Smart Meetings | Page 306 of 602 | Corporate Event Planning: Business Events, Meetings, Conferences

Photo Credit: Crowne Plaza Paris Republique

Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts announced that six flagship properties will open across the United States, China and Europe by early 2020. These properties will illustrate Crowne Plaza’s new hallmark design innovations and their latest standards across public spaces, guest rooms, technology, food and beverage and service.

By building these properties, Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) is reinventing one of the world’s largest hotel brands and showing its continued commitment and investment in developing it.

The new and transformed properties include Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia in the United States, Crowne Plaza Shenzhen WECC and Crowne Plaza Wuzhen in China, Crowne Plaza Paris Republique, Crowne Plaza Hamburg- City Alster and Crowne Plaza London- Heathrow. Crowne Plaza had 427 properties and 120,000 guest rooms worldwide at the end of March.

“From city center business hubs to best-in-class airport hotels, Crowne Plaza is revolutionizing business and leisure travel with incredible momentum,” said Eric Lent, senior vice president of global marketing for upscale brands at IHG. “These openings are a significant step toward our goal to be the first and definitive choice for upscale hotel stays around the world.”

The continued demands from guests for flexible spaces is the inspiration behind the new designs in public spaces and guest rooms in each flagship property. The design of each lobby and guest room also include embedded technology in distinct areas, which gives both guests and locals the ability to work efficiently and relax on their own terms.

Developed because guests wanted more flexibility when doing business and transitioning to down time, certain properties will boast flexible lobby areas with on-demand meeting spaces.

United States

Photo Credit: Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia

Driving major improvement to overall guest experience in the Americas since its launch in 2016, the Crowne Plaza Accelerate program has introduced the next phase of the Accelerate Ahead program. This multiphase program launched in May and touches all aspects of the brand while driving performance and improving quality and consistency.

Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia features every element of the Accelerate program since its transformation was completed in April. Following the property’s nine-month closure and renovation, it has reopened with 495 signature and patented WorkLife guest rooms, three restaurants designed in collaboration with Kimpton Hotels & Resorts and 32,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Seamlessly integrating into the common areas, the Plaza Workspace flexible lobby solution features multiple flexible work and meeting solutions, including two bookable-by-the-hour studios.

China

Offering more than 1,500 sq. ft. of meeting space with five rooms—including a grand ballroom that can accommodate 500—the design-forward Crowne Plaza Shenzhen WECC will be the first Crowne Plaza Flagship in China to have new, modern guest rooms and flexible space. The property will be located near Shenzhen Boaan International Airport (SZX) and next to the soon-to-be-largest convention center in the world, Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Centre.

Conveniently located near the famous water village of Wuzhen West Scenic Zone, World Internet Conference Center and Hangzhou International Airport (HGH), Crowne Plaza Wuzhen will feature 2,325 sq. ft. of flexible event space in three meeting rooms. The property will also offer another 5,382-square-foot banquet room, accommodating 260 guests. Two dining options will be available to guests: a full-service restaurant, Cai Feng Lou, and Tong Cafe for all-day dining.

Europe

Photo Credit: Crowne Plaza Hamburg-City Alster

To create more inspiring, practical spaces and challenge the preconceptions of the standard business hotel, IHG collaborated with design studio Conran & Partners for the Europe flagship properties.

While maintaining its unique 19th-century architectural features, Crowne Royal Paris Republique features the brand’s new, fresh and bold vision in Europe. Modern flexible spaces in the lobby, along with curated art from local artists, are components that are enhancing the overall design for guests.

Debuting in October, Crowne Plaza Hamburg-City Alster will be the first Crowne Plaza flagship in Europe to feature signature guest rooms with distinct work, relaxation and sleep spaces. With an improved sense of space, ergonomics with thoughtful design, improved acoustics and elevated bedding, the rooms will offer guests a better night’s sleep.

Undergoing significant renovations, such as a new design with an upscale restaurant and plenty of flexible meeting space, Crowne Plaza London-Heathrow will reopen as a new flagship property in early 2020.

A top priority for any event planner is making sure their attendees are comfortable. This can mean everything from ordering enough food to controlling the temperature in the conference room. It also requires welcoming people from all walks of life and ensuring that they feel welcome at your event. The events industry has made strides in recent years in promoting awareness around the need to welcome members of the LGBTQ+ community, but there is still work to be done.

Event environments are designed by meeting planners, so it is up to them to create a place that bolsters inclusivity. Sometimes the simplest change is all it takes to make an attendee feel welcome. Following are a few suggestions on where to start to make your next event more inclusive of all genders and sexual identifications.

Gender Neutral Bathrooms

Before deciding on a venue, check to see if they have gender neutral bathrooms. Jeffrey Huang, senior manager, of employee engagement and outforce global president at Salesforce, writing about his experiences with gender inclusivity at events, says: “If you can’t find a venue with all gender restrooms, try to find one with single-occupancy restrooms. These can easily be converted to ‘all gender’ restrooms and eliminate the possibility of anyone feeling uncomfortable.” Simply temporarily affix a sign, like the one to the right, over the female or male signs already in place.

Add Pronouns to Name Tags

Attendees will most likely wear name tags so why not have them add their pronouns to their name tags? Bernadette Smith, founder and president of the Equality Institute encourages wearing pronouns on name tags as it is an easy way to make sure no one gets misgendered. Not using name tags? Check out these cool pronoun buttons that attendees can wear and take home with them!

IDs

People’s names do not always match the name on their official government issued ID. Legally changing a name can be a tedious and expensive process, so reconsider checking identification at registration. Jeffery Huang proposes that, if you do need to check IDs, be aware of and willing to accommodate slight inconsistencies as transgender or gender non-conforming attendees might prefer a name other than the one on their ID.

Gender Neutral Language and Clothes

Avoid gendered language when addressing attendees. This extends to any registration forms or questionnaires you may have on which there should be options outside of ‘Male’ and ‘Female.’ These could include ‘non-binary’ ‘prefer not to say’ and a blank space for people to write what they want. Additionally, Bobbie Carlton, founder of Carlton PR & Marketing, Innovation Nights and Innovation Women suggests adding Mx. as an option for titles and honorifics. Only ever ask an attendee’s gender if necessary.

(photo credit: qmunity.ca)

If you have clothing for gifts, try and describe the pieces by fit instead of gender. Think ‘straight cut’ or ‘fitted cut’ instead of ‘women’s’ or ‘men’s’ t-shirts.

Minority Speakers

Including diverse speakers who will address your attendees from different points of view will broaden the scope of your event. Differing perspectives should always be welcome and encouraged when choosing speakers. Just be careful not to tokenize speakers by including one random person of color to represent all minority viewpoints.

Perry Eising, community strategy and management at Netlify and emcee at this years ACT-W Conference for women in tech, also warns against asking “minority speakers to only speak about minority issues—they have other skills too.”

Clearly Provide a Code of Conduct

Eising suggests publishing a code of conduct that you feel prepared to implement. Having a code of conduct regarding behavior of attendees and inclusion practices lets your attendees know that they are in a welcoming environment and gives you something to fall back on if need be.

Promote your event as LGBTQ+ welcoming

Inclusivity is a big draw for attendees and Bernadette Smith points out that it could be used as a marketing tool for your event. Not only will it attract members of the LGBTQ+ community, it will send a clear message to all your attendees that your event will be welcoming and thoughtful. Additionally, stating ahead of time that your event will have gender-neutral bathrooms (or any other gender inclusive aspects that you decide to implement) will help potential attendees prepare for or decide to come to your event.

Ah, the 1980s. A magical time for creativity, invention, individuality and timeless movies that taught us valuable business lessons. Wait? What was that last one? Yes, believe it or not we can learn quite a bit for the workplace today from ’80s movies and their characters.

When we think ’80s movies, most of us visualize a gentle ET hoping to phone home. Or, perhaps, the teen angst of a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal. If you asked my Mom, she would just smile and simply say, “Patrick Swayze.”

As a marketing executive for over 20 years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with a multitude of event planners and every single one has my respect. It’s an incredibly tough job with high demands that is not for the faint of heart. Everywhere I’ve worked, I made sure we partnered with a professional event planner from day one. It’s a no brainer for me and we need look no further than the trials and tribulations of Clark Griswold and his family “vacations” to know how important it is to work with a pro.

So, what can the movies and characters from this righteous and totally awesome decade teach us about the job challenges of an event planner. Let’s take a look at a few:

Unexpected Changes

John Bender, The Breakfast Club: “Screws fall out all the time. The world’s an imperfect place.”

And so is the event planning world. When things aren’t going as expected—when a speaker cancels at the last minute or the AV system decides to crash, leaving you, in the words of Bon Jovi, “Livin’ on a Prayer”, always remember that you do have the tools to fix the problem: patience, innovation, determination, leadership and confidence.

Lack of Respect

Referring to professional event planners as party planners is like saying that Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing was just a dancer. Most people have no idea what it takes to create, plan and deliver on the event they are attending. It’s the “press the magical button” theory and presto, there’s your event. The reality of pulling off the perfect event is more like what Doc Brown told Marty McFly had to be done in order for him to go Back to the Future when he said: “Don’t worry. As long as you hit that wire with the connecting hook at precisely 88 miles per hour the instant the lightning strikes the tower, everything will be fine.”

Yes, yours may be the only job that requires a working flux capacitor to ensure success.

Leadership

The Outsiders: “Stay gold Ponyboy, stay gold.” Just as in life, event planning has ups and downs. When things are going well, our character is rarely tested. Even during tough times, great event professionals never lose sight of their ethical and moral compass. With the responsibility to manage and coordinate a multitude of team members and vendors, it is important to remember that your business and your human legacy will be built on how you handle the worst of times rather than the best. Channel that inner Ponyboy and always “stay gold.”

Remember these little nuggets from the ’80s for your next event and you just might find yourself, in the words of Katrina and The Waves, “Walking on Sunshine.” You can thank me later for that song being stuck in your head the rest of the day.

Chris Clews is a speaker and author of the book What 80s Pop Culture Teaches Us About Today’s Workplace. Book No. 2 coming this fall. More information on Chris and how to book him for your event or conference can be found at chrisclews.com.

AAA Diamond Rated hotels are all well and good, but AAA Inspector’s Best of Housekeeping hotels mark properties with the cleanliness and conditions you deserve. An article on AAA’s NewsRoom states that, “AAA has found that cleanliness and physical condition are consistently among the most important components travelers consider when looking for a hotel.”

So, AAA has implemented a new rating system, the Inspector’s Best of Housekeeping designation, to identify hotels with exceptional housekeeping practices. Properties eligible for the Inspector’s Best of Housekeeping qualification must already be AAA inspected and approved and possess a Diamond Rating. Curious about what a Diamond Rating really means? Check out this Smart Meetings article that explains what you can expect from a Diamond Rated property.

Thousands of hotels across the country have received the Best of Housekeeping designation, so you have a choice of guaranteed clean hotels as your next event venue. The following states and cities have the highest number of AAA Inspector’s Best of Housekeeping Hotels so you can make sure your next event is held in a location that offers spotless hotels, because no one wants to compromise on cleanliness.

States

California, 982
Florida, 485
Texas, 468
North Carolina, 458
New York, 406
Virginia, 328
Pennsylvania, 281
Tennessee, 268
Maryland, 238
Massachusetts, 215

Cities

New York, New York, 161
Houston, Texas, 90
Washington, D.C., 78
Orlando, Florida, 69
Charlotte, North Carolina, 68
Austin, Texas, 63
Nashville, Tennessee, 61
San Diego, California, 60
Anaheim, California, 50
San Antonio, Texas, 49

To find out what designations and ratings specific hotels have, use the search tool on AAA’s website here.

You can finally experience the future and board a driverless vehicle. Whether it’s you or your attendees boarding them, driverless vehicles represent a new era of transportation that is touted to make traveling greener, safer and easier.

The ‘public testing phase’ of autonomous vehicles, named Easy Mile EZ10 driverless shuttles, at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is now in operation, according to a press release on the AUS section of Austin’s government website. The shuttles transport passengers between Barbara Jordan Terminal and the rental car facility/ground transportation, where taxis and ride-app services pick up passengers. The shuttle is equipped with cameras and sensors to ensure the safety of passengers and is pre-programmed with its route from the terminal to the rental car facility.

The shuttle seats six passengers and has additional room for standing. An automated electric access ramp offers wheelchair accessibility. Although the shuttle itself operates without human help, an attendant will be present in the testing phase to assist travelers and ensure safe use of the shuttle.

Autonomous Shuttles Beyond Austin

The use of green energy to power the shuttle is an example of steps that AUS has taken to help reach City of Austin’s Strategic Direction 2023 Health & Environment outcome. The nature of airport shuttles is that they travel the same route every day in an environment that is mostly free of the uncertainties that are found where other vehicles are present (on roads and highways, for example). This makes them an easy and safe starting point for implementing driverless technology.

Similar strides have been made by French start-up company Navya in several cities across Europe and in key locations in America. Including the University of Michigan, where public perception of autonomous vehicles is being studied with a shuttle that carts passengers around MCity. This study looks at people’s feelings of safety and the level of trust they have in autonomous vehicles; so if they continue to flood the market, planners might want to consider attendees’ feelings towards driverless shuttles and cars before using them for events.

Further test schemes have been seen in downtown Las Vegas and Lake Nona, Florida as different companies and businesses continue to experiment with this emerging technology. Pittsburgh is also at the forefront of the trend, as 55 driverless cars are being tested in the city and its suburbs. As airports, hospitals and campuses are seen to be the perfect testing ground for the technology, don’t be surprised if autonomous vehicles pop up at your favorite hotel or airport (or, if Pittsburgh is any indication, on the streets of your neighborhood) in the coming years.

Fieldhouse Jones, Nashville

With a lobby that doubles as an all-day bar, Assembly Hall, this communal space blends shop, bar and coffee shop into a seamlessly flowing area for guests. If one bar isn’t enough, atop the hotel sits Neon Mango, a rooftop bar where each cocktail’s creation centers on a single ingredient. Bring your group to any one of the many unique meeting spaces or buy out the whole building.

Saint Kate Lobby 3_Credit_David Mitchell

Saint Kate, Milwaukee

Named after Saint Catherine of Bologna—a patron of the arts—at Saint Kate, art in all its forms—from dance to sculpture and poetry to theater—is given its time to shine. Truly unique in how it puts the arts on the forefront, the property invites guests to let their imagination soar. Boasting 219 guest rooms and 11,597 sq. ft. of space to meet, this is a relatively roomy hotel you will not want to miss.

Chuck Williams Culinary Arts Museum at The CIA at Copia, Napa, California

This one is for planners who double as chefs. Named after Chuck Williams, co-founder of Williams-Sonoma, it includes more than 4,000 artifacts of cookware, including baking and culinary tools, appliances and tableware. The event space accommodates groups of up to 250; private cooking classes, culinary demonstration and wine tastings are also available, with classes accommodating up to 150.

Carmel Valley Ranch, California

The 181-room resort is summer camp inspired. Carmel Valley Ranch offers a plethora of interactive activities, featuring artisan treats, tastings and programs. At The Market and Creamery, guests can attend a workshop with resident cheesemaker Charlie Cascio to learn how the ranch’s goats’ milk is transformed into cheese, followed by tastings and pairings. The Organic Garden and 11,409-square-foot Vineyard Lawn are just two of the outside meeting spaces that comprise the 50,000 sq. ft. of total space.

Previous: New & Renovated: Hotels Tackling Form and Function

Editors Note: This article was updated on 8/15/2019 to include new, pup-spired hotel packages happening around the country. Scroll down for the newest content.

By now, we have all heard of cat cafes and puppy therapy. More hotels are joining the pet bandwagon by offering guests the joy of playing with adorable animals. From a Puppy and Prosecco package in Denver to hikes with pups in Utah, the following properties are incorporating puppies into their offered packages. Not only do guests get some quality time with precious friends, the puppies are often rescues provided by shelters. The canines get great socialization, play-time and exercise and some of them even end up going home with guests who fall in love with their hotel playmates.

Kimpton Hotel Monaco: Puppies + Prosecco

Photo Credit: Kimpton Hotel Monaco Portland

National Dog Day is August 26th and this Denver-based hotel is celebrating with two of our favorite things: adorable pets and sparkly wine. For four days this month, guests can order the ‘Puppies + Prosecco Package’ to get bottles of bubbly and 6 to 10 puppies delivered to their room for an hour. The puppies are provided by Lifeline Puppy Rescue and an expert from Lifeline chaperones the playtime. The packages raise funds for Lifeline and allow the puppies to socialize. Kimpton Hotel Monaco also holds adoption pop-ups for Lifeline in the lobby several times a year, offering the perfect location for owners to meet the pup of their dreams.

Puri Garden Hotel and Hostel: Puppy Therapy

If a trip to Bali isn’t relaxing enough, Puri Garden Hotel and Hostel offers guests puppy therapy as well. Partnered with Bali Dog Association, the hotel offers poolside puppy therapy sessions twice a week so guests who are missing their dogs can get some four-legged fun in.

Red Mountain Resort: Pound Puppy Hike

Known as an outdoor lover’s paradise, Red Mountain Resort in Utah offers a series of guided hikes ranging from easier explorer to hard core endurance guided adventures. One of their most popular is the Pound Puppy Hike in which dogs from a local shelter are treated to a day of wilderness and exercise and you get to hike with a furry friend by your side.

The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort and Spa: Lobby Dog

Photo credit: The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort and Spa

The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort and Spa in California is helping out a no-kill shelter, Animal Samaritan, by fostering lobby dogs. These dogs live in the hotel and play with guests and associates. More than 120 of these resident dogs have been adopted by guests and more than 25 have gone home with hotel associates. These resident dogs get to be the center of attention and receive endless love at the hotel before finding a permanent home with a kind and caring human.

Aloft Asheville Downtown

Cited as the hotel that began the resident dog scheme, Aloft Asheville Downtown, a Marriott hotel, was the first of many Aloft properties throughout the country that have since helped get hundreds of dogs adopted. Even if you aren’t in the market for a new puppy (although we suspect many current owners weren’t necessarily in the market either) you can guarantee some puppy love at Aloft Asheville Downtown as well as at the Orlando and Tallahassee properties, among others. With national dog day coming up this month, these are some great ways to make sure you celebrate with the real stars of the day (dogs!) even if you’re on the road.

Even More Puppy Love

National Dog Day is around the corner and Smart Meetings has found some new doggie packages for you to pamper your pooch with on Aug. 26. From hotels in Miami serving up Kobe beef to dog-inspired meeting break-out sessions, here are some updates on the puppy trend that you don’t want to miss!

Cadillac Hotel and Beach Club

This iconic art deco hotel welcomes your furry friends all year round with a special Cadillac Pet Program to make sure pets are as comfortable as their parents. This National Dog Day (Aug. 26) however, Cadillac Hotel and Beach Club is offering extra perks for the stars of the day. Treat your pups to bun-less kobe beef hot dogs and doggie ice cream in your room to truly pamper your four-legged friend.

Intercontinental Miami

Another pet-friendly property, Intercontinental Miami doesn’t want your pets to miss out on your vacation or work trip (they deserve a break too!). Everything that you enjoy at this hotel, lounging by the rooftop pool to walking along sandy beaches or dining, your pet can enjoy along with you. So you don’t have to worry about those throw pillows being chewed up or an over-energetic pup being cooped up indoors all day.

Mr. C Coconut Grove

Those who built this new hotel kept your pets in mind. Now open to both humans and dogs, this hotel offers your pups dog-beds, dog mats, bowls and a special doggie menu that includes “Polpettine K9” and a full 14-ounce rib-eye! Can you say spoiled? In addition to all that, this National Dog Day, Mr. C Coconut Grove is celebrating with a full-blown Puppy Party at Il Giardanio, the property’s European-style outdoor restaurant. The party will include a delicious doggie buffet table, hand-crafted treat bags by Il Giardanio chef and doggie bowls sporting the property’s logo. While your furry friends revel in their treats, treat yourself to Il Giardino’s Midsummer Spritz Happy Hour and you will be happy as a clam (or a dog in this case!).

W. Miami

Stay in the heart of the Miami at urban oasis hotel W. Miami. Not only is it located in the vibrant, up-and-coming Brickell District, they invite pets to explore the neighborhood with their parents. On National Dog Day, doggies are not only welcome at W. Miami, they are encouraged to dine there with their human parents. Guests who choose to dine at ADDiKT (the hotel’s restaurant) on Aug. 26 with their pooches will receive a complimentary cocktail while their furry friends will be given complimentary treats to enjoy. The hotel will also provide a guide to the perfect doggie day out around Miami on Aug. 26 featuring the city’s top dog parks, pet-friendly restaurants and hotspots so you can enjoy some quality pet-bonding time.

1 Hotel South Beach

A dog-friendly property in Miami, 1 Hotel South Beach offers ‘pet-exclusive’ offerings to man’s best friend. This includes a plush dog bed, treats, food bowls and a BarkBox amenity, all delivered by the hotel’s dog-friendly concierge team.

Midwest Marriott Meetings + Puppies

Marriott properties across the Midwest, from Chicago to Iowa, are celebrating dogs with adoption events and pet-focused meeting breaks. One property in particular, Sheraton Grand Chicago, teamed up with Pet Gotcha Day! to promote animal adoption through an innovative aimed at meeting attendees. Pet Gotcha Day! is an organization that partners with animal rescue agencies to find loving homes for pups across the country. With their help, Sheraton Grand Chicago is offering a different kind of meeting break that will allow attendees to play with adorable animals, raise money for rescue agencies and provide important socialization for pups. The scheme encourages community service in a fun and educational way.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is continuing its zero-waste efforts by introducing a ban on the sale of plastic water bottles. Starting Aug. 20, plastic water bottles will no longer be sold anywhere in SFO. While the decision has largely been met with praise, some are not on board with the ban.

The Particulars

Criticism of the ban center around two main points. The first is the extra hassle for travelers who now feel obligated to carry their own reusable water bottles. It’s just one more thing to pack, they argue.

Beyond that, criticisms focus on the fact that the ban isn’t going far enough to reduce plastic usage. This is mainly because sodas, juices and other drinks packaged in plastic are not being banned. Quoted in The Washington Post, airport spokesman Doug Yakel said that the ban applies only to water because “SFO has about 100 hydration stations that dispense free filtered water, and the availability of water that’s been bottled in something besides plastic continues to grow. This trend has yet to make its way to flavored beverages, but we’re hopeful it [will] in the coming years.”

The worry is that this may encourage people to drink sugary drinks instead of water, due to availability.

More: Maine Bans Styrofoam; Key West and Hawaii Ban Sunscreen

A Step in the Right Direction

Despite criticism over the efficacy of the ban, many feel that the policy is a step in the right direction, claiming that bold moves such as this that are necessary if we are to make a real change in plastic consumption, which is particularly prevalent in the travel industry.

This prevalence was noticed by Jo Hendrickx and inspired the creation of Travel Without Plastic, an organization that helps businesses in the travel and accommodation industry to shift away from single-use plastics. Hendrickx estimated, based on personal experience and occupancy statistics, that a hotel she stayed at used 512,460 individual pieces of plastic in a year just from breakfast cutlery and crockery. With numbers such as that, it seems that any shift away from single-use plastics is positive.

More: Canada Bans Single-Use Plastics

What Can Planners Do?

Policies such as these can help planners to increase sustainability practices at events. As attendees increasingly bring their own water bottles when they travel (which this ban encourages), planners can take advantage of this by providing water refill stations instead of plastic bottles at events. Alternatively, planners could offer water bottles as swag and capitalize on a branding opportunity, making attendees and sponsors happy.

Priya Chandnani

Chandnani was named vice president of revenue management for Benchmark in Houston. Previously, she was vice president of revenue management and distribution for Trump Hotels. Before this, Chandnani had a stint with Wyndham Hotels, serving in multiple positions, such as cluster director and area director of revenue for Dolce Hotels & Resorts, as well as director of revenue management, during which she designed the company’s Revenue Management Tactical Mentoring Program.

Elena Arosteguy

Arosteguy has been promoted to general manager of Pacific Place in Seattle, a top shopping and dining destination, which she joined in 2014 as director of operations. She previously worked in managerial positions at Urban Renaissance Group, Cushman & Wakefield, General Growth Properties at Westlake Center and Trammel Crow Company. Arosteguy is a member and ex-board member of Crew Seattle & Sound, associate member of International Council of Shopping Center and member of Building Owners and Management Association.

Krissi Grubka

Grubka is the new director of sales for the dual-branded Courtyard by Marriott/Residence Inn Syracuse Downtown at Armory Square in New York. Prior to this move, Grubka was sales and marketing manager at Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel and Conference Center, also in New York. Her hospitality career began at Best Western Plus in East Syracuse, where she served as director of sales and marketing.

Renee Rothschild

Rothschild now is senior catering sales manager for Kimpton Glover Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. Rothschild relocated from Savannah, Georgia, where she served as catering sales manager at Balducci’s, as well as Georgetown University Hotel and Convention Center. Her career has taken her to Hawaii, where she planned events at Turtle Bay Resort in Kahuku on Oahu; and to Springfield, Illinois, where she catered the opening of Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, among many others.

Darlene Plamenco

The Westin Verasa Napa in California welcomed Plamenco as director of sales and marketing. She’s worked with the Marriott brand for some time, which has taken her from the San Francisco Bay Area to Hawaii. Before joining The Westin Verasa, she worked as director of sales and marketing Ala Moana Hotels in Honolulu. She’s also served as director of sales and marketing at Courtyard by Marriott Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, and as revenue manager for San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront, San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf Courtyard Fisherman’s Wharf and Marriott Oakland City Center.

Donna Esparza

Esparza is director of sales and marketing for Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa in California. She was previously director of sales and marketing for Marriott Riverside at the Convention Center in California. Before this, she served in the same position for Hyatt Place Riverside/Downtown and Hilton Hotels in San Bernardino, both of which are in California. She’s a member of Meeting Professionals International, Society of Government Meeting Planner and Religious Conference Meeting Planner.

Peter DiOrio

After nine years with Kimpton Hotels, DiOrio has been promoted to general manager for Kimpton Palladian Hotel in Seattle. He most recently served as assistant general manager at Kimpton Hotel Monaco and Kimpton Hotel Palomar in Philadelphia.

The weather begins to chill. The smell of cinnamon and pumpkin spice fills the air. Autumn is here, and what better way to fall in love with the season than by planning your meetings and events in some of the best cities to meet in this time of year. From the leaves changing color to sweater weather-weather, here are five of the best meetings cities you need to go to this fall.

Bend, Oregon

Located in Central Oregon, Bend is a hidden gem of the Pacific Northwest. Options for Autumnal meetings include Riverhouse Hotel & Convention Center’s 29,000 sq. ft. with a capacity of 1,700. The Mount Bachelor Village Resort offers a charming convention experience as it’s near downtown Bend and the Old Mill District. It boasts 8,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space that can accommodate up to 300 attendees. Downtown Bend is also home to Oxford Hotel, which was voted the #1 hotel in the Pacific Northwest by Conde Nast 2015 Readers’ Choice Awards.

Fairfax County, Virginia

With more than 100 hotels and upwards of 18,000 hotel rooms, Fairfax County, Virginia, come to life when the weather starts to cool. This historic area is home to nearly 70 unique and distinctive venues and spaces e.g. George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the Bull Run Special Events Center and The Tower Club. Fairfax County is only 15 miles from Washington, D.C., and public transportation makes getting around both easy and affordable.

Great Falls, Montana

What better way to ensure a great fall than visit Great Falls, Montana. Another city rich in history and culture, it is becoming a popular alternative to the usual leaf peeping haunts. Great Falls offers a plethora of venues, from Montana ExpoPark to Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center. The city is home to 57 parks, 40 miles of the River’s Edge Trail along the Missouri River and several history museums. Great Falls has been described as the perfect balance of a big city with small town charm.

Lake Tahoe, California

Lake Tahoe’s South Shore is awe-inspiring. As tourist season dies down, Lake Tahoe offers a blend of flexible meeting facilities, breathtaking scenery and entertainment. The little, big city in home to Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel, Hotel Azure Tahoe, and The Ridge Resorts. Surrounding your group with the Sierra Nevada Mountains fosters out-of-the-box thinking.

More: Reno and Lake Tahoe: Take It Outside

Phoenix, Arizona

As one of the fastest growing cities in the country, Phoenix, is popular year-round, but it really shines in the fall. This large metropolitan area offers urban sophistication, beautiful outdoor scenery and world-class golf amenities. With 900,000 sq. ft. of rentable space, Phoenix Convention Center is located in the heart of downtown and walking distance from major attractions such as Chase Field, Talking Stick Resort Arena, CityScape and Roosevelt Row.