Largest, longest, tallest, widest. That's how the new $780 million, 150,000-ton Queen Mary 2 is being touted. Christened by Queen Elizabeth II on January 8 at a ceremony in Southampton, England, the ship began her 14-day maiden voyage from Southampton to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., January 12. The Cunard Line ship boasts the most extensive meeting facilities of any vessel at sea, featuring a 10,225-square-foot conference center comprising seven classrooms with adjustable walls. Illuminations, the ship's planetarium, can convert into a 492-seat theater and is equipped with state-of-the-art AV equipment. The largest auditorium onboard, the Royal Court Theatre, seats 1,094. The ship also has a 20,000-square-foot Canyon Ranch Spa Club; five swimming pools, one with a retractable dome; a basketball court; and a golf simulator, putting green, and driving range. The QM2 will sail itineraries to the Caribbean, Northern Europe, New England and Canada, and the Mediterranean, and to ports in Africa and South America. With spacious staterooms ranging in size from 200 square feet to 2,249 square feet, it accommodates 2,620 guests. Cunard Line is owned by U.S. — based Carnival Corp. www.cunard.com
The Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo opened in January with 153 rooms and suites, a full-service spa, an 18-hole Arnold Palmer — designed championship golf course, tennis, and water sports. The resort has 6,560 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space, including a 3,000-square-foot ballroom that can be divided in half. www.fourseasons.com
Iberostar Paraiso Lindo opened in November with 446 rooms and five pools on Mexico's Riviera Maya, and an adjacent 15,683-square-foot conference center opened in December. Two nearby Iberostar properties, Paraiso Beach and Paraiso del Mar, share restaurant and recreational facilities. Iberostar plans to open an 18-hole championship golf course in 2005. www.iberostar.com
In November, a Courtyard by Marriott with 306 rooms and suites opened a half block off Chicago's famed “Magnificent Mile” on East Ontario Street. The 24-story hotel has an indoor swimming pool, a fitness center, and 3,700 square feet of meeting and banquet space that is able to accommodate up to 275 attendees. www.marriott.com
Le Méridien Chicago has expanded its meeting facilities to more than 19,000 square feet. All meeting spaces now offer high-speed Internet access. The hotel has 311 guest rooms, including 33 suites. www.lemeridien-hotels.com
In Las Vegas, Green Valley Ranch, which opened in December 2001, has started an expansion of a second tower, including 290 rooms and 35,000 square feet of meeting space. Plans call for completion in November. The resort, located six miles from the Strip, offers panoramic views of the city. It now has 201 rooms, 20,000 square feet of meeting space, and a 55,000-square-foot casino. www.greenvalleyranchresort.com
Turtle Bay Resort in Oahu, Hawaii, has upgraded all its meeting facilities as part of the resort's $60 million renovation and construction of the new oceanfront Kuilima Ballroom, which was completed in December. With the new ballroom, there is a total of 28,000 square feet of meeting space and accommodations for 800 attendees. The Kuilima Ballroom has 9,340 square feet of space and 2,863 square feet of pre-function space. The resort is completely wired with Wi-Fi technology, and wireless network cards and Ethernet converters are available for rent. www.turtlebayresort.com
The Hôtel Plaza Athénée on Avenue Montaigne, just off the Champs-Elysées in Paris, recently added a 605-square-foot conference room, The Dorchester, which is named for the hotel's membership in the Dorchester Group. The room can accommodate 50 guests theater-style. The hotel's Salon Marie-Antoinette can host 130 people for cocktails and dinner. The historic hotel, with 188 rooms and suites, opened in 1911. The Dorchester Group also includes the Hôtel Meurice in Paris, The Dorchester in London, and the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. www.plaza-athenee-paris.com
The Hampton Inn, Daytona Speedway opened a new 2,200-square-foot meeting facility in September. www.hoteldaytona.com
The Inn on Fifth in Old Naples, Fla., recently added an executive boardroom. The 513-square-foot room can accommodate up to 55 people. There is a private pre-function entry foyer, and Wi-Fi hot spots in the room and throughout the lobby. The Inn on Fifth has more than 8,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space. Its Palm Ballroom can seat 130 for a banquet or up to 200 for a reception. www.naplesinn.com
The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla., recently unveiled its new 6,160-square-foot Family Entertainment Center. The self-contained complex features more than 20 games in its arcades, a toddlers' playroom and craft area, a children's movie room, and a computer room. Staff members are on duty at the facility at all times. www.thebreakers.com
The 74-year-old landmark Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa has added a 25,000-square-foot ballroom, which can accommodate up to 2,500 people and is the second-largest in the state. The Frank Lloyd Wright Ballroom features 22-foot-high ceilings and can be divided into 10 rooms. www.arizona biltmore.com
A new meetings wing at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, in Lake Louise, Alberta, is scheduled to open this spring. It will have more than 18,000 square feet of function space, including an 8,300-square-foot ballroom, six breakout rooms, and a 200-seat restaurant. www.fairmont.com