Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
November 2007
Select Sites
The sun is just slipping down over the horizon when you land your eighth 360-degree inverted flip of the day out on the slopes. You’re exhausted. And the rest of your group looks pretty beat as well, huddled together over at that coffee stand. The last thing you want to do right now is round up the troops, file onto the shuttle bus and crawl down the winding road into town to your hotel.
Enter the Capella Telluride, a luxurious new 148-room hotel expected to open by early 2009 in Telluride, Colorado’s Mountain Village. Located at 9,500 feet, at the base of the lifts, Capella Telluride is the perfect bridge between mountain setting accessibility and luxurious amenities. With 5,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, there is plenty of room for getting down to business, and your attendees can be making their first run within minutes of the meeting’s adjournment. On-site, attendees will be pleased to find such comforts as a spa, pool, fitness center, ski valet and several restaurants and entertainment venues. They can also take a free gondola ride down the mountain to the town of Telluride, which has a bustling scene of shopping, restaurants and nightlife.
Summertime at Capella Telluride will present a different set of mountain options, such as spectacular hiking, tennis, golf, rafting and fishing. It’s the best of both worlds—city-class accommodations in a rugged mountain environment.
Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay
Short of scuba diving, it’s hard to get more intimate with California’s beautiful Monterey Bay than at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa. Located right in the middle of historic Cannery Row, and a few blocks from the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Plaza is literally on the water, jutting out on stilts for truly spectacular views (don’t worry, the stilts are earthquake-proof). With 280 guest rooms and 10 suites, the Plaza makes a perfect mid-size meeting, with its 16,000 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space and an outdoor plaza that can host up to 600. All of the Plaza’s meeting space recently underwent a $2.5-million renovation.
Aside from endless marine activities out on the bay, attendees will be thrilled to find some of the best golfing in the country, with a whopping 19 championship courses, including the famous Pebble Beach courses. Afterward, take a walk down Cannery Row to find dozens of restaurants, interesting Steinbeck museums, quirky shops and lively bars. For some of the best dining around, however, head to the Plaza’s own Four-Diamond Duck Club Grill, which has private-dining options and a Wine Spectator award-winning wine menu.
