From north to south, the Golden State’s destinations, airports, hotels and group facilities are focused on attracting visitors with new and upgraded product.
Whether they are mountain lodges at Lake Tahoe and Yosemite, urban mega-hotels near major convention centers or beachfront resorts, this year has been one of renewal and enhancement to keep infrastructure fresh.
“We’re always getting new properties, and there always are a lot of renovations going on,” says Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of the California Travel and Tourism Commission.
A round-up of industry news from the Golden State shows the depth and breadth of the improvements.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco is California’s top group destination, and the city is working to keep it that way. Moscone Center is undergoing a massive renovation that is going to change every aspect of the venue, according to Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association.
“Every surface is being redone,” he says.
The $60 million project, which also includes the 20-year-old Moscone North, is slated for completion next summer.
“One of the things many people want at convention centers is local flavor,” D’Alessandro says. “We want to bring elements of San Francisco into the building, so you’ll see graphics of neighborhoods, including in the connectors between north and south.”
One of the Moscone-area meetings-friendly properties is Hotel Nikko, offering 510 rooms, 22 suites and true to its Japanese origins, luxurious Subarashee Yume 28-inch-deep pillow-top beds.
The InterContinental San Francisco, which opened in 2009 with state-of-the-art technology and a lavish spa, lies on the same block as Moscone West. Also within a short walk of the center, The Parc 55 Wyndham has 1,013 recently upgraded guest rooms, many with breathtaking views of the bay.
South of San Francisco, the Hilton at San Francisco Airport completed a renovation that added special effects light shows to the Reflection Ballroom. Nearby, the former Clarion will be transformed into an Aloft hotel by the end of 2012.
Anne LeClair, president and CEO of the San Mateo County/Silicon Valley CVB, says the area’s quick access to San Francisco and scenic beauty keep groups coming back. The booming technology industry is also boosting hotel occupancies.
“We have a lot of meetings through word of mouth,” she says. “People hear about us, and then once they see the area and the fact we have 72 percent of our county in open space, they come back.”
In the East Bay, the Oakland Marriott City Center recently finished a $17 million renovation that included the removal of allergy triggers and the installation of medical-grade air purification systems to “PURE” rooms, which have micro-fiber linens.
In neighboring Berkeley, the historic Berkeley City Club, which includes an event facility, completed a renovation of its 36 rooms. In the Dublin Tri-Valley area, a 222-room Holiday Inn opened with meeting facilities.
Sacramento
The travel industry in California’s state capital is thrilled with the possibilities of the $1 billion terminal scheduled to open at Sacramento International Airport Oct. 6.
“It’s a game changer,” says Mike Testa, senior vice president of the Sacramento CVB. “It will allow us to grow and bring in more flights.”
The expansion replaces Terminal B with the new 669,000-square-foot, 19-gate Central Terminal, complete with an $8 million art program.
Just 30 minutes north of Sacramento is Thunder Valley Casino Resort. Venues range from the nearly 10,000-square-foot Pano Hall to the more intimate Coconut Pool and Bar.
Napa and Sonoma
Gourmet Walks unveiled guided culinary group walking tours of downtown Napa, which has boomed with new restaurants, including Food Network star Tyler Florence’s Rotisserie, and a resurgence of food shops at Oxbow Public Market. The two-year-old Avia hotel, with 10,000 square feet of meeting space, anchors development in the western downtown area.
Also in Napa, the Meritage Resort started construction on a $40 million expansion that will include a 12,500-square-foot conference center expected to open in spring 2012.
Lake Tahoe
The town of Truckee is undergoing a facelift, with new landscaping and wider sidewalks. Nearby, The Best Western Hotel was rebranded as the Larkspur Hotel Trukee-Tahoe. Also in Truckee, the Cedar House Sport Hotel acquired Tahoe Trips and Trails, which operates outdoor and culinary excursions.
Ski resorts in the area are also busy. Northstar-at-Tahoe is unveiling $30 million in improvements for the upcoming ski season, and Squaw Valley launched a $50 million improvement plan.
San Jose
The city of San Jose recently approved a 125,000-square-foot, $120 million expansion and renovation of the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. Construction is scheduled to begin before the end of the year, with completion slated for September 2013.
“As the capital of Silicon Valley, San Jose is well positioned for continued success as a meetings and convention destination, especially with the recent completion of a $1.3 billion airport modernization project and the launch of the convention center expansion,” says Bill Sherry, chief executive officer of Team San Jose and director of San Jose Mineta International Airport.
The former Crowne Plaza San Jose Downtown is operating as the Convention Plaza Hotel while it undergoes a $7 million renovation. It is expected to reopen as Hyatt Place San Jose Downtown in January. The 239-room property contains nearly 7,000 square feet of meeting space.
Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties
Carmel Valley Ranch, operated by Joie de Vivre Hospitality, recently finished a $35 million enhancement project, including a facelift of its guest units and 10,000 square feet of naturally lit meeting space, as well as a new spa and several new activities, including beekeeping and mountain-top yoga.
Also in Carmel Valley is the newly renovated Holman Ranch, a private, event-ready estate set amid vineyards and olive groves.
A multimillion-dollar renovation of the 196-room Best Western Beach Resort Monterey, which offers 10,000 square feet of meeting space, is planned by new owners who have signed with Noble House Hotels & Resorts to renovate and manage the property.
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
Earlier this year, Yosemite’s iconic Ahwahnee hotel completed a renovation that included guest rooms and public spaces. At the nearby Yosemite Lodge, a former private dining room was transformed into a meeting room. At the park’s southern entrance, the Tenaya Lodge’s 2010 expansion featured six new meeting rooms and a spa.
Along the coast, a new luxury property, Valentina Inn and Villas, opened in Pismo Beach with garden settings and ocean-view balconies. Suites have fireplaces, media centers and kitchens.
In Paso Robles, the Hampton Inn and Suites finished a $2 million renovation of its 81 guest rooms.
Big-city amenities with small-town charm, combined with a spectacular coastline, make Santa Barbara appealing for meetings, says Catherine Puccino, director of sales for the Santa Barbara Conference and Visitors Bureau.
“We don’t have any billboards, neon signs or high-rises,” she says. “And we have a Mediterranean climate, great museums and celebrity chefs, so there’s a level of sophistication but with a laid-back California atmosphere.”
In hotel news, the 80-year-old Hotel Mar Monte was rebranded the Hyatt Santa Barbara earlier this year and plans to finish renovations to guest rooms and function space in early 2012.
Meanwhile, Santa Barbara Airport unveiled a new 72,000-square-foot terminal.
Farther south, the Museum of Ventura County in Ventura completed an expansion that added a 3,500-square-foot, event-ready pavilion and courtyard.
In Oxnard, the Adagio Bella Gardens, a 3,700-square-foot meeting facility, opened last year adjacent to the Hilton Garden Inn and the Homewood Suites.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles
The evolution of downtown Los Angeles with the dynamic new LA Live sports and entertainment complex has captured a lot of attention, but the diversity of the sprawling metro of 500 square miles remains one of its biggest attractions, says Michael Krause, senior vice president of sales and client services for LA Inc., the city’s CVB.
“We can provide something for everybody and at every price range, and that works to our advantage,” he says.
But downtown continues to be a primary focus due to development around the convention center and LA Live, including the JW Marriott Los Angeles and The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles, which opened in 2010 and share a 54-story tower.
“Multiple hotel brands are looking to develop downtown,” Krause says. “We continue to need more hotel rooms to support the convention center.”
In addition to the recently completed renovation of The Westin Bonaventure, the Marriott Downtown is about to undergo a major facelift, and the Hotel Bel-Air is scheduled to reopen in October after an extensive redo.
The Orlando Hotel on the city’s trendy West 3rd Street finished a multimillion-dollar renovation, and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel redesigned its Cabana Rooms and created three new venues, including Beacher’s Madhouse, a Vaudeville-inspired theater.
Earlier this year, Mr. C, a 138-room luxury boutique hotel in Beverly Hills, was opened by the Cipriani family, known for their restaurants. The 12th-floor Banquet Room has 360-degree views and features an outdoor teak deck with wraparound glass walls. Nearby, the Beverly Hills Hotel unveiled two 5,000-square-foot Presidential Bungalows with private gardens.
Meanwhile, the sleek Hotel Wilshire just opened with 74 guest units, a boardroom and conference room for small groups and a rooftop pool and restaurant. The eco-friendly boutique hotel is seeking LEED certification.
Near Los Angeles International Airport, Joie de Vivre Hospitality unveiled the 1960s-themed Custom Hotel.
Pasadena
The culturally rich city of Pasadena continues to have a strong commitment to group business and special events, using its close proximity—11 miles—to downtown Los Angeles as a draw, says Christine Carchia, director of sales and client services for the Pasadena CVB.
“Because of our location, we’re well-known, especially to those in the entertainment business,” she says.
The city opened its convention center in 2009 and has since attracted more group business, particularly in the association market.
“We’re getting a whole new audience of people who didn’t consider us before the convention center,” she says.
Long Beach
The Queen Mary completed a renovation of its 314 staterooms, three of the ship’s restaurants and 18,700 square feet of meeting space that preserved the ship’s Art Deco decor.
The Long Beach Marriott finished a $10 million renovation that included meeting rooms, ballrooms, prefunction areas, the fitness center and the lobby, and the Hyatt Regency Long Beach plans to wrap up a $21 million renovation of its 528 guest rooms in the first quarter of 2012.
Riverside
California history, art and culture, outdoor activities and exciting events keep groups coming to Riverside, which in recent years has undergone a $1.5 billion renaissance that has beautified the city.
Debbie Megna, executive director of the Riverside CVB, says one of the city’s selling points is its affordability.
“At a time when meetings budgets are being scrutinized more than ever, Riverside offers a place centrally located in Southern California, with a unique variety of hotels and a downtown arts and cultural scene unmatched in any downtown in Southern California,” she says. “Second, at a time when great hospitality and friendliness are hard to find, Riverside offers the best of both.”
The city’s historic, 1,600-seat Fox Performing Arts Center reopened in 2010 after a restoration and is available for events.
The Riverside Convention Center, which reopened in 2009 after a $12 million renovation, offers nearly 50,000 square feet of meeting space. Across the plaza is the Riverside Marriott, with 14,000 square feet of meeting space, and nearby is the Mission Inn and Spa, known for its beautiful Spanish architecture and 15,000 square feet of meeting space.
Anaheim/Orange County
Next year, the Anaheim Convention Center will expand its outdoor event space by 100,000 square feet with a landscaped area called the Grand Plaza.
Nearby, the renovation of the Disneyland Hotel continues with all of its 988 rooms and suites expected to be redone by 2012.
Elsewhere in Orange County, the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa completed a $6 million upgrade of its 517 guest units, and the Hyatt Regency Orange County finished a $25 million renovation of its guest rooms and meeting space.
The Wyndham Orange County in Costa Mesa is scheduled to wrap up a $14 million renovation by early 2012.
John Wayne Airport is opening a third terminal in November with six additional passenger gates and a U.S. customs area.
On Orange County’s coast, the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach continues to attract meetings with its Grand Ballroom, outdoor terrace and 4,000 square feet of bayside lawn space.
The Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort and Spa on Dana Point completed enhancements to its 50,000 square feet of event space, including the Pacific Learning Center, a 65-seat amphitheater.
San Diego
San Diego’s year-round good weather and sunshine are a major draw, but the city’s new infrastructure and hotel growth is another lure, according to Margie Sitton, senior vice president of sales for the San Diego CVB.
“We don’t want to sell just sunshine and good weather. San Diego has really blossomed over the last 20 years. We’re not just a military town,” she says, pointing to the vast experiences in the Greater San Diego area, including hip, culturally rich districts and standout museums and attractions.
In hotel news, the Westin Gaslamp Quarter plans to finish a $25 million renovation to its guest rooms and meeting space in 2012.
To the north, the 215-room Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa is scheduled to open in June 2012. The resort overlooks Carlsbad State Beach and will feature 25,300 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.
One of San Diego’s largest meetings properties is Paradise Point, a 462-room Mission Bay resort offering more than 35,000 square feet of indoor meeting space and another 30,000 square feet of outdoor gathering space.
La Jolla Shores Hotel and its sister property, the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, feature dramatic oceanfront settings. The combined properties offer meeting space that includes outdoor patios and courtyards with surf and sand just steps away.
Palm Springs
The California desert communities that make up the Palm Springs area are like one large destination with eight unique and different neighborhoods, according to Scott White, executive director of the Palm Springs Desert Resorts Communities Convention and Visitors Authority, who says the desert’s main appeal is the predictable weather, in addition to its remote ambience.
“[We’re] only two hours from Los Angeles, but we feel a world away,” he says. “Groups can focus on what they are doing and also experience some fun.”
Much excitement surrounds the planned opening in March 2012 of Sunnylands, a 200-acre estate in Rancho Mirage previously owned by former Ambassador Walter Annenberg and his wife, Leonore. The 25,000-square-foot house and landscaped grounds are being transformed into a meeting and event center.
Meanwhile, The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage is expected to open in spring 2012.
The Desert Willow Golf Resort in Rancho Mirage features meeting rooms with mountain and lake views, two championship golf courses and a new golf academy.
In the city of Palm Springs, a 499-room Hard Rock Hotel is on the drawing board, and the Spa Resort Casino will finish a renovation of its guest rooms, corridors and lobby this month.
