BizBash Best 2020 - 32

where i go

Adare Manor

For 2020's Top Trend
Second-tier European destinations are soaring in Ireland, Portugal, Croatia,
Greece, and more. The dollar (or Euro) stretches a little further. Two favorites are
the Ritz-Carlton Penha Longa Resort (ritzcarlton.com) near Lisbon and Adare
Manor (adaremanor.com) for castle life in the green countryside of Ireland.

The Cloister

For a Corporate Retreat
The Cloister (seaisland.com/accommodations) in Sea Island, Georgia,
shifts executives' mindsets when they drive through the front gate into
Deep South luxury. Numerous U.S. presidents have escaped here. Golfers
will like the sister resort, the Lodge.
Ferraro's

For a Sunset Dinner
In Maui, Hawaii, Ferraro's at the Four Seasons Resort
(fourseasons.com/maui) has unobstructed views of
the sun sinking over the Pacific Ocean thanks to its
location 50 feet above the beach. The open-air structure, perfect 72-degree evenings, and soft lighting
work equally for romantic dates and group buyouts.
And the fresh Italian dishes are a nice change of pace
from the ubiquitous mahi mahi.
For Budget Stretching
For the best value for the fewest dollars, Mexico wins
with no contest. Many all-inclusive resorts put a focus
on groups, such as Secrets (amresorts.com), Paradisus
(melia.com), and Hyatt Ziva and Zilara (hyatt.com).

2020 bizbash best bizbash.com

Shotover Jet

For an Alternative to
Fun in the Sun
The Canadian Rockies and the
iconic Fairmont Banff Springs
Hotel (fairmont.com/banffsprings). The refreshing air could
be mountain perfume.
For a Unique Activity in
Europe
It's a two-way tie between
perfume-making at Molinard
(molinard.uk) in Grasse, France,
and a chocolate-making workshop at the Funky Chocolate
Club (funkychocolateclub.com) in
Interlaken, Switzerland.

Funky
Chocolate Club

For Authentic
Activities
Queenstown,
New Zealand,
tops the list for
seen-nowhereelse activities,
[such as] the
adrenaline
rush of a
Shotover Jet
(shotoverjet.com)
boat shooting
through the
canyons at 50
m.p.h. while
narrowly avoiding massive
rock faces.
For the Best Overlooked Beach
Clearwater Beach, Florida. The Sandpearl Resort (sand
pearl.com) is a four-diamond hotel that reminds guests
of a Ritz-Carlton, and the Wyndham Grand Clearwater
Beach Resort (wyndhamgrandclearwater.com) opened in
2017 and is a four-star bargain.

Rocky
Mountaineer

For Train Travel
If a group ventures to Banff, add the time and budget
for a two-day ride of yesteryear luxury on the Rocky
Mountaineer (rockymountaineer.com) from Banff to
Vancouver. This off-the-grid add-on delivers world-class
dining and picture-postcard views of Canada's mountains, lakes, and wildlife. Runner-up: the Belmond Hiram
Bingham from Cusco, Peru, to Machu Picchu.

PHOTOs: DigiTal Blue PHOTOgraPHy (Mike May), COurTesy Of Mike May (funky CHOCOlaTe CluB), COurTesy Of Venues (all OTHers)

Mike May is the president
and owner of Brightspot
Incentives & Events in
Dallas. Named one of
BizBash's Top 1,000 People
in the U.S. Event Industry,
May also served as the
2018-2019 chairman of
the Incentive Research
Foundation. He and his
team have authored two
books on incentive travel:
How to Start an Incentive
Travel Program and Tips
to Improve an Incentive
Travel Program.

http://www.ritzcarlton.com http://www.adaremanor.com http://www.shotoverjet.com http://www.seaisland.com/accommodations http://www.sandpearl.com http://www.sandpearl.com http://www.fairmont.com/banffsprings http://www.wyndhamgrandclearwater.com http://www.fairmont.com/banffsprings http://www.molinard.uk http://www.fourseasons.com/maui http://www.funkychocolateclub.com http://www.rockymountaineer.com http://www.amresorts.com http://www.melia.com http://www.hyatt.com http://www.bizbash.com

BizBash Best 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BizBash Best 2020