Oct 31
Ashley ChalmersTips for Meeting Planners florida hotels, Marriott, meeting experiences, meeting ideas, team building
Do you roll your eyes at the thought of participating in a team building activity, or do they send you into a planning frenzy to find an out of the box activity for your group? 
Us too…until we came across a unique idea from the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort.
Now your group can participate in a customized flash mob!
Flash mobs have become the latest craze and are popping up everywhere from TV shows like Modern Family and Glee to YouTube videos. (In case you are wondering what a flash mob is, it is a large group of people in a public place who suddenly break out into a synchronized activity, usually a dance).
The reasonably priced packages at the resort range from a choreographer to teach a dance to some or all of a group (maybe the Executive Committee learns a dance to surprise their group!) to inclusion of a videographer and even customized t-shirts.
If the video becomes a viral success, Marriott will even invite the guests back for a free stay!
Interested? Post a comment for more information.
Jan 20
Ashley ChalmersPlaces to Stay, Tips for Meeting Planners economy, guest-friendly hotel tips, Hilton, Marriott, sheraton
With the New Year underway and the holidays behind us, we return to our normal routines (and perhaps also to the gym) and start planning meetings!
Many ConventionPlanit.com member facilities and destinations offer special meeting discounts for meeting planners.
Here are a few of the best early 2011 deals:
Bay Point Marriott Resort & Spa – Panama City Beach, FL
“Perk” up your meeting at the only Marriott Resort in NW Florida.
Sign up for 100 room nights or more by January 31, 2011 for meetings held on or before December 31, 2011 and choose from the following:
100– 199 total room nights: Choose ONE perk
200– 299 total room nights: Choose TWO perks
300+ total room nights: Choose THREE perks
Perks Include:
•1 hour welcome reception (chef’s choice) 15% savings on banquet pricing
•A one year Marriott Platinum membership for meeting planner or designee
•3 complimentary room upgrades to Bay view rooms or one bedroom Golf Villas
•1 complimentary foursome on the Meadows or Nicklaus Design Course
•1/35 comp policy
•10% savings on individual spa services
•25% allowable attrition
•Complimentary continental breakfast on opening day of scheduled event
•Complimentary use of the fitness center at Serenity Spa
Hilton Minneapolis St. Paul Airport Mall of America – Bloomington, MN
Events booked to take place between now and March 31, 2011 receive special rewards:
10-50 room nights: pick one
51-100 room nights: pick two
100-200 room nights: pick three
Rewards Include:
•Complimentary Wireless internet in guest rooms and meeting space
•Complimentary 1 hour Cocktail Reception
•25% off Audio Visual
•500 Hilton Honors Points per guestroom utilized
•Complimentary Company Logo Waterfall Display
•Complimentary Afternoon Refreshment Specialty Break
•Fast Track to Gold or Diamond Hilton HHonors Status
Sheraton Bucks County Hotel – Langhorne, PA
Meetings that book and are consumed in January – February 2011 will be eligible for the following:
Book $50k: 42″ Flat Screen TV
Book $25K: Apple iPad
Book $15K: Welcome Reception
Book $5K: $250 Amex Gift Card
Some minimum requirements and apply for the above offers. To learn more about these special offerings and other great deals visit Divine Deals on ConventionPlanit.com!
Dec 22
Ashley ChalmersMember News Awards, Hilton, Marriott, meeting experiences
Congratulations to ConventionPlanit.com members The Hilton Anatole and the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront for receiving this year’s Meetings & Conventions magazine Gold Key Award!
These hotels strive for perfection in hosting events or conferences. These properties’ efforts deserve industry recognition for their professionalism, and meeting planners have answered the call by voting them Gold Key recipients.
What hotels would receive your vote this year?
Nov 18
Ashley ChalmersMember News, Places to Stay hotels, Innovention Network, Marriott
ConventionPlanit.com now offers Marriott International’s 60 Innovention Network properties on ConventionPlanit.com.
The Innovention Network is a collection of world-class, integrated J.W. Marriott, Autograph Collection, Renaissance, and Marriott hotels and resorts dedicated to providing the ultimate meeting experience. Together, these properties offer the largest collection of meeting space in any hotel chain (4.7 million square feet), employ more than 150 Certified Meeting Professionals, offer more efficient group billing options, and use standardized post-convention reporters to ensure the transfer of knowledge and best practices from one property to another.
“We created the Innovention Network to save customers time and money and give them the best meeting experience possible,” says Luis Lamar, Marriott’s vice president of convention and resort hotels in the Americas.
“Partnering with ConventionPlanit.com advances these goals, because their search engine is easy to use, charges no commissions, and is highly focused on service through its RFP Valet® program and other features that deliver results for meeting professionals.”
Each of the Innovention Network properties has a Sapphire listing on ConventionPlanit.com, which includes a property description, meeting room specifications, photographs, links to the property website, RFP template, and more.
“In the eight years since ConventionPlanit.com was designed by a group of visionary meeting professionals, we have continually reinvented ourselves with new and better ways to serve the meetings industry,” says ConventionPlanit.com Co-Founder and Principal Katherine Markham, CHME.
“We see Marriott doing the same thing through the Innovention Network. So we are just delighted to partner with them to give these properties the additional exposure they deserve.”
Each Innovention Network property will also be listed on VenueDirectory.com in Europe through a partnership that ConventionPlanit.com has with that online search directory.
For more information, visit ConventionPlanit.com!
Feb 27
Ashley ChalmersMisc Tidbits Hotel Rennovations, hotels, Marriott, meeting planning services
Have you seen the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile lately??
The hotel just underwent a $36 million total renovation — including entirely redone meeting space!
Check out some pictures of the renovations here!
Also be sure to check out the link to their special meeting offers for 2009.
Jun 18
Ashley ChalmersMember News, News, Places to Stay Hotel Rennovations, Marriott
Two Marriott hotels have just completed multi-million dollar renovations – Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC, and the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile in Chicago…
…if you’re thinking of planning a meeting in either city, here are some of the renovation highlights, found in both hotels:
-Reinvented Lobby: feature plamsa tvs, new self check-in kiosks, front desk pods, concierge desk, communal wi-fi tables and a Starbucks
-New Restaurants: Marriott Wardman Park has added a modern American steakhouse; Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile has added a restaurant featuring Midwestern style cuisine
-Updated Elevators: Get where you need to be, faster
-Meeting Room Expansions: Increased square footage at both locations
-Expanded Guest Room Features: including plamsa tvs, universal electronic docks, and Marriott’s Revive® bedding (300-thread-count, cotton-rich, white top and fitted bottom sheets, plusher mattresses, softer linens and more pillows)
It seems like these rennovations are going to make travel much easier!
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