NORTHEAST
In posh East Hampton, on the eastern end of the South Shore of Long Island, N.Y., Gurney's Montauk Resort is a cherished getaway for vacationers and meeting-goers alike. The resort has 158 rooms, suites and beachfront cottages, each with dramatic Atlantic
Ocean views. In May 2022, Gurney’s unveiled its refreshed Seawater Spa following an extensive $20 million renovation focused on holistic wellness and sustainability, along with the new Spa Deck event space overlooking the property’s 2,000-foot-long
private beach.
The resort now offers a total of 25,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event spaces, while a group also can integrate team-building activities at the Beach Club. Also on-site: five dining venues, a banquet hall, multiple meeting
rooms and multilevel outdoor decks, ideal for corporate retreats, board meetings, presentations and receptions of all kinds.
As the tallest building in Atlantic City with over 20 beachfront acres on the world-Atlantic City Boardwalk, the 1,860-room Ocean Casino Resort spent $100 million in new property developments in 2022 and has pledged $15 million more for upgrades in 2023.
Updates include the completion of over 460 new hotel rooms, the addition of Serendipity3, based on the famed New York City restaurant and ice-cream emporium and an expansion of its casual Asian restaurant Zhen Bang. The resort’s total of 160,000 square
feet of meeting space can accommodate up to 10,000 people.
Overlooking the Connecticut River in downtown Springfield, Mass., just two blocks from the MassMutual Center, the Marriott Springfield Downtown is fresh from a two-year, $50 million renovation that updated the hotel’s 266 guest rooms, 15,000+ square feet
of interior meeting space and 20,000 square feet of outdoor rooftop space. The lobby has been reimagined with Marriott’s “great room” concept — one big lobby room with reconfigurable tables and banquettes, a bar and restaurant service.
SOUTHEAST
One of New Orleans’ grandest of grand dames, the InterContinental has always honored its past even as it looks to the future, a principle behind the recent $3.5 million renovation of its third-floor meeting space and the La Salle Ballroom overlooking
St. Charles Avenue. Spanning 8,330 square feet and able to accommodate up to 700 people for a reception or seat up to 630 for a banquet, the ballroom was completely restored to its original elegance and sophistication, along with receiving new chandeliers
and marble floors in its prefunction space. The room now can be divided into three smaller areas for groups of from 140 to 380 guests
Affording easy access to the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, the hotel offers 484 elegant guest rooms,
a total of 30,000 square feet of meeting space and a number of great restaurants like the fine-dining Trenasse (fresh gulf fish and oyster treats) and Pete’s for a sumptuous breakfast.
Meeting planners now have a lot more space to work with at the 400-room Atlanta Marriott Northwest at Galleria. The hotel has debuted an additional 25,000 square feet of event space, complete with a divisible 11,000-square-foot grand ballroom, outdoor
terraces and an event lawn, capable of accommodating up to 1,200 guests. Moreover, the flexibility of this space seamlessly can take a corporate group from large-scale meetings to small group brainstorming sessions and back to an awards banquet.
One of the most distinctive hotels on Orlando’s International Drive is now even better thanks to new, redesigned VIP suites, quintessential for executive teams looking to combine business, bonding and boldness. In all the 1,344-rom Rosen Centre has 150,000-plus
square feet of creative, dedicated high-tech meeting space, along with exceptional, personalized banquet and dining services. The property is connected by skybridge to the Orange County Convention Center, itself the second largest such facility in
the U.S.
The 442-room InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta is undergoing its first major renovation since opening in 2004. The first stage was completed in May 2022 with the unveiling of The Americano, an Italian-inspired steakhouse; a remodel of the lobby lounge
to become The Great Hall, and a refresh of the property’s event space. The second and final phase of work has so far resulted in creation of the new 21st-floor Club Lounge. The hotel has more than 31,000 square feet of event, meeting, conference and
banquet space, including two extravagant ballrooms.
MIDWEST
About 65 miles from downtown Cleveland, the completion of the luxurious Med Spa in 2022 completes a $35 million multi-year renovation of the Grand Resort in Warren, Ohio. The facility features multiple treatment rooms, a relaxation lounge and a full-service
fitness center, providing guests with a complete wellness experience. Other work included major updates of the resort’s 132 guest rooms and the affiliated championship Avalona Golf and Country Club.
Combined, the Grand Resort and Avalon properties
have more than 41,000 square feet of event space and can accommodate everything from intimate board meetings to large conferences. The property’s on-site amenities include the Roman Bath, heated to therapeutic 90 degrees F and open year-round; the
Wine Tasting Bar; the Cigar Lounge and a seasonal zero-entry swimming pool.
Following two years of a meticulous $2.5 million reconstruction, the Stonedrift Spa at the 80-room Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa in Galena, Ill. has reopened, having expended from 3,500 to more than 12,000 square feet. Features include 13 private treatment
rooms, a Vichy shower room and s series of “breathe & detox” rooms. Other property attractions include the famed 18-hole General golf course (one of four courses on-site), and when it comes to events, the resort’s 15,000 square feet of space can accommodate
conferences and banquets for up to 300 people.
SOUTHWEST
An exciting reconfiguration and reimagination of an existing structure, the renovation of the 367-room Marriott San Antonio Airport has proven a catalyst for urban renewal in the Texas city’s conveniently located airport corridor. Innovative modern interiors
by global interior design firm The Gettys Group capture the rich culture and spirit of San Antonio, including a breathtaking great room with flexible seating and modern technologies, and an eye-catching indoor/outdoor bar that opens to an expansive
patio and luxurious pool accessible to many of the hotel’s beautiful event spaces.
Speaking of which, there are more than 15,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, along with a large state-of-the-art fitness center, communal tables that
offer plug-and-play technology to work and collaborate, a fresh-from-the-kitchen grab-and-go food market and more.
Just 10 minutes from the heart of downtown Austin, the newly renovated 194-room Hotel Viata houses the brand-new Spa Viata with eight treatment rooms, the all-day Laurel Restaurant and 12,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a 3,540-square-foot
ballroom for up to 300 guests and a 3,600-square-foot outdoor courtyard. This hotel has partnered with Procure Impact to use high-quality products for retail, operations, amenities, furniture and décor. Each product on the platform creates jobs for
individuals with disabilities, refugees, veterans and others.
In 2022, the 183-room Park Hyatt Beaver Creek in Colorado underwent a major exterior renovation of its Gerald R. Ford Hall — a premier meeting space in Beaver Creek Village, the hotel’s ski-in/ski-out location. (Among the many summer activities on tap
here are fly fishing and river rafting.) The property also added a new pergola on the patio outside its on-site restaurant, 8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill. The Hotel has more than 50,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space.
Following a multimillion-dollar renovation, in February 2022 the Viewline Resort Snowmass in Colorado debuted its newly enhanced interiors and exteriors, culinary offerings and curated guest programming, in its mission to deliver a modern luxury resort
experience with a 1960s mountain-town ethos. The resort is now an all-season destination with 254 luxurious guest rooms, including 20 suites, and 20,000 square feet of meeting space.
FAR WEST
Set within the picturesque backdrop of a spectacular coastline and historic downtown Monterey, Calif., the Portola Hotel & Spa offers 379 newly refreshed guest rooms, as well as a renovated lobby, the 60,000 square feet in its adjacent Monterey Conference
Center and 60,000 square feet of outdoor event space.
Of particular note is the refreshed 4,500-square-foot Club Room, a dynamic event space that offers a fireside entrance, a wine-inspired private dining room and an outdoor patio. The room
now sports new carpeting, unique furnishings and addition seating for 70+ guests. The interior colors, textures and lighting are reminiscent of area’s the deep history of sailing and the exploration of the peninsula.
Long one of San Francisco’s top hotels, the 405-room Clancy is in the vibrant South of Market (SoMa) district. Renovated in the fall of 2022, the hotel refreshed its 8,000+ square feet of gathering space, including 15 meeting rooms, 12 breakout rooms
and outdoor venues that allow groups to foster productivity in surroundings tailored to fit specific needs. What was once a swimming pool, for example was transformed into a meeting space and gym filled with natural light, colorful murals and cutting-edge
A/V services.
The transformation of TAO Beach Dayclub was the final step of a complete reimagining of the five-acre rooftop pool deck of the original tower of The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. TAO Beach is a Balinese-inspired tropical oasis, more than double its former
size. In addition, The Venetian's pool deck redesign takes cues from the Italian Riviera and features 10 premium poolside cabanas some of which feature private plunge pools and provide over-the-top amenities. The 7,000-room resort features more than
2.25 million square feet of meeting space.
INTERNATIONAL AND U.S. TERRITORIES
On Bávro Beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, the all-inclusive 554-room Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa Resort officially reopened in December 2022, following a $50 million renovation that touched upon every area of the resort, including its convention center. The resort offers a total of 42,000 square feet of flexible meeting space that can accommodate up to 1,500 people, including 12 unique rooms, each with sit-down banquet facilities for up to 700 attendees.
One of four Paradisus resorts in Punta Cana, this one has a particularly romantic Caribbean setting and feels bigger than its sister properties, with a palatial lobby leading to a jaw-dropping courtyard, pool and beach area. Dining takes place in 12 restaurants, including world-class gourmet cuisine from Chef Martín Berasategui at the Passion to authentic Italian cuisine at the Palazzo.
An intimate upscale resort in Southeast Puerto Rico, the Wyndham Palmas Beach & Golf Resort debuted a massive renovation May 2023 that dramatically reimagined the property. All 107 guest rooms were updated, and guests now enjoy a modern and trendy lobby with sweeping ceilings featuring modern light fixtures and large windows providing natural light. Also improved were the surrounding landscaping indoor and outdoor event spaces, including a 6,000-square-foot ballroom.
Inspired by the rich history and vibrant culture of Nayarit, Mexico, the 119-room W Punta de Mita is fresh off of a $3 million renovation inclusive to its jungle guest rooms, oceanfront suites and public spaces. The redesigned Living Room and Welcome Area, a prime social hub and gathering spot, now sports modern furnishings decorated with handmade native artwork, while revamped interiors with hammocks and cozy spaces for lounging are adjacent to a bar with a show-stopping chandelier. The resort has a total 1,862 square feet of meeting space able to host up to 300 people.