Prevue November-December 2013 - (Page 38)

Above: The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson just completed a $35 million renovation. Right: Vertical Gardens are being introduced inside the lobbies of Westin Hotels worldwide. INNOVATION MEETINGS Westin Hotels was the first major hospitality brand to go 100 percent smoke-free, and its iconic White Tea scent is made with mood-enhancing botanicals. Westin is continuing to evolve in that direction with new Vertical Gardens blooming inside the hotel lobbies. These living walls with variegated philodendron, English ivy, various ferns and purple waffle plants are designed to lower blood pressure, enhance mental stamina, elevate mood and focus, etc. "The vertical garden is part of the new lobby design concept that we introduced for Westin Hotels to provide a modern day oasis for our guests," says Povinelli. "Not only does the new focal element further enhance our Breathe program and improve air quality, it also creates a calming, more natural environment and energizing ambiance to help our groups stay balanced and refreshed." Westin also recently introduced a new program called Clutter-Free Meetings®. Streamlined stations provide paper, pens, glasses, water and other thoughtful touches, keeping the main work area open and clear. And you can feel good about Westin meetings with thoughtful "green" features, such as energy-efficient light bulbs, double-sided meeting pads and water pitchers to replace water bottles and reduce waste. For small breakouts up to four people, Westin just unveiled the new Tangent at WestinTM work spaces. Tangent is a really convenient, simple to book solution that offers a collaborative, high-tech space for planners and their attendees to use during breakout sessions or off-time. center stage center stage FRESH UPGRADES Westin Hotels & Resorts® continues to expand and upgrade its properties around the world. The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson just completed a $35 million renovation, including completely redesigned accommodations and meeting rooms. It has ranked #1 worldwide in Meeting Planner Satisfaction for six of the past eight years. The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa is also freshly updated following a $30 million renovation. The beachfront resort with 30,000 square feet of event space is surrounded by a heady array of forest-lined golf courses. Both Savannah and Charleston are an easy scenic drive away. The Westin New York Grand Central opened last year with an organic rooftop garden where groups love to gather. Chefs and attendees pick ingredients like chili peppers for ceviche, mint for mojitos and mesclun for "pick and plate" salads. That's just one more example of how Westin integrates fun and well-being into high-impact business events to help meeting planners achieve their business objectives. WESTIN MEETINGS & EVENTS Westin Hotels & Resorts® is completely committed to enhancing wellness and increasing the productivity of our business guests. This takes place before, during and after meetings at almost 200 hotels and resorts around the world. To learn more about Westin Hotels and experience the perks of being a Starwood Preferred Planner, visit: starwoodmeetings.com/Westin. prevue http://www.starwoodmeetings.com/Westin

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue November-December 2013

Planner's Pick: Hartford
Fresh Meets: MGM Resorts
Bureau Buzz: Las Vegas
Good Business: Hyatt, Hilton, Fairmont
Sea Shores: Silversea Cruises
Cool, Cultured & Creative
Imex America
Special Section: Asia Pacific
Ireland
On Location: Hard Rock San Diego
Santa Fe
Cincinnati
On Location: InterContinental Costa Rica
On Location: Marriott Orlando
On Location: Hilton Orlando
South Walton, Florida
Check Out: Moon Palace Cancun

Prevue November-December 2013