Flowing eastward from Philadelphia city limits into southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware, the Brandywine Valley is a flavorsome blend of history, culture, gastronomy and outdoor escapes just waiting to be uncorked.
Connectivity and accessibility are major advantages. Within a three-hour driving radius of more than one-third of the nation’s population, the Brandywine taps into all the major transportation arteries of the urbanized Northeast corridor while maintaining its distinctive countryside character.
Featuring classic American small towns, Versailles-like palaces, enchanting gardens, charming hotels and other pleasures, this vintage region, comprising Greater Wilmington, Del., and Pennsylvania’s Delaware and Chester counties, is ideally equipped for a wide range of small to midsize business and social gatherings. With Delaware County playing an integral role in hosting the PGA U.S. Open in June, the region also has major event muscle, and with a host of new hotels and infrastructure in the mix, the Brandywine pours more robustly than ever.
Greater Wilmington
First settled by the Swedish in 1638, Wilmington’s diverse history is a ready agenda-starter for groups in this compact city halfway between New York and Washington, D.C., on the I-95 corridor.
On the banks of the Brandywine River, the 235-acre Hagley Museum complex was where today’s DuPont industrial empire began as a gunpowder works in 1802. Once part of the 1,000-acre Winterthur estate, the landmark Inn at Montchanin Village, featuring a spa and Krazy Kat’s Restaurant, is a perennial favorite for small meetings and social events. Tours of the 77-room Nemours Mansion & Gardens, seemingly airlifted from 18th century France, is another fetching connection with the area’s ubiquitous du Pont legacy.
Celebrating its centenary this year, the splendid Hotel du Pont, its 30,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 20,000-square-foot IACC-approved conference center, is the historic centerpiece of downtown. Multiuse Riverfront Wilmington, meanwhile, is the anchor for Wilmington’s future, featuring group venues such as the 87,000-square-foot Chase Center, Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts and perched above the marshlands, DuPont Environmental Education Center and Urban Wildlife Refuge. PageBreak
“People are frequently surprised by our vast collection of unique venues,” says Sarah Willoughby, executive director of the Greater Wilmington CVB (GWCVB).
Last December, a $20 million IMAX Theatre opened in Riverfront Wilmington, featuring 15 stadium-seating auditoriums, including one with a 50-foot-by-75-foot screen.
Meanwhile, ground was broken in July 2012 for the new 180-room Westin Wilmington Hotel in the Riverfront complex. Targeting an early 2014 opening, the new property will sit adjacent to the Chase Center and feature flexible space for up to 200 attendees, plus a pool, upscale restaurant, boardroom and other amenities.
In other news, DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Wilmington-Legal District, featuring 180 rooms and 24,000 square feet of function space, just completed a multimillion-dollar renovation, including a total lobby makeover and high-tech business center upgrade.
With 80-plus Amtrak trains daily, including the Acela Express, and Philadelphia International Airport just 25 minutes away, convenience is another advantage, along with value.
“We offer planners several ways to stretch their budget and help their bottom line, including no tax on meeting room rentals or food and beverage,” Willoughby says.
In partnership with the city of Wilmington, the GCCVB’s new transportation incentive program offers $20,000 in transportation assistance to planners booking a minimum of 100 room nights in a member hotel in New Castle County. The bureau is currently accepting applications for fiscal year 2014.
Delaware County
Rubbing shoulders with Philadelphia, this well-diversified destination runs the gamut of group appeal, with assets ranging from the superb Brandywine River Museum, Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site and Chanticleer Garden Estate to IceWorks, an event and training center used by Olympic skaters, and PPL Park, a state-of-the-art soccer stadium that is attracting increasingly diverse use.
With Philadelphia International Airport also within its boundaries, “Delco” is experiencing growth in film production and other industries that in turn is spurring significant hotel growth and occupancy rates, along with new interest from planners.
Located just 10 minutes south of the airport off I-95, Sun Center Studios, opened in August 2011, is Pennsylvania’s premier film and television production facility. Currently housing film and production studios (M. Night Shyamalan worked on the new Will Smith sci-fi flick After Earth here), future plans include a state-of-the-art film attraction and resort.
Delco’s key group venue is the award-winning Drexelbrook Corporate Event Center. Among the region’s largest event and banquet facilities, the independently owned 45,000-square-foot venue includes a 15,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom divisible into five breakout rooms.
Like Wilmington, Delco also drives on value, offering lower room rates, lower room taxes and virtually free parking that help planners realize significant savings, especially on multiple overnights.
Once lined with the mansions of wealthy Philadelphians, the storied “Main Line” runs through two key neighboring Delco locales for groups, the towns of Wayne and Radnor. In the former, the landmark 40-room Wayne Hotel boasts Paramour, which quickly became a destination restaurant after opening in late 2011. In corporation-rich Radnor, meanwhile, the 171-room Radnor Hotel is a business and weddings favorite with versatile space, including a multilevel garden, distinctive boardroom space and a cosmopolitan cocktail bar.PageBreak
Chester County
In its latest branding campaign, historic Chester, established in 1692, offers itself as “The South of France, just west of Philly.” With treasures such as the event-capable Longwood Gardens (see “Outta Site!” sidebar, page e4), groups can look forward to a rendezvous with a time and place apart.
“Chester County’s Brandywine Valley is a charming destination offering a variety of inspiring experiences for both business and leisure travelers,” says Blair Mahoney, executive director for the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau. “The scenic, green, rolling countryside, often compared to destinations in Europe, is just 30 minutes from Center City Philadelphia and the International Airport. Our excellent facilities and accommodations, delectable cuisine and Old World hospitality, all delivered with a European flair, will delight planners and guests alike.”
Known for its cuisine and service, the Inn at Mendenhall is an award-winning 70-room hotel featuring two grand ballrooms, outdoor patios and a historic restaurant and tavern popular with locals.
Offering 11 dedicated conference rooms accommodating groups of up to 125, the IACC-certified Desmond Hotel and Conference Center, with 194 recently refurbished guest rooms, specializes in team building and simplifies planning with flexible, value-driven packages.
Located in the heart of the county, The Conference Center at Penn State Great Valley includes a 300-seat auditorium and plenty of classrooms for breakout sessions and smaller lectures, along with an experienced planning services staff. With 10,000 square feet of flexible interior space including two spacious ballrooms, three meeting rooms and an executive boardroom, the Wyndham Garden Inn Exton, located close to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, also offers an outdoor gazebo and tented pavilion.
One of Chester County’s newest properties is Hotel Warner in historic West Chester, Pa. Opened in August 2012, this 80-room Main Street property has meeting space for 60 attendees. The adjacent Cultural Center at the Chester County Historical Society offers facilities for up to 300 guests.
Just one sip of Brandywine changed regular Meetings Focus contributor Jeff Heilman forever.
