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Planner's Perspective

More Coverage

Eric Gann
Corporate Communications, Trade Shows and Events
Hughes Network Systems
Germantown, Md.


Describe your event.

We held our annual sales meeting for 350 people at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Montgomery County, Md. It’s an amazing location with plenty of parking and a metro stop nearby. We’ve gone there for three years. About 50 percent of our people come in from around the world; others are from the area.

Why did you decide to host the meeting in Montgomery County?
The staff is exceptional. They are organized, accommodating, professional, and very good at filling in the blanks. In other words, they anticipate the group’s needs and are adept at doing last- minute changes.

What did your attendees seem to enjoy the most?
The food and the service. It’s all by Marriott, but it was a step above the usual.

Was anybody particularly helpful?
The property’s general manager, Bob Daley, is very good at championing any kind of changes. Also, unlike many hotel general managers, he’s always available and approachable. If we had a problem, I went into his office and we talked about it.

How does Montgomery County compare to other places where you have hosted meetings?
I run three events a year in the U.S., and I find this a really good venue for this particular meeting near our offices. Other locations we use offer golf, spas and other amenities, but this is a serious business meeting. If some of the attendees from outside the U.S. want to, they can take off on their own and tour D.C. or other parts of the region, which has everything.