A hidden sunstone
When the 125,000-acre planned community of Irvine was incorporated in Orange County in 1971 on the site of a Southern California barley and lima bean ranch that included the then-new UC campus, it was billed as “a city of intellect.”
The mix of homes, corporate and medical offices and hospitality minutes from the ocean, Los Angeles and John Wayne Airport is now renowned as one of the safest communities in the country. It is home to more than 22,000 companies, including Fortune 500 headquarter companies such as Edwards Lifesciences and Broadcom. I recently visited and was delighted by the range of options for meeting spaces tucked between all the open space preserves.
Meet & Stay
The relatively compact 66 square miles of incorporated area is actually home to 23 full-service hotels. Highlights include:
Hyatt Regency Irvine, fresh off a $55 million renovation, has transformed from Hotel Irvine into a flagship business hotel with an open lobby concept, Warehouse 72 indoor-outdoor restaurant, a resort pool deck and 516 guest rooms.
Marriott Irvine Spectrum and sister property Courtyard Irvine Spectrum specialize in balancing business and pleasure. A secure 17,900-square-foot meetings wing at Marriott comes complete with stage decor and access to outdoor patios. A buzzy rooftop bar for after sessions overlooks the city and foothills.
John Wayne Airport-close Irvine Marriott boasts a speakeasy, Butcher’s Shop chef’s table in the kitchen and indoor-outdoor Catalina Ballroom overlooking the pool deck with a massive AV wall. The 477 guest rooms are recently updated with eco-friendly, tech-forward amenities.
Tucked in an office park along with adorable coffee shops and award-winning restaurants, AC Hotel Irvine brings a European flair and 176 guest rooms.
Element Irvine is a sustainable choice with 124 guest rooms and an option for communal rooms. Plus, all AV is included in the meeting space.
Experience
When in Southern California, everyone wants to be outdoors. When it is time for team building, head to Great Park, a military base turned sports, entertainment and events hub with ice skating, soccer and baseball fields, a concert venue and a balloon adventure for perspective.
If the team is more focused on SoCal car culture, Segerstrom Shelby Event Center was lovingly built by a philanthropic family to show off one of the largest collections of Carroll Shelby cars in the country and give back to the community. Receptions in the midst of the two stories of rolling art pieces rev up the excitement.
Nourish
The diverse population (44% Asian and 11% representing two or more races) supports a rich dining scene with almost every type of food playing a starring role. A stand-out was Bosscat Kitchen & Libations, where whisky infused the beverages and many culinary choices in the 5,500-square-foot “Lakeshore” restaurant, library, private dining room and indoor/outdoor bar.
This article appears in the January 2026 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
