Meeting News - January 28, 2008 - (Page 10)

Hotels/Resorts Big Windy City Renovation Is Moving Along Swissôtel is nearing the halfway point on a major expansion of its Chicago property Chicago—The Swissôtel Chicago will have completed two parts of its $17.5-million revamp by this April. Another two steps—arguably the most important pieces of the puzzle for meeting planners—will take place before the renovation is completed next year. Come this spring, all 632 guest rooms will have been refurbished. In addition to new decor and more user-friendly work spaces, each room will feature a docking center for a host of portable devices. Rooms also will feature high-speed Internet access after the hotel installs a DS3 line, which operates 28 times faster than the speed of a T1 line. But next is meeting space expansion. By June 2009, the hotel will have a new 15,000-sf ballroom and another 15,000 sf of function space. “The additional meeting space, in conjunction with the current meeting space, will make Swissôtel Chicago the ideal meetingheadquarter venue,” said Thomas Klein, Swissôtel’s vice president of business development for the Americas. In the final phase—toward the end of 2009—7,000 sf of the hotel’s existing 27,000 sf of meeting space will be converted into guest rooms. A total of 30 accommodations will be added. The hotel upgraded its health club late last year. Edited by Rayna Katz rayna.katz@nielsen.com Color-Coded Meetings Featured at Loews New York—Loews Hotels has introduced a program intended to boost meeting attendees’ focus. The offering injects colors meant to stimulate brain actvity into meeting room setups, and gives in-session meeting-goers better access to food and drink. Loews’ Color Breaks give planners the option to theme their meeting rooms by color at any of the brand’s 18 hotels, including the snack setting placed at each attendee’s seat. Available in blue, yellow, and green, the program also includes these options: “sweet and sinful,”“healthy and fresh,” or “salty and crunchy.” According to program creator Ellen Burke Van Slyke, corporate creative director of food and beverage, blue represents peace, spirituality, and youth; it encourages creativity, thought, and communication. Yellow represents wisdom and happiness; it sharpens concentration and memory skills. Green represents nature and well-being and encourages ideas. “The value of color as a stimulant is undeniable,” said Burke Van Slyke.“All elements of a meeting room must be in place to create the right mindset.” Room setups can be customized, but standard elements include colorinspired floral centerpieces, wall coloring, and onscreen color flushes (see photo). Planners also can have a room’s color changed after a break. The Swissôtel Chicago is getting upgrades and new meeting space. Theme Park Hotel Gets The Royal Treatment Orlando—In conjunction with a reflagging, the Royal Pacific Resort—on site at Universal Orlando—has undergone an upgrade. Now named Loews Royal Pacific Resort, the hotel’s 1,000 guest rooms have been refurbished with new technology and design features meant to evoke a South Pacific island atmosphere. The $8.5-million upgrade made wireless Internet access available in all guest rooms and suites, and it added iPod docking stations and iHome clocks to all of the accommodations. One more technological improvement is now under way: All standard rooms are being outfitted with 32-inch flat-panel televisions, and all suites are getting 42-inch or larger TVs. Decorative renovations to each guest room include fresh flowers and bamboo elements. 10 MeetingNews January 28, 2008 Loews Royal Pacific has 85,000 sf of meeting space. Hilton Resort Near Dallas Is in Business for Meetings Rockwall, TX—This Dallas suburb may soon get on the meeting and convention map once the Hilton Bella Harbor on Lake Ray Hubbard opens next month. The 231-suite hotel, with 25,000 sf of meeting space, has already landed four conventions for 2008 and 2009. “Hilton Bella Harbor offers stateof-the-art technology and business capabilities in a wonderful setting,” said Director of Sales and Marketing Jennifer Wasserman. “We are winning these conferences because we have what businesses need for successful events.” Among the upcoming hotel’s offerings: a 31-acre waterfront retail complex, golf privileges at a nearby resort, cruises on the lake aboard the hotel’s 40-foot catamaran, a 5,000-sf spa, and in-room technology such as MP3-player docking stations. In addition, wireless, high-speed Internet access will be available throughout the hotel. Spa Access Made Easier For SoCal-Bound Groups Costa Mesa, CA—Meeting groups in “the OC” usually get a tan. But meeting attendees who stay at the Wyndham Orange County now have a much healthier option: complimentary access to the Spa at South Coast Plaza. Said Thomas Smalley, general manager of the Wyndham Orange County, “Wellness and fitness is an ever-growing priority for our guests, and we are thrilled to offer them complimentary access to one of the most prestigious private spa and fitness clubs in southern California.” The 238-key Wyndham is across the street from the spa and has 6,800 sf of meeting space. r Loews’ Color Breaks program creates color-themed meetings. www.meetingnews.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - January 28, 2008

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