequel with The InterContinental Stockholm, The Grand. This hotel has a beautiful suite on the eighth floor. Should guests ever tire of the stunning views from the Princess Lilian suite, this baby packs in a slick 12-person cinema. The suite was completed in May 2007 and measures a massive 330 sq.metres. Its separate sound-proofed cinema room was created by the foremost acoustics expert in Scandinavia, Ingemar Olsson. It has a Sony HD projector, bespoke screen and Playstation 3, as well as Internet and connections for other personal media.

Private screenings

It's not just in fashionable cities that you'll be able to find a venue to show something on the big screen. Folio Hotels have a spot near Bristol, the Redwood Hotel & Country Club, which has a hidden gem 149-seat cinema. It is used every weekend for complimentary feature film screenings to hotel guests and leisure club members, as well as regular corporate events such as AGMs. A number of Bristol-based firms book it for film screenings - the BBC, for example, has booked it for the Bristol Documentary film Festival later in the year. Its very traditional, slightly quirky design makes it popular with people looking for something that bit different.

Staybridge Suites is an all-suite, extended-stay hotel created by InterContinental Hotel Group to service business travellers and those on relocation. To ensure guests feel relaxed and at home, Staybridge Suites in the US often come with what IHG has christened 'Just Like Home' Theatre Rooms. "Home theatres are a popular trend in luxury home design and our goal is to bring that experience to our guests who spend weeks, sometimes months in our hotels," says Robert Radomski, vice President of Brand Management for Staybridge Suites. The sociable room includes nine leather chairs for guests to gather round and watch a 50-inch plasma HDTV with no less than five surround-sound speakers. If delegates need to practice for presentations, there's a PC plug-in feature which will let guests project presentations onto the big screen. When will this hit UK shores? Bring it on!