Sales & Marketing Management - January/Februry 2008 - (Page 38) TECHNOLOGY TRAINING INCENTIVES TRAVEL/MEETINGS Santa Fe When you’re looking for a business destination that’s more majestic than metropolitan, Santa Fe simply annihilates the competition. In fact, it’s no exaggeration to say the capital of New Mexico is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States. Bold words to be sure, so to back them up we’ll need to hear from two regular visitors. Deb Tremonti-Hazelton, Southwest sales director for Donald J. Pliner, frequently heads to Santa Fe from her home in Rockwell, Texas. Robert Hoelscher, president of Flemming Tours and chairman of the National Tour Association, makes the trip from Cedar City, Utah. Fontainebleau Miami Beach’s status as one of the most beautiful and storied resorts on the Eastern Seaboard. Scheduled to reopen this coming July, the property will boast more than 1,500 luxury guest rooms and suites, a two-story, 40,000-square-foot spa, 11 restaurants and lounges, an expansive pool complex and 58 meeting rooms. But it’s not just a setting for the rich and famous to relax and be seen; the Fontainebleau Miami Beach is a highly sought-after destination for meeting planners across the country. For starters, the 22-acre property holds special appeal due to its location; an oceanfront property with sandy white beaches is a major plus for overtaxed business travelers. “Miami has become one of the top leisure destinations in the country,” says Paul Pebley, director of marketing. “The combination of high-end nightclubs, unique restaurants, a variety of shopping locales, world-class [THE PULSE] >WHERE DO YOU STAY? For a city with so much personality, you have to go local with your lodgings. Hoelscher’s hotel of choice for work trips is the Santa Fe Sage Inn. Tremonti-Hazelton favors the Inn on the Alameda, as well as the Inn of the Five Graces. Santa Fe Sage Inn: www.santafesageinn.com Inn on the Alameda: www.inn-alameda.com Inn of the Five Graces: www.fivegraces.com SOURCE: WORLDMATE, INC. SURVEY OF 300 FREQUENT FLIERS. >WHERE DO YOU GO OUT TO EAT? For an elegant dinner, Tremonti-Hazelton talks up the Compound Restaurant. She’s also quite partial to La Casa Sena, Geronimo, Ristra, La Boca and Café Pasqual’s. The Compound: compoundrestaurant.com La Casa Sena: 505-988-9232 Geronimo: geronimoresaurant.com Ristra: ristrarestaurant.com La Boca: 505-982-3433 Café Pasqual’s: pasquals.com; 505-983-9340 >HOW DO YOU SPEND A FREE DAY? If you’re up for exploring historic Spanish villages, Hoelscher recommends a trip along the High Road, a scenic mountain route connecting Santa Fe and Taos. Make sure you hit the towns of Truchas, Chimayo and Cordova. Staying within city limits? Santa Fe is a great place for taking a stroll. Hoelscher suggests stops at the State Capitol Building, the Palace of the Governors and the Museum of International Folk Art. Palace of the Governors: www.palaceofthegovernors.org Museum of International Folk Art: internationalfolkart.org 38 SALES &MARKETING MANAGEMENT JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 golf and every kind of water sport imaginable make it the perfect destination for a meeting or event.” Guests staying at a property as opulent as the Fontainebleau Miami Beach surely would agree. In addition to the 846 rooms in the original buildings, there are two new all-suite towers on the property. The 37story Tower Suites feature junior, one-bedroom and twobedroom suites ranging in size from 500 to 1,500 square feet and offer views of the Atlantic Ocean, South Beach, Biscayne Bay or downtown Miami. The Sorento Tower boasts junior, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites as large as 1,742 square feet and offer stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. But don’t fret if you can’t make it down south. Meeting planners and business travelers looking for a property in the western United States should circle Winter 2009 on their calendars, because that’s when the Fontainebleau Las Vegas luxury hotel and casino is set to open on northern end of the Strip, within walking distance to the Convention Center. —Mike McCue 87 PERCENTAGE OF BUSINESS TRAVELERS WHO SAY THEY FIND FLIGHT DELAYS MORE STRESSFUL THAN OTHER TRAVEL INCONVENIENCES, INCLUDING LOST LUGGAGE AND LONG SECURITY LINES. www.salesandmarketing.com www.salesandmarketingmanagement.com istock photo http://www.santafesageinn.com http://www.inn-alameda.com http://www.fivegraces.com http://compoundrestaurant.com http://www.geronimorestaurant.com http://ristrarestaurant.com http://pasquals.com http://www.palaceofthegovernors.org http://internationalfolkart.org http://www.salesandmarketingmanagement.com
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