California October 2012

Los Angeles
The DoubleTree by Hilton Los Angeles Downtown debuted earlier this year in the former Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens. The newly flagged property upgraded all of its 434 guest rooms and suites, public spaces, corridors, business and fitness centers, as well as its half-acre rooftop Japanese-style gardens. The hotel's 15,000 square feet of meeting space (including its largest meeting room, spanning 4,212 square feet) also received a revamp.

In 2014, downtown Los Angeles will receive a new $172 million, 23-story hotel complex comprised of a 174-room Courtyard by Marriott and a 218-room Residence Inn by Marriott. Development plans call for 11,754 square feet of meeting space and approximately 5,100 square feet of dining facilities.

The L.A. Hotel, at the site of the former Marriott Los Angeles Downtown, is in the midst of a $20 million renovation that is expected to wrap up in spring 2013. The project includes upgrades to the property's 400 guest rooms and 69 suites, as well as its more than 25,000 square feet of meeting space.

In downtown, the Luxe City Center Hotel recently finished a reconfiguration and renovations of its guest rooms, restaurant and bar. The former Holiday Inn Los Angeles City Center now has 162 rooms and 16 suites. The hotel offers 5,000 square feet of function space, a fitness center and a business center.

The 160-room Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood opened in March 2012. The former Hollywood Heights Hotel now features Wi-Fi in guest rooms and public spaces, a 24-hour business center, a fitness center, the Great American Grill restaurant, a swimming pool and a whirlpool. The property's one meeting room measures 546 square feet.

The Renaissance Hollywood Hotel was rebranded the Loews Hollywood Hotel in June. The 632-room property, which is steps from the Walk of Fame and sits on the iconic intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, will begin a $26 million renovation later this year. Meeting space spans more than 48,000 square feet.

After an extensive 24-month refurbishment and redesign, Dorchester Collection's 103-room Hotel Bel-Air reopened last October. The property now has 12 new guest rooms that offer canyon views, sliding glass walls, and spacious decks with outdoor fireplaces and private spa pools. Also new is a 12,000-square-foot Spanish mission-style structure housing a bell tower, a fitness studio and a 4,134-square-foot spa. The hotel has a total of 12,000 square feet of event space.

In nearby Santa Monica, the Shore Hotel opened last October. The LEED-certified property features 164  guest rooms, free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour gym, a solar-heated outdoor pool, two restaurants and 1,900 square feet of meeting space.

Meeting Hotels
Properties include the 1,352-room Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites, 1,234-room Hilton Los Angeles Airport, 1,004-room Los Angeles Airport Marriott, 878-room JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles, 802-room Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles, 740-room Westin Los Angeles Airport, 726-room Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, 683-room Millennium Biltmore Los Angeles, 569-room Beverly Hilton, 485-room Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown Hotel, 482-room Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, 469-room Los Angeles Marriott Downtown and 295-room Sofitel Los Angeles. For more area properties, visit mcvenues.com.

Convention Center
Los Angeles Convention Center; exhibit space, 770,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 64; (213) 741-1151

Airport Transit
Los Angeles International Airport, approximately 17 miles from the downtown district. Transfer cost to downtown by taxi, about $47; by bus, $1.85; by FlyAway shuttle to Union Station, Westwood and Van Nuys, $7-$10

Taxes
Sales tax, 9.25%; room tax, 14%; total tax on hotel rooms, 14%

Group Venue
The Natural History Museum in downtown Los Angeles opened its new 14,000-square-foot Dinosaur Hall in July 2011. More than 300 fossils are on display among interactive exhibits and large-format video screens. Groups of up to 250 for receptions or 150 seated are accommodated in the Rotunda, with its 57-foot-high stained-glass skylight. (213) 763-3218

Dining Out
With a daily changing menu, diners may never know for sure what they'll find at Animal, but it will be delicious. The 45-seat eatery is available for private events and offers dishes such as buffalo-style pig tails, crispy rabbit legs and a rich, succulent pork belly sandwich topped with coleslaw. (323) 782 9225

Contact
LA Inc., The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau, (213) 624-7300 or (800) 228-2452

San Francisco
The Aloft San Francisco Airport opened last month after a 14-month transformation. The former Clarion property now features 253 guest rooms, a 675-square-foot meeting room, free Wi-Fi and the signature "w xyz" bar.

Meeting Hotels
 Among the largest properties with meeting space in the Union Square area are the 1,908-room Hilton San Francisco Union Square, 1,496-room Marriott Marquis San Francisco, 1,195-room Westin St. Francis, 1,010-room Parc 55 Wyndham San Francisco--Union Square, 685-room Grand Hyatt San Francisco and 533-room Hotel Nikko San Francisco.

Other hotels in the city include the 802-room Hyatt Regency San Francisco, 591-room Fairmont San Francisco, 549-room Hilton San Francisco Financial District and 529-room Sheraton at Fisherman's Wharf. For a more complete list of hotels, visit mcvenues.com.

Convention Center
 Moscone Center; exhibit space, 442,000 square feet in Moscone North/South combined; number of meeting rooms, 68. Moscone West; exhibit space, 3,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 38. (415) 974-4000

Fort Mason Center; exhibit space, approximately 130,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 11. (415) 441-3400

Concourse Exhibition Center at the San Francisco Design Center; exhibit space, 125,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, none. (415) 490-5800

South San Francisco Conference Center; exhibit space, approximately 20,500 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 12. (650) 877-8787

Taxes
Room tax, 14%; Tourism Improvements District Assessment, 1% or 1.5%; total tax on hotel rooms, 15% or 15.5%

Group Venue
The Box SF, just two blocks from the Moscone Center, is set on the third floor of the historic 1920s former William Randolph Hearst printing plant. A focal point of the 1,844-square-foot loft-style space is a 35-seat conference table crafted from 17th-century wooden doors from China. Up to 200 guests are accommodated when two rooms are combined. (415) 934-6900

Contact
San Francisco Travel Association, (415) 974-6900

Other Cities, Other Sites
Carlsbad The Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa opened in June with 215 guest rooms and eight suites. The property offers ocean views, a spa and more than 25,000 square feet of function space.
Contact: (760) 602-0800; hiltoncarlsbadoceanfront.com

Coronado The 124-year-old Hotel del Coronado completed an $8 million renovation of its 368 guest rooms and suites this past April. The property, set on Coronado Island near San Diego, also recently upgraded its 65,000 square feet of meeting space.
Contact: (855) 268-1219; hoteldel.com

DisneylandDisney California Adventure Park recently unveiled the 12-acre Cars Land, with four new attractions and eight dining areas, and Buena Vista Street, with a 1920s Los Angeles vibe.
Contact: disneyland.disney.go.com

Long Beach Long Beach Airport is in the midst of a $140 million renovation expected to be completed in 2013. New elements include passenger lounges, a parking structure and a $45 million concourse powered in part by solar panels.

In partnership with Southern California-based Bike Nation, Long Beach will roll out a bike-share program by next February. Visitors will access any of 2,500 bikes docked at 250 kiosks around town. A 24-hour pass will cost $6.
Contact: Long Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, (800) 452-7829; visitlongbeach.com

Napa Hyatt Hotels opened its first Andaz property in the area last month with the 141-room Andaz Napa. The property's dining options offer local cuisine and an extensive wine list sourcing some of the area's boutique brands. The hotel has 2,600 square feet of meeting space
Contact: (707) 687-1234; napa.andaz.hyatt.com

Rancho Mirage The 444-room Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa is undergoing a renovation of its spa, suites, lobby and outdoor plaza; its 41,000 square feet of meeting space already have been revamped.
Contact: (866) 423-1195; rancholaspalmas.com

SacramentoThe Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau introduced a new brand identity in August, including a new tag line ("California Begins Here") and logo.
Contact: Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, (800) 292-2334; discovergold.org

San Diego In April, the 94-room Hotel Indigo San Diego Del Mar finished a multimillion-dollar renovation. Features include a full-service spa, two pools, complimentary Wi-Fi in public spaces and a 850-square-foot meeting room.
Contact: (858) 755-1501; bit.ly/JqTE0M

The Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa has completed a $20 million renovation of its 10 guest villas, public areas, meeting and event spaces, spa and restaurant. The property, which also has 53 suites, offers a total of more than 12,000 square feet of meeting space.
Contact: (858) 756-1123; ranchovalencia.com

The 511-room Omni San Diego will complete a $5 million guest room renovation in 2013 that includes the additions of new flat-screen HD TVs, carpeting and décor.
Contact: (619) 231-6664; bit.ly/PgDW4

San Jose Across from the San Jose Convention Center, the 171-room Westin San Jose will open in June 2013 with 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
Contact: (408) 295-2000; bit.ly/PiOjhO