Posts Tagged ‘outdoor function space’

Can Hotel Websites Be Deceiving?

Monday, February 28th, 2011

The answer to that question is a big YES!!  Although I don’t think it’s necessarily intentional.

However – this is definitely NOT the case with the recently opened Mondrian Soho in NYC.  It’s the newest boutique property to arrive at one of the hippest areas of the Big Apple.

I love looking at hotels…ever since I was a little girl walking around hotels with a hard hat (my father owned a mechanical engineering company in Hawaii and his company worked on the majority of the hotels on the islands and my mother was an events planner…I think it’s in the blood) – so I guess you could say that I’m in the right profession.  I always ask my friends “what hotel are you staying at?”  I think they probably thought I was weird before they realized why I was asking…now they just say..”staying at this property or that property.”  I love it!

Well – sorry to digress – back to the Mondrian Soho.  HotelChatter (which I’m an avid follower of) went and stayed at the hotel on opening day.  They took pictures of the property and I was just swooning over their photos.  I went to the website to see how they compared and I’m happy to report, they were so similar.

Here are a couple of shots I got off the hotel’s website.  Here is the link from HotelChatter’s website with all the “real” pictures that they took so you can compare.

Standard 190 square foot room

Bathroom (love the mirror!)

All the white does make a room feel so much bigger.  If you need meeting space.  They have a room that can hold 84 Theater or 40 Classroom and there is an adjacent terrace for meals.  This would be a great venue for executive meetings, small incentive (that wants the city vs. beach) or small sales and product meetings that don’t require breakouts.

You might ask…so what do I get with a standard king room at the Mondrian Soho…
~ 190 square feet of luxury
~ Floor to Ceiling Windows
~ Marble Spa Bathroom
~ Luxurious King Bed
~ LCD HDTV
~ iPod Docking Station
~ Wireless Internet (at an additional charge)
~ Down Bedding
* the HotelChatter pictures show an iPad in the room, but it’s not listed under the amenities, so not quite sure how that plays into the sleeping rooms.  Pretty cool if the rooms have that though.

Here are the details of the hotel:

Hotel Designed By: Benjamin Noriega Ortiz (inspired by the Jean Cocteau Film ~ La Belle et la bete
Sleeping Rooms: 270
Meeting Space: Gallery Room – 1100 square feet (84 classroom, 40 Theater), Gallery Terrace – 1400 square feet (outdoor for up to 125 for reception)
Restaurant: Imperial No. Nine – 150 seats, sustainable seafood concept. Chef: Sam Talbot (opening March 1)
Bar: Indoor/Outdoor experience
Other: Fitness Center, In Room Spa Services & Room Service

I can’t wait to see this hotel for myself.  I might need to plan a little trip to NYC to check out all the recently opened SOHO properties (The Crosby, Trump SOHO and now the Mondrian SOHO).

Enjoy!!

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One More Site Visit to go and the VIEW is stunning {part 4 ~ Cavallo Point Lodge}

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

We’ve done 3 site visits already.  We have experienced sunshine, rain, hail and sunshine again – crazy weather.

We’ve on the home stretch – next stop Cavallo Point Lodge located in Sausalito.  This hotel use to be Fort Baker.  The property opened a few years ago and the grounds are beautiful with an amazing view of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.

The property is spread out among 3 main buildings that house meeting space, the cooking school, the mercantile, art gallery, restaurants and the front desk.  In between each building is outdoor space with firepits.

Lobby at Cavallo Point

Meeting Room

Cooking School

The Main Ballroom

The Lodge offers 14,000 square feet of indoor meeting space.  The main ballroom (which is not divisible) use to be the gymnasium.  It still has the open ceilings and it makes the room feel very open.  The property offers 12,500 square feet of outdoor meeting space.

There are 2 different styles of sleeping accommodations.  The traditional rooms which were the old sleeping quarters at Fort Baker and the contemporary rooms which are on the back side of the property.

Traditional Room

Living Room in a Traditional Room

Contemporary Room

Living Room of Contemporary Room

This is a picture that I took from a Contemporary Room.  These rooms are on the back side of the main buildings and sit high on the hill so the views are amazing.

View from a Contemporary Room

Cavallo Point has an amazing spa and healing arts center.  There are hiking trails and you can even walk the path to the Golden Gate Bridge.  Their restaurant, Murray Circle is Michelin rated (we had dinner there – YUM-O!).  A great team building activity would be a cooking class at their cooking school.  When we were doing the site – they were preparing for a class the next day – and boy oh boy – did it smell great!

Rate: Rates really vary because they are so close to the city.  When the city is being compressed because of city-wides, people cross the bridge which can drive the rates up.  Spring – $199 – $250.

Ideal Client: This property is great for 20-100 people.  It is especially ideal if you only need a general session and 1 small breakout because you can stay in the same building.  If you need more space, you need to be prepared to have the group in multiple buildings.

Drawbacks: Really the only drawback is that all the meeting space isn’t in one place.

The property is beautiful.  The rooms appeal to the more traditional or those seeking a more modern accommodation.  My personal favorite is the Contemporary rooms.  This is a great location for those wanting to get away – but still feel somewhat close.

Part 1 of the series can be seen here – The Meritage Resort.

Part 2 of the series can be seen here – The Silverado Resort.

Part 3 of the series can be seen here – The Carneros Inn.

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One U-Turn and We Arrived in Heaven {part 3 ~ Carneros Inn}

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

Originally when we set out to do site visits, we were only planning on seeing 3 properties.  2 in Napa and 1 in Sausalito.  We just left Silverado and were heading out of town and really hoping that the 3rd property we were going to see was going to be the home for this meeting.  We saw positives and also negatives of the previous 2 properties, but weren’t sold that we had found it.

I decided to call my Preferred Hotels rep and have her give a quick call to the Carneros Inn (located in Napa) – just to see if they had availability.  I told her to have the sales person call me on my cell phone right away because we were in town and if they did have the space, we would make a u-turn.

She called and we chatted for a few minutes.  I told the client – the Carneros Inn has the availability – you HAVE to see it.  So we flipped the U and arrived about 15 minutes later.

The Entrance to the Carneros Inn

We actually didn’t meet our sales person at the main entrance to the Carneros Inn.  Instead we met her at the Market which is on the property and open to the public.

Inside the Market

When you arrive at the property, you are at Town Square – the heart of the property.  The Market, Farm (one of the restaurants), Bocce Ball Courts and the Pavilion are all right there.  Below is a picture of the Pavilion outside of Farm.

The Farm

The Pavilion

Can you just picture yourself networking at the Pavilion after a day of meetings.  Yes they have heat lamps for chilly weather.

The decor of the entire property is amazing.  It’s a cross between Restoration Hardware, Room and Board and Roost Home Furnishings.  The best way to describe it is – you feel like you’re at home.

The ideal size of group is 10 to 60.  The property has 86 cottages, including 10 suites and 24 luxury villas.  5,000 square feet of flexible meeting space along with outdoor space.

Everything about this hotel is pretty – even the meeting space.  Even the prefunction space looks like a living room and open and airy.

Prefunction Area

Section of the Ballroom

Above is 1/3 of the ballroom.  OK – even the airwalls are pretty with the wood paneling.

The Carneros Courtyard is in between the ballroom and additional meeting space.  This is a great area for outdoor lunches, cocktail receptions or dinners.  They do have to rent special tables that don’t “sink” into the ground.

Carneros Courtyard

There are 3 restaurants on property, Farm which is their signature restaurant featuring local organic products, Boon Fly Cafe which is a lively roadside eatery and the Hilltop Dining Room which is only open to guests of the hotel.

Inside the Farm

Hilltop Dining Room

The picture that I took of the Hilltop Dining Room doesn’t even come close to doing this room justice.  It is truly stunning and the views are breathtaking.

So now onto the cottages.  All I can say – is that I want to move in.  All of the cottages have private decks, HEATED bathroom floors, alfresco (that means OUTDOOR) showers…and for those that don’t want to shower outside – do not fear…they have indoor ones as well. :)  All of the rooms have coffeemakers, but the suites have espresso machines.  Also the mini bars are stocked and ready for you to enjoy (no charge!).

Outside of the adorable cottages

Standard Cottage

Alfresco Shower

Outdoor Patio

Espresso Machine in Suites

When you actually arrive at the property, you enter through a gate so when you get to the entrance of the hotel – the staff is ready and waiting for you.  You drive to the top of the Hill which is where registration, the Hilltop Dining Room, the Spa and the main pool are located.  We actually did the site backwards – we started at the bottom and worked our way up.  When we were heading up – I saw the most beautiful rainbow and snapped this picture.

Somewhere over the rainbow

This property is absolutely stunning.  The attention to detail is beyond words.  This property is unique because they are corporate sales driven during the week and leisure sales driven over the weekend.

Rates: Spring weekday dates – $280-$315, Spring weekends – $450-$550.  Summer and Fall – weekday dates are in the high $300-mid $400 and the weekend is just crazy expensive.

Ideal Client: Executive Retreats up to 60 people.  Small incentives.

Drawbacks: I would say the only drawback is the rate, but really…it’s worth every penny.  If you are budget conscious – look at winter and spring.

My client fell in love with this property and I told her that this is the perfect time to get into a property like this because in the spring or fall, it will be outside of reach.  You honestly can’t go wrong at this property.

I’m so happy we made the u-turn so we get a taste of what they had to offer.

Part 1 of the series can be seen here – The Meritage Resort.

Part 2 of the series can be seen here – The Silverado Resort.

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A Must do ~ Property Site Visits {part 2 – Silverado Resort}

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

Our second stop on the whirlwind site visit was The Silverado Resort in Napa.

On the drive up – you’re greeted with the most amazingly spacious green lawn.  The main building looks like something you would find in the south – a white mansion.

Entrance to Silverado Resort

This hotel recently was purchased by Dolce Hotels & Resorts.  They specialize in conference properties – like Hayes Mansion in San Jose, the new Ravella (formally the Ritz Carlton) in Lake Las Vegas, NV.  I’m really curious how this property will be changing.  I really hope that they don’t follow the “conference model” for dining.  It will really take away from what the property has to offer.

Silverado has 280 suites.  All of the suites have a living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.  This is a unique property as each unit is “owned” by individual investors and not owned by the hotel.  The decor is different in every room.  The hotel gives the owners a list of standard items that must be in each suite – but they can choose the color schemes that they want.  I asked the sales person what would happen with the new ownership and she said that designers were working on 3 decor options and the owners would have to pick one.  I’m liking this idea because I’m a stickler for consistency.  Currently, there really isn’t any consistency.  All of the suites are in clusters around the property so you will definitely get your exercise if you are walking to the main building for your meeting.  You can call bell desk and they will come and pick you up (especially handy if it’s raining outside).

Suite Bedroom

Bathroom

Living Room

Suite Kitchen

The conference center which is located in the main building is 2 floors and has a total of 15,000 square feet of meeting space.  The main ballroom, the Silverado Ballroom is on the main floor and is 5200 square feet and divisible into 4.  To be honest – the majority of the space needs a little facelift.  A section of the ballroom does open up to the Fairway Terrace which is great to have breaks or lunches outside.

Silverado Ballroom

Fairway Terrace

On the other side of the main building is the Vinter’s Court.  This a lovely room that has been recently remodeled.  There are 9 smaller rooms that are on the 2nd floor which are perfect for breakout rooms.  These rooms don’t have any windows.

Vintner's Court

There is another outdoor space that we didn’t see because of the weather – The Grove.

Silverado is known for it’s golf.  They have 2 18-hole, par 72 Championship golf courses – both designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr..  Currently they are being upgraded to the new PGA standards so they will be able to host PGA tournaments again.

The hotel also offers a spa which has been recently renovated.  We didn’t get a chance to go over there this time around because we were needing to run to the next property.

Currently, there is only one restaurant on property which is The Grill.  I was hoping the menu would have been a bit more upscale since it is the only one on property.  The Royal Oak Steak and Seafood Restaurant is closed and they are unsure what type of restaurant they will replace it with.  They do have a lounge in the main building for appetizers and cocktails after a long day of meeting.

The Lounge (main building)

The Grill

Spring Rates: $159

Ideal Client: If you are looking for golf, spa and meeting ~ this would be a great option for you.  This would be perfect for smaller associations, medical meetings and corporate meetings needing breakouts.  You can use the main ballroom as general session with breakouts downstairs and meals on the Fairway Terrace (there are heat lamps).

Drawbacks: The consistency of the room product needs to be brought up to the standards of likes of Starwood.  During the summer and fall, they can get higher rates because of golf, but it would be great if they could get it because of their guest accommodations as well.

I do hope that Dolce puts some money into this property because the setting is very pretty.

Part 1 of the series can be viewed here – The Meritage Resort.

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