Destination Community
Inspiration comes easy in the Pacific Northwest
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.
“That’s the beauty of our properties in the area,” Gigoux says. “You can have an IACC-certified destination, a complete resort full of amenities, a downtown urban location, a chic boutique hotel or focused meeting space in a quaint university town.”
A scenic 80-mile drive from downtown Seattle, Suncadia Resort is a state-of-the-art IACC-certified conference facility overlooking the Cascade Mountains. It offers an array of amazing team-building opportunities such as fly-fishing, white-water rafting and stargazing. Guests may even get up close and personal with some of the wildlife that call the area home.
“Last time we were there we saw a family of foxes just walking down the path,” says Gigoux. “It was so incredible.”
South of Suncadia in Oregon, Sunriver Resort combines premier conference facilities and resort amenities with a unique, high-desert experience. Offering the best of all seasons, the resort is just 20 minutes from some of the West’s best skiing at Mt. Bachelor. Plus, it’s home to 63 holes of Oregon’s finest golf and one especially unique event venue.
“Sunriver is unique because there aren’t many hotels with an observatory on property,” says Gigoux. “Attendees can enjoy appetizers then do a little star-gazing.”
Northwest of Sunriver, the Puget Sound is home to a pair of distinctive Destination properties. The Red Lion Hotel on Fifth Avenue – in the heart of downtown Seattle – offers a phenomenal location a few blocks from world-famous Pike’s Place Market. In addition to being an ideal home base for seeing the city, the Red Lion is undergoing a renovation that will increase meeting space by 50 percent.
But the best part about the Red Lion? “It has the largest outdoor terrace in downtown Seattle,” says Gigoux “So you get just remarkable views of the Puget Sound.”
On the shores of Lake Washington, between the business centers of Kirkland and Bellevue, the boutique Woodmark Hotel offers over 9,000 square feet of flexible indoor-outdoor event space, many with spectacular views of the water. Both of these Seattle properties are conveniently located less than 30 minutes from Sea-Tac International Airport.
Speaking of airports, Gigoux says the international airport in Portland, Oregon is one of the best she’s visited. And she should know. Before joining Destination Hotels & Resorts she worked at Delta Airlines.
“I know a good airport when I see one, and Portland is one of the nicest in the country,” says Gigoux. “It’s so easy to get around.”
The airport is also only 30 minutes from another Destination property – Skamania Lodge. Take Highway 84 east from the airport and you will soon find yourself surrounded by towering waterfalls, views of the majestic Columbia River Gorge and expansive bridges. It all leads to Skamania Lodge, nestled into the cliffs of the Pacific Crest Trail.
The newest addition to the Destination Meeting Collection, the Valley River Inn is just south of Portland, situated along the banks of the Willamette River in Eugene. This unique hotel is the area’s most comprehensive meeting site, with river views and 15,000 square feet of event space, including sunlight-filled ballrooms and boardrooms.
Our growth continues with the recent addition of both Boston and Chicago area properties.
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Red Lion Hotel on Fifth Avenue - Seattle
