Sedona: Spiritual oasis
Want to break out of the boardroom?
The Sedona Heritage Museum is in a historic residence in the Jordan Historical Park. Amenities include guided tours, catered lunches, speakers, a dancehall/banquet space (capacity: 100), meeting rooms and exhibits on Sedona’s ranching heritage and Hollywood history. With floor-to-ceiling picture windows overlooking Sedona’s famous red rock landscape, the Montage Ballroom (capacity: 140) at Agave of Sedona isn’t your typical seminar/meeting venue. It is run by Rosalie’s of Sedona — a full-service catering company.
Want to create memorable experiences?
Dennis Andres, author of The Insider’s Guide to Sedona and What is a Vortex? A Practical Guide to Sedona’s Energy Sites, leads customized tours for small groups. Red Rock Balloons and sister company Sky High Balloons (six riders per balloon) can begin tours of the Sedona Verde Valley with a champagne toast and end them with a commemorative picnic. The Verde Canyon Railroad in Clarkdale offers catered excursions for groups of 20 or more to the ghost ranch of Perkinsville and the Verde Canyon. Tours of Sedona’s Wine Country include tastings at local vineyards and a guided exploration of prehistoric Sinagua Indian ruins.
Want to treat attendees like VIPs?
L’Auberge de Sedona, one of Condé Nast Traveler’s Best Places to Stay, is an inspired destination for corporate retreats and small meetings. Amenities include 3,500 square feet of indoor meeting space, four outdoor venues, team-building programs and jeep tours. The Sedona Golf Resort’s 18-hole course made Golf Digest’s 2008/2009 list of Best Places to Play. The resort can set up tournaments, group golf clinics or accommodate meal functions in its 17,000-sq. ft. clubhouse. The Barking Frog Grille has a Chef’s Table and a Wine Cellar Room for eight on its formal “Reserve” side of the restaurant, which features prix fixe three- to five-course wine dinners. Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge seats only a handful of diners every night to enjoy its prix fixe menu. Bella Palazzo’s Majestic Sedona property is a private estate for corporate retreats or private functions (capacity: 70); amenities include stunning views of the mountains, an infinity pool, a private yoga studio and overnight accommodations for eight.
Want group dining?
René at Tlaquepaque is a local landmark serving Southwestern-influenced French cuisine. Chefs Lisa Dahl and Andrea DiLuca run two Mediterranean restaurants — Cucina Rustica and Dahl & DiLuca Ristorante Italiano — both of which have a variety of banquet rooms. The couple also runs an off-premise catering company (Dahl & DiLuca Decadent Catering) and sells gourmet food and wine gifts from their store Dahl & DiLuca A’Roma. Mulligan’s Grille on the Green at the Oakcreek Country Club has banquet space for up to 160, a private bar and dance floor. A smaller outdoor patio venue hosts receptions of up to 48 people. Troia’s Italian Grill and Rotisserie hosts private parties and features a menu of 100-year-old family recipes. The Cowboy Club has three dining facilities. The Redstone Cabin (capacity: 50) is an intimate, rustic dining room with an adjacent outdoor patio, fire pit and waterfall; the Cowboy Club Grille has a country/Western theme and historically was a gathering place for Sedona’s first settlers and cowboy artists; the Silver Saddle Room has the same menu as the Cowboy Club, but the décor is a bit more upscale. In warm weather, Shugrue’s Hillside Sedona offers patio dining with panoramic views of the mountains.
