HOT DEALS!
Wyndham Alltra Vallarta La Costa Restaurant
The all-inclusive market in Mexico and the Caribbean just received a boost from Playa Hotels & Resorts with the completion of extensive renovations at the newly renamed Wyndham Alltra Vallarta in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. To celebrate the grand unveiling, Wyndham Alltra Vallarta if offering a 40% discount on bookings, valid for stays through December 20, 2024. Owner and operator of all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean, Playa Hotels & Resorts has drawn inspiration for the property (formerly known as Wyndham Alltra Riviera Nayarit) from ancient Huichol culture. The renovation includes 159 rooms, including all Junior Suites. The Alltra VIP Club for club level guests has speeded up its semi-private check-in (and out) service, and enhanced its concierge assistance and personalized cocktail service. Club guestrooms receive upgraded minibars, in-suite Nespresso coffee makers and a complimentary hydrotherapy spa experience. Five dining venues have been revamped. The brand introduces its new Agave Bar and the first Mezcaleria in the chain’s portfolio.
www.AlltraByPlaya.com; www.WyndhamAlltra.com
The beach and pool area at Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa is an enticing asset.
Meeting Planners have until December 31 to book and actualize their meetings and stays at Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa (Miramar Beach, FL) in order to receive 100,000 bonus Hilton Honors points.
https://meetings.hiltonsandestinbeach.com/
The produce is freshly grown and harvested at DeSoto Savannah.
The farm-to-table culinary experience at The DeSoto in the center of Savannah, GA begins right outside the historic property’s door. Growing some of their produce is just one part of the DeSoto’s mystique your group can experience for themselves. Book their Savannah Meetings, Remaking History package by December 31 for available Sunday through Thursday time periods in 2024. The DeSoto has 246 guestrooms and 20,000 sf flexible meeting space.
sales@thedesotosavannah.com; www.thedesotosavannah.com
Book new business in a Boston or Cambridge (MA) hotel and receive a 10% rebate off the banquet master bill and 10% off all rooms booked. Here are the eligible program dates to qualify: 2024: 11/20/2023 – 03/31/2024; 2025: 11/18/2024 – 04/17/2025; and 2026: 11/17/2025 – 03/31/2026.
sales@meetboston.com; www.meetBoston.com
Margaritaville Resorts’ Sea Paradise offers a trip for two with resort booking.
Book a meeting within specified dates at Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe (Houston, TX) and receive a complimentary cruise for two on the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise or a Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker. The remaining dates in 2023 are Dec. 10-30. For 2024, promo dates include Jan. 1-12; Mar. 14-29; and Mar. 31-Apr. 4. What gifts you are eligible for depends on amount spent for the booking. There are other promotional incentives, from 20% off any team building activity (sans F&B), self parking, and complimentary meeting room rental with minimum F&B spend.
Wealth of Wellness package offered at Pueblo Bonito Resorts in Quivira, Los Cabos, Mexico.
I have a dear friend who believes the power of the beach overcomes any of the day’s negativity. She would go crazy for the ‘Wealth of Wellness’ package offered by Pueblo Bonito Golf & Spa Resorts, located within the luxury residential development Quivira Los Cabos at the tip of the Baja Peninsula. The updated-for-2024-package integrates numerous wellness components available within the resort community. The exclusive five-day “Wealth of Wellness” package, available through December of 2024, includes all-inclusive F&B, two 50-minute organic massages or facials, mountain bike tour for two, use of beach cabanas with personal butler service, a cooking class for two, and shuttle service and access to sister properties, which also have all-inclusive F&B,
www.pueblobonito.com; (800) -990-8259
Sea Pines Resort (Hilton Head Island, SC is offering incentives for booking.
You can only book your group business for Sunday through Thursday stays, but you have until December 31 to do it and take advantage of The Sea Pines Resort (Hilton Head Island, S.C) incentive package. This limited-time incentive for conference, meeting or corporate groups booking $25,000 or more in lodging revenue at The Inn & Club at Harbour Town, named one of the top five hotels in the country for 2023 by U.S. News & World Report. Incentives range from a $1,000 credit on the master account to 10 percent off all 2024 catering menus. Additional considerations include: $500 resort credit for use in retail or outlets; 20% off in-house AV needs; waived chef and bartending fees for one group event; in-house group guest rates available on Harbour Town Golf Links, Heron Point by Pete Dye and Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III and more. Other terms and conditions, including blackout dates, apply to the group incentives booking offer. Sea Pines is set on the southernmost tip of Hilton Head Island. Five miles of unspoiled beaches, 18 clay tennis courts, six pickleball courts, 14 miles of bike and walking trails, horseback riding, Eco-Adventures, water sports, and the 605-acre Sea Pines Forest Preserve filled with wildflowers, wetlands, and more than 130 species of birds.
https://www.seapines.com/offers-and-packages/group-incentives; (866) 561-8802
One of the catered options at Garden Villa. Image by Tye Doring
Book an event at The Garden Villa (Winter Park, FL) in (available dates) November or December and get 10% off on all food and beverage.
www.Events@TheGardenVilla.com; (407) 745-5718.
Meeting Planners: secure your 2024 event at The Westin Nashville (TN) by December 31 to receive a signing bonus of Marriott Bonvoy Points. You’ll receive points based on your total contract value upon signing.
sales@WestinNashville.com; (615) 248-2800
Zibu Allende, just one of many dining locations at Live Aqua San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. It serves a fusion of Mexican & Thai cuisines.
Wine tasting, cultural tour, and a 15% discount on F&B, as well as AV are just some of the perks when you book at least 30 rooms a night a minimum three nights at Live Aqua Urban Resort San Miguel de Allende, located near the Obraje Dam in Mexico. You must make this new booking by December 30. There are many promotional packages available so check them out to see which might work for you.
https://grandmeetingsmexico.com
The Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens shows off entertainment, flowers, and family events from May – October.
Here’s an offer I’ve never seen before. Richmond Region Tourism has a summertime offer that will provide a 15% rebate off your banquet master bill and a NetZero Emission Event Certification whether you book your meeting or event this month or June through August of 2024. The booking must be made by December 31, 2023. The Virginia tourism group will assist how many carbon offsets you are entitled to from examining your RFP and will purchase those offsets to make you eligible for NetZero Emission Event Certification.
sales@visitrichmondva.com; https://www.visitrichmondva.com/
Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach has promotional incentives.
You have plenty of time to book the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach for your group and still be able to take advantage of benefits offered. Book your new meeting by December 31, 2023 and actualize by December 31, 2024 to receive benefits such as 5% off all Master account charges, reduced resort fee to $20 per group room, or a complimentary basic Wi-Fi up to 3 mbps in the meeting space. The more rooms booked, the more benefits accessible. The hotel has 343 guest rooms, 22,000 sf of meeting space, and the area’s largest ballroom.
https://www.wyndhamgrandclearwater.com/meetings?; (727) 281-950
Casa Las Glorias in Careye has seven bedrooms, most facing the ocean.
REFRESHED, NEW & READY FOR BOOKING
Trying to a holiday getaway for your extended family and friends and realize time is running out? There are still many options to bring everyone together at a private coastline villa in Mexico. Journey Mexico, which plans tours but also exclusively leases private estates, has just listed many properties along the Mexican Pacific coast, from the Riviera Nayarit to the sun soaked Costalegre. The amenities, number of bedrooms, and house staff vary, of course, but each property boasts of unique features. For instance, Casa Las Glorias, Careyes, Costalegre, atop a rocky cliff top, can sleep up to 14. The private estate is furnished with Mexican artwork and traditional artisan crafts. The villas as its own tennis and squash courts.
www.journeymexico.com
Caesars Palace Colosseum Tower premium Strip view suite.
Be among the first to book the newly renovated Colosseum Tower at Caesars Palace Las Vegas. The redesigned Las Vegas, NV tower offers 440 guest rooms and suites designed by Michael Medeiros of RDH Interests, Inc. Design features include interiors with high contrasts of black and white. Color accents include pops of emerald inspired by the jewelry worn by the late Cleopatra, along with splashes of Roman red throughout the custom artwork and furniture. The main focal point of the room is the upholstered headboard panel with inset mirrors that add a luxurious element to the space. Across the room, the dresser unit features a premium glass-front mini bar, a round table that doubles as a desk and a klismos-inspired dining chair. Guests can also relax on the Roman-style chaise lounge in the standard king room. Select rooms offer views of the Las Vegas Strip. Suites start at 800 sf. The Colosseum Tower is adjacent to Dominique Ansel Las Vegas and across from The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
www.caesarspalace.com.
Trilith Guesthouse (Fayetteville, GA) opens in January. The new 193-room boutique hotel is designed, not to rest weary travelers, but instead, to awaken the storyteller in all who visit. The hotel aims to immerse its guests in a story of their own making. The hotel is located at the main entrance of the European-inspired Town at Trilith, adjacent to Trilith Studios, a premier film and television studio in North America. Designed to inspire creativity and collaboration, the five-story boutique hotel includes 36 apartment-style studios and one-bedroom suites; a signature street-level restaurant; fifth-floor rooftop bar; culinary studio; and indoor/outdoor event spaces spanning more than 17,000 sf. Trilith Guesthouse will become a member of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio of independent boutique hotels and is currently accepting reservations for Feb. 1, 2024, and beyond. (See story below on its new partnership with Leap for Literacy).
Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa (Miramar Beach, FL) continues work on its 35-million- dollar renovation. Phase 2 of the project, currently ongoing, includes renovation of the remaining 285 rooms and adding four new lanai rooms to the premium selection. In all, 590 suites will have been renovated.
https://meetings.hiltonsandestinbeach.com/
The dry-aged fridge at Peter Luger’s new restaurant is loaded with steaks.
Peter Luger Steak House Las Vegas at Caesars Palace has officially opened. To recreate the same flavor that Peter Luger patrons know and love, Caesars Entertainment designed a state-of-the-art dry-aging room below the restaurant, which is home to $1 million worth of beef. Designed by Jeffrey Beers International, the steakhouse draws inspiration from the original Brooklyn location, featuring exposed brick, wood paneling, oak floors and tabletops, and industrial windows. The 8,700 sf restaurant can seat more than 300 people throughout the main dining room, large central bar and private dining options. The octagonal-shaped main dining room features a triple-height ceiling with large contemporary bronze chandeliers, recalling the New York originals. Brick arches frame the room. From the main dining area, guests can watch the chefs prepare Peter Luger’s signature dishes. Peter Luger Steak House Las Vegas is adjacent to MR CHOW at Caesars Palace.
www.caesars.com; caesars-palace/restaurants/peter-luger-steak-house
American Airlines now has non-stop flights from Washington DC to Baton Rouge, LA.
Coming this Spring to Las Vegas, NV: Caesars Palace and Clique Hospitality presents its latest creation, Caspians, a cocktail and caviar bar dramatically designed in onyx and pearl hues with detailed brass. On the bar’s back wall, a monochromatic passageway seemingly disappears into the shadows. Once you open the door, color and vibrancy will burst through. An homage to Art Deco’s Parisian roots, the music lounge is a collision of materials, fabrics, and colors. A large carved golden frame draped with inky blue velvet curtains will provide a rich backdrop for performances. A dramatic chandelier hangs from the center of the lounge from a 16-foot-tall ceiling, illuminating colors of the sea accentuated by brilliant gold features. Located near the main entrance to Caesars Palace on the walkway between the high limit slot area and Nobu Hotel & Restaurant, Caspian’s is taking over the space formerly occupied by Cleopatra’s Barge. Designed by the award-winning team of Celano Design Studio Co., the 1,100-sf caviar bar will seat close to 50 guests. The music lounge will span 2,300 sf and will seat nearly 100 guests.
Gordon Ramsay Burger will open Summer of ’24 at Flamingo Las Vegas. photo by DEZMOTIF Studios.
Gordon Ramsay Burger at debuts the Summer of ’24 at Flamingo Las Vegas. It is Ramsay’s seventh restaurant at Caesars Entertainment’s Las Vegas Resorts and the fifth Gordon Ramsay Burger location. Guests can expect some of their favorites on the menu at the Flamingo location, such as the Hell’s Kitchen Burger, Farmhouse Burger and Hellfire Chicken Wings. All burgers are cooked over an open flame fueled by hardwoods. Sides include Just Fries with house ketchup and chipotle ketchup, Truffle Parmesan Fries with truffle aioli and house ketchup, and Sweet Potato Fries with vanilla powdered sugar and honey jalapeño aioli. Those with a sweet tooth can choose from a variety of milkshakes. The 8,000-sf space was designed by DEZMOTIF Studios and features a large exhibition kitchen, island-style bar as the restaurant’s social hub, expansive storefront windows, multiple dining zones, and a nod to Britannia with Union Jack accents and dynamic flame displays throughout. An open-air patio overlooks the bustling Las Vegas Strip and is anchored by a 25-foot-tall LED column showcasing Gordon Ramsay Burger imagery underneath the famous Flamingo neon. Gordon Ramsay Burger at Flamingo Las Vegas will occupy the former Bird Bar space.
https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/; www.caesars.com
Quest Events, a leading provider of drape and scenic elements, has merged with EventWorks, an event rental provider based in the Southeast. The combined organization will employ approximately 780 team members and manage over 550,000 sf of warehoused equipment nationwide, supporting approximately 50,000 events annually. Quest Events (Frisco, TX) has 16 locations across the U.S. EventWorks has locations across five states and eight cities.
www.questevents.com; marketing@questevents.com
Trilith Guesthouse announced their partnership with Leap for Literacy at the group’s 100th published book celebration at the Town Stage in the Town at Trilith.
The occasion was Leap for Literacy’s 100th published book celebration at the Town Stage in the Town at Trilith (Fayetteville, GA). To honor the occasion and local nonprofit, Leap for Literacy, Trilith Guesthouse announced their partnership to assist creating lifelong readers, writers, and opportunities for children to learn and grow. Leap for Literacy was founded by children’s book author Stan Tucker, striving to remove financial barriers that prevent low-income students from obtaining sought-after books by using kindness as currency. The hotel, Trilith Guesthouse, “is designed to awaken and inspire the storyteller in us all, a perfect complement to Leap for Literacy’s mission to inspire kindness and change stories,” said James Green III, General Manager of Trilith Guesthouse. Joe Collier, President and Founder of Mainsail Lodging & Development, one of the companies behind Trilith Guesthouse, was the keynote speaker at the Nov. 11 event marking publication of Leap for Literacy’s 100th book written by students from across the United States as part of its “Share Your Story” program. According to Collier, the new partnership with Leap for Literacy will include several different initiatives at the hotel, including the onsite display and sale of a collection of these books written by student authors. “By purchasing these books, our guests will directly support Leap for Literacy’s mission,” said Collier. “And what could be a better take-home gift for a child from a traveling parent or friend than a book written by a child?” Trilith Guesthouse associates will be encouraged to volunteer to support Leap for Literacy. Leap for Literacy teaches students to develop their reading and writing skills as they earn books in exchange for acts of kindness. The group partners with Share Your Story to help children learn to write their own books. To date, Leap for Literacy has published over 100 books written by students.
www.LeapForLiteracy.org; www.TrilithGuesthouse.com
IRVING, TX HAS 12 DAYS OF GIFTING
Irving, TX celebrates 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways. Enter now!
Irving, TX is celebrating 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways gifts. The giveaway began December 1 and goes through December 12. Anyone can enter once a day. Click on the prize picture shown for that day to make the entry form accessible. To be given away are 46 concert tickets, 38 pies, 28 dining gift cards, three hotel stays, high tea for two and more! Some of the prizes can be mailed, but others require a visit to Irving.
www.irvingtexas.com/12-days-giveaway
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY EXPOSITION AND CONFERENCE PROPOSALS SOUGHT
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) is seeking input from industry professionals and presenters for the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®) scheduled for June 24-27 in Charlotte, NC. Presentation proposals should be industry-specific and unique to HITEC, crafted for seasoned hospitality professionals. Topics may include (but are not limited to) artificial intelligence, sustainability and renewable resources, best practices regarding ethics, operational back-office solutions, and personal development. For HITEC 2024, the council is incorporating a new hybrid approach to its program planning to ensure attending professionals will have access to industry guidance of great interest. Presenters will receive a complimentary HITEC 2024 registration in exchange for speaking. They will then be responsible for their own participatory travel and hotel expenses.
FESTIVALS
Dec. 16: Winterfest Boat Parade in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Celebrate 20 years together of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Winterfest. This year’s theme is Reflections Afloat. info@winterfest.com
Karen Kuzsel is a writer-editor based in the Orlando area who specializes in the hospitality, entertainment, meetings & events industries. She is an active member of International Live Events Association, Meeting Professionals International and the Society of Professional Journalists. She is now serving on the 2022-2023 MPI Independent and Small Business Owners Advisory Board. Karen writes about food & wine, spas, destinations, venues, meetings & events. A career journalist, she 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. Karen@KarenKuzsel.com; www.karenkuzsel.com; www.ThePsychicLady.com; @karenkuzsel; @thepsychiclady. She is also active with Experience Kissimmee CVB and Wedding Venue Map..