5 New and Renovated San Diego Meeting Venues

It's often said that San Diego has the best weather in the country. These days, however, the city is even sunnier than usual for the meetings industry thanks to the arrival of several highly-anticipated new meeting venues, the latest of which is the brand-new InterContinental San Diego, which has finally opened its doors in downtown San Diego, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced yesterday.

"This flagship InterContinental hotel on San Diego's waterfront is the latest addition to the world's largest luxury hotel brand," said IHG Americas CEO Elie Maalouf. "It further strengthens our luxury portfolio on the West Coast and positions InterContinental for continued growth across the Americas."

Located on the historic waterfront grounds of Lane Field -- the former baseball stadium of the San Diego Padres from 1936 through 1957 -- InterContinental San Diego stands 19 stories tall and has 400 guest rooms and suites, not to mention: five onsite restaurants, bars and coffee shops, including an eatery from noted local chefs Paul McCabe and Amy DiBiase, as well as the first West Coast location of Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse; a fourth-floor rooftop pool and sundeck; a Club InterContinental club lounge; and a 3,300-square-foot health and wellness center with a yoga terrace and state-of-the-art video wall for on-demand workout classes.

For groups, the new hotel boasts 95,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including 35,000 square feet of flexible indoor space with natural light in every room and 60,000 square feet of outdoor space, including multiple bay-view terraces and historic Lane Field Park. The hotel's 12,000-square-foot Pacific Ballroom can host events of up to 1,500 people beside full-length windows that overlook San Diego's iconic Santa Fe Depot and downtown.

In fact, its vistas are the hotel's defining asset, according to IHG, which said there floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the property's guest rooms, meeting spaces and public areas that maximize daylight inside while showcasing waterfront views outside.

"From first-class dining and amenities, to breathtaking bay views, the new Intercontinental San Diego showcases an elevated level of luxury for leisure and business travelers not previously offered in this area of Southern California."

Four More Fresh Venues in San Diego

The InterContinental San Diego is only the latest in a string of recent enhancements across San Diego's meetings landscape. Here are four other new or renovated venues that give meeting groups fresh choices in a city that's already packed with options:

• The US Grant, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Diego: Now part of Marriott's Luxury Collection, The US Grant in downtown San Diego was built in 1910 by the son of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. Featuring 270 guest rooms and suites and 33,000 square feet of meeting space, it recently completed a $13 million renovation during which it restyled its lobby, expanded its fitness center, refreshed its accommodations and updated its meeting spaces, including each of its four ballrooms, one of which -- the storied Bivouac Ballroom -- served as a speakeasy during Prohibition.

• Kona Kai Resort & Spa: Kona Kai Resort & Spa on San Diego's Shelter Island completed a five-year, $27 million renovation and expansion earlier this summer. The project updated the Polynesian-themed property with refreshed outdoor meeting spaces, new guest suites and an upgraded pool. The property, which dates back to 1953, now offers 170 guest rooms, a 7,020-square-foot spa and 55,000 square feet of meeting space, including 13,000 square feet of indoor space and 43,000 square feet of outdoor space, including a private beach. Highlights include the 9,400-square-foot Point Loma Ballroom, which boasts marina views, and the Marina View Lawn, a 2,550-square-foot terrace that is brand-new to the property.

• Paradise Point Resort & Spa: Located in Mission Bay, Destination Hotels' Paradise Point Resort & Spa also recently wrapped a renovation. Completed in April, the $24 million project included fresh decor, new technology and an updated waterfront. All 462 California bungalow-style guest rooms, for instance, have been outfitted with new tile floors and quartz surfaces; a new color palette that pairs classic navy and white with bright citrus hues; California coastal decor like whitewashed headboards, rope tables and jute chairs; and sliding barn doors that open to new bathrooms with walk-in showers, bohemian porcelain tile floors and nautical wallpaper. The property offers over 32,000 square feet of indoor event space and 30,000 square feet of outdoor meeting space.

• Piazza della Famiglia: Hotels aren't the only spots in San Diego with new and improved gathering places. Case in point: Piazza della Famiglia, a new European-style plaza that opened in March in San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood. At 10,000 square feet, the outdoor space can be reserved for private events of up to 1,200 people. Along with charming stone pavers, the open-air venue boasts overhead lighting, a three-tier fountain and a plaza-wide sound system with mic jacks for speakers.