Canada
The Kingston Marriott has completed renovations and reopened in Kingston, Ontario, a city on the northeastern end of Lake Ontario and just over two hours southwest of Ottawa. The property puts guests within steps of the waterfront and provides easy access to restaurants, shopping and attractions such as Kingston Clay City Hall, Springer Market Square and the vintage storefronts of Princess Street.
Kingston Marriott stands on the site of the original Royce Inn Hotel, which was established in 1791, and offers 172 guest rooms that blend modern comforts with the city’s rich cultural heritage.
At the heart of the hotel is Academy Food and Drink, an open-concept restaurant in the lobby that’s committed to sourcing local ingredients for its menu of diverse dishes celebrating the region’s flavors and Western-inspired favorites. The space is available for private events and buyouts.
Kingston Marriott offers 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space including the Limestone City Ballroom, which can seat up to 400 theater-style, and breakout rooms for smaller groups.
Maryland
The LEED Silver-certified The Hotel at Arundel Preserve began renovating 150 guest rooms last December to give guests a luxury experience inspired by “the vibrancy of nature” and the history of Anne Arundel County and the Preserve. The redesign complements the hotel’s 2023 renovation of the lobby, meeting rooms and prefunction spaces and is scheduled to be completed by early March.
Built in 2011, The Hotel at Arundel Preserve offers a premier boutique experience in Hanover, less than 10 miles from Baltimore/Washington International Airport. Guests can dine at the hotel’s two onsite restaurants: Grillfire, offering classic American cuisine, and Añejo Rose Cantina & Tequila Bar, a high-energy, contemporary Mexican restaurant.
The Hotel at Arundel Preserve’s recently upgraded meeting spaces feature comfortable seating options and enhanced lighting and furnishings. According to its website, the hotel offers “the most meeting space in Hanover,” with a Grand Ballroom that can seat up to 500 attendees.
New York
Just before the new year, Sonesta White Plains Downtown, completed a property-wide renovation. The 403-room hotel sits in the heart of historic White Plains, a 30-minute train ride north of New York City, and was reimagined to strike a balance between sophistication and comfort.
Sonesta White Plains Downtown’s refreshed lobby reflects an energetic design of deep jewel tones combined with rich woods to create a warm atmosphere, while each guest room and suite offers a restful, nature-inspired aesthetic.
The property features three dining experiences including Whisk, the hotel’s new signature restaurant serving breakfast and dinner daily; Mix Cocktail Bar + Kitchen, providing a modern setting for classic cocktails and mocktails created by expert mixologists; and Lobby Café, a quick dining option serving hot beverages and breakfast items.
Sonesta White Plains Downtown offers nearly 20,000 square feet of transformed meeting space including 17 standalone meeting venues, updated common areas and a brand-new Sonesta Work Suite, a new experiential, multi-zone meeting space concept with an innovative design and services intended to enhance collaboration.
‘Meetings in a Museum’
The Hotel at the University of Maryland is offering meeting planners a unique experience for attendees with its new “Meetings in a Museum” program, announced in mid-January. The AAA Four Diamond-rated property has more than 100 pieces of artwork on display, and planners now have the opportunity to provide attendees information for self-guided tours to explore gallery-worthy pieces throughout the hotel.
The Hotel at the University of Maryland’s collection includes 104 pieces by 14 artists. Guests can find art on display throughout the bottom two floors of the hotel and in the health corridor, which features the spa, fitness facility and indoor pool.
The Hotel at the University of Maryland offers 297 guest rooms and suites conveniently located about a 35-minute drive from Washington, D.C. The property boasts 43,000 square feet of flexible meeting space across 18 unique venues including the 10,000-square-foot Calvery Ballroom, with space for 1,069 guests for a reception, and Top of the 7’s, a penthouse-level space with a capacity of 240 in rounds of 10 or 388 reception-style.
