The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa hosted Northstar's latest Small & Boutique Meetings hosted-buyer event. Photo Credit: Ketara Gadahn, Studio Alani
Down on Mobile Bay close to the Gulf of Mexico, Northstar's third Small & Boutique Meetings hosted-buyer event of 2026 took place Aug. 5-7 at the secluded Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa in Point Clear, Ala. About 110 meeting professionals were on hand to enjoy the charming Southern destination, taking in two rousing education sessions and talking about gatherings for 100 people or fewer on peak night.
The group's first night featured drinks in the arbor-strewn Estate Garden, followed by "Grandeur, Grit, and Glory Since 1847: A Tribute to the History of the Grand Hotel," which included a ceremonial firing of the property's Civil War–replica cannon. A dinner reception on Julep Point rounded out the evening.
Education on the Bay
Zoe Moore, army veteran and strategic EDI consultant, who currently works for Unexpected Atlanta, spoke one morning on honoring cultures as we theme events. "I like to use the analogy of a salad. We're not a melting pot; we are a salad. It's about our differences and being able to honor the significance behind those differences."
She was followed the next day by the showmanship of mentalist Joshua Seth, who used his ability to distract and amaze to highlight body language and other human skills that AI can’t replace. "A computer cannot listen," he said. "It cannot care, connect or communicate well. It can parrot back what you want to hear, but it lacks a soul."
An afternoon of activities took participants out on bikes, kayaks and paddleboards; to the pool; or into the nearby town of Fairhope, with its shops, the pier on Mobile Bay and its own French Quarter.
Thank you again to our generous sponsors for helping us put on such a wonderful event: The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, an Autograph Collection property by Marriott; Visit Mobile; Big Cedar Lodge; Daytona Beach Area CVB; South Walton, Fla.; Awesome Alpharetta; PC Nametag; and Madison Avenue.
The following photo highlights were taken by Ketara Gadahn of Studio Alani.
Register now for our final iteration of the popular Small & Boutique Meetings event takes place in San Antonio, Texas, Oct. 26-28. Visit Northstar's calendar to view upcoming events and register your interest.