March 2008 ACCESS Advantage
- Southern California Hotels: Re-Imaging, Re-Inventing, Re-Vamping and Renovating!
- On the Horizon…Fairmont Avanterra, Palm Desert!
- Project “Fun”way!
- Spice it up with ACCESS
Southern California Hotels: Re-Imaging, Re-Inventing, Re-Vamping and Renovating!
Whatever your choice of “R” word, it’s an exciting time of renaissance in each of our Southern California destinations. With the competition of new hotel projects and with many hotel brands raising their standards, several striking property re-designs are either completed, near completion or in the works. In San Diego alone several such projects deserve acclaim including La Costa Resort & Spa’s redefinition of the total resort experience with its $140 million complete transformation. This past summer the former Hyatt Islandia was renamed the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa & Marina highlighting the multi-million dollar renovation of Mission Bay’s landmark 17-story waterfront hotel. A comprehensive $25 million renovation is underway for L’Auberge Del Mar Resort & Spa where over 10,000 square feet of meeting space will be constructed into indoor meeting rooms and event ballrooms. After completion of a $25 million dollar renovation, Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Resort & Spa now features 40,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor guest space. And this is just a partial list!
In this feature we have highlighted below a property in each of our destination cities deserving of special attention. Examples are:
Los Angeles: Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
Thirty million dollars were spent on this Los Angeles/Century City landmark “urban resort” in a much anticipated renovation. Perfectly situated on the fashionable Westside, adjacent to Beverly Hills, this elegant Los Angeles property, which has counted presidents, prime ministers and Hollywood celebrities among its guests, has been treated to first-class renovations, improvements and upgrades. The grand Lobby Court radiates Hollywood glamour, drama and sophistication while maintaining intimacy in this high-ceilinged grand space. At 12,500 square feet, Century Plaza’s Lobby Court is the largest such environment in Los Angeles. With textured gold metallic paint, mirrored walls, mother-of-pearl accents, shimmering glass-beaded frescoes on columns and furnishings in a rich set of gold, silver, red, black, grey and leather, the scene is set. The Lobby Court’s Patio is a virtual backyard living space, inviting guests to indulge in the joy of outdoor California living. Additional renovations include updated penthouse suites, each featuring uniquely different luxury appointments, and the Executive Conference Center. Formerly the South Mezzanine, the Executive Conference Center is devoted to accommodating small group size meetings of up to 100 people. Its meeting rooms, with multiple amenities such as ergonomically correct banquet chairs, WiFi, personal concierge, state-of-the-art high speed internet and much more, feature floor to ceiling windows facing Los Angeles’ famed Avenue of the Stars or the property’s lush backyard gardens. This new look adds a sense of contemporary glamour to this renowned, ever-evolving hotel.
Note: The photo represents the spectacular new grand Lobby Court of the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza.
San Diego: Hotel Del Coronado
In a prior issue of The ACCESS Advantage we featured the completion of the state-of-the-art Spa at the Del, just one component of the first phase of the Hotel del Coronado’s Master Plan. Now, after two years of renovations, the world-renowned Hotel del Coronado has announced the completion of a spectacular $150 million transformation. The new cottages and villas at Beach Village offer an exclusive enclave within the iconic setting of the oceanfront resort and they echo The Del’s famous turrets and red-shingled roof, white painted lap siding and extensive white accents while they are enhanced by a contemporary interpretation of The Del’s traditional landscaping with classic gardens, exotic flowering plants and stone-capped borders. Indoors, the seamless connection between past and present is evident with white paneled wainscoting and painted cabinetry providing a crisp contrast to wide plank walnut flooring in the living areas. Oversized baths enhanced with Calcutta marble and custom-made ebony mahogany vanities are just a few of the luxury appointments evidenced within the cottages which also come complete with personalized concierge service, private access to the beach, Bose surround sound systems, large flat panel TVs, entertainment libraries, wireless Internet and much, much more. Interspersed between the cottages and villas, a series of private terraces secluded by walls and hedges provide intimate outdoor living spaces, replete with therapeutic hot tubs, designer furniture and fire pits. The centerpiece of Beach Village is a crescent-shaped pool surrounded by private cabanas and fan palms. The recent enhancements highlight ownership’s commitment to preserving the legendary resort’s past while transitioning in the future.
Palm Springs: The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage
The highly anticipated Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage will be opening to much fanfare in the fall of 2008 on the site of what was The Lodge at Rancho Mirage. This new $500 million dollar “Cliff-Side Oasis” will feature 244 resort rooms and suites, 154 residences, a 25,000 square foot , multi-million dollar La Prairie Spa, nearly 20,000 square feet of meeting space, and restaurants led by some of the best names in the culinary world. The resort is located on a 650 foot bluff overlooking world-famous Palm Springs, the Coachella Valley, and local mountain ranges. The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage is designed to compliment its high mountain desert location by featuring natural elements of stone, wood and fire which reflect the local landscape, colors and culture. Resort amenities will include infinity swimming and relaxation pools, the finest golf and tennis experience with exclusive arrangements and memberships with premier courses and clubs in the Valley, along with a wide array of cultural and recreational activities including over 20 miles of mountain hiking trails. Guest rooms feature stone flooring complemented with area rugs, deep soaking tubs with private flat-screen TV, walk-in showers, balcony or private veranda, state-of-the-art technology and more. A signature restaurant under the guidance of celebrity chef, Joachim Splichal, of Patina fame, features an open kitchen and multiple private dining areas. Wonderfully designed indoor function space is in the works along with 25,000 square feet of outdoor venues including two Cliffside event lawns and a private “pinnacle lawn” situated more than 100 feet above the resort with sweeping views of the surrounding areas. The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage offers “true luxury desert experience” in an unparalleled location while providing convenient access to world class shopping, dining, and a pristine mountain-top setting.
Orange County: The Hyatt Regency Newport Beach
After a $13 million renovation a short time back, the former Hyatt Newporter was upgraded to Regency status. On 26 beautifully landscaped acres and overlooking Newport Beach’s Back Bay, the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach features 403 luxuriously updated guestrooms with high-speed Internet access; a re-imaged lobby – an ensemble of Pacific, Indonesian, and Mediterranean styles accented with warm teak woods, copper and tan shaded fabrics, and textured weaves. The guest room re-design carries into the Sol Restaurant featuring World Island cuisine in a warm setting reflecting the color/texture fusion of rattans, golds and greens. Sandbar Lounge, the hotel’s “hot spot” boasts an outdoor fire pit, Adirondack-style furniture, and live entertainment on featured nights. Additional amenities include three outdoor swimming pools, a fully equipped fitness center, and outdoor whirlpools. The Hyatt Regency Newport Beach is conveniently located near shopping, dining, entertainment, championship golf courses and features easy access to John Wayne Airport (SNA), Fashion and Balboa Islands, Disney, and area beaches.
Contact the team at ACCESS Destination Services today and experience the “suite” life of our Southern California destinations.
Palm Springs
On the Horizon…Fairmont Avanterra, Palm Desert! Avanterra will be home to the luxurious new Fairmont Avanterra, Palm Desert – coming to the Coachella Valley in 2011. The expansive hotel project, which includes Fairmont’s luxury branded residences and fractional private residence club homes, will be situated adjacent to the Classic Club golf course, site of the PGA Tour’s Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. The move marks Fairmont’s first entry into the Palm Springs market. Initially the hotel development will offer 300 rooms and 125 Fairmont Residences, Fairmont Gold concierge rooms and lounge, a variety of dining outlets, 26,000 square feet of indoor function space including a 7,000 square foot ballroom as well as outdoor event areas, and a 45,000 square foot Willow Stream Spa.
States Chris Cahill, President and Chief Operating Officer of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, “The environmentally progressive attributes that make Avanterra unique are a wonderful complement to our own philosophy of operational sustainability and responsible tourism within the hotel industry. This project further extends Fairmont’s strong presence in California and allows us to provide luxury-seeking travelers with enriching and memorable experiences reflective of this community.”
It is expected that ground for the initial phase will be broken on the nearly $200 million project in 2009. When completed, the Fairmont Avanterra, Palm Desert will establish its presence alongside the Classic Club, opposite Avanterra’s pedestrian oriented village, which will include close to one million square feet of experiential retail space, integrated work lofts, LEED certified office buildings, condominiums, amphitheater, park space, planetarium, walking trails and more.
Stay tuned for more information on the Fairmont Avanterra, Palm Desert. In the meantime, contact the team at ACCESS Palm Springs to assist with your destination management needs for your next meeting, conference or incentive travel event in the desert resort communities.
San Diego
Project “Fun”way! “Designers…Make it work”, the often-spoken mantra of Bravo’s hit show Project Runway, fits right into our team-building philosophy in this hilarious take-off of the television show featuring fashion designers and designer wannabes. Your guests will be organized into teams, each presented with the inspiration for their design project. They will then have a designated timeframe in which to design and sketch their “outfit” based on their creative interpretations of the inspiration icon. Distracting “catty” comments are all part of the fun.
Complete with shopping allowance (play money), each team procures their special supplies which could be anything from fabric remnants, to coffee filters, to bubble wrap with which they are tasked to create their masterpieces. Guests should be prepared to share the secret of their inspiration with the design gurus. Racing against the clock and teased with annoying reminders that time is running out, teams must pull together and meld their individual skills into the creative genius needed to produce the perfect outfit. Then…you guessed it…someone from each team will have the distinct pleasure of being the team’s Runway Model. Supplies are provided and teams must construct their garments carefully, as their designated models must actually wear the outfits during the Runway portion of the event and the garments cannot fall apart or unravel. At the conclusion, our “celebrity” judges will view each team as they present their creations on the catwalk as their models model-walk their special outfits. As they say on the show, “Designers, carry on…one of you will be named the winner!” Various prize categories can be created and remember – “model” behavior is not required!
For the special details of Project Funway, allow the talented sales team at ACCESS San Diego to showcase this event or another of our many team-building activities at your next meeting, conference or incentive travel program. We’ll stitch it all together and weave for you a dynamic program of events for your special guests. Please note that this event is available in all of our Southern California destinations.
Spice it up with ACCESS
Penne with Roasted Farmer’s Market Vegetables and Roasted Pepper Sauce! For a “to-die-for” pasta specialty, try this recipe courtesy of “George of the Jungle” actors Brendan and Afton Fraser as published in The Hollywood Cookbook.
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
- ½ pound fresh vegetables, cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 shallot, sliced
- ½ cup white wine
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- ¼ cup cream (optional)
- 1 red bell pepper, roasted, seeded, skinned, and sliced
- ¼ cup chopped basil
- ½ pound penne pasta
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Start to bring a large pot of cold water to a boil.
Toss vegetables in 1 tablespoon olive oil and roast the vegetables until done, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
In a small sauté pan, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add shallots and cook until translucent. Add wine and reduce by half. Add stock and cream. Add peppers and basil; remove from heat, and puree. Season with salt and pepper.
When water boils, add 2 tablespoons salt and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss with pepper sauce and roasted vegetables.
Enjoy!
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“I promise you that this is the first year we haven’t had one complaint on airport transfers. As you know, this is the first and last impression of the convention and it was flawless…not an easy feat. Thank you to you and your team for doing an impeccable job. Then we move on to the 430 people leaving for three tours simultaneously! You had everything so well organized and it went extremely well.”
Owner/Meeting PlannerThe Core Group, Inc.