Why Here?
The Carolinas are blessed with beautiful landscapes ranging from verdant mountains to sandy beaches, plus all the full-service hotels and meetings-friendly sports and cultural institutions a planner could ask for. Superior airlift makes the region easily accessible to all.
Photograph: ©Charleston Area CVB; ExploreCharleston.com
Columbia, S.C.
The 135-room Sheraton Columbia Downtown Hotel received the AAA Four Diamond Award in June.
The former Radisson Hotel Columbia and Convention Center became the DoubleTree by Hilton, Columbia, in June. The 238-room property has 20,000 square feet of meeting space.
Meeting Hotels
Properties include the 300-room Marriott Columbia; 238-room DoubleTree by Hilton, Columbia; 181-room Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Columbia North, and 161-room Clarion Hotel Downtown. For more, go to mcvenues.com.
Convention Center
Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center; exhibit space, approximately 24,700 square feet; meeting rooms, 14; (800) 264-4884
Airport Transit
Columbia Metropolitan Airport, six miles southwest of downtown. Transfer cost by taxi, $15-$17. Many hotels offer free shuttles.
Taxes Room
tax, 2%; sales tax, 6% (Richland County) or 7% (Lexington); tourism development tax, 3%; total tax on hotel rooms, 11% or 12%
Group Venue
Two floors of Southern architecture are on display at Kendall's Katering's Hanlee Hall, about 15 minutes northwest of downtown. The reception hall holds up to 200 guests indoors with its open-air atrium and second-floor balcony overlooking a dance floor. (803) 749-2285
Contact
Columbia Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau, (800) 264-4884
Best-Rated Eats
In an online poll conducted by Urbanspoon.com, the Blue Moon Beach Grill in Nags Head, N.C. , and The Humble Crumb in Georgetown, S.C. ,won top honors for restaurants in the Carolinas.
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
At the Sands Resorts, which comprises seven properties, all 1,600 guest rooms have been upgraded and now sport new furniture, granite countertops, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, revamped bathrooms and more. The resort has 20,000 square feet of event space.
A renovation of the Sport and Health Club at the 1,560-room Kingston Plantation Myrtle Beach was completed in August 2010. The property offers the 14,500-square-foot Kensington Ballroom plus seven meeting rooms.
The 161-room Surfside Beach Resort reopened in June after an eight-month renovation. Guest rooms were upgraded, as was the 624-square-foot Palms Room, which accommodates meetings of up to 40 people.
Myrtle Beach International Airport is expanding its passenger terminal from seven to 12 gates. The $130 million project should be finished in early 2013.
Meeting Hotels
Hotels include the 1,600-room Sands Resorts (with seven properties), 1,560-room Kingston Plantation Resorts (four properties), 816-room Sea Mist Oceanfront Resort, 620-room The Breakers, 600-room Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort, 570-room Landmark Resort, 540-room Caravelle Resort, 514-room Crown Reef Resort & Conference Center and 492-room Springmaid Beach Resort & Conference Center.
Convention Center
Myrtle Beach Convention Center; exhibit space, 100,800 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 17; (843) 918-1225
Airport Transit
Myrtle Beach International Airport, three miles from downtown. Transfer cost by taxi, $13-$15. Many hotels offer free shuttle service.
Taxes
Room tax, 2.5%; sales tax, 5%; local taxes, 4.5% or 5.5%; total tax on hotel rooms within city limits, 13%; total tax on hotel rooms outside the city, 12%
Group Venue
The new WonderWorks Science Center opened in April and features 40,000 square feet of hands-on attractions, including a NASA space shuttle, a volcano and a pyramid. WonderWorks can host up to 1,000 guests for receptions, team-building activities and more. (843) 626-9962; wonderworksonline.com
Dining Out
The Sea Captain's House Restaurant features fine dining with ocean views and several spaces for events; the largest seats 100. (843) 448-8082
Capt. Dave's Dockside restaurant is another fine seafood mecca overlooking the ocean, featuring two stories of dining space. Groups looking to feast and fraternize outdoors can use a patio and deck, which combined hold up to 140. (843) 651-5850
Contact
Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, (800) 488-8998
Charlotte, N.C.
The 163-room Hotel Sierra debuted downtown in March with 2,200 square feet of meeting space.
Two additions were made to the Charlotte Convention Center: the 40,000-square-foot Crown Ballroom and Delish Food Court.
A recent $10 million renovation at the Charlotte Marriott City Center refreshed all 434 guest rooms.
The 262-room Renaissance Charlotte SouthPark, formerly the Hyatt SouthPark, has finished a top-down revamp.
Meeting Hotels
Major properties include the 700-room Westin Charlotte, 434-room Charlotte Marriott City Center, 400-room Hilton Charlotte Center City and 274-room Embassy Suites Charlotte.
Convention Center
Charlotte Convention Center; exhibit space, 280,000 square feet; meeting rooms, 46; (704) 339-6000
Group Venue
The NC Music Factory, opened in 2010, offers dazzling backdrops for nighttime events. The venue's Time Warner Cable Uptown Amphitheatre seats 5,000. (704) 987-0612
Contact
Visit Charlotte, The Convention & Visitors Bureau, (704) 334-2282