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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – JUNE 2016

The Silver Chalet Dome at St. Louis Union Station wants to be your group party venue

The Silver Chalet Dome at St. Louis Union Station wants to be your group party venue

In this issue: Vintage Trains roll on in St. Louis and Napa Valley
Making Moonshine: the new teambuilding event guaranteed to bring smiles
Exotic destinations and discount offers
HOT DEALS!!!!!
Exotic getaways that offer discounts or incentives is always exciting, but Design Hotels, has cranked up their summer offerings. Take for instance, the chance to enjoy a three-course set menu dinner in The Dining Room, a trendy new restaurant at Blakes Hotel in London, UK. The South Kensington couture hotel designed by former Bond girl, Anouska Hempel, features individually-styled boutique furnishings in each guestroom. No minimum stay requirements. At the Nakar Hotel in Palma De Mallorca, Spain you will have to book at least three nights, but you get great rates, free breakfast and WiFi, and the chance to be on Avinguda Jaume III, one of the area’s liveliest shopping streets. The 57-room hotel is fashioned from local materials and the onsite restaurant serves authentic “urban Majorquine” cuisine. Of course, if you’re looking for a relaxing, food-driven stay without all the

C-hotel, Lake Como, Italy

C-hotel, Lake Como, Italy

glamorous décor, check out C-Hotel & Spa in Cassago Brianza, Lake Como, Italy. You can smell the rich chocolate notes of freshly ground coffee the moment you step in to the stone-clad lobby that emanates from the family-owned 18-room hotel’s Italian bar and confectionary shop. Incentives include breakfast and those tantalizing dishes made from locally-sourced products.
www.DesignHotels.com
Omni Hotels & Resorts knows you work hard and wants to reward your efforts by using your work travel as a vacation opportunity when staying at one of their luxury hotels. Group guests (at participating Omni properties) can extend their stay by two days either before or after the original stay dates at an exclusive rate. Simply apply the promo code EXTENDG for 15 percent* off the best bar rate. Omni will also send a “reminder” email two days after a room reservation to notify the guest that the reservation is eligible for the exclusive rate extension. The offer only applies to reservations that are originally less than six nights. There are other restrictions but you can check Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – February 2016

The Basilica at Notre Dame, just one of six churches used for venue space in Montréal, Canada

The Basilica at Notre Dame, just one of six churches used for venue space in Montréal, Canada

For the several years that I worked on the radio for three different stations as Natasha, The Psychic Lady, I remember one of the co-hosts regularly signing off with “Remember that it’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” That singular phrase sums up why I feel so concerned about what’s going on in the world, what’s happening in America with our election season mudslinging, and why I strive to provide the care and attention to how I treat others, even when stressed by circumstances beyond my control.

I’m an avid newspaper reader and watch a national evening news broadcast when possible. Lately I find myself shuddering with the same head-turning reaction I would give at watching a movie where murder and mayhem run rampant, wondering how can people abuse and misuse others so wilfully and destructively. I don’t understand politicians making a case for their presidency by how aggressively they slam and lie about one another instead of stating what they can (or would like to) accomplish (knowing full well that even the best of intentions cannot politically be achieved without the endorsement of people on both sides of the aisle.) I don’t understand the sheer stupidity of supporting candidates just because they spew vitriolic hate. As a newspaper/magazine writer raised on seeking the truth and not what I’d like the end result to be (a novel approach these days, isn’t it?), I find it appalling how many people accept blindly what they’re told and never bother to question or research (think of the plethora of hateful or deceptive emails you receive and wish you didn’t).

Thank goodness when I am working events as Natasha, I am lauded for my positive messages and the hope, comfort, laughter and friendliness I share. My measure of the event’s success isn’t just by the dollars I earned, but did I make an impactful connection with someone and what lingering peace do I feel from having made that connection.

My wish for you today, and tomorrow onward, is to take as your mantra that “it’s more important to be nice.”

 Ka Maka Landing, a popular Waikolohe Valley water play area at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii

Ka Maka Landing, a popular Waikolohe Valley water play area at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii

HOT DEALS

It’s not too early to think about a relaxing Spring Vacation at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – JULY 2015

Surrounded yourself with art of the ages at Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai, China

Surrounded yourself with art of the ages at Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai, China


In this issue: Exotic resort stays will cost you less while new hotels will vie for your dollars.
HOT DEALS
Summer’s reached the halfway point and Fall is just around the corner, but you have until Dec. 30, 2015 to enjoy a stay at the Gaylord National in Washington DC and receive a $100 per night resort credit. Receive a $50 per night credit for a stay at any of the other three Gaylord properties: Gaylord Opryland (Nashville, TN), Gaylord Palms (Orlando/Kissimmee area), or Gaylord Texan (Dallas/Ft. Worth area). Must request promotional code ZJL.
1-800-GAYLORD in the US.  Outside the US, http://www.marriott.com/help/global-phone-reservation-numbers.mi
Experience the historic Wine Train and explore Napa Valley wineries in style

Experience the historic Wine Train and explore Napa Valley wineries in style


This one is for all of you who love wine and wish you could explore Napa Valley but who’d rather not try to drive while gazing at a map. Take the Wine Train. Better yet, take one of the Wine Train packages being offered this summer. I’ve taken this train, a restored and preserved beauty. Most of the cars were built in 1915 by the Pullman Standard Company as first­ class coaches for the Northern Pacific Railway. Just sitting in the dining car with original lighting and wooden bar sets the mood for an elegant Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – EARLY AUGUST 2014

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

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

Summer may be slipping into Fall but that doesn’t mean you’ve missed out on hot resort packages, memorable adventures, or that it’s too late to book the perfect destination for your group’s last-minute meeting. So, let’s get to it, right? You may not have time to waste.

HOT HOTEL PACKAGES

Book this Daytona Beach beauty for a meeting or event from November through February 12, 2015 and you can claim this year’s prices even though the property is in the midst of a major redo. Bonus: The Shores Resort & Spa will show their appreciation by offering groups of 100 or more total rooms a one-hour welcome reception on the first night of arrival and guaranteed ocean-view rooms for all guests, in addition to two complimentary upgrades to the property’s all-new oceanfront Cabana Suites*.  More than 20,000 sf of indoor and outdoor function space has been added to The Shores, considered to be Central Florida’s only AAA Four-Diamond oceanfront resort. “From technology upgrades and updated soft goods to new amenities and eco-friendly improvements, our guests will notice a difference at every turn,” says David Rijos, general manager. Cool ocean blues and sandy beach neutral tones dominate the 11th floor meeting rooms. The inspiration comes from the water views available from each room. On the ground floor, the 6,895-sf is getting new carpeting, paint and décor. The new pre-function area pays homage to the golden age of travel in Daytona Beach. Upgraded technology increases wireless bandwidth throughout the property. Have an executive board looking for something more special than four blank walls? A new private dining room being added on the second floor will overlook the Azure Lounge area and offer ocean views. (20 max).

An additional check-in area has been added to the lobby. All 212 guest rooms and suites are getting new furniture and décor. Fourteen lanai rooms are being converted into Cabana Suites, providing a private outdoor space with lounge chairs and flat screen TV. The outdoor area has been pumped up with furniture, turtle-friendly lighting, and games, such as life-sized checkers and cornhole and ping pong.  The shores is pet-friendly and eco-friendly.

Group Sales: (866) 934-SHORES; www.shoresresort.com

Book any of the four Gaylord Hotels by Sept. 28, stay by Oct. 31 and receive a $50 nightly credit. This promotion applies at Gaylord National (Washington DC), Gaylord Opryland (Nashville, TN), Gaylord Palms (Orlando, FL) and Gaylord Texan (Dallas/Ft Worth). Really easy.

Just use this promotional code—ZXO—when you go online or call (800) 228-9290.

Hotel Unique in São Paulo, Brazil stands out from the rest of the city

Hotel Unique in São Paulo, Brazil stands out from the rest of the city

It’s an endless summer of discounts when you book Design Hotels in Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Spain or Turkey. Get up to 30% discount and free breakfast for booking by August 31 any three (or more) night stay at six featured hotels. These include:

Aguas de Ibiza Lifestyle & Spa (Spain) – an eco-luxury 112 room property

Design &Wine Hotel (Portugal) – a 23-room high-tech hideaway in Portuguese wine country

Klaus K (Finland) –139 rooms. Think of it as Renaissance meeting cutting-edge Nordic modernity.

La Maison Champs Élysées (France) – 57 rooms of French elegance

PalazzinaG (Italy) – 22 rooms. Taking 16th century Venetian design into the 21st century

Seaside Palm Beach (Spain) – 328 rooms located in an old palm grove.

There are also 59 hotels worldwide with discounts if you book by Sept. 14. Check out the 65 room Alila Villas Uluwatu (Indonesia) that sits atop a 100-meter cliff or Hotel Unique’s distinct architecture in Brazil.

  1. designhotels.com

 

The New $223 Million LINQ Hotel & Casino opens October 30 in Las Vegas.

The New $223 Million LINQ Hotel & Casino opens October 30 in Las Vegas.

UP AND COMERS

The slogan for Las Vegas may be that “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” but the truth is far different. In fact, like most major cities, especially those that attract an international clientele, Vegas is constantly reinventing itself. Take for example what’s happening to The Quad Resort & Casino. At its October 30 reveal this year, it will be known as The LINQ Hotel & Casino, a 2,256 room Caesars Entertainment hotel with 204 suites and 29 cabana suites with private access to the new pool area.  Look for the new automated check-in process and a concierge touchscreen option for immediate bookings of favorite dining and entertainment offerings. The north entry has been redesigned with new retail and quick-service dining options. Significantly, The LINQ Hotel & Casino will connect to the LINQ promenade, which has12 restaurants, eight bars, 14 retail shops and two concert venues. It is anchored by the tallest observation wheel in the world, the High Roller, recently named by Travel & Leisure as the “World’s Coolest New Tourist Attraction.”

  1. caesars.com/thelinq/news.html; www.TheLINQ.com; (855) 891-6863

What does a $10 million makeover get you? If the property in question is the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC), which became privately operated last year by AEG Facilities, the year-long transformation will include:

-Installing a new, energy efficient solar-ready “cool roof” on the South Hall and Concourse Hall

– Rolling out new carpet throughout the Center, including the Concourse Hall, Concourse Walkway, and hall lobby areas

– Overhauling parking systems to provide more automated options and speedier entrance and exit times

– Completely remodeling the 299-seat Theater and upgrading AV capabilities to accommodate a wide variety of current and next-generation technology options

– Installing the latest in energy-efficient and noise-reducing air handling units

– Upgrading air walls, IT infrastructure, lighting systems and numerous operating systems

This is LACC’s first expansion in 20 years. It annually attracts more 2.5 million visitors. The environmentally-friendly facility holds the prestigious U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED-EB Gold Certification.

  1. Lacclink.com

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

 

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS –APRIL, 2014

CSR—doing what comes naturally for Resorts with a heart

Meritage Vineyard Deck at Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa

Meritage Vineyard Deck at Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa Valley

Giving back to the Napa Valley community has become part of The Meritage Resort & Spa’s DNA. Their latest project is such an obvious “do” that it is a wonder more properties haven’t joined in as well. Instead of dumping the doors, desks, chairs, lamps, flat screen TVs, bedframes and sofas from the recent renovation of 157 of the 322 guestrooms located within the four-diamond Napa Valley luxury resort complex, The Meritage has donated them to Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity and the St. John’s thrift store. The renovations and expansion began 18 months ago and were completed in March. www.TheMeritageResort.com

Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina and Pack for a Purpose have come up with a plan that will only cost travelers up to five pounds of space in their luggage but will provide so much more for the BVI (British Virgin Islands) Autism Centre, where the resort is also based. Scrub Island is the newest luxury private-island resort in the British Virgin Islands. Pack for a Purpose’s mission is to positively impact communities around the world by helping travelers make meaningful contributions to destinations they visit. The CSR project works like this: travelers are encouraged to save at least five pounds of their available luggage allowance for supplies requested by the Autism Centre, such as books, toys, art supplies, and other items.  Once guest unpack, the supplies are taken directly to the BVI Autism Centre. A full list of requested supplies can be found at http://www.packforapurpose.org/destinations/caribbean/british-virgin-islands/scrub-island-resort-spa-marina. “Many of our guests are very involved in philanthropies and charities at home, and this new program offers an easy and enormously rewarding way for them to extend Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – AUGUST, 2013

 

Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati opens new restaurant

Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati opens new restaurant

This has been one of the busiest Augusts I can remember in many years. When I was younger, having a mid-August birthday meant families were taking end-of-summer vacations and not around to celebrate, or we were moving from one Air Force base to another so I could start yet another school without missing any lessons. As I aged, August meant, “Oh no, another birthday is rolling around,” or it meant corporate work for entertainers had nose-dived and thank goodness, the start of “season” was just around the corner. Unlike all those other years, (except for my birthday crash landing with a chronological number that I have yet to comprehend could be mine), this August has flown by like our backyard ducks when a predator bird comes swooping in. I’ve been on several press trips (which you’ll hear more about in next blog post), worked some fun gigs as Natasha, The Psychic Lady, and visited with friends & family. Next week we attend the annual Central Florida Film Festival in Ocoee, FL: 3 days of non-stop independent movies and after-glow events.

September looks like it’s ready to burst onto the scene, so before that occurs, here are some final summer activities, hotel promotions, and planning tips for the fall.

 ACTIVITIES

 Just in time for a thrilling summer conclusion, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino opens VooDoo Zipline, a ride that will send guests soaring higher than 400 feet in the air at electrifying speeds, offering 360-degree open-air views of the Las Vegas Strip. “Rio has always been known for having some of the best views in Vegas. Now thrill-seeking guests can enjoy the legendary views that VooDoo Steak and VooDoo Rooftop Nightclub are best known for – from an entirely new Read more

HOTELS SPRUCE UP DÉCOR AND INCENTIVES

A wise woman once said to me that the best time to advertise is when the economy is down. Yes, you’re spending money you may not have, but the visibility offered may be the key to outlasting your competitors.  Hotels are finding this a perfect time to refurbish and to offer incentives to financially-weary travelers looking to maximize their vacation budgets. Here are a few of whom you may want to pay attention.
The Plantation on Crystal River
Tucked away along Florida’s Nature Coast, an easy trek just 80 miles north of Tampa, this eco-friendly resort caters to people who want to swim with the manatees in their natural surroundings or perhaps to rent a pontoon or hire a guided fishing charter. When their $3 million facelift completes by Jan. 15, the refurbished lobby will showcase updated lighting, and furniture in muted blues and greens, splashed with warm yellows and oranges. No worries about the winding wooden staircase, it’ll remain, but the new contemporary lobby bar will feature a “grab and go” coffee bar, black and white artwork showcasing the scenic river, new booths and stained concrete floors.  Included in the refurbishment  are the 196 guest rooms, eight junior suties and the 2,304-sf meeting space Read more