California
Spanning two-and-a-half city blocks along Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs, the Thompson Palm Springs is now officially open. Featuring 168 bungalow-inspired guest rooms and 18 suites, the Thompson Palm Springs is also set to debut an exclusive adults-only tower, Upper Stories, later in the year, which will house a separate collection of 42 guest rooms and five suites.
The property also has 20,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space, including the 6,200-square-foot San Jacinto Ballroom and the 2,500-square-foot Lola Rose Terrace. The hotel is also available for partial and full buy-out packages that can accommodate gatherings of up to 600 attendees.
Chicken Ranch Resort in Jamestown, California, unveiled its 12,000-square-foot meeting and event space ahead of the resort’s grand opening later this year. Located on level three of the nine-story resort, the event space includes a ballroom, three meeting rooms, a boardroom and two prefunction areas.
The 8,670-square-foot Brahma Ballroom can accommodate up to 1,253 attendees, the 980-square-foot Silkie Boardroom can accommodate 30, the 734-square-foot Sebright Meeting Room can hold up to 49 and the 578-square-foot Welsummer Meeting Room can accommodate 41 attendees. The meeting and event spaces come complete with a prefunction area spanning 5,447 square feet that can accommodate up to 545 attendees, along with a large patio that can accommodate 80 and provides views of the valley.
[Related: 6 Signature Event Venues in Greater Palm Springs]
Utah
Situated 40 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport, the 436-room Grand Hyatt Deer Valley will mark the debut of the Grand Hyatt brand in Utah and feature world-class dining options and event space. The hotel will offer 30,000 square feet of event space, floor-to-ceiling windows in meeting spaces and one of the largest ballrooms in the Park City region. Other amenities include an outdoor event terrace with mountain views, a heated pool and jacuzzi, fitness center and more.
Hawai’i
Wai Kai at Hoakalei Resort in West O’ahu unveiled The Mirage, a new 3,000-square-foot indoor event space available for group bookings. Located in the former Kitchen Door space overlooking the Wai Kai Lagoon, The Mirage is an open-concept layout that can accommodate up to 120 attendees in its largest configuration. The space is also equipped with temperature control, Wi-Fi, ample parking and restroom access.
The Mirage joins the existing 80,000 square feet of Wai Kai’s event space, including a 61,200-square-foot Event Lawn that can accommodate up to 5,000 attendees, the 12,600-square-foot Surfside Lawn and the 1,500-square-foot Fire Pit Terrace.
[Related: Renovations and New Meeting Experiences at Historic Western Hotels and Event Venues]
A Mind-Bending Venue
Located between the Cosmopolitan hotel and The Shops at Crystals shopping center, the Museum of Illusions Las Vegas provides a unique backdrop for a one-of-a-kind private buyout experience. The Museum of Illusions Las Vegas is part of the global Museum of Illusions group, a rapidly growing chain of private museums with more than 50 locations across 25 countries.
The Las Vegas museum spans more than 15,000 square feet and can accommodate hundreds of attendees for virtually any size of gathering. Guests can explore mysterious illusions and learn how the mind can be deceived.
The museum’s “edutainment” concept provides an immersive educational and entertaining environment to spark attendees’ imagination, with each exhibit encouraging guests to actively participate and experience the collection. The museum features over 80 exhibits, including mind-bending optical illusions, exciting interactive elements, brain-busting games, life-sized puzzles and more.
The museum’s full buyout package provides fully customizable options and exclusive access to all exhibits and dedicated event spaces. Event spaces include the Rotunda, situated at the entrance of the venue and which can accommodate up to 100 attendees in its largest configuration. The museum also has the WoW Room, a private space for attendees to convene before delving into the illusions that can accommodate up to 80.
