Mexico City:

The Marquis Reforma

WITH ITS DISTINCTIVE art deco architecture, a prime location on Mexico City's grandest avenue, extensive new meeting facilities, and the city's largest spa, the Marquis Reforma Hotel epitomizes modern Mexico.

Sited on the elegant, tree-lined Paseo de la Reforma, within walking distance of the ancient city's acclaimed Museum of Anthropology, the 11-story hotel offers 209 guest rooms, including 90 suites — the most of any hotel in Mexico City. All rooms feature high-speed Internet access, 24-hour room service, and elegant bathrooms. The result of a $10 million renovation and expansion, the hotel can host meetings of 15 to 1,000 attendees in three divisible meeting rooms with elegant touches such as Murano glass chandeliers and local artwork.

With a dramatic curving marble staircase as a backdrop, the Marquis Reforma's rotunda is an ideal venue for large receptions and special events. For private functions for up to 40 guests, the Presidential Lounge offers expansive views from the penthouse.

After a day of visiting such famous attractions as the ancient pyramids of Teotihuacan, the Frida Kahlo museum, the Bazaar Sabado market, or the murals of Diego Rivera, guests can unwind with a swim in the hotel's indoor pool or a workout in the fitness center. Spacious, tranquil, and elegant, the 16,000-square-foot Spa Marquis ensures further pampering with 11 treatment rooms and a full range of services.

The Marquis Reforma's friendly bilingual staff adds to the ease of meeting south of the border at Mexico City's only privately owned, five-star hotel.
— LAUREN HARO

South Carolina:

Charleston Place Hotel

THE SENSE OF ARRIVAL at Charleston Place Hotel is so perfectly in keeping with its location in the center of the city's splendid historic district that you would never know the hotel was built in 1986. From the Greek Revival — style fountain flanked by four bronze horses in the entrance courtyard, to the sweeping Georgian-style grand staircase in the lobby, to the 441 guest rooms and suites decorated with chintz and damask, the hotel conveys traditional Southern charm. Its Gone With the Wind antebellum details are fused with white-glove service and modern amenities.

When I stayed at Charleston Place last spring, I was thrilled with its convenient location. I loved getting out for strolls in the charming and romantic city of Charleston, whose historic district is said to be the second-largest in the world. (Rome is first.) Everywhere you look, there are intricate iron gates and centuries-old houses and gardens. It's a short walk from the hotel to the harbor, lined with splendid waterfront mansions. Great shopping is everywhere, from 28 upscale shops in two galleries flanking the hotel to a vast flea market around the corner.

Recreational opportunities for incentive groups abound, starting with the plush European-style Spa at Charleston Place that offers a full array of services, from the signature Magnolia Moments body treatment to warm stone massage.

Off-site, the hotel's in-house destination management team can set planners up with tee times at the area's championship courses, city walking tours, and visits to historic plantations. I opted for a kayak nature tour that included close-up views of dolphins frolicking in the harbor and a visit to a barrier island to see hundreds of breeding birds. Our guide, passionately committed to preserving the beautiful low country environment, was the best kayak instructor I've experienced.

Ample meeting space at Charleston Place includes 23 meeting rooms. A 14,432-square-foot ballroom with a 16-foot-high ceiling accommodates up to 1,500 people, and banquets for up to 300 can also be set up in the hotel's art deco — style Riviera Theater across the street.

One of four Orient-Express properties in North America, Charleston Place also has the attentive service that makes it appropriate for top-tier producers. For a special treat, put them up in one of the guest rooms in The Club, located on the top two floors of the hotel. There's a personal concierge staff and a separate lobby that serves continental breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.
— REGINA BARABAN

California:

The Lodge at Sonoma

JUST 45 MILES NORTH of San Francisco, wend your way around San Pablo Bay into wine country, where bucolic hills surround the well-tended vineyards of more than 45 Sonoma Valley wineries. At the base of the “Valley of the Moon” is The Lodge at Sonoma, a Renaissance Resort & Spa. During my two-day introduction to this 5-year-old meeting, incentive, and spa destination, I tasted more than a dozen local wines introduced by Generation X sommelier Chris Sawyer and paired with inspired cuisine crafted by Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar chef de cuisine Janine Flavo.

Billed as a “local authentic artisan resort,” the Lodge works hard to create a memorable wine-country experience for guests. Banquets feature bistro-quality menus, with artistic plating, featuring fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs from the chef's garden and local farmers' market. Wine education events tap the wine steward's impressive knowledge of wine regions and the microclimates that make each unique. The event-services staff can create entire teambuilding experiences around wine making and food preparation, such as a grape stomp or an Iron Chef challenge.

The property accommodates groups of 10 to 500 in 22,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 3,080-square-foot ballroom divisible by three and the 2,304-square-foot Stone Building, a rustic venue with soaring wood-beamed ceilings. Of the 12 function rooms, 10 open onto lawns, gardens, or patios, where the valley's mild weather invites groups to dine al fresco. From November through March, a tent encloses part of the Stone Building's 6,400-square-foot lawn. Wireless Internet access is available in the lodge's public areas, and high-speed connections are available in meeting and guest rooms, which include 80 lodge rooms and 102 cottages, most with private balconies or patios.

Diversions include on-site wine tasting at The Cellar Door, shopping at nearby Sonoma Plaza, visiting the historic Mission San Francisco Solano, hiking at Jack London State Historic Park, and biking or hot-air ballooning the 17-mile valley. The Lodge organizes off-site excursions that range from catered events in the gallery-like setting of Imagery Estate Winery to heart-pumping laps at the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School.

The Lodge's intimate Raindance Spa features a signature treatment using indigenous products such as grape seed, pumpkin, lavender, and olive oils. Four of the 15 treatment rooms are in the spa garden, along with two mineral-soaking pools. The spa also hosts events, offering mini-treatments accompanied by wine and appetizer samplers.
— CATHY CHATFIELD-TAYLOR

Mexico's Riviera Maya:

The Fairmont Mayakoba

IF FAIRMONT HAS its way, neither wind nor rain shall keep the Mayakoba, its new resort on Mexico's Riviera Maya, from making a name for itself as one of the up-and-coming resorts in the Caribbean.

Not that the elements haven't created some difficulties for the new resort. Scheduled to open last fall, its unveiling was delayed until this May because of Hurricane Wilma. The property suffered substantial damage to its trees and foliage, but even more devastating was the fact that the resort's furnishings had been in storage in Cancun and were destroyed during the storm.

The resort has weathered its hurricane-related travails in spectacular fashion. The Mayakoba has 401 beautifully appointed guest rooms (including 34 suites), located in the low-rise main hotel building and clustered throughout the property in 90 two-story casitas. And with seven meeting rooms and two ballrooms, there is 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space.

A canal system meanders through the grounds of the property. Launches with environmentally friendly electric motors can take guests on short cruises to specific destinations on the property, or on longer sightseeing cruises. The property also contains a Willow Stream Spa, featuring 20 treatment rooms and two treatment suites, many of which have private balconies overlooking the adjacent tropical forest canopy. Like other Willow Stream spas, treatments at the spa at the Fairmont Mayakoba are inspired by its immediate environment, giving clients an experience unique to the Mayakoba.

The Greg Norman — designed Golf Club at Mayakoba adjoins the resort. Opened within the past year, it has already established a reputation as a world-class course. Next February, it will host the Mayakoba Classic, a new PGA Tour event with a total purse of $3.5 million.
— MICHAEL BASSETT

Stowe, Vermont:

Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa

I WAS SURPRISED to find one of the largest spas in the Northeast at this 110-room hotel/townhouse complex in the popular mountain town of Stowe, Vt. But then, Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa was surprising on many levels, not the least of which is how this 40-year-old, family-run enterprise has morphed from a ski motel to a sophisticated Four-Diamond resort — all while maintaining the warmth and friendliness of a family-run property.

Let's start with the 50,000-square-foot spa, which opened in 2003. Stoweflake owner Chuck Baraw traveled the country's most famous spas to incorporate the best features into Stoweflake's facility. Here you will find 30 treatment rooms offering an amazing 120 bodywork options — from Tai massage to Ayurvedic treatments to the signature Stoweflake Maple Body Polish. The Aqua Solarium features a European-style mineral soaking pool, plus a hot tub with a hydrotherapeutic waterfall.

Another surprise: There is much more to this resort than its showcase spa. The Conference Center at Stoweflake is the largest International Association of Conference Centers — certified resort conference center in Vermont. There are two banquet kitchens and 19 meeting rooms with a total of 22,000 square feet, accommodating up to 400 people. The full-service meeting department offers customized Complete Meeting Packages, including meals, audiovisuals, meeting room rentals, etc.

There's more: The resort's seven-circuit outdoor meditation labyrinth, afternoon cookies and tea by the fireplace in the lobby, and the imaginative cuisine at its two eateries, Winfield's Bistro and Charlie B's Pub. For golfing groups, there is a nine-hole practice course, and the Stowe Country Club championship course is right next door. For skiers, Stoweflake is 10 minutes from the largest ski mountain on the East Coast.
— REGINA MCGEE

Switzerland:

Zürich and Davos

PRECIOUS FEW AREAS of the world are so breathtakingly beautiful that it almost defies the imagination. Switzerland is one of those places, and while it has long caught the eye of incentive groups, it is steadily creeping to the top of the list of European hot spots. Planners are attracted not only by the country's mountains, alpine lakes, and skiing (not to mention its chocolate and cheese), but also by the fact that Switzerland offers the safety, security, and efficiency that most Americans want when they travel.

Most corporate groups use Zürich as a starting point. Known as Switzerland's business capital, the city lies at the foot of Lake Zürich, so close to the Alps that as you walk along the River Limmat toward the lake, they seem a stone's throw away.

One of the most exciting developments for groups traveling to Zürich is the ongoing renovation of the Dolder Grand Hotel. A major Zürich landmarks, the hotel, which opened in 1899, sits on a hill overlooking the city and has its own golf course. The $200 million renovation, which will be complete in 2008, will certainly put the Dolder Grand on the map as a destination for incentive groups.

Just three hours away by train sits the ski resort of Davos, the highest town in Europe. Situated at more than 5,000 feet in the Swiss Alps, it has also become, thanks to the World Economic Forum, one of the world's most recognized meeting spots.

The World Economic Forum, which meets annually in January, brings together thousands of business leaders, heads of state, academics, and journalists. Every hotel in Davos is booked solid (it might be the only time you'll find a head of state bedding down in three-star lodging), and more than 2,000 staff are needed to put on the four-day event.

The Forum is held at the Davos Congress Centre, which was built in 1969 and has been extended and renovated twice since then. Considered to be among the most modern venues in Switzerland, it has three wings and 22 conference rooms and can hold up to 2,500 meeting attendees at one time.

With ski slopes surrounding the city, mountain restaurants (bergrestaurant in German) are readily available as off-site venues. Bergrestaurant Pischa at the top of Mount Pischa has breathtaking views of the city below and is accessible by cable car.

The Steigenberger Grandhotel Belvédere, perhaps the most famous hotel in Davos, is a three-minute walk from the Congress Centre and the ice and sports stadium. It has 131 guest rooms and suites and five conference rooms with a capacity of 500.

Of course, most people travel to Davos for the skiing and snowboarding. With five skiing areas and more than 150 miles of ski runs, it's easy to see why it is one of Europe's premier destinations for the ski and snowboard enthusiast.
— MICHAEL BASSETT

Bermuda:

The Fairmont Southampton & the Hamilton Princess

THE LURE OF azure waters and a genteel British influence were enough to coax this relaxation-deprived New Yorker to join a group of meeting planners for an educational getaway to Bermuda. The luxurious experience, sponsored by Fairmont Southampton, Fairmont Hamilton Princess, and Private Jet Services Group, provided an introduction to a destination that is less than two hours away from many major U.S. cities — and the gracious experience onboard our chartered jet contributed to the relaxed and upbeat mood of the group.

After years of being edged off planners' radar screens, “Bermuda is coming back into its own because of location, quality, and sophistication,” says Dave Strang, senior sales manager for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Bermuda. The corporate group market accounts for roughly 70 percent of the mix at Southampton and about 40 percent at the Hamilton Princess.

Meeting attendees gain entree to a wealth of recreational and dining offerings at the posh, cliff-top Fairmont Southampton and its sister hotel, the elegant, Victorian-era Fairmont Hamilton Princess. The two properties are gleaming from recent renovations to the tune of more than $100 million.

Poised atop the highest point on the island, the 593-room Fairmont Southampton is a lushly landscaped, 100-acre resort. Amenities include the Princess Beach Club, a spa, swimming pools, tennis courts, and a challenging par-3, 18-hole golf course. Meeting and banquet space can host up to 1,500 guests.

The 410-room Fairmont Hamilton Princess, on the harbor, reflects Old World charm. There is indoor meeting space for up to 300 people, and outdoor space for up to 500. Guests at the Hamilton Princess and Southampton have reciprocal signing privileges and access to all facilities at both sites, which are connected by a complimentary 20-minute ferry ride.

Our day of group water tour activities was my favorite. We boarded the Wildcat, a high-speed catamaran, for a fun and informative tour around the islands. Then it was on to the Royal Naval Dockyard, once an outpost of the British Navy and now a popular tourist destination. The dockyard's six-acre Fortress Keep, Bermuda Maritime Museum, and Commissioner's House all offer historic venues for events — not to mention spectacular vistas.

Our next adventure at the dockyard was bonding with the bottlenose dolphins of Dolphin Quest Bermuda. We donned wetsuits and life vests for our in-water interactive experience with the friendly, sensitive mammals. Even the cautious swimmers were thrilled to pet and play with our majestic new friends. Some of us were even spotted “dancing” with dolphins. And we have the photos to prove it.
— JOAN WESTREICH

Wales:

Cardiff and the Welsh Countryside

OF ALL THE charming expressions I heard during a recent trip to Wales, the one I enjoyed the most was “castled-out.” As you drive from one tiny hamlet to the next, it's unbelievable how many of these bewitching ruins greet you from high on their hilltops. The locals worry that visitors might tire of castles after a while; I couldn't get enough of them.

Such is the charm of Wales. The fact that it is so unknown compared to its U.K. neighbors — and that its people are so unassuming — are what make it so special. With the capital city of Cardiff just a two-hour drive from London's Heathrow Airport, Wales is an ideal stand-alone incentive destination, or can be used as a side trip for groups meeting in London or an add-on for the top performers in a tiered incentive trip.

For golfers, Wales has risen to the level of neighboring Scotland and Ireland by winning the bid to host the 2010 Ryder Cup at the five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales. A lovely setting designed specifically for groups, Celtic Manor has 330 rooms and an award-winning spa. Excitement is already mounting there about hosting one of golf's most prestigious events, and now is the time to book.

No trip to Wales is complete without a tour of Cardiff, which is fast evolving into one of Europe's centers of chic. Cardiff Bay, formerly a port for coal, which used to be one of the country's leading products, has shed its industrial feeling and is home to dozens of bustling restaurants and performing arts venues, as well as the ultra-hip, five-star, 132-room St. David's Hotel & Spa. This sleek waterfront tower with a floor-to-ceiling atrium, lobby art gallery, and sweeping views of the harbor is the place to stay.

Another must-see is Cardiff Castle. Its elaborate banqueting hall's history stretches back to the 15th century, and incentive groups can dine in a room that many royals, including Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, have used to entertain guests.

Minutes from the city center, highways turn into narrow lanes lined with hedgerows in the Welsh countryside. This is the Wales we all imagine: green hillsides dotted with sheep, ancient villages with charming cottages, incredibly friendly people — and more castles. As rural as the countryside can get, it's never far to elegant accommodations, such as the 35-room St. Bride's Hotel, set on a cliff above the fishing village of Saundersfoot in West Wales. With a new spa with an infinity pool overlooking the bay, seaside dining, and an outstanding collection of contemporary Welsh art, this hotel is not to be missed. Also in West Wales, the new 23-room Cawdor has brought the same level of stylishness as sister hotel Morgan's to the sleepy town of Llandeilo.
— BARBARA SCOFIDION

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