Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
Do you like the movie The Game with Michael Douglas? My most favorite scene was at the end when he jumps through this glass ceiling and lands on this huge blow up cushion (like they use for stunts) in the middle of his birthday party. Do you know what hotel they used to create that scene? That’s right – it was the Garden Court at the Palace Hotel is San Francisco.
This is one of the most historic hotels in the city. It just celebrated it’s 100 year anniversary.
From a meeting perspective – I love the different options the hotel offers. They have very ornate meeting space that boasts the history of the property to more modern looking meeting space. All of the meeting space on the 1st floor still has the feel of the early 1900’s with very grand ceilings. The Gold Ballroom is one of my favorites. The Ralston and the Grand Ballroom both are able to open onto the Garden Court. The Garden Court is used for breakfast, lunch and high-tea. They do have the flexibility to use it for meals and most definitely for receptions and meal function space.
Gold Ballroom
The majority of the breakout space is on the 3rd floor. Another favorite room is the French Parlor room. It’s a very unique room that has windows that opens onto the Garden Court. This floor also offers great networking opportunities with the Sunset Court. Ideally registration and breaks are set in the Sunset Court if you are using the space nearby.
French Parlor
Sunset Court
The sleeping rooms are very traditional and keep with the theme of the hotel. The bathrooms are on the smaller side – but when you think about it. It makes since – the hotel was built in 1909.
Standard King Bedded Room
You can’t beat the location of this property. It’s just a couple of short blocks away from Union Square and the convention center. Bart is easily accessible as well.
A promotion that has become very popular with the locals is the 15 for $15 at the Kyoya Sushi restaurant that is located at the hotel. This promotion happens every month on the 15th. Kyoya Lucky 15 Flyer
All in all – I would give the Palace Hotel a big thumbs up. I look forward to sending groups to this property.
~Caryl
Tags: hotel, incentives, internal events, parties, Travel, wedding venues
Posted by: ROAR events group
Posted in: Destination, General, Hotels, Travel
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Tuesday, February 9th, 2010
Living in the bay area, I thought it appropriate to kick off the iROAR destination week with San Francisco.
This is a wonderful place to visit and to have meetings. You’re probably wondering when are the best months to come to the city for meetings. We’ll I’ll tell you when not to come or if you do – PLAN EARLY! September, October and November is a CRAZY time in the city. There are major citywide conventions that happen every year – Oracle World, vmWorld and a bunch of associations meetings. You’re going to be hard pressed to find a deal let alone a sleeping room. We tend to find some good offers in March/April time frame and July/August is definitely slower during the week. The weekends tend to get busy because of the vacationers. Typical rates in the city on peak months can be in the $250+ range. In the shoulder season – rates can be $175+.
There are some great hotels that are perfect for conventions as well as ones that are perfect for mid-size meetings. The three largest properties in the city are the Westin St. Francis with 1,195 sleeping rooms and over 55,000 square feet of meeting space. Second is the San Francisco Marriott Marquis with 1,499 sleeping rooms and over 100,000 square feet of meeting space. The third is the Hilton San Francisco with 1,908 sleeping rooms and over 100,000 square feet of meeting space.
Wonderful mid-size properties are the Palace Hotel, the Intercontinental, the St. Regis, W San Francisco and the Four Seasons San Francisco.
There is so much to do in the city…museums (deYoung, MOMA, Asian Art Museum, Academy of Sciences), the wharf (Ferry Building, Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square), Union Square (shopping – need I say more) and Golden Gate Park. The museums also rent out their space for group functions. You can take a ferry over to Sausalito and Tiburon or check out Alcatraz.
I worked with a group on a scavenger hunt around the city. We themed it like amazing race – great for the competitor at heart. We used Adventure Associates and they were fabulous!
If you want San Francisco area, but are on a budget, some good alternatives would be the East Bay, the Peninsula and the South Bay. Your dollar can go a little further in these locations.
There is so much more information I could include – but this will give you a taste of a fantastic city.
Caryl
Tags: corporate events, Hotels, Travel
Posted by: ROAR events group
Posted in: Destination, General, Hotels, Travel, Uncategorized, events
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Friday, February 5th, 2010
So next week we are starting something new at iROAR. Each week is going to be destination specific.
For example next week is going to be all things San Francisco! I figured it would be a good idea to start in my own city. 
Monday: Destination San Francisco
Tuesday: Spotlight on a specific hotel
Wednesday: Special Deals @ the hotel
Thursday: Spotlight on a specific venue (for offsites)
Friday: Fitness Friday or Foodie Friday
Obviously there are so many hotels, venues and restaurants out there, but this will give people just a little glimpse into how much fun they can have in a particular destination.
My ultimate goal…to introduce you to destinations and properties that you wouldn’t think of for meetings or to visit.
I posted a question to my ROAR events group facebook fan page asking what your favorite hotel was for a meeting and to visit. Who knows – based on those responses…the hotel that you said might be part of the “iROAR destination.” Be sure to go to our fan page and let us know your favorite.
Caryl
Tags: corporate events, facebook, Fitness, Fun Event Ideas, hotel, Travel
Posted by: ROAR events group
Posted in: Fitness, Fun Event Ideas, General, Hotels, Road Warrior, Travel, events
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Monday, February 1st, 2010
When you’re going on a trip – what do you bring? One thing for sure – because I learned my lesson the hard way – an extra laptop power cord. I was on the road and forgot my laptop power cord on the desk (actually still plugged into the wall). Now I have 2. One that stays in the backpack at all times and one that remains in the wall. Here is a list of must haves (with the help from Smart Women Travelers) and a few that I’ve added.
Leaving on a Jet Plane…
- Laptop (or iPad when they come out)
- Power cord for everything (laptop, camera, cell phone, iPod, Kindle)
- Wireless Card (mine is through Verizon)
- Camera
- FlipVideo (you never know what you’re gonna want to video)
- iPod, fully charged
- Noise-reducing headphones (I don’t have these – but might need to get some)
- Magazines (always have the latest People, US, InStyle, Cooking Light, Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, or industry magazine)
- Kindle, book or iPad when it comes out
- Planner (I use my iPhone and a notebook)
- Protein Bar (personal favorite is the Zone Bar in Chocolate/Peanut Butter)
- Sunglasses (never leave home without them)
- Birthday cards, thank you cards, other notes to write (great idea - must do next time I travel)
- Stamps
- Cash
- Misc (Kleenex, lip balm/lip gloss, gum, tea {I’m not a tea drinker – but you betcha I’ll have my Skinny Vanilla Latte with me})
- Photocopy of drivers license and passport (another great idea – not to self…go make a copy now!)
- Free drink coupons (if the airlines send them to me – I’m not a fan of drinking on planes – it just doesn’t taste that good…I’ll save those for the hubby.)
- SmartWater (LOL – really any kind of water will do)
- Painkillers (no not that kind…motrin or aleve)
- Medicine (allergy medicine or any other thing you might be taking on a regular basis)
What’s in my suitcase…
- Portable GPS (If I’m driving and don’t want to pay extra for GPS, I’ll throw it in the suit case.)
- Running shoes
- Workout clothes
- Workout DVD’s (be it Tracy Anderson Method, Insanity, BarMethod, or Physique 57)
- Exercise bands
Next time you’re leaving on a jet plane go through this check list to make sure you didn’t forget anything.
Before I go on a trip – I like to find a couple of restaurants that I want to go to. I also like to find out about what kind of fitness there is. When I was in NYC – I went to Physique 57 to check it out. I had heard a lot about it so I went and took a class. When I was in LA – I went to the Tracy Anderson Method in Studio City. If you are traveling – why not check out what’s not available where you live.
What have you discovered in your travels? Would love to hear.
Caryl
Tags: Fitness, food, Travel, workout
Posted by: ROAR events group
Posted in: Fitness, General, Road Warrior, Travel
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Thursday, January 28th, 2010
Had lunch with my sales person from the Preferred Hotel Group. Just loves when she shows me new properties.
Check out the Allison Inn & Spa in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. It’s an 85 room hotel with 7 meeting rooms (12,000 square feet of space). Check out these awesome photos…so want to go here and have a nice glass of Pinot next to the fireplace. It’s a great alternative to the California Wine Country.
Curl up next to the fireplace with a glass of Pinot
Sleeping Room with views of the Valley
Spa Retreat
Meeting Space with NATURAL LIGHT!
enjoy!!
Caryl
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Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
When you do a lot of tradeshows like we do – you see the same old furniture. I just came across this website when looking at the Biz Bash LA website. Biz Bash is a great resource for innovative furniture, unique designs and locations. Check out FormDecor out of LA. They have some similar pieces as other vendors – but also some unique ones.
Barstools
Barstools are key especially when you have demo stations. Below are a few of my favs.
Barstools
Barstool
Vignette
I also loved this vignette they set up for a special events expo. When you are adding furniture to a tradeshow booth – it’s great to add a little something unexpected. I love the lamp and the accessories they added to the table. This is a bit more on the feminine side – but you get the gist.
Lounge Area
Great Meeting Room Set-up
Some booths have meeting rooms on the show floor. Below is an interesting take on setting up the meeting room.
Meeting Room
My New Favorite Chair
I love love this chair…going to have to figure out how to incorporate that into the next show we do. I looks comfy – I just hope it is.
Cool Chair
Hope you enjoy!
Caryl
Tags: corporate events, event marketing agency, Furniture, Tradeshows
Posted by: ROAR events group
Posted in: Fun Event Ideas, Furniture, General, Tradeshows, events
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Sunday, January 24th, 2010
A couple of Sunday’s ago was my birthday and we decided to head to Half Moon Bay, CA to check things out. It’s been a little while since we were there. I just love being by the water. Having grown up on Oahu – it’s nice to head to the beach now and then. We decided to go to the pier and we spotted this little hotel – Oceano Hotel & Spa. I have to say – it was cute (a larger version of the Beach House). Shopping is attached (shops at Harbour Village)…ok, there were quite a few for lease signs, but I’m hopeful that more businesses will come in. There was a great little taffy store. The spa is located in Harbour Village.
When we walked into the hotel – it had that wonderful beach feeling. The decor was very much like a beach cottage. I asked the front desk manager if I could see a room. I’ve looked at this hotel for clients in the past – but never saw it up close and personal. The front desk manager was first going to show my a handicap room, but when I told him about ROAR, he opted to show me the honeymoon suite…good choice. If the best room is available – why not show it. The decor for the handicap room was the same – size and view were really the only differences.
Each of the rooms have fireplaces, flat screen TV’s, wireles internet, and spacious bathrooms. The suites actually have full kitchens. Great little weekend getaways for families.
Lobby of the Oceano Hotel & Spa
Bedroom of the Honeymoon Suite
Living Room of Honeymoon Suite
The hotel has 8000 square feet of meeting space – very nice for retreats. They say that they are 20 minutes from SFO – but I don’t think that’s very accurate – it took us about 25 minutes from San Mateo. I would say 30-40 would be a bit more accurate.
As far as restaurants go – the hotel has a restaurant and bar. Also – there are a few other dining options within walking distance. The hotel isn’t far from downtown and there are some great restaurants. We went to It’s Italia and it was yummy. I was flipping out a little bit about their doors and light fixtures. (Sorry to digress.)
All in all – I’m glad we stopped in. This definitely would be a good alternative for larger groups who can’t fit at the Beach House (located just up the road – you can see it from the Honeymoon Suite) or if you are just looking for a change. The decor and sleeping rooms are very similar.
cdl
Tags: corporate events, events, hotel, incentives, Travel, wedding venues
Posted by: ROAR events group
Posted in: General, Hotels, Travel, Wedding Spots, events
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Friday, January 22nd, 2010
I saw this post via twitter and thought the info was really helpful. It’s nice to be reminded every once in a while. Thanks Ladies Who Launch and Christine Comaford-Lynch for writing the original blog post. To see the full blog – check out this link. Below is just a little snipit.
1. Practice “palm-up” networking…in a nut shell – when you’re talking to people – think about them and what they are talking about instead of thinking what can you get out of them. Give to others and it will all come back to you in time.
2. Do daily appreciation…appreciate one person daily. Email, phone or in person. They’ll be flattered and you’ll feel great.
3. Equalize yourself with others…everyone is created equal – just because someone is powerful or famous doesn’t make them any better than you are. Grasp that and you will be able to interact with anyone.
4. Rolodex dip…flip through your outlook (or address book), pick a person and give them a call.
5. Pick a “sensei of the day”…this is someone who has taught you a lesson or reminded you of something important in your life. Acknowledge that there is so much to learn everyday and you are constantly being taught lessons.
6. Do a drive by schmooze (if you’re tired or too many events in one day)…a. decide how long you want to stay, determine how many connections you want to make, listen to your intuition and internally ask to be guided to people you need to connect with, offer help and follow through.
Christine Comaford-Lynch from Mighty Ventures put this list together. To read the post in full – click here.
Tags: Networking
Posted by: ROAR events group
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Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
So we finally did it – ROAR events group officially has a facebook “fan” page. Are you a fan yet? I hope you become one.
I'm thinking about something big...
I think I got it.....
I wanna be a fan...I wanna be a fan!!!
I’m a groupie – sign me up!…
The ROAR fan page is going to have all the blog posts, but more. It’s not going to be all business…it’s going to be FUN!! I hope you check it out.
Caryl
Tags: corporate events, event marketing agency, Travel
Posted by: ROAR events group
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Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
2009 was a great year for ROAR events group. I know that we are truly blessed and feel so grateful to have such great clients and partners. We’re looking forward to 2010 and all the fun filled adventures they will bring.
My commitment to each of you who read this blog…to update it more. I know – funny. But seriously – my goal is to bring you information about hotels, deals that are out there, fun event ideas and much, much more. I can’t guarantee that I won’t through in some wacky things. I want this to be a place where you can come and get ideas – get inspired and use in both the business world and personal life. (note the pokemon party post)
So many people inspired me in 2009 and they weren’t all in the corporate events world. I guarantee that you will be seeing a wide variety of posts based on things that inspire me and I really hope you enjoy them.
Happy New Year!
Caryl
The ROAR family (aka - The Lyons Family)
Tags: corporate events, event marketing agency, Travel
Posted by: ROAR events group
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