Destination Community

U.S. News & World Report is taking the guess work out of your travel decision with its recently released “2012 Best Hotels in the USA” list.  U.S. News said it analyzed 1,548 luxury hotels to compile its list. It evaluated reviews and ratings from travel publications and online user ratings, which helped to identify the best hotels in top U.S. destinations, the best hotels in each state, and the overall best hotels in the USA. The Inverness is proud to be recognized as one of the top ten hotels mentioned in the “Best in Denver” list.

Want to make those attending your meeting walk away talking about it for days, weeks, and even years to come? Make it an event, not just a meeting!

After just returning from an inspiring week at Hamilton Park Conference Center in New Jersey, I can’t help but reflect on what a difference it makes to jump start your year with a big kick-off meeting. For our company, Destination Hotels & Resorts, this is the one time each year that we hold a National Sales Meeting – the perfect chance to visit with your colleagues at sister properties, and get tuned-in on the latest and greatest from a corporate leadership perspective. 

This January, more than 150 of Destination’s sales and marketing team members from over 35 properties across the United States met at Hamilton Park Hotel & Conference Center in New Jersey for the company’s national sales conference. During the conference, sales and marketing leaders participate in training sessions and recognize the company’s achievements during the past year. The conference also provides Destination with an opportunity to recognize top talent in the company.

Congratulations to this year’s winners who demonstrate a commitment to excellence every day. We look forward to an incredible year ahead with a wonderful team of empowered and energized sales and marketing professionals.

Team members from our corporate office and over 35 of our hotels and resorts across the country descended upon Hamilton Park Hotel & Conference Center in New Jersey this January for our annual sales and marketing conference. As part of the conference each year, the entire team participates in a philanthropic teambuilding activity where the end result helps us give back to those in need. Plus, the team has a lot of fun and this year we got moving too!

Our very own Executive Sous Chef, CJ Chambers, has brought home the title of Best Conference Center Chef in the United States and we could not be more proud. His tireless effort and innovation in the kitchen deserves endless accolade and praise. The Hamilton Park Hotel is fortunate to have a professional such as CJ and we are eager to see him raise the bar even higher as he travels to La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa in Montgomery, Texas to represent the United States of America and compete for Global Conference Center Chef of the Year.

Tempe Mission Palms and several other Destination Hotel & Resorts properties are IACC (International Association of Conference Center) certified. That means that meeting planners, event organizers, and businesses can be assured that their meetings and events are held in the most productive meeting facilities in the world, as only 300 properties are active IACC members.

Destination Hotels & Resorts has enjoyed a long history of success with distinctive properties that offer innovative approaches to successful meetings. And we owe it all to our associates – many who have worked for our company for decades. At each property, they treat guests to an unparalleled commitment to service, the finest attention to detail, and personal touches at every interaction. This commitment helps to create lasting relationships with customers and ensures continuous quality improvement.

Typically, meetings are meant to spark new thinking and fresh ideas. Which means the typical way of delivering meeting experiences just won’t do anymore. Exceptional meetings need innovative ideas to elevate them to the next level. Destination Hotels & Resorts prides itself on being a leader in innovation, and the team at Vail Cascade recently came up with a rather unique event for some of the top representatives from incentive companies across the nation.

With acres of natural space for adventurous team-building activities and a world of things for attendees to see and do, the Pacific Northwest is becoming one of the nation’s premier destinations for meetings and corporate retreats. However, it can be tough to choose the right property and destination. According to Denice Gigoux, Director of National Sales for Destination Hotels & Resorts, it all depends on what you’re in the mood for.

When Medi USA was booking its national sales meeting at Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the knowledgeable staff at the Inn passed along a recommendation that would become the highlight of their annual sales meeting. The team at Carolina Inn recommended the services of Odyssey Teams, a national teambuilding company that has partnered with Destination Hotels & Resorts to deliver innovative meeting experiences that mix corporate training and philanthropy in powerful ways.

A superior dining experience often tops the list of why guests return to a hotel or resort – whether they are individuals, families, or attendees at meetings and conventions. So it’s no surprise that many properties are raising the bar when it comes to conference dining. Several have revamped menus and service to send attendees home talking about the food as well as the meeting itself. 

Benjamin Franklin’s quote in Advice to Young Tradesmen “Time is money” never rings more truely than at the beginning of a new year. As a National Sales Office (NSO) working along with our property sales managers at Destination Hotels & Resorts, we have great respect for our client’s most valuable resource--time. Many of my planner clients have told me that securing quick and thorough property responses to group RFPs is one of the most important things I can do as an NSO. This ultimately helps the planner bring the best meeting choices to their internal stakeholders.

The more information provided at the outset in the RFP, the more expedient and professional the response will be from the property. Read on for the top questions asked by property sales managers when presented with group RFPs. Share this information at the beginning of the RFP process to save valuable time.