Hotels and resorts across the country are revamping their meeting space to provide a greater sense of place and a more engaging and participatory atmosphere for learning and networking. A far cry from the windowless and generic ballrooms of old, the new spaces are big on natural light, lounge-style seating, seamless technology and local themes and artwork.
At the same time, many properties are taking new approaches to breaks and free-time options, often forming partnerships with local attractions and tour providers.
Among them is the Kimpton Donovan Hotel in Washington, D.C., which recently unveiled a redesign of its 5,000 square feet of meeting and event space, giving it a theme relating to its namesake CIA founder “Wild Bill” Donovan and the legendary Washington Post news team who uncovered the Watergate scandal of the 1970s.
The redesigned Woodward and Bernstein conference rooms, along with the new Bradlee boardroom, are infused with natural light and media-themed touches such as textured newsprint wall coverings, artwork displaying local landmarks and a feature wall with a colorful cloud word collage. Tech appointments include a 70-inch flat-panel display with a pan-tilt camera that provides instant video recall and the ability to have a meeting video feed follow a speaker in real-time.
“It’s a million miles from traditional meeting space, with a fun journalistic decor that piques your interest and is also tied into our location,” said Mark Robertson, director of sales and marketing.
“When designing the space, we took into consideration that when the environment is changed, the behavior and experience are also changed.”
The hotel also introduced new interactive meeting break options that include sushi rolling challenges overseen by Executive Chef Yo Matsuzaki. A new event option for after the meeting session is whiskey tasting.
“People often feel they should be working all through the meeting, but we know that an inspiring meeting break can really improve productivity,” Robertson said.
Another property providing a more engaging atmosphere for meetings is the Grand Hyatt New York, which recently debuted a renovation of its 18 Conference Level meeting rooms that pays homage to the neighboring Grand Central Terminal with historic photographs of the iconic landmark and a warm turn-of-the-20th-century color palette. There are also design elements and artwork celebrating the New York skyline. Other new additions are Gallery on Lex, an informal meeting area with lounge seating and touch-screen technology, and New Museum, a dramatic lobby space with a waterfall and sculptural art available for receptions.
Among the objectives of the renovation is to give attendees a “welcoming living room environment and less of a formal office atmosphere,” said General Manager John Schafer.
With a further nod to its location, the Hyatt offers guided and audio group tours of Grand Central Terminal that highlight the history, architecture and little-known secrets of one of the world’s largest train terminals.
Overlooking the wild and rugged Sonoma Coast in Jenner, Calif., Timber Cove Resort, built in 1963 with redwood and stone design elements inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, reopened last year after a property-wide renovation that added meeting space, a wine tasting room and a spa. With a new emphasis on experiential meetings, the 46-room property, which is available for buyouts, features the Ansel Adams Room, which has exposed timber beams, a fireplace and an expansive deck jutting over the Pacific. Its Great Room offers a massive lounge with a soaring atrium ceiling, lounge seating and a stone fireplace.
Among its new offerings are customized retreats for corporate groups that can include yoga sessions, horseback riding at Chanslor Ranch, guided hikes with Unbeaten Path Tours, kayaking on the Russian River and wine tasting at the property’s new Hirsch Room, an ocean-view venue featuring rare wines from Hirsch Vineyards.
