Why Idaho for Your Next Meeting or Event?
The high-desert climate in the Treasure Valley is home to Boise, a friendly, walkable capital city. Several notable hotels have opened or are in the works, as the options for meeting and event planners continue to grow.
BOISE
New & Coming Soon
Finishing up a major property refresh, the 110-room Inn at 500 Capitol
has transformed its eatery into a new fine-dining steak house, Hemlock,
that now is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant now is
the exclusive caterer for all events at the property. The work also
replaced a small private dining space with a more secluded
270-square-foot boardroom that still can be used as a dining room for a
small group. The full-property renovations included updating soft goods
and carpets, as well as adding new fixtures and furniture. More dramatic
renovations took place in many of the suites, including updating the
artwork throughout.
The 234-room Grove Hotel is undergoing a renovation, scheduled to be completed in late September. All guest rooms are getting new flooring, lighting and luxury furniture, and the bathrooms are being redesigned with walk-in showers.
Two hotels are joining the city’s inventory next spring in the form of a dual-branded Marriott property. The lobby and the 9,000 square feet of meeting space will be shared by the 171-room AC hotel and 125-room Element hotel. Just a few blocks from the Boise Centre, the city’s convention center, the properties will feature a rooftop restaurant with two decks and a central bar.
To help the country celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2026, the Idaho State Museum’s “United We Celebrate” exhibit (running March 4 to July 31) will showcase how Idahoans, from Basque immigrants to Shoshone Bannock tribes, honor national traditions through food, music and family rituals.
The city hopes to be named a Base Camp City for a visiting FIFA World Cup 2026 team. Base camps will be chosen after the Final Draw is completed for the competition this December.
A major expansion is taking place at Boise Airport. To be completed this year are new eateries and retail options, as well as a renovation of the Bardenay, a restaurant favored by passengers. The multiyear project will introduce a seven-story rental-car center next year. A new concourse with up to 10 new gates is in the works, as well. The expansion is needed: Passenger traffic at the facility increased 81 percent from 2014 to 2024.
Also at the airport, Alaska Airlines will begin flights between Boise and Ontario, Calif., on Jan. 7. Four L.A.-area airports — Ontario, LAX, Burbank and Orange County — now will have direct flights to Idaho’s capital. The route from Bozeman, Mont., to Boise returns Oct. 5, shifting from a seasonal route to permanent, year-round service.
Meeting Hotels
Properties with meeting space include the 303-room Riverside Hotel, 252-room Grove Hotel, 180-room Residence Inn Boise Downtown City Center, 122-room Hotel Renegade, 112-room Hotel 43 and 110-room Inn at 500 Capitol.
To find and compare hotels, and send RFPs, visit Northstar Meetings Group's new venue finder.
Group Event Venues
Overlooking the famed blue field of Albertson’s Stadium at Boise State, the Stueckle Sky Center features six event spaces, all with views of The Blue, the Boise foothills and the downtown skyline. The largest room is 7,100 square feet and holds 350 theater-style.
Top Chef. Let the cuisine competition begin at Season and Taste, the city’s own cooking school. Set up this tasty team-building event for up to 45 people. Teams are judged on various components of their dishes.
A James Beard semifinalist for best chef/mountain region in 2024, Dan Ansotegui and his family make paella, chorizos, solomo, Basque bacon and more. Ansotegui’s establishment, Ansot’s, mainly sells takeout, but also offers catering, and a small event space, Ondoan, seats up to 24.
The Great Hall of the historic Boise Depot makes an elegant setting for seated soirées for up to 165 guests and receptions for 300 attendees.
A two-story education complex opened in October at the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights. Adjacent to the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, the new building features classroom space for up to 75, a boardroom for 12 and a catering kitchen.
Groups coming to town have several great options for trophy-worthy meals. Three Boise-area chefs are James Beard Award semifinalists in the Best Chef (Mountain) division: Cal Elliott, chef-owner of the Avery Hotel + Brasserie, and Rémi Courcenet and Nathan Whitley of Terroir. Also in the running is Salvador Alamilla of Amano in nearby Caldwell. Finalists were to be announced April 2.
The Idaho Shakespeare Festival, a staple in Boise since 1977, hosts four classics this summer, both Shakespearean and 20th-century. Get tickets for Twelfth Night, Noises Off, Sunday in the Park With George or Dial M for Murder. Groups of up to 100 people are welcome; up to 300 with advanced notice.
On top of the Treefort Music Hall, the Hap Hap Lounge sports plenty of space for an evening event. The bar serves creative cocktails and local beers; use the indoor/outdoor rooftop for up to 200 guests.
Transportation
Boise Airport, approximately six miles from the city's downtown; transfer cost by taxi, $15; many area hotels offer complimentary shuttle service. Delta Air Lines now flies between Boise and Atlanta, giving Idaho a much-needed connection to the East Coast. And Alaska Airlines is launching a flight to Palms Springs, Calif.