Successful Meetings - July 2008 - (Page 56)

resorts 2008 PALM BEACH • ARUBA Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino A $40 million makeover will turn this popular favorite into a reborn tropical retreat. MEETING SPACE This Caribbean favorite for leisure travelers is also serious about hosting major meetings, with 11,600 square feet of meeting space available for groups. The 8,435-square-foot Grand Ballroom can seat 880 attendees for banquets, and divides into four sections. Four additional meeting rooms simplify scheduling breakout sessions. Groups as large as 500 can also gather for cocktails and receptions in one of the hotel's lovely outdoor areas. All meeting rooms offer wireless Internet, and there is a complete business center as well as an onsite Meeting Services team. lobby has also been totally redone. Small meetings, or VIPs at larger events, will appreciate the new Tradewinds Club, a 59room “boutique hotel” located on the Aruba Marriott’s eighth floor (to open this September). Tradewinds Club guests can check in at the 1,900-square-foot Tradewinds Club Executive Lounge, where breakfast, lunch, cocktails, delicacies from the hotel’s restaurants, and cheese and pastries are served over the course of the day. Club guests also receive a Pillow Menu as well as complimentary unpacking, packing, and pressing. RECREATION Palm Beach offers some of the best scuba diving, snorkeling, and sailing in the islands. The resort’s beach, backed by palm trees and green lawns, is ideal for sunbathing. The spacious free-form swimming pool, complete with cascading waterfalls, forms the heart of “relaxation time” at the resort. Also available: the 6,500-square-foot Mandara Spa and the hotel’s high-energy health club. The 24-hour Stellaris Casino is the largest in Aruba. ACCOMMODATIONS The 411-room Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino launched a massive $40 million renovation in July 2007. Work on its South Tower and Atrium has been completed, with work on the North Tower rooms to be finished by August of this year. The revamped rooms will feature new, Aruba-inspired furniture and LCD televisions with “jackpack” technology (providing connectivity and recharge capability for laptops, iPods, and other devices through the TVs). New rain-style showerheads, his-and-her sinks, highthread-count linens, and upgraded amenities mean that nothing familiar remains except the telephones. Rooms also have additional soundproofing and wiring, and all rooms feature spacious 100-square-foot private balconies. The hotel DINING During the renovations, the hotel’s former fine dining restaurant was recreated as Ruth’s Chris Steak House, featuring New Orleansstyle appetizers, broiled U.S. Prime steaks, and seafood. The former La Vista, for all-day dining, will also be upgraded as well as expanded and renamed LV Grill. Ketsu Sushi Bar is open for dinner and Simply Fish serves seafood in a casual beachside setting overlooking the Caribbean. Evening cocktails and snacks are available in the Lobby Bar. Champions Sports Bar in the adjacent Marriott Ocean Club serves lunch and dinner. For more information: (011) 297 520-6621; www.arubamarriott.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION 56 http://www.arubamarriott.com

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Successful Meetings - July 2008 Contents Editor's Note Industry Trends Suppliers Newsmakers On the Record Technology Newsmakers Calendar Planner Spotlight Management Matters Meetings Law Websites of the Month Mouth for Sale Pre-Event On Site Tools of the Trade Pre-Event Initial Success Strong Medicine Risky Business Places & Spaces Birmingham Kentucky Georgia & the Carolinas Hong Kong Melbourne Gurus

Successful Meetings - July 2008

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