NORTHEAST
In the Dupont Circle neighborhood of the nation’s capital, the Yours Truly DC Hotel boasts bohemian-tinged guest rooms and suites with custom residential touches like doorless closets, vintage boho Oriental rugs and spa-inspired showers. Imaginative culinary
fare from DC trendsetters Andrew Dana and Daniela Moreira is offered in venues like Call Your Mother, a Jewish-inspired deli, and Mercy Me, for South American fare.
To conduct business, the hotel has 14 interactive gathering spaces spread
across 15,000 square feet, including a 3,400-square-foot ballroom. All meeting space is ADA accessible, and planners can choose among a wide menu of audiovisual bells and whistles, as well as playful break amenities such as ping-pong tables, pantry
kitchens and outdoor patios.
Opened in 1913, the Hotel Du Pont is in downtown Wilmington, Del., is an Italian Renaissance landmark with 217 guest rooms and suites, a beautifully appointed lobby with original handwork by French and Italian craftsmen, and the ornate Gold Ballroom,
part of a propertywide 25,000+ square feet of elegant event space featuring sophisticated décor and state-of-the-art technology. Guests dine in the La Cavalier brasserie, featuring 11 private dining rooms, and the DE.CO Food Hall, with eight unique restaurant
choices.
One of Cape Cod’s storied destinations, the Chatham Bars Inn has 217 individually decorated rooms and suites. Recreational options include sunset cruises to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, lighthouse tours, tennis, golf and escape rooms. An eight-acre
farm grows the fresh seasonal produce served in the inn’s five dining spots. The layout of the 25-acre oceanfront property allows for customized meetings and function space with stunning ocean views. The inn’s 11 meeting rooms can hold up to 915 people.
SOUTHEAST
Surrounded by 1,400 acres of natural beauty in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, the High Hampton resort has hosted business groups and vacationers alike since 1922. A total of 112 guest rooms are divvied among a central inn and a sprawling
collection of cottages. The 59-room inn itself, on the National Registry of Historic Places, sports wraparound porches and rustic wood-paneled interiors, all recently restored.
The resort’s 1,400 square feet of meeting space include a meeting
room able to accommodate up to 350 people. During breaks or at the end of the day, a private 35-acre lake and surrounding gardens beckon; other on-property amenities include golf and tennis, a fitness center, a pool and a variety of dining options.
The largest equestrian complex in the United States, the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla., features a hotel with 248 stylishly appointed rooms, a grand lobby with 20-foot ceilings, crystal chandeliers and a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. Meeting
and event space here, part of a property-wide 250,000 square-feet (much of it residing within two exposition centers), includes the Paris Room with a classical herringbone interior, gold-leaf detailing and a marble fireplace.
Set on Key West’s only private natural-sand beach, the 150-room Reach Key West caters to small groups and retreats in a bright and open setting that aims to inspire creativity. Over 4,700 square feet of indoor event space lets planners choose from ballrooms,
breakout rooms and terraces for up to 311 people, while the Atlantic Ocean itself serves as the backdrop for a secluded gazebo and a beach area that can host up to 270.
On 3,000 acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Northwest Georgia, the Barnsley Resort offers 140 guest rooms, including a 55-room inn and 39 cottages. Meetings and events take place among 16,000 indoor square feet, in spaces such as a
ballroom that can host up to 360 people for catered meals, as well as outdoor areas such as the Manor House Ruins and boxwoods gardens dating back to the 1840s. Recreational options include an 18-hole Jim Fazio golf course, archery, a spa and more.
In South Carolina, nestled among the cobblestone streets and brightly colored row houses of Charleston’s historic district, Emeline is a charming luxury retreat with design elements inspired by the city’s gorgeous flora and heritage as a port. The hotel’s
212 guest rooms include 128 luxury suites, while the in-house Frannie & The Fox is a wood-fired eatery with an Italian accent and a courtyard for open-air dining. Some 13,000 square feet of flexible indoor/outdoor meeting space includes the Hayne
Street Gallery, which can host up to 240 for a banquet or reception.
MIDWEST
In downtown Milwaukee, Saint Kate — The Arts Hotel puts a cultural spin on hospitality with features including 219 art-filled guest rooms (each comes with drawing paper and colored pencils, a ukulele and a record player accompanied by some classic vinyl).
The hotel also has numerous special areas showcasing contemporary works of all stripes, including a new gallery curated by the Museum of Wisconsin Art.
Saint Kate also offers three on-site restaurants, two bars and the ARC Theater for live
entertainment. Groups meet in more than 11,000 square feet of meeting space across 11 dedicated spaces, including the Simone Ballroom, able to host up to 600 people, and the plush Expressionist Boardroom for corporate musing.
In the historic Grand Center Arts District of St. Louis, the Angad Arts Hotel has 146 guest rooms with décor divided into four groups of primary shades — Freedom Blue, Rejuvenation Green, Empowerment Red and Curiosity Yellow, along with in-house art shows
and a playroom for making music and engaging in board games. The hotel has more than 8,000 square feet of meeting space, including an outdoor rooftop terrace (with a bar) and a 3,080-square-foot private ballroom.
Sitting opposite the downtown Cincinnati patch of leafy green it was named for, the luxurious Lytle Park Hotel has 106 oversize guest rooms plus a fine-dining Italian restaurant and lounge, a lively lobby bar and a rooftop bar and event space with views of the city and the Ohio River. A total of more than 12,000 square feet of meeting space includes the 2,315-square-foot Magnolia Ballroom, with an outdoor terrace, and the 2,797-square foot Sycamore Ballroom on the garden level.
SOUTHWEST
At 300+ rooms, the JW Marriott Houston Downtown might not seem to fit the mold for a boutique property, but the hotel’s attention to personal service and its many intimate spaces and walls covered with local art have a distinct boutique feel. No two guest rooms are alike, though all do feature thoughtfully appointed décor and amenities including oversized, sculptural soaking tubs and plush robes.
Planners will find 12,849 square feet of meeting space spread among six event rooms, the largest accommodating up to 500 people. The stately 920-square-foot Carter Boardroom, once a private office, offers a glimpse into the hotel’s earlier incarnation as the Carter Building, the tallest in Texas when it opened in 1910.
A landmark 19-story property that debuted in the heart of downtown El Paso, Texas, in the 1930s, the 131-room Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park underwent a $78 million renovation that was completed in June 2020. One of Conrad Hilton’s first high-rise hotels, the hotel has been beautifully restored and features 7,600 square feet of meeting and event space for up to 120 people. Among the gathering spots is a rooftop bar that affords views spanning the city and beyond into Mexico and New Mexico.
The newly renovated 194-room Hotel Viata is a tranquil, Italian-inspired escape just 15 miles from the heart of downtown Austin. Amenities include a spa with eight treatment rooms, the all-day Laurel restaurant with a patio overlooking Texas Hill Country, and more than 12,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a 3,540-square-foot ballroom for up to 300 guests and a 3,600-square-foot outdoor courtyard.
FAR WEST
A world leader in the growing trend of corporate wellness programming, The Ranch Malibu has been hosting groups since 2010. Nestled amidst the scenic Santa Monica Mountains and perched on 200 acres of rugged coastline, the property offers 21 private guest cottages, an open-air kitchen, a certified organic garden, The Barn (gym), Massage Village, an outdoor pool and a Jacuzzi.
An expert staff helps craft an active schedule that includes morning hikes, strength training, yoga classes and daily massage. Delicious plant-based menus feature organic and seasonal ingredients sourced directly from on-site gardens and nearby farms. The property is ideal for a private group retreat, boot camp, meeting or corporate event.
Enveloped in the perennial glamour of Beverly Hills while presenting European comfort and modern design, the Cameo Beverly Hills embodies a piece of Italy in the heart of Los Angeles. Built in 1965, the building recently underwent a renovation of all 138 guest rooms, including 12 suites. The property features more than 24,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting space, including a storied rooftop ballroom with panoramic views of L.A., an outdoor pool terrace with daybeds and cabanas, a fitness center with personal fitness training, and a business center.
A short walk from the San Diego Convention Center, the 211-room Kimpton Alma has 211 guest rooms with rich wood floors, expansive windows, art deco furniture, tattoo-inspired artwork and woven tapestries. Dining takes place at The Desmond, serving Michelin-level dishes in a posh 1950s setting, plus a casual pool-deck eatery and lobby café. Approximately 20,000 square feet of in-house event space includes the 3,025-square-foot Ovation Ballroom, which can host up to 200 people for a banquet.
INTERNATIONAL AND U.S. TERRITORIES
A local landmark since 1972, the Rosewood Villa Magna is devoted to providing a deeply authentic Madrid experience. On the Paseo de las Castellana, amidst the city’s famed shopping, dining and cultural attractions, the property has 154 accommodations consisting of 101 guest rooms, 49 suites and four signature suites that combine the ambiance of a contemporary Spanish villa with the signature aesthetic of Old Spain.
The hotel partners with local galleries and museums to offer guests an exclusive look at special collections and works. Four on-site dining outlets include the signature Amós, helmed by Michelin-starred chef Jesús Sánchez, with a menu that pays homage to the produce of Spain’s northern lands. Meetings and events take place among 12,292 square feet of indoor and outdoor spaces that can accommodate up to 500 people.
The new Londoner Hotel is centrally located in the British capital’s Leicester Square. All 600 suites have an elegant at-home ambience and feature spa-inspired touches like QTO massage equipment. For meetings and events, 369,202 square feet of space includes 13 ballrooms, six meeting rooms and the 1,700-seat Londoner Theater. For larger groups, the Londoner Arena can accommodate up to 6,000 people. Michelin-starred dining and an award-winning spa round out the amenities.
On pristine Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman in the Caribbean, the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa is the boutique company’s first international luxury property. Most of the 264 guest rooms have ocean views through floor-to-ceiling windows, and all have private balconies. Other lures include the 8,500-square-foot Spa at Seafire, three dining options and a cozy cocktail bar/library. Meetings take place in 20,000 square feet of smartly designed indoor and outdoor space.
Designed with a balance of the Old World and New, the Thompson Zihuatanejo makes the most of its perch in the state of Guerrero on Southern Mexico’s Pacific Coast. With 56 guest rooms (no two the same), including suites with swim-up access, private terraces and plunge pools, the property offers jet-skiing, parasailing and alfresco spa treatments. Indoor event space can host up to 50 guests, while an outdoor garden can handle functions for 250.