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JW Marriott Austin
• 1,012 guest rooms
• 112,012 square feet of meeting space
Why we’re excited: This giant of a Texas property opening in February, among the largest openings anywhere in 2015, has meeting planners and environmentalists applauding. The property is on track to achieve its LEED Silver certification and two-star Austin Energy Green Building rating and, at the same time, will have enough space to host receptions for up to 3,000 in its 30,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom. In addition, groups will be able to choose among 42 meeting rooms and a 23,000-square-foot exhibit hall, and will be within two blocks of the 370,000-square-foot Austin Convention Center. And with Austin a hub of tech entrepreneurship, the hotel has ramped up its connectivity with 1GB of Internet bandwidth. More
Why we’re excited: This giant of a Texas property opening in February, among the largest openings anywhere in 2015, has meeting planners and environmentalists applauding. The property is on track to achieve its LEED Silver certification and two-star Austin Energy Green Building rating and, at the same time, will have enough space to host receptions for up to 3,000 in its 30,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom. In addition, groups will be able to choose among 42 meeting rooms and a 23,000-square-foot exhibit hall, and will be within two blocks of the 370,000-square-foot Austin Convention Center. And with Austin a hub of tech entrepreneurship, the hotel has ramped up its connectivity with 1GB of Internet bandwidth. More
The Westin Denver International Airport
• 519 guest rooms • 37,500 square feet of meeting space
Why we’re excited: Denver International Airport’s ambitious $544 million expansion plans include this dramatic glass-and-steel Westin, with a swooping design inspired by DIA’s iconic tents; a new public transit center, which will link the city to the airport via rail; and a public plaza connecting the hotel and transit center to the airport’s main terminal. The hotel is scheduled to open in November.
Why we’re excited: Denver International Airport’s ambitious $544 million expansion plans include this dramatic glass-and-steel Westin, with a swooping design inspired by DIA’s iconic tents; a new public transit center, which will link the city to the airport via rail; and a public plaza connecting the hotel and transit center to the airport’s main terminal. The hotel is scheduled to open in November.
Loews Chicago Hotel
• 400 guest rooms • 29,000 square feet of meeting space
Why we’re excited: This is the first new build for Loews in the Midwest, and its Streeterville location, at 455 North Park Place, is just a five-minute walk from Navy Pier and closer than that to the shopping on North Michigan Avenue. The property, expected to open in March, features an Argentine restaurant, Rural Society, by Iron Chef Jose Garces; a spa with three treatment rooms; and a 75-foot lap pool in the fitness center. The meeting space includes a ballroom, junior ballroom, 9,000-square-foot terrace, 10 meetings rooms, and a boardroom with videoconferencing capabilities.
Why we’re excited: This is the first new build for Loews in the Midwest, and its Streeterville location, at 455 North Park Place, is just a five-minute walk from Navy Pier and closer than that to the shopping on North Michigan Avenue. The property, expected to open in March, features an Argentine restaurant, Rural Society, by Iron Chef Jose Garces; a spa with three treatment rooms; and a 75-foot lap pool in the fitness center. The meeting space includes a ballroom, junior ballroom, 9,000-square-foot terrace, 10 meetings rooms, and a boardroom with videoconferencing capabilities.
Baha Mar
• 2,200 guest rooms in four hotels • 200,000 square feet of meeting space
Why we’re excited: This much-anticipated beachfront mega resort in The Bahamas, just a three-hour flight from New York, will be a must-book for incentive groups when it finally cuts the ribbon on three of its properties in March: The 1,000-room Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, which will feature the largest casino in the Caribbean (100,000 square feet); the 200-room Rosewood Baha Mar, and the 300-room SLS LUX. Later this spring, the new 700-room Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is expected to open, and an existing 694-room Melia property is under renovation. The resort’s Baha Mar Convention, Arts & Entertainment Center, operated by Grand Hyatt, will have 200,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event spaces, including three nautical-inspired ballrooms and 16 breakout rooms, plus a 2,000-seat entertainment venue. The $3.5 billion development will also offer groups a Jack Nicklaus–designed golf course; a tennis facility with clay, hard, and grass surfaces; 40 restaurants, bars, and lounges; and a 30,000-square-foot spa.
Hyatt Regency Tysons Corner Center
• 300 guest rooms • 15,060 square feet of meeting space
Why we’re excited: Opening in April, this is the first hotel built in Tysons Corner, Va.’s business district in more than 20 years. It’s connected to Tysons Corner Center mall and is the closest hotel to the newly opened Silver Line metro station, which takes riders from Tysons Corner to the center of Washington, D.C., in 37 minutes. The largest of the property’s 17 meeting spaces is the 7,000-square-foot Regency Ballroom.
Why we’re excited: Opening in April, this is the first hotel built in Tysons Corner, Va.’s business district in more than 20 years. It’s connected to Tysons Corner Center mall and is the closest hotel to the newly opened Silver Line metro station, which takes riders from Tysons Corner to the center of Washington, D.C., in 37 minutes. The largest of the property’s 17 meeting spaces is the 7,000-square-foot Regency Ballroom.
JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa
• 266 guest rooms • 11,346 square feet of meeting space
Why we’re excited: Incentive program participants are sure to be motivated by hopes of a trip to Venice, Italy, and a new JW Marriott property opening on a private island there will up the ante. The 266-room JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa will be the brand’s first Italian hotel (and its first resort in Europe) when it opens in March on Isola delle Rose. The 16-acre property over the years has served as a hospital, a farm, and a research complex, and is now finishing its transformation into a luxury hotel, just a 15-minute boat trip from Piazza San Marco. The largest of the resort’s 14 meeting rooms is 4,284 square feet.
Why we’re excited: Incentive program participants are sure to be motivated by hopes of a trip to Venice, Italy, and a new JW Marriott property opening on a private island there will up the ante. The 266-room JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa will be the brand’s first Italian hotel (and its first resort in Europe) when it opens in March on Isola delle Rose. The 16-acre property over the years has served as a hospital, a farm, and a research complex, and is now finishing its transformation into a luxury hotel, just a 15-minute boat trip from Piazza San Marco. The largest of the resort’s 14 meeting rooms is 4,284 square feet.
The Davenport Grand Hotel
• 716 rooms • 62,500 square feet of meeting space
Why we’re excited: The eastern Washington city of Spokane is going to surprise a lot of meeting pros in 2015 with a convention package that includes the new Davenport Grand, with 716 rooms, and an expanded Spokane Convention Center. The hotel, opening this summer in Marriott’s Autograph Collection, has more than 62,000 square feet of meeting space itself, but also connects via skybridge to the Center, which is just wrapping up a 90,000-square-foot addition. When complete, the Center will be more than 500,000 square feet, including 120,000 square feet of exhibit space.
Why we’re excited: The eastern Washington city of Spokane is going to surprise a lot of meeting pros in 2015 with a convention package that includes the new Davenport Grand, with 716 rooms, and an expanded Spokane Convention Center. The hotel, opening this summer in Marriott’s Autograph Collection, has more than 62,000 square feet of meeting space itself, but also connects via skybridge to the Center, which is just wrapping up a 90,000-square-foot addition. When complete, the Center will be more than 500,000 square feet, including 120,000 square feet of exhibit space.
The Watergate Hotel
• 343 guest rooms • 17,000 square feet of meeting space
Why we’re excited: After being closed for seven years, Washington’s Watergate Hotel—part of the office and residential complex made infamous by the burglary that led to the resignation of President Nixon—is getting a $125 million infusion and will reopen this summer. Think of the theme parties! The luxury property, which did not have meeting space in its previous incarnation, is adding 17,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, including a 7,000-square-foot ballroom, plus a 10,000-square-foot outdoor terrace.
Why we’re excited: After being closed for seven years, Washington’s Watergate Hotel—part of the office and residential complex made infamous by the burglary that led to the resignation of President Nixon—is getting a $125 million infusion and will reopen this summer. Think of the theme parties! The luxury property, which did not have meeting space in its previous incarnation, is adding 17,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, including a 7,000-square-foot ballroom, plus a 10,000-square-foot outdoor terrace.
The Westin Jekyll Island
• 200 guest rooms • 5,600 square feet of meeting space
Why we’re excited: Originally expected to open last year, an April opening looks like a sure thing for this 200-room Georgia beachfront property, a key addition to the Jekyll Island Convention Center Complex, which opened in 2012. The hotel will have four function rooms of its own, while the Center next door has 78,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 45,000-square-foot ballroom.
Why we’re excited: Originally expected to open last year, an April opening looks like a sure thing for this 200-room Georgia beachfront property, a key addition to the Jekyll Island Convention Center Complex, which opened in 2012. The hotel will have four function rooms of its own, while the Center next door has 78,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 45,000-square-foot ballroom.
The Westin Austin Downtown
• 326 guest rooms • 13,500 square feet of meeting space
Why we’re excited: Hotel development in Austin is booming and the new 326-room Westin Austin Downtown, scheduled to open this summer, is a key part of that growth for the convention market. The hotel has a relatively modest 19,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space of its own, but its location—just a block and a half from the 370,000-square-foot Austin Convention Center—will make it a convention hotspot. At East Fifth Street and San Jacinto Boulevard, the 17-story property is also right around the corner from the Sixth Street entertainment district, famous for restaurants and music venues.
Why we’re excited: Hotel development in Austin is booming and the new 326-room Westin Austin Downtown, scheduled to open this summer, is a key part of that growth for the convention market. The hotel has a relatively modest 19,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space of its own, but its location—just a block and a half from the 370,000-square-foot Austin Convention Center—will make it a convention hotspot. At East Fifth Street and San Jacinto Boulevard, the 17-story property is also right around the corner from the Sixth Street entertainment district, famous for restaurants and music venues.
