The only waterfront resort in the Washington, D.C. region, Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center is located just eight miles from downtown D.C., in National Harbor, Maryland. The property was named one of the Top 50 Meeting Destinations in the United States. Winner of the “Best Convention Center Hotel” by Smart Meetings, Gaylord National features world-class service, 480,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space, state-of-the-art facilities, award-winning dining, a resort spa, entertainment and more—all under one roof.

Meetings

With flexible meeting space that can hold events that range from 10 to 10,000 people, Gaylord National provides customizable experiences for each group. The flawless service at Gaylord National Resort includes a dedicated team of meeting professionals assigned to groups, chefs who happily cater to culinary desires and an expert in-house A/V and technology connectivity team. Meeting planners who work with Gaylord National Resort will never hear “it can’t be done.”

The resort is embarking on a $20 million facility expansion that will include a dramatic, freestanding 24,000-square-foot building with a ballroom and 16,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. It is scheduled to open in the fall of 2016. The new building will be situated on the banks of the Potomac River and will feature glass windows on three sides, offering spectacular views of the river, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and Old Town Alexandria.

Accommodations

The nearly 2,000-room resort includes a variety of dining experiences—from grab-and-

go to fine dining—as well as a resort spa, waterfront venues and a signature 19-story glass atrium with a vibrant indoor garden. Offering connectivity between the resort and convention center, moving from meeting to meeting is effortless.

Location

Just outside the hotel, attendees can enjoy National Harbor’s more than 150 shops, 30 restaurants, entertainment, shopping at Tanger Outlets including more than 80 name brand stores and The Capital Wheel, a new observation wheel soaring 180 feet high that offers breathtaking views of D.C., Old Town Alexandria and the harbor. The resort also has a private dock along the Potomac River, with water taxi services to nearby attractions such as Old Town Alexandria, Mount Vernon and Washington D.C.

 

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center

201 Waterfront Street
National Harbor, MD 20745
301-965-4000
gaylordnational.com

-19 floors, 1,996 guest rooms, including 110 suites
-89 meeting rooms, 480,000 sq. ft. of total meeting space
-Impressive indoor garden and public spaces
-Relache Spa & Salon

Getting There: Conveniently located off of the Capital Beltway with shuttle services to three major airports and an Amtrak station, Gaylord National is easy to get to for both domestic and international travelers.

Diplomat Resort & Spa HollywoodNestled between the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway in Hollywood, Florida, is the renowned Diplomat Resort & Spa, Curio–A Collection by Hilton. As South Florida’s premier meetings destination, the resort is conveniently located just minutes from Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Composed of experienced and passionate professionals with a reputation for quality of service, Diplomat’s sales team is able to customize and create the most memorable events for groups from 10 to 5,000.

What’s New

Diplomat Resort & Spa celebrated its legendary roots while toasting an exciting future as it joined Curio–A Collection by Hilton in October 2014. The resort, which was acquired by Thayer Lodging Group in September, will undergo a $100 million enhancement initiative expected to begin next year.

Meeting Space

Ranked among the Top 10 of CVENT’s Top 100 Meeting Hotels in the U.S., Diplomat Resort & Spa’s convention center boasts over 200,000 sq. ft. of flexible function space and features a 50,000-square-foot unobstructed Great Hall, four ballrooms including the 20,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, and 39 breakout rooms which vary in size. Comprehensive technology and on-site IT, audio visual and transportation services are available throughout the convention center. Full catering services are also available, including Kosher kitchen service.

With South Florida’s beautiful lush costal scenery as a backdrop, Diplomat also offers outdoor function space poolside, beachfront or Intracoastal Waterway. In fact, sail beyond the meeting room along the Intracoastal Waterway on a chartered yacht from Diplomat’s private marina.

From inspiring spaces to healthful menus and thoughtful attention to details, themed, outdoor and offsite activities from charity events to tours of the Everglades are easily organized in collaboration with your dedicated convention services event team.

Amenities

Enjoy beautiful nights and blissful mornings with 998 guest rooms, including 96 suites, with most rooms featuring magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean and private balconies. Offering a variety of on-property amenities and activities, Diplomat is home to six onsite dining options including the award-winning AAA Four Diamond rated Diplomat Prime. The resort also features a luxurious 14,000-square-foot full-service spa featuring magnificent ocean views, a halotherapy salt steam room, Vichy shower, relaxation room and duet room. A two-story fitness studio is available to guests 24 hours a day and includes an elevated cardio-deck with ellipticals, treadmills, stationary bikes and free weights.

Outside, guests can enjoy a unique pool experience at the one-of-a-kind infinity-edge pool with see-through bottom, the 240-foot lagoon style pool or just enjoy the South Florida rays at a poolside cabana. For thrill-seekers, water adventures are available right on the resort’s beach with jet skis, kayaks and paddle boards available for rent daily. For smaller guests, the resort offers a fun, activity-filled Kids Club for children ages 4 to 12. Designed to delight and entertain, the supervised daytime program is available for half day or full day sessions. With Hollywood Trolley and the Water Taxi making regular stops at the resort, exploring the local area is a breeze.

Diplomat Resort & Spa Hollywood

3555 South Ocean Drive
Hollywood, FL 33019
954-602-8607

-More than 200,000 sq. ft. of flexible function space
-The Great Hall has 50,0000 sq. ft. of unobstructed space
-4 ballrooms, including the 20,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom
-39 additional breakout rooms
-Outdoor special event areas
-Comprehensive technology, onsite IT, A/V and transportation services

Getting There: Diplomat Resort & Spa is located in Hollywood, Florida, 15 minutes from Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and 30 minutes from Miami International Airport (MIA).

travel

This year, summer travelers are including some new cities to their must-visit lists. The CCRA Travel Commerce Network announced top 10 domestic and international summer travel trends and destinations, based on  agent bookings made through their website.

New American cities on the list include Traverse City, Mich. which was recently named as an “up-and-coming food city” by Conde Nast Traveler and one of the “Must-See American Cities by Horizon Travel Magazine. Atlanta and Chicago also jumped up on the list.

International travel welcomes five new additions, including Edinburg, Florence, Grindelwald and Munich. CCRA Travel attributes their trending to an increased attendance of world-renowned festivals and art-related events. The Edinburgh Art Festival is the U.K.’s largest annual gathering of visual art. Grindelwald also hosts an outdoor festival of sculptures and other natural displays. Munich holds an internationally-acclaimed film festival during the summer months, and Florence comes to life during an annual flower display that colors the main city square.

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Top 10 U.S. Cities

– Las Vegas, NV
– New Orleans, LA
– Myrtle Beach, SC
– New York, NY
– Seattle, WA
– Orlando, FL
– Traverse City, MI
– Chicago, IL
– Miami, FL
– Atlanta, GA

Top 10 International Cities

– Paris, France
– Rome, Italy
– Vancouver, Canada
– Amsterdam, Netherlands
– Barcelona, Spain
– London, United Kingdom
– Edinburgh, United Kingdom
– Florence, Italy
– Grindelwald, Switzerland
– Munich, Germany

amway grand plaza hotel

Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Mich. announced that it will join Hilton’s Curio Collection of 12 other properties. In 2016, the hotel will no longer accept reservations through Preferred Hotels. It will continue to be managed by AHC+Hospitality, which also operates Downtown Courtyard in Grand Rapids and Peter Island Resort & Spa in the British Virgin Islands.

In a statement, Rick Winn, president of AHC+Hospitality, said, “Becoming a member of this distinctive collection of hotels allows us to connect with a larger network of travelers and share the hotel’s influence on Grand Rapid’s vibrant downtown.”

By joining the Hilton Worldwide reservation portfolio, the hotel will benefit from the Hilton HHonors loyalty program that lets members earn points and miles with no “blackout” dates on reward stays.

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The move is part of an overall rebranding effort of the century-old hotel. Last year, Amway Grand Plaza completed a $14 million renovation of its 29-story glass tower. Rooms were refreshed to reflect a modern aesthetic and provide better access to electrical outlets. The hotel has 682 guest rooms and 47,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including four ballrooms and 42 meeting rooms. Last month the hotel’s restaurant, Cygnus 27, announced it would feature a new Latin-inspired menu. Two more onsite restaurants are also being rebranded as Wolfgang Puck franchises.

Amway Grand Plaza Hotel is the second property in the area to come under Hilton. Less than a block away, the historic Waters Building is being converted to a Hilton Homewood Suites Hotel with 107 guest rooms.

 

london-is-number-oneLondon is number one again. The city came out on top in Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index, which ranks 132 of the most-travelled cities in the world.

The annual index tracks projected international visitors to each city. London is projected to have 18.82 million such visitors in 2015. Runner-up is Bangkok, with a projected 18.24 million international visitors this year.

Both London and Bangkok have topped the index throughout its five-year history. London also was No. 1 in visitor spending, with $20.2 billion—a 2.3 percent increase from 2014.

Paris (16.06 million international visitors), Dubai (14.26 million) and Istanbul (12.56 million) rounded out the top five.

Other agencies have noted London’s increasing popularity over the past few years. The Office of National Statistics International Passenger Survey reported that the city welcomed more than 17.4 million international visits in 2014—more than ever before. The International Congress and Convention Association, which tracks the number of rotating international association conventions held in worldwide cities, ranked London No. 6 in its 2014 report; the spot was one up from the city’s position in 2013.

London, of course, has worked hard to attract visitors by featuring world class exhibitions, blockbuster entertainment and major sporting and cultural events. The inaugural 2014 London Technology Week drew tens of thousands of people to more than 200 events; the European Society of Pathology’s conference saw a 23 percent increase in attendance compared to 2013.

In late August of this year, the European Society of Cardiology’s annual conference is expected to draw 35,000 medical professionals. And in the fall some of the biggest matches in the Rugby World Cup take place in London.

In addition, the city’s historic and cultural assets are big reasons why international visitors flock to the city. This includes popular culture: Opening next month is Shrek’s Adventure! London, a collaboration between Merlin Entertainments and DreamWorks Animation.  Coming up later this year is Hamlet starring Benedict Cumberbatch. London also hosts the National Football League International Series.

How long London and other Western European cities remain in the top 20 most-visited cities is unclear. Right now, MasterCard’s index shows that roughly the same number of Asian and European cities are in the top 20. But as Skift points out, the index also show that Western European cities lagging behind cities in Asia, Central Europe and Middle East in terms of visitor growth. Colombo, Sri Lanka, is the fastest growing destination with a 21.1 percent growth in overnight arrivals against 132 cities from 2006 to 2015.