Meeting News - May 19, 2008 - (Page 11)

Edited by Rayna Katz rayna.katz@nielsen.com Hotels & Resorts Planners’ Loyalty Shines with Starwood’s Bonus Points Offer White Plains, NY— Starwood Hotels & Resorts earlier this month kicked off an offer for meeting planners to earn extra loyalty points. The steward of the Sheraton, Westin, W, St. Regis, Le Meridien brands, among others, is providing group customers who plan a meeting at any of 300 participating Starwood hotels and resorts in the U.S. and Canada double and triple bonus Starwood Preferred Planner points, or Starpoints. Planners who book up to 250 rooms are now eligible for double Starpoints, up to 40,000; 251 to 500 rooms earns triple Starpoints, up to 60,000; and event organizers using 500 rooms or more will receive triple star points, up to 100,000. The promotion applies only to meetings booked by July 21 and held by March 31, 2009. Starpoints can be redeemed for a variety of awards, including free stays—with no blackout dates— around the world. Also, meeting planners can transfer Starpoints to over 30 airline loyalty programs. The company created the program to give meeting buyers an easy way to choose between multiple hotels and get rewarded for their business, said Dave Marr, vice president of sales and marketing. “Planners are as time-crunched as the rest of us, if not more so,” he said. “Rather than bombard them with one-off promotions for assorted hotels, we wanted to develop a consistent offer.” Vegas’ M Resort promises to offer a window onto the city’s skyline. Sin City’s ‘M’ Property Unveils a Myriad of Function Space Plans Las Vegas—New details about the M Resort, Spa and Casino—a $1billion property under construction that is slated for completion next spring—make clear that the hotel will welcome group business. In addition to the previously announced 60,000 sf of meeting space at the hotel, plans now call for the 390-room facility to include an event piazza, with a built-in stage, for up to 4,000 guests; three outdoor terraces featuring 17,000 sf of dining and retail offerings; a 2,000 sf restaurant and lounge; nine additional restaurants; and a 5,000-sf wine cellar and tasting room. The resort’s management is hoping to reach groups that may not feel welcome in Vegas, said Anthony Marnell, chairman and CEO. “There is a lack of full-service conference facilities [here] for medium-sized business events; most of the convention space is built for large-scale functions,” he said. “The M Resort meeting and conference spaces have been designed to cater to small to midsize events.” Featuring over 92,000 sf of gaming, the M Resort is away from the Strip and will be at a high elevation, providing views of the dramatic Las Vegas skyline. In the Golden State, Groups Govern Team Activities at Viceroy Properties V LXR Gets Guests Flight-Ready With Boarding-Pass Kiosks New York—Trying to ease the travel process, LXR Luxury Resorts & Hotels has installed boarding-pass printing systems in most of its properties. Twenty-four hours prior to departure—or two to three days for Gold and Platinum members of airline loyalty programs—guests may use the BoardEZ kiosks for flight check-in. The machines also allow guests to securely purchase airline tickets or change their itineraries. At least one BoardEZ kiosk is in place or will soon be available at: the London, in West Hollywood, CA, www.meetingnews.com and the Saratoga Hilton in Saratoga Springs, NY. In Florida, they will be available at the South Seas Island Resort, Captiva Island; the Grande Hotel & Yacht Club and the Bahia Mar Beach Resort & Yachting Center, both Fort Lauderdale; the Boca Raton Resort & Club; the Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa, in Lake Buena Vista; the Naples Grande Beach Resort; the Sunset Beach Resort, Seaside Inn, and Song of the Sea, all in Sanibel; and the Miami Beach Resort. In Puerto Rico: El Conquistador Resort & Golden Door Spa, in Las Croabas, and El San Juan Hotel & Casino. H iceroy Hotels has added group activities at two of its California properties. A menu of six programs for meetings and incentives has been created at the Viceroy Santa Monica, while wellnessthemed events and a Complete Meetings Package (CMP) has been introduced at Viceroy Palm Springs Resort & Estrella Spa. The Santa Monica property— which features 162 guest rooms and suites as well as a 1,300 sf banquet space with an adjacent patio, a smaller meeting room and poolside cabanas for up to 20 people—can now offer groups a Nintendo Wii competition, cook-off, wine and cheese tasting, yoga lesson, trip down the boardwalk via beach cruiser or Segway scooter, or a guided tour of native flora and fauna. In Palm Springs, wellness inspired teambuilding scenarios include a morning hike through the San Jacinto mountains, a sunrise yoga class, an exercise session to develop a strong team, and a cocktail creation competition. The 65-room hotel—which has a 1,664-sf reception area and outdoor function space for up to 210 guests—also offers groups chair massages, stretching lessons, an astronomy tutorial, and a spa sampler. Many of the programs at both properties also include corresponding meeting breaks. May 19, 2008 MeetingNews 11 http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - May 19th, 2008

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