The pace of hotel development is fast and furious—and can be hard to keep up with for busy meeting planners. As professionals across the country work to keep up with bookings and meetings, Meetings Today did the research—so you don’t have to!—on the hotel openings that meeting and event professionals must know about this year. From coast to coast, here are eight premier properties that should be on your radar.
Omni PGA Frisco Resort
This 500-room destination resort in fast-growing Frisco, Texas, is one of the most anticipated openings in the U.S. in 2023. With 127,000 square feet of flexible indoor-outdoor meeting space and every golf amenity under the sun, groups will revel in the chance to finetune their golf skills on two championship courses or sink a putt on one of the world’s largest putting greens.
Set next door to the new headquarters of PGA of America, the resort, which opened May 2, promises a luxurious getaway for golf fans, but also comes equipped with a Mokara Spa, four pools and 13 F&B outlets in addition to a host of entertainment options in the Monument Realty PGA District. For an in-depth look at this resort and all of its amenities from a recent Meetings Today visit, turn to page 30 for our On the Scene: Omni PGA Frisco Resort report.
[Related: The Massive New Omni PGA Frisco Is a Golf Resort Game-Changer]
Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Scheduled to open in December 2023, Fontainebleau Las Vegas brings a luxurious resort and casino to the north end of the Las Vegas Strip. Set on 25 acres, the 67-Story resort is a welcome entrant for large groups and will have 3,644 rooms, 550,000 square feet of meeting and event space—including one of the largest pillarless ballrooms on the Strip at 105,000 square feet—an eight-acre pool deck, casino, spa, retail and more.
Conrad Orlando
Located within the 1,100 acres of the upcoming Evermore Orlando Resort that borders Walt Disney World is Conrad Orlando, scheduled for a late 2023 opening. The 433-room resort will offer 51 regular suites and 10 spacious family suites with lush lagoon views. Other features include 40,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, a tranquil spa and five dining experiences, including an elevated, high-end Mexican rooftop restaurant with scenic views and a retractable roof.
Golf fans will also enjoy access to the acclaimed Grand Cypress Golf Club courses, where they will have preferential access to the greens and onsite golf pros. If golf isn’t your forte, the resort also offers an outdoor pool, private beach and an eight-acre, beach-style lagoon—paddleboards and kayak rentals will also be available.
[Related: The Latest Property Openings and Renovations in Florida (2023)]
St. Regis Chicago
The St. Regis Chicago debuts this month in the Windy City’s Lakeshore East neighborhood with 159 guest rooms, 33 suites and 10,000 square feet of meetings and event space. The luxury property is in a new 101-story building—the city’s third-tallest building in a city famous for tall buildings!—developed by Magellan Development Group and designed by world-renowned architect Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang.
Event space highlights include the 4,721-square-foot Astor Ballroom and over 3,000 square feet of executive and prefunction space. With views of the Chicago River, The St. Regis Chicago offers meetings a central location near some of Chicago’s most famous landmarks, like Millennium and Grant Parks, the Magnificent Mile and Navy Pier. Guests will experience the luxurious amenities St. Regis properties are known for, including access to the 24-hour signature St. Regis Butler Service, The St. Regis Spa and two signature dining destinations within the property: Tre Dita from award-winning chef Evan Funke and Miru from chef Hisanobu Osaka and Netflix’s School of Chocolate winner, pastry chef Juan Gutierrez.
Washington Marriott Capitol Hill
Fresh off its winter 2023 opening, Washington Marriott Capitol Hill offers groups headed to the D.C. area a host of attractive amenities, including its location near the Capitol Hill and NoMa neighborhoods. Over 13,000 square feet of elegant meeting and event space is available, including a rooftop terrace and bar with landmark views of the country’s capital.
The 235-room property is within easy striking distance of some of Washington, D.C.’s best attractions, including Union Market with 40-plus dining and shopping vendors, museums, Michelin-rated dining options and the heart of what is known as “Media Haven,” with the offices of TikTok, Sirius Radio and NPR just a few blocks away.
[Related: Washington, D.C.’s Food Scene Delivers International Inspiration]
The Fifth Avenue Hotel
Following years of restoration, The Fifth Avenue Hotel opens this summer in the heart of Manhattan with 153 guest rooms. The restored Gilded Age landmark is minutes from world-class shopping, cultural attractions and Madison Square Park.
Meeting space at the hotel harkens back to the glamour of the Gilded Age. The Mansion Ballroom can accommodate more than 200 guests and is enhanced by original architectural details like panel inserts, coffered ceilings and chandeliers. Dining outlets include the hotel’s Signature Restaurant by chef Andrew Carmellini, The Portrait Bar for nightcaps or lighter fare in The Study or The Conservatory.
Omni Tempe Hotel ASU
Omni Tempe Hotel ASU opened at the end of April. The $125 million investment is part of a public-private partnership with Arizona State University and the City of Tempe and is fewer than 10 minutes away from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
The 330-room hotel includes 11 suites, four dining outlets, a spacious pool deck, retail and nearly 36,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting spaces featuring expansive views of the ASU campus and Phoenix cityscape. The hotel ups the meeting capabilities of Tempe, now home to the city’s largest ballroom, measuring 15,000 square feet.
Other amenities include a rooftop pool, easy access to outdoor walking and hiking trails, in-room fitness kits and hotel offers four culinary outlets.
[Related: The Hidden Gems and Local Favorites for Nightlife Fun in Major Arizona Cities]
The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie
Set to open in late 2023, The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie is the first Ritz built from ground-up in the U.S. since 2009 and is the centerpiece of the $2 billion community of The Palmeraie. The property will feature 215 hotel rooms with private entrances, detached casitas, bungalows and oversized suites spread across 20 verdant acres. The luxury resort will showcase modern and sleek interiors, stunning views of Camelback Mountain, a 16,000-square-foot spa and is located just minutes from downtown Scottsdale, Arizona.
The resort’s 20,000 square feet of event space includes two large ballrooms and several meeting rooms located on one level, with many featuring natural light and interiors with floor-to-ceiling windows. An outdoor amphitheater and seven event lawns offer plenty of options for events in Arizona’s desirable climate, with Camelback Mountain as the backdrop.
As a result of the pandemic, the resort also adapted in order to be at the forefront of safety measures for guests and visitors. A first for The Ritz-Carlton brand, the resort will now have ionized air throughout the building. Five Star Development, the Scottsdale-based developer of the resort, purchased over a thousand systems that eliminate over 95% of airborne viruses and bacteria within 60 minutes. All guest touchpoints within the resort have been converted to touchless, including all entryways, restrooms and amenity spaces along with outdoor dining areas being increased in size to accommodate social distancing.
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