Plan Your Meetings

Destination news: March 2009

International

Canada

• The Holiday Inn Express and Suites Ottawa Airport opened with 91 rooms and flexible meeting space.

National

• Country Inns and Suites will add 36 locations to this year in locations such as Baltimore; Richmond, Va.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Barstow, Calif.; Harrisburg, Pa.; Tampa, Fla.; and Queens, N.Y.
• Orlando-based Orange Lake Resorts acquired the 256-room South Beach Resort in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and the 109-room Crown Park Resort in Gatlinburg, Tenn., (to be reflagged the Smoky Mountain Resort). Both of which will operate under the Holiday Inn Club Vacations brand.

California

Los Angeles

• The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites began renovations of its 700 rooms, bathrooms and guest room corridors. Additional renovations of its 110,000 square feet of meeting space and other areas will begin later this year. All renovations are scheduled for completion in 2010.
• The 900-room Wilshire Grand Los Angeles completed phase one of its $60 million renovation. Upgrades include enhancements of its 50,000 square feet of meeting space, and installation of new audiovisual and lighting technology.

Colorado

Denver

• The 221-room Hilton Garden Inn opened with 3,239 square feet of meeting space.
• The Ritz-Carlton opened with 202 rooms and 3,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 6,200-sq. ft. ballroom.

Mountain Village

• The 100-room Capella Telluride opened with 5,000 square feet of meeting space. The resort also is near the Telluride Conference Center, which has an additional 14,000 square feet of meeting space.

District of Columbia

Washington

• The 343-room Liason Capitol Hill opened with 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space after completing renovations.

Florida

Miami

• Hotel Indigo Miami Lakes, formerly Don Shula’s Golf Club, opened with 86 rooms and 242 square feet of meeting space.

Georgia

Atlanta

• The W Atlanta Downtown opened with 237 guest rooms and 3,430 square feet of event space.

North Carolina

Greensboro

• The 147-room Proximity Hotel earned the U.S. Green Building Council’s Platinum LEED certification. The hotel’s construction and operation allows it to use 40 percent less energy and 35 percent less water than comparable hotels. Some of its green features include 100 solar rooftop panels and an elevator that generates electricity when descending.

Vermont

Brownsville

• The Ascutney Mountain Resort joined the Holiday Inn Club Vacations timeshare portfolio. The ski-in, ski-out resort has 215 rooms and 30,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

Virginia

Alexandria

• The Lorien Hotel & Spa opened with 107 rooms, a 4,000-sq. ft. spa and more than 3,500 square feet of meeting space.

Washington

Seattle

• The 21-story Four Seasons Seattle opened with 147 rooms and 10,560 square feet of meeting and event space.