Site Scene

British Columbia

• The Vancouver Island Conference Centre opened earlier this month in Nanaimo, 45 miles north of Victoria. Accommodating groups of up to 700, the 38,000-square-foot facility includes a 13,697-square-foot ballroom and nine meeting rooms. Also part of the conference center complex is the 200-seat Shaw Auditorium and the new Nanaimo Museum, which offers event space. For more information, call or visit www.viconference.com.

• The Carmel Mission Inn is completing a $6.5 million renovation in early August. The upgrades include a transformation of all guest rooms and public areas, a new outdoor courtyard and garden, and a new, upscale destination restaurant, Fuse Lounge Cafe. Guest rooms are equipped with 37-inch flat-screen televisions and complimentary wireless Internet access. The hotel’s 4,000 square feet of indoor meeting and event space along with the outdoor plaza make the Carmel Mission Inn the largest hotel meeting space in Carmel. For more information, call 831.624.1841 or visit www.carmelmissioninn.com.

• The Westin Verasa Napa Residences will debut in September, located blocks away from COPIA, The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts. The 180-suite hotel offers a number of amenities, including an outdoor pool, hot tub, up to 12,000 square feet of conference and event space, two bocce courts, and easy access to river walking paths. For more information, call 707.603.1440 or visit www.verasanapa.com.

• L’Auberge Del Mar, in San Diego’s North County, reopened in June after undergoing a $25 million renovation. The 120-room historic resort added a new open-air lobby, upgraded guest rooms, updated meeting facilities, and added a crushed shell pool deck with private cabanas. Guest rooms feature 42-inch flat screen televisions, and the 14 garden level rooms offer secluded patios. The resort offers over 15,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including six meeting rooms and several outdoor venues with views of the Pacific Ocean. A new outdoor terrace features 2,000 square feet of space for private events, and a new 4,500-square-foot spa will be introduced in December. The property will also feature a new restaurant with James Beard Chef Paul McCabe at the helm. For more information, call 858.259.1515 or visit www.laubergedelmar.com.

• The Doubletree Hotel Denver-Southeast in Aurora recently completed a multimillion-dollar renovation. All 248 guest rooms were upgraded and feature complimentary wireless Internet access. The hotel now offers two new executive suites as well as a renovated 4,000-square-foot ballroom, which can accommodate events of up to 500 people. There are also multiple meeting rooms in the hotel’s collection of more than 14,000 square feet of meeting space. For more information, call 303.337.2800 or http://doubletree1.hilton.com.

• The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua reopened in June following a $180 million renovation, including the addition of a 17,500-square-foot spa featuring 15 treatment rooms. The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Kapalua offers a range of Hawaiian-based spa treatments, including authentic Lomilomi massage and Hawaiian healing treatments based on relaxation and rejuvenation. The resort offers 463 renovated guest rooms, including 107 residential suites, featuring flat-screen LCD televisions. For more information, call 808.669.6200 or visit www.ritzcarlton.com.

• Vdara, a non-gaming hotel at Las Vegas’ CityCenter, is now accepting reservations for corporate and incentive events for 2010 and beyond. Vdara can plan customized events for groups up to 400 people and offers more than 10,000 square feet of meeting space, ranging from a 4,000-square-foot ballroom to a 14-person executive boardroom. Vdara’s pool and lounge also will be available for private events for up to 1,500 guests, and the hotel’s destination restaurant will feature a private dining room for groups of up to 14 people. For more information, call 866.760.CITY or visit www.citycenter.com.