HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – MAY, 2014

Design Hotels is offering summer incentives at Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bukit Peninsula, Indonesia

Hot Deals

It’s not often your group can stay in a castle to meet, eat, and play, but if you book Peckforton Castle for your June, August and September events, you can even receive a discounted delegate and residential package. Built in 1840, the medieval castle in the heart of Cheshire, UK, has meeting space for 180 and 48 overnight accommodations that blend contemporary amenities with historic architecture and decor. Call 01829 260 930 and quote ‘Peck News’; www.peckfortoncastle.co.uk/the-castle

Design Hotels collection is so hungry for your business that they’re offering two additional nights free for a five-day booking this summer. But even if you don’t need a 5-day booking at any of the 36 participating hotels, you can still merit an extra day free for a two-day booking. You have until September 20^th to solidify the deal. There are hotels included such as the 65-room Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bukit Peninsula, Indonesia or the 79-room Das Stue in Tiergarten, Berlin, Germany. Then again, maybe it’s the 177-room Indigo Pearl in Phuket, Thailand, the 33-room Hotel Greif in Bolzano, Italy, or the 67-room Bohemia Suites & Spa in Playa del Ingles, Spain that tantalizes your fancy. These lodgings are a summertime steal. The hotels are visually stunning and always in exotic locations with stellar views. The hotels are in France, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Indonesia, Malaysia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Portugal, Singapore, Italy and Kenya. www.designhotels.com/deals

Indigo Pearl lobby in Phuket, Thailand is offering summer discounts

Hotel Openings and Renovations

The long-awaited opening of The Cromwell Casino and Hotel on one of the busiest corners of the Las Vegas Strip finally opens May 21. Owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment, The Cromwell is a $185 million renovation and re-imagination of the former Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon. Even with a 40,000 sf casino floor (featuring 434 slot machines and 66 table games), The Cromwell isn’t just about the fun. Venues and options are intended to attract the corporate market. For instance, Drai’s Beach Club • Nightclub has a rooftop pool deck that overlooks the Strip. Total capacity for the Beach Club and Nightclub is 4,700. Amenities include 150 tables for the 60,000-sf nightclub, 10 VIP bungalows on the main level with private pools, 15 VIP cabanas on the mezzanine level, and a third pool with five private VIP bungalows overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard. Rivka Nobel at rivka@drais.net; www.thecromwell.com/drais.html. By early June, Emmy-award winning celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis opens her first-ever restaurant, GIADA. The 6,953 sf includes private dining room, cocktail bar and main dining area with 288 seats total. Laurent Ertle at lertle@caesars.com; www.thecromwell.com/giada.html. Looking for a more relaxed, private space for up to 40 guests? Check out the new 1,100 sf Reserved Gaming Room. Includes three gaming tables and lounge seating. Melissa Fielding at mfielding@lasvegas.harrahs.com. The Cromwell caters to executives with 19 suites ranging from 723 sf up to 2,550 sf. www.caesars.com

Millions of dollars have just transformed the 370 guestrooms, corridors and Concierge Lounge of the Marina del Rey Marriott in Marina del Rey, CA. A sleek California lifestyle is reflected in the modern colors and artwork you’d expect to find in the Venice and Santa Monica beach areas. In addition to the usual bedroom and bathroom furniture, décor and fixtures you’d anticipate from an update, there are now more plug-ins, lamps, charging stations and ottomans creating comfy work spaces. Located three blocks from Venice Beach, the hotel has more than 18,000 sf of flexible function space. www.marinadelreymarriott.com; 310-301-3000

The elegance of Das Stue in Berlin, Germany

Kudos

For the second consecutive year, Montréal has been recognized as the leader for hosting the most international association meetings. According to the 2013 Country and City rankings from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Montréal bettered major urban centers such as Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Boston, San Francisco, Washington D.C., San Diego, and Chicago. The city’s main venue for large meetings, the Palais des congrès de Montréal hosted 71 international events in 2013, generating over $82 million for Montréal and the province of Québec. For the 2013-2014 fiscal year, the Palais des congrès generated about $161 million in economic spinoffs for the city from hosting 25 international meetings and 17 Canadian meetings. http://www.tourisme-montreal.org

New Mobile App details Tampa Convention Center

No longer will meeting planners, attendees, or even locals have to guess about event schedules or whether the 600,000 sf Tampa Convention Center has a room that fits a group’s needs. Fire up the free mobile app by downloading through iTunes. The app is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devise (ios 5.0 or later), as well as Android store and Google Play. The app also list convention staff info and enables users to tips on parking and links to Tampa Bay offerings, the Center’s Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages. www.tampaconventioncenter.com

What would you give to do try this?

Would you be willing to pay $10,500 for the chance to be one of 12 participants in The Richard Petty Fantasy Racing Camp in Orlando, July 4 – 6? Offered by the Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE), the three full daysof activities includes driving supercars such as a Lamborghini or Ferrari, and climbing behind the wheel of 600 HP NASCAR race cars at Walt Disney World® Speedway. The following days are a fantasy come true, with drivers participating in a thrilling speedway challenge in NASCAR stock cars at Daytona International Speedway.  Other camp highlights include eeting seven-time NASCAR champion, Richard Petty, watching the Coke Zero 400 in a VIP suite and one-on-one instruction from some of the best in the business, including Dale Inman, Randy LaJoie, David Green and the accomplished team of Petty instructors. The $10,500 includes all activities, world-class accommodations in Orlando and Daytona, all meals, custom apparel, in-car videos, and commemorative event photos.  (704) 454-6224; rick@drivepetty.com; www.drivepetty.com/fantasyracingcamp

Does your dream include The Richard Petty Fantasy Racing Camp?

Karen Kuzsel is a writer-editor based in the Orlando area who specializes in the hospitality, entertainment, meetings & events industries.  She is a Contributing Editor-Writer for Prevue Magazine and is an active member of ISES and MPI. She writes about food & wine, spas, destinations, venues, meetings & events. A career journalist, Karen has owned magazines, written for newspapers, trade publications, radio and TV. As her alter-ego, Natasha, The Psychic Lady, she is a featured entertainer for corporate and social events. karenkuzsel@earthlink.net; www.ThePsychicLady.com; @karenkuzsel; @thepsychiclady