The Westin Peachtree Plaza Atlanta is included in the Top 100 Meeting Hotels in the United States for good reason. A cylindrical glass tower of 73 stories with the Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View revolving gracefully atop the tower, the Westin Peachtree Plaza offers not only hotel rooms but also 80,000 square feet of meeting space. Located in downtown Atlanta, this hotel caters convenience with spectacular views for their guests.
Groups of all sizes are encouraged to use the various meeting rooms and facilities at the Westin Peachtree Plaza of Atlanta. The largest room offered is the Peachtree Ballroom which is 17,000 square feet with a maximum capacity of 2500 people. Other meeting rooms range in size and capacity. A total of 53 meeting rooms are available. The hotel offers perspective guests an e-planner on their online site to aid in planning conventions, conferences and various events. Services and support for meetings and functions are available through the hotel for various needs. Technology and audiovisual support for meetings requiring their usage. Catering services are offered for meetings, banquets, conferences, conventions or parties with special catering and event menus available. A business center is offered for usage as needed. The conference/convention center is attached to the hotel.When meetings are over for the evening, the hotel has outdoor tennis courts, a retractable-roof pool and a health club on site. For additional adventure and excitement, Atlanta night life attractions and dining experiences are moments away.Offering a 360 degree panoramic observatory View level, the Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar and View which is a tri-level dining complex perched atop the hotel offers an unparalleled dining experience for their guests. Sitting over 73 floors high above downtown Atlanta, the Sun Dial Restaurant revolves allowing patrons to view Atlanta from an amazing perspective. The bar rotates as well. A sky walk to the AmericasMart wholesale marketplace is breath-taking at night with the Atlanta lights.The Westin Peachtree Plaza, 12 mile from the Atlanta airport, originally opened in 1976. It was most recently remodeled in 2012 to specifically accommodate large groups for conventions or business conferences. With 1068 rooms and suites, 80,000 square foot meeting room space, a 17,000 square foot Peachtree Ballroom, and a business center available to guests and groups, the hotel finds that an ideal group size is 700 to 800 rooms during peak season with a maximum of 1000 rooms. Regardless of type of meeting or what size the group, the Westin Peachtree Plaza Atlanta is recommended as one of the Top 100 Meeting Hotels. Special deals are available. Package rates for various sized groups, rooms and meeting rooms with various amenities, support and services are available.
Las Vegas is known for hosting many meetings, conventions and other events that require a great deal of space. Two of the United State's top 100 meeting hotels are The Venetian and The Palazzo. These are both visually stunning locations that everyone should see at some point.The meeting spaces at both The Palazzo and The Venetian includes over 2.25 million square-feet of space. The Venetian ballroom alone spans 85,000-square-feet. A five floor Congress Center is also an excellent place to hold meetings and conventions. The Sands Expo is two levels of equally high quality meeting/convention space. On-site caterers are always prepared to present the perfect menu for any company event. Attendees can be treated to a breakfast buffet in the morning, followed by fancy, high-end lunches and dinners. The audio-visual department of The Venetian and The Palazzo can provide high tech services for a company's event. Companies can place an advanced request for audio equipment and cable or satellite services. They can also provide top of the line Internet services, high-speed WiFi, intranet capabilities and technical support every step of the way. If a company needs electrical displays for their event, The Venetian and The Palazzo will provide support for that as well. If special lighting is needed for an event, it will be provided by the facility's in-house lighting experts. The Venetian Photo Studios provide companies high quality photography and videography of any and all events that take place in either hotel. Professionals in the fields of videography and photography work closely with their clients to capture all the special moments of their events. They provide digital photography services, printing and development of film and even web-casting. The Venetian and The Palazzo are some of the largest hotels in Las Vegas, boasting 4,059 regular guest rooms and 4,049 suites. They can hold close to 10,000 guests per night. Both hotels are conveniently located along The Strip and are close to McCarren International Airport and countless high end shops and restaurants. Any company looking to throw an impressive meeting, convention or other event will receive the highest quality services from both The Venetian and The Palazzo.
The Peabody Orlando is known for having the best meeting space anywhere in the United States. It spans three floors of the hotel, covering a total of 300,000 square feet. One floor alone covers 150,000 square feet. There is also a Peabody Boardroom which boasts a round table in the style of King Arthur. The Peabody's Grand Ballroom is 55,000 square feet, perfect for any organization's large meetings. In addition to the Grand Ballroom there is also the Plaza International Ballroom and the Windemere Ballroom. For those who want a smaller room there are 105 to choose from, all of which are equipped with the latest in technology. Outside events can also be accommodated at either the Garden Terrace, the Orchid Room & Verandah. Of these three venues, the Garden Terrace is the biggest at 20,000 square feet. There are also two smaller ballrooms, referred to as junior ballrooms, that are 8,600 square feet. For meeting and convention registration, there is 75,000 square feet of available space. This is also a great space to hold networking events. The floor management team can help any company put together an event and will offer assistance every step-of the way.
An Executive Business Center can also be found at The Peabody Orlando. There is even a walkway between The Peabody and the Orange County Convention Center, which holds another 2.8 million square feet that can be used for meetings and conventions. Some of the audio-visual equipment available upon request at The Peabody Orlando is communication and sound systems, projectors, screens, audio recorders and lighting as well as special effects. The technology capabilities of The Peabody include a meeting room equipped with fiber/Cat-V networks and high speed Internet that boasts more than 100mb of bandwidth. The tech staff is always available to help conference and meeting attendees.
The Peabody Orlando is located just 15 minutes away from Orlando International Airport by car and directly across from the Orange County Convention Center. There are 1,641 guest rooms in The Peabody Orlando, which can accommodate thousands of guests per night. This upscale hotel is a popular choice for many.
This premiere location for holding meetings and conventions will impress any company with their state of the art services and staff. The Peabody Orlando is an excellent choice for meetings and conferences due to the quality of their facilities.
Ask any business employee and they agree Orlando is a top meeting destination. This has led the city centrally
located in the middle of the Sunshine State to develop
business and conference centers to suit everything from the smallest meeting to grand gatherings. Already being acclimated to the tourist industry, Orlando has evolved to help meeting planners get the most from their event. Most hotels and convention centers offer on-staff event coordinators that will provide in-depth planning services making planning an event quick and easy. Nearby attractions such as Disney World Theme Parks, Universal Studios Theme Parks, SeaWorld Orlando, Gatorland, miniature golf, balloon rides, and dinner shows cater to business events offer a variety of memorable customized team building activities. Some of the best business-event centered locations in the Orlando area include:
Orange County Convention Center
Located conveniently off International Drive close to Interstate 4 and State Road 528, is a massive convention center that rivals that of any major city. The Orange County Convention Center is a sprawling complex that boasts a business center with computer rentals, email and internet browsing, office supplies, printing services, and copy machine rentals. Conveniences for convention attendees include ATMs, currency exchange, massage services, coat/bag check, shoe shine, telephone access, and wireless internet. The Orange County Convention Center has a main exhibition hall that encompasses 22 acres. Many local hotels provide complimentary transportation to and from the location.
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
With a professional staff of creative event planners, the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress knows how to put together a memorable event. The eco-friendly Orlando conference center has successful held a variety of events in the 65,000 square feet of meeting space. The 1,500-acre resort has 16,768 square feet of exhibit space with exception catering services, audio/visual equipment expertise, and a full service business center with high-speed internet. Pre-planned golf and tennis tournaments can be held upon request. Additionally, local are transportation is available to theOrange County Convention Center.
Gaylord Palms
Easily one of the most unique and elegant hotels in the Orlando area is the Gaylord Palms. With over 40,000 square feet of convention space under one room, the Gaylord Palms can host an event of almost any magnitude. The hotel also features top rated restaurants and event catering. The centerpiece of the hotel is the 4.5 acre atrium with beautiful tropical foliage and serene waterfalls themed after Key West. The Hemingway boardroom is a posh 14 seat meeting room available for smaller events. The other end of the spectrum is the beautifully appointed Osceola Ballroom with has 46, 748 square feet of flexible space that can be easily sub divided into six sections. The largest space available at the hotel is the Florida Exhibition Hall with a stunning 178,500 square feet of flexible space, making it the largest in-hotel exhibition hall in Florida.
Disney Convention Center
Sitting on the Contemporary Hotel is one of the most sought after convention spaces. The two level center has four ballrooms, three boardrooms, and six breakout rooms with the convenience of a location near the famed Walt Disney World Theme Park.
When wireless Internet technology was brand new, one could understand why hotels charged extra for the service. Only a small percentage of hotel guests had laptops and other electronic devices that did not need to be plugged in to connect to the internet. Costs to provide such service to a handful of guests were prohibitive. It may have made sense, ten years ago, to ask users to pay a fee for wireless internet access. Today, almost every business traveler has at least one, and usually several, devices that connect to the Internet using wireless technology. Prices have dropped dramatically and free wireless internet is offered in many budget hotels as well as at airports and in coffee shops. Hotel guests expect to have access to wireless connectivity and they do not appreciate being charged extra for the service. Why do so many limited service hotels offer free wireless Internet while the luxury and resort hotels charge $15 or $20 per day for the service?When you pay $300 for a room in an upscale hotel, you expect to receive plenty of amenities. Getting an Internet access fee added to your bill does not sit well with even very well-to-do travelers. The world has changed and Wireless Internet should be treated the same as other utilities like electricity or land line telephone service. Hotels sometimes argue that it costs money to set up a wireless system for a 200 room hotel. Upon further analysis, it turns out those monthly costs to operate such a system only amount to a few dollars per guest. Hotels pay far more per hotel guest for flat screen TVs or even fancy shower heads. Frankly, if the truth be told, high priced hotels charge guests for wireless Internet because they can.Cost has nothing to do with the decision to charge guests for what should be a free service. Many budget hotels that charge half the rates of luxury lodging facilities, proudly advertise their free wireless Internet. Just like you might pay $10 for a beer and a coke at the ballpark or $3 for a small bottle of water, hotels that charge for wireless Internet are trying to scrape every last dime out of their customers. Unfortunately, that strategy almost always backfires and hotels with a pay for wireless policy, wind up losing good customers. While there may be some justification to charge a small fee for extra fast service, all hotels should offer basic wireless access for free. Once companies start booking their business travel with other hotels that do offer free wireless Internet, hotels that want to remain competitive, will suddenly change their policies and provide the service with a smile. My bet is that free wireless Internet service will become as common as a television in every room or a complimentary deluxe breakfast. You have to give the people what they want.
When you hear the term "all inclusive" in regards to a hotel, you likely expect several things to come along with your hotel stay. The truth of the matter is that not every all inclusive hotel has the same options. However, the Grand Velas Rivera Maya is one all inclusive hotel that has it all.At the Grand Velas Rivera Maya, you will have access to three major sections. The Zen Grand Section is a family-friendly area with elegant and exotic suites with large rooms, private terraces, and indoor jacuzzis. Families and business travelers alike enjoy this lush section due to its proximity to the convention center and the hotel pool.The Ambassador Section features suites that are even larger with ocean views, sitting areas, and other luxurious amenities. These suites are near the kid's club as well as the gym.And the Exclusive Grand Class Section has only the utmost privacy along with plenty of relaxing features. The large suites have Mexican artwork with private terraces, beautiful views, and plunge pools.Though some rooms are larger than others, they all include a level of elegance and luxury unlike those at other resorts. Once you choose between the large variety of rooms available, you will also want to know about the food. The Grand Velas Rivera Maya has a full tour of culinary delights and the meals are all included. The Piaf is a French restaurant with a casual elegance while Sen Lin is an Asian restaurant with a family friendly atmosphere. Frida has fine Mexican cuisine and Cocina de Autor has molecular items from the Mexican Caribbean. For Italian and Mediterranean options, there is the Lucca restaurant and the list goes on. The next time you are looking for the perfect location for a business meeting or conference, or even a casual family or romantic getaway, the Grand Velas Rivera Maya is the perfect option. With conference accommodations, a variety of suites from which to choose, fine and family dining, and a large amount of area activities this all inclusive resort really does include every option any traveler could need or want.
Corporate meetings and retreats are often known for their mix of intense work sessions and beautiful relaxing landscapes. Golf retreats are currently on the rise as a perfect mix of the two. Executives spend their days meeting the retreat's goals and objectives but early morning and late afternoons are the perfect time for a round of golf to take care of the more conversational business.
The 400-acre Four Seasons Resort in Punta Mita, Mexico, boasts a waterfront infinity pool with breathtaking views that often include whales feeding below. The 18-hole course was designed by Jack Nicklaus, and has one unique hole on an island 200 yards out. Also in Mexico, the Fairmont Mayakoba Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen is an isolated 45-acres complete with small boats, called lanchitas, used to explore the local waterways. The course is so respectful of the natural landscape that the Audubon Society has recognized the pristine preservation of the Greg Norman-designed experience.
Another Four Seasons Resort in Guancaste, Costa Rica, allows nature to mix with the retreat experience, as monkeys are commonly seen in the resort's trees. Eco-tours such as zip-lining through the jungle or hiking around a live volcano provide an authentic island experience to those who like a little adventure. The 18-hole, par 72 golf course was designed by Arnold Palmer.
In Bermuda, The Reefs is built on the ruins of a 1680 farmhouse that overlooks a private beach. Featuring an award-winning spa, all rooms at this stunning resort offer ocean vistas in full view.
Consistently ranked among the top five golf resorts by Conde Nast Traveler, the Coeur D'Alene Golf Resort in Idaho has the world's first and currently only floating island green. Only accessible by water taxi, golfers swing towards the mainland. Event planners even have the option of hosting on the golf course pavilion with a direct view of the floating green, or, for more private meetings, a cruise fleet of up to six boats is available.
Golfers of all levels can appreciate the opportunity to spend some of their meeting time outside. Whether a casual or competitive group, attendees to an off-site retreat at a golf-friendly resort will have the perfect mix of business and pleasure.
