Luxury Travel Advisor - January 2009 - (Page S1)

How to MEET AND PLAY in Stylish Venues W e’ve all had our share of meetings in some very mundane places, spending our days in windowless rooms, even though we’re in a fascinating destination that we’ve flown for hours to reach. Even evening functions can be uninspiring, with guests sipping bad wine in a poorly lit anteroom of a giant ballroom, feeling overdressed in their evening garb as the florescent lighting above casts a greenish pall over all of their faces. It’s hard to make good conversation in these cases, unless, of course, you have a lot of that poorly chosen wine. Now, not all meetings are like this, of course. There are some beautiful hotels and resorts that take the concept of the conference and elevate it to a memorable experience, recreating their venues so they become virtual wonderlands where guests can feel elegant and excited to be amongst their colleagues in a very special environment. At times like this, it’s tempting to not even leave the property. Why bother when the service is of such a high caliber and the number of venues available for chic soirées seems infinite? If you have a small enough group, whether they’re the executive board of a Fortune 500 company or just an affluent family that wants to spend a wonderful long weekend together, you should consider taking them outside of the hotel on a few occasions so they can be wowed in a unique setting. The size of the group that is convening plays a large part in how a gathering transpires. If you have a relatively small number of people that wants to get together, your options to be fabulously creative know no bounds. On the following pages, we’ve delved into several destinations to uncover some great finds for off-site fun. These include great shopping tips, evening activities and dining establishments where your group can luxuriate in their surroundings. Our goal in arming you with this information is that when your clients return from their trip, they’ll know they’ve been somewhere extra special, thanks to you. RUTHANNE TERRERO, CTC Vice President-Content/Editorial Director rterrero@questex.com ON THE COVER: Hotel de Russie’s “Secret Garden” is the backdrop for its charming Le Jardin de Russie restaurant. The luxury property, located in Rome, is a member of The Rocco Forte Collection. January 2009 | Guide to Meetings & Incentives LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR 1

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Travel Advisor - January 2009

Luxury Travel Advisor - January 2009 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter Lucca Egypt Provence Great Honeymoons Cover Story: Dan Flannery Girlfriend Getaways Croatia The Pulse Jetset Report Sightings Meetings & Incentives Supplement Aruba Turks and Caicos Los Angeles Laguna Beach, CA

Luxury Travel Advisor - January 2009

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