Prevue September/October 2012 - (Page 22)

fresh meets Runtorae pel ipitatet quibus volumquatur, cullene eatem SONESTA TRIPLES U.S. MEETING SPACE This past winter Sonesta International Hotels restructured with new hotel partners to expand the brand worldwide while maintaining existing management. To date, there are four newly rebranded Sonesta hotels in the U.S., with comprehensive renovations planned for all of them. The 195-room Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore overlooks the city’s picturesque Inner Harbor within walking distance to the convention center. Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island features 340 rooms and 20,000 sf of meeting space, including an oceanfront pavilion. The 485-room Royal Sonesta Hotel Houston with 50,000 sf of group space is only blocks from The Galleria. And the 445-room Sonesta Hotel Philadelphia is minutes away from the convention center and the city’s plethora of historical and cultural attractions in the downtown core. Total meeting space is 16,000 sf. Presently there are 53 Sonesta hotels around the world spreading from Colombia to Egypt, including 24 in the States. Sonesta also operates five cruise ships plying the Nile River between Luxor and Aswan, complementing the meeting hotels in Cairo and spa incentive resorts in Sharm el Sheikh. The Egypt hotels/boats are managed by Sonesta, versus franchisees, and there’s a Sonesta office in Cairo that works often with U.S.-based corporate groups. NEWLY REFLAGGED HOTELS ARE NOW OPEN IN BALTIMORE, HILTON HEAD, HOUSTON & PHILADELPHIA BALTIMORE INNER HARBOR We booked the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore for AIBTM this summer, after having visited for dinner the year before. Its location is a primary attraction overlooking the edge of the harbor just outside the hustle of downtown. So you can walk right out of the lobby to the boardwalk across the street with dozens of restaurants and attractions along the waterfront. A cab ride is under $5 to the convention center located only five blocks away. Entering the hotel, there’s a pervasive sense of calm with a large library off the lobby and grand staircase curling up to the second floor Brightons restaurant, Explorers Lounge and 10,200 sf of meeting rooms. We especially like the 2,600-sf Whitehall Ballroom with big windows framing the harbor. Standard guestrooms are among the largest in Baltimore starting at 420 sf and up, while 22 suites range from 1,1001,800 sf. And there’s a pending multi-million dollar renovation due for completion in early 2014. “This hotel is so special because it’s an oasis of distinct elegance supported by warm service that’s close to everything groups need,” says Mary Sipes, business travel manager. sonesta.com Sonesta Hotel Philadelphia http://www.sonesta.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue September/October 2012

Planner's Pick: Bermuda
Planner's Pick: Disney California
Fresh Meets: Sonesta Hotels
Bureau Buzz: Raleigh
Good Business: South Africa
Congrats: Visionary Awards
Sea Shores: Norwegian Cruise Line
Fifty Shades of Green
Checkn' In: westin Resorts, West USA
The West: Green by Nature
On Location: Santa Fe
On Location: La Costa Resort, CA
On Location: City of Napa
Mexico + The Caribbean
On Location: Hard Rock Hotel Cancun
On Location: St. Regis Punta Mita
Puerto Rico
Germany
Korea
On Location: Montreal
Check Out: The Orbit Tower, London

Prevue September/October 2012