Optimizing Meeting Costs: Why Rent Meeting Rooms by the Hour Instead of Maintaining Fixed Ones?

Quick Summary: The Financial Logic of On-Demand Meeting Rooms

For modern businesses in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, maintaining dedicated, fixed meeting rooms is becoming a financial liability. The data is clear:

• Private meeting rooms sit empty 70% of the time, wasting valuable square meters and rent.
• The solution: Shifting to an on-demand model – hourly meeting room rental – allows you to pay only for the time you use.
• The benefit: Reduces fixed rental costs by 20-30%, unlocks access to premium Grade-A facilities for client meetings, and supports a flexible hybrid model.

1. The “Empty Room” Problem: Data on Meeting Room Underutilization

In the traditional office model, the “boardroom” was a status symbol. Today, it is often a silent killer of your operational budget.

The Hidden Cost of Vacancy

When you sign a lease for a traditional office, you pay for every square meter, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, utilization studies from global real estate firms like JLL and CBRE reveal a startling inefficiency:

• Average utilization: Dedicated meeting rooms are occupied only 30-40% of the working week.
• Wasted rent: In a prime District 1 office where rent can exceed $40-50/sqm, a standard 20sqm meeting room costs you $800 – $1,000 per month just to exist—regardless of whether you use it.
• Opportunity cost: That space could be used for revenue-generating activities, such as more workstations for your sales team or a breakout area to improve employee well-being.

The Hybrid Work Multiplier

The rise of the hybrid work model has exacerbated this issue. With teams rotating in and out of the office, the need for large, fixed meeting spaces has plummeted. Most internal “syncs” now happen on Zoom or in small huddle pods. Large boardrooms are gathering dust, yet you are still paying the landlord for them.

Key insight: If your meeting room is empty for more than 4 hours a day, you are overpaying for real estate.

2. The On-Demand Economy: The Financial Logic of Renting Meeting Rooms by Hours

Smart Operations Managers and CFOs are shifting from a CAPEX-heavy model (building and furnishing rooms) to an OPEX-optimized model (renting on demand).

Cost Comparison: Fixed vs. On-Demand

Let’s break down the math for a standard 10-person meeting room in HCMC.

If you only host critical client meetings 4 times a month (2 hours each), renting a premium room at Dreamplex might cost you less than $200/month. That is a 90% saving compared to maintaining your own space.

Zero CAPEX, Maximum Agility

By choosing to rent meeting rooms by the hour, whether in HCMC or Hanoi, you eliminate the depreciation of furniture and AV equipment. You also gain the agility to scale. Need a 4-person room for an interview today and a 50-person town hall space tomorrow? The on-demand model creates that flexibility instantly without capital investment.

3. Client Perception: Hosting Partners in a Grade-A Space vs. a Coffee Shop

For remote teams, distributed companies, or SMEs, the alternative to a fixed office is often a coffee shop. While convenient, coffee shops kill professional credibility.

The “Starbucks” Risk

Meeting a high-value client in a noisy cafe sends a specific signal:

• Lack of privacy: Competitors or eavesdroppers can hear your strategy.
• Unprofessionalism: Background noise, clattering cups, and spotty Wi-Fi interrupt the flow.
• Instability: It suggests you don’t have a stable base of operations.

The Grade-A Advantage

When you rent a meeting room at a premium provider like Dreamplex, you borrow their brand equity. Even if your company is a lean team of three working from home, you can still host your investors in a Grade-A furnished office in District 1 or Thao Dien.

• First impressions: Clients are greeted by a professional reception team, not a barista.
• Technology: Enterprise-grade secure Wi-Fi and high-definition video conferencing tools ensure your presentation runs smoothly.
• Privacy: Soundproof walls allow for confidential negotiations.
• Strategic tip: Use the money you save on rent to upgrade your client hospitality. A premium meeting environment closes deals faster than a noisy cafe ever will.

4. Seamless Experience: Dreamplex’s Hospitality Service for Guests

One of the biggest hesitations regarding on-demand meeting rooms is the logistics. Will the room be ready? Will my guests get lost?

Dreamplex solves this with a hospitality-first approach that mimics a 5-star hotel.

The Booking App

Dreamplex members and guests can book rooms instantly via a dedicated app.

• Real-time availability: See exactly which rooms are free across all locations (District 1, District 2, District 3, and Hanoi).
• Instant confirmation: No back-and-forth emails. Book, pay, and receive your access code in seconds.

Guest Experience

When your guests arrive at a Dreamplex location:

• Warm welcome: Our Member Experience team greets them by name and guides them to the room.
• Tech setup: Our IT staff ensures the Zoom link works and the screen is connected before you start.
• F&B support: Unlimited tea, coffee, and fruit-infused water are available, with catering options for longer sessions.

Strategic Locations

We offer meeting spaces in the city’s most vital business hubs:

• District 1 – Nguyen Trung Ngan or Tran Quang Khai: For traditional and modern meetings, or dynamic brainstorming sessions in the heart of the city.
• District 2 – Ngo Quang Huy or Le Hien Mai: For creative, tech, and relaxed brainstorming sessions in a garden villa setting.
• District 3 – Tran Quoc Toan: For traditional corporate and finance meetings.
• Hanoi – Thai Ha: For modern, purpose-driven collaboration in a sleek, high-floor space with panoramic city views.

What You Should Know Before Booking a Meeting Room at Dreamplex

Still have questions before locking in your next meeting space? Here are a few of the most common ones from our guests:

• How much does it cost to rent a meeting room by the hour? – Rates vary depending on the location and size of the room. On average, you can expect to pay between 200,000 VND and 500,000 VND per hour for a standard meeting room. Larger boardrooms or event spaces may be higher. Dreamplex offers competitive, all-inclusive pricing that covers essentials like tea, coffee, and IT support – no hidden fees.
• Do I need to place a deposit when booking a meeting room? – For hourly rentals, full payment is typically required upfront to confirm your reservation. If you’re already a Dreamplex member, it’s even simpler – credits are automatically deducted from your monthly allowance.
• Are Dreamplex meeting rooms equipped for video conferencing? – Absolutely. All meeting rooms come with high-speed Wi-Fi, large display screens, and are compatible with popular video platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Whether you’re pitching a client or leading a hybrid team sync, you’ll have the tools to make it seamless.

Why Pay for Empty Chairs?

In today’s fast-changing business environment, renting a fixed meeting space that sits idle most of the week isn’t just inefficient – it’s costly.

Adopting an on-demand model for your meetings allows you to:

• Optimize operational costs by eliminating underutilized space
• Match room size to need – from 2-person huddles to full board meetings
• Impress partners and clients with beautifully designed spaces, without overspending

Whether you’re in District 1, District 2, District 3 of HCMC or Hà Nội, Dreamplex offers a curated network of meeting rooms to fit every team and every moment.

Ready to host productive meetings?

Dreamplex – Creating workspace that grows with your business