Prevue November-December 2013 - (Page 60)

Oak Restaurant, Adare Manor the building's history was the main focal point," says Jennifer McCormack, sales manager. "As you make your way around, you'll transition through time as you watch the styles change throughout the property." During our visit, we were served lunch in the 60-seat Gold Salon, designed as the main dining room of the house in 1739. In 1857, an organ was added and it was converted into a music room. The original plasterwork and gold trim still accentuate the cream and textured walls. The design includes images of gods sculpted along the high ceilings and statues of the Duke and Duchess of Lester. Popular teambuilding and recreation options include a ropes course, forest hunts, Land Rover drives and clay pigeon shooting. The largest meeting space is the shimmering Carton Suite, seating up to 350 for gala dinners. County Wicklow, an oceanfront area located about 40 minutes from Dublin City is an easy day trip for groups conducting meetings in the city. The Druids Glen Resort is a lodge-style hotel and golf club, home to 134 guest rooms and 11 suites, all currently under renovation. Over the past three years the 4-star hotel has completely transformed the cobblestone-lined meeting spaces into a bright and homey place for groups to gather outside of the city. "We wanted to transform the look of the hotel to really tie into 56 | prevue magazine the countryside environment on the outside," says Karina Dunne, director of sales/marketing. "The vibe totally changes from the busy energy of the city, but you're still a quick drive away." The ultra-modern hotel is draped with earthy rafters and chrome candelabras along the bleach wood tables. All meeting areas were completely renovated, adding natural light and scenic views of the mountains, countryside and golf course. The Woodstock House is a historic venue/onsite golf club from the 1770s with 8,000 sf of meeting space. The venue was once the home of many lords, bishops and the recording studio for contemporary rockers like Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton. Dunne says that groups schedule murder-mystery parties in the color-themed drawing and dining rooms and hold cocktail receptions on the rooftop terrace for 60 pax. IRISH COUNTRY Mile to mile of rolling countryside on the 2-hour train ride from Dublin to Killarney is utterly captivating. The silent beauty of rolling trees and a can of Guinness is an abbreviated dose of what it means to be Irish. The town of Killarney is a small city of shops, pubs and restaurants, all along Killarney Park and Sugarloaf Mountain. The Europe Hotel was by far the most refreshing stop within the city of traditional castles and historic B&Bs. The 187-room

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