Destination Guides
Virginia - April 2012
by Michael C. LoweApril 1, 2012
Why Here?
Considered
Washington, D.C.'s wine country, Loudoun County offers oenophiles a
choice of 30 wineries and tasting rooms, providing planners with a
backdrop of rolling hills and vineyards perfect for tours, tastings and
team-building activities.
Get Lost
Visit Loudoun created a spin on the Lost TV series with a cheeky
video series that follows four people as they experience the
destination's attractions. Visit getlostinloudoun.com.
Loudoun County
As of February, Destination Hotels & Resorts is managing the 296-room Lansdowne Resort
in Leesburg, a former Benchmark Hospitality property. The conference
resort offers six food- and-beverage outlets, five swimming pools, three
tennis courts, a 12,000-square-foot spa and 50,000 square feet of
meeting space.
The Salamander Resort & Spa is
scheduled to open in Loudoun in 2013 as a LEED-certified property. The
resort will include 168 guest rooms, a spa, several dining options and
12,000 square feet of indoor meeting space.
The Executive Conference and Training Center
in Sterling recently completed a renovation and expansion that doubled
its size. Meeting space at the center now totals approximately 10,000
square feet. The IACC-approved venue is about two miles from Dulles
International Airport.
Breaux Vineyards in Purcellville
is adding a tasting room that can accommodate up to 200 people. The
404-acre estate and its facilities are open to the public for tours and
tastings and also can accommodate private events.
The Washington Dulles Airport Marriott
recently completed a four-year, $9.3 million renovation of its 368
guest rooms, front desk and lobby area, as well as its ballroom and
meeting spaces. Also new is the Aviate Bar and Grill restaurant, as well
as a new 1,777-square-foot meeting room with two walls of
floor-to-ceiling windows. The hotel features a total of 13,500 square
feet of meeting space.
The National Conference Center in
Leesburg recently expanded its farm-to-table menu options. The complex,
with 917 guest rooms, entered a partnership with two local farms to
source ingredients for its menus.
Meeting Hotels
Among properties in Ashburn are the 154-room Embassy Suites
Dulles–North, 136-room Aloft Dulles North and 135-room Hilton Garden Inn
Dulles North.
In Leesburg are the 950-room National Conference
Center, 296-room Lansdowne Resort, 126-room Holiday Inn Leesburg at
Carradoc Hall, 101-room Hampton Inn & Suites Leesburg and 99-room
Best Western Leesburg Hotel and Conference Center.
In Sterling
are the 368-room Marriott Washington Dulles Airport, 297-room Holiday
Inn Washington Dulles, 171-room Doubletree Hotel Dulles
Airport–Sterling, 170-room Hampton Inn & Suites Washington–Dulles
International Airport and 162-room Hyatt House Sterling/Dulles Airport
North.
Conference Center The National Conference Center
in Leesburg; exhibit space, 25,524 square feet and approximately
265,000 square feet of total meetings space; number of meeting rooms,
250; (703) 729-8000
Airport Transit
Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., about six miles south
of Sterling, 10 miles south of Ashburn, 17 miles south of Leesburg and
26 miles southwest of Purcellville. Transfer cost by taxi to Sterling,
$15; to Ashburn, $25; to Leesburg, $35; to Purcellville, $55
Taxes Transient occupancy tax, 5%; state tax, 5%; total tax on hotel rooms in Loudoun County, 10%
Group Venue Groups can spend a pleasant few hours at the Sunset Hills Vineyard,
which originally was built in the 1870s and sits on 50 acres of rolling
farmland. The property's restored Amish barn is a quaint delight
featuring 35-foot-high ceilings and a beautiful mahogany tasting bar
that can accommodate up to 50 thirsty people. (540) 882-4560
Dining Out The Wine Kitchen
in Leesburg specializes in seasonal American bistro fare, including
pork chops served with braised kale and bacon. (703) 777-9463
Contact Visit Loudoun, (703) 771-2170 or (800) 752-6118