Why Here?
Regional convention facilities are stepping up their game with two major projects. The San Jose Convention Center (above) recently completed a $130 million renovation and expansion, while Moscone Center in San Francisco will begin construction on new facilities in December.
Landmark Retreat
The 214-room, Victorian-style Dolce Hayes Mansion dates from 1905 and offers a buyout option for groups seeking a private campus near downtown San Jose. The hotel offers more than 33,000 square feet of meeting space and easy access to Silicon Valley's tech companies.
Crunch and Munch
At Mezcal (mezcalrestaurantsj.com), an Oaxacan eatery in downtown San Jose, groups can dine on chapulines, better known as fried grasshoppers. Watch how they're made online at mcmag.com/videos.
SAN JOSE
Local Update
• The San Jose McEnery Convention Center completed a $130 million makeover and expansion last year. The project included a complete renovation and the addition of 169,957 square feet of flexible ballroom and meeting space. The center now offers a grand total of 550,000 square feet for groups.
• The 212-room Hotel Valencia recently finished a renovation of its guest rooms, meeting rooms and public spaces. The property's rooftop venue, which overlooks the Santa Cruz mountains, serves as an al fresco bar area during the spring and summer but also can be rented out for private events accommodating up to 100 guests. The 212-room property has nearly 4,000 square feet of meeting space and sits on Santana Row, an upscale dining and retail destination 10 minutes from downtown San Jose.
• The 808-room Fairmont San Jose recently wrapped up a final phase of renovations to its guest rooms, which now sport new beds, décor and upgraded soft goods. The hotel has 65,000 square feet of meeting space and is just blocks from the convention center.
• Travelers departing from Mineta San Jose International Airport can purchase a day pass for $35 to access a new VIP lounge. The Club at SJC is equipped with Internet access, a conference room, free snacks and drinks (both alcoholic and non), and shower facilities.
Meeting Hotels: Major properties in the city include the 808-room Fairmont San Jose, 512-room San Jose Airport Garden Hotel, 506-room San Jose Marriott, 505-room DoubleTree by Hilton San Jose, 355-room Wyndham San Jose, 353-room Hilton San Jose, 239-room Hyatt Place San Jose Downtown and 145-room La Quinta Inn & Suites San Jose Airport.
To find and compare hotels, and send RFPs, go to mcvenues.com.
Convention Center: San Jose Convention Center; exhibit space, approximately 165,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 43; (408) 792-4194; sanjose.org
Airport Transit: Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, about three miles from the center of the city. Transfer cost by taxi, $15-$20
Taxes: Room tax, 10%; sales tax, 8.75%; Convention Center Funding District Tax, 4%; and a $0.75 to $2 per-night hotel business/improvement fee
Group Venue: The San Jose Tech Museum of Innovation features dozens of interactive tech-themed exhibits, including a jet-pack simulator and an array of cutting-edge 3-D printers. Groups can buy out the entire 132,000-square-foot venue or one of the museum's three floors. Smaller areas, like the Tech Studio, provide collaborative spaces set among robots and high-tech gadgets to inspire innovation and creativity. (408) 294-8324; thetech.org
The Blackbird Tavern, an American bistro and bar with a creative urban vibe, recently inaugurated a 2,400-square-foot event space for groups of up to 200. The restaurant can supply food and drink, including a selection of fair-trade coffee or some 30 curated craft beers. (408) 278-1050; theblackbirdtavern.com
Contact: Team San Jose, (800) 726-5673; sanjose.org
Nearby and Noteworthy
Joie De Vivre opened its new Palo Alto property, the Epiphany Hotel, in March. The 86-key hotel sits a few blocks from Stanford University and offers 650 square feet of flexible meeting space and four hospitality suites.
In February, the 205-room Embassy Suites Napa Valley wrapped up a year-long renovation of its 7,700 square feet of meeting space. The seven-acre property also features an outdoor pool.
Huddle Here
The sparkling new $1.2 billion Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara will be home to the San Francisco 49ers when completed this August. It will seat approximately 68,500 people while offering 165 luxury suites and 9,000 club seats.
SAN FRANCISCO
Local Update
• Moscone Center is set to break ground on a new expansion in December of this year. The project, to finish in 2018, will add an estimated 226,000 square feet, including 110,000 square feet of exhibit space and 43,000 square feet of meeting space, along with expanded lobby areas.
• In September, the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, will wrap up renovations to its 23,000 square feet of meeting and event space, which is being outfitted in new décor with design touches taken from couture fashion and San Francisco's famed architecture. The hotel has 336 guest rooms.
• At San Francisco International Airport, the new Terminal 3 Boarding Area E opened this past January. The $138 million, 68,000-square-foot space is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification. Among highlights are high-tech interactive displays, unique local retail and dining options, and ample natural light.
Meeting Hotels: Properties in and around Union Square include 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 and 532-room Hotel Nikko San Francisco.
To find and compare these and other hotels in the area, and to send RFPs, go to mcvenues.com.
Convention Centers: Moscone Center; exhibit space, approximately 442,000 square feet in Moscone North and South; number of meeting rooms, 68. Moscone West; exhibit space, 3,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 38. (415) 974-4000; moscone.com
Fort Mason Center; exhibit space, approximately 130,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 11. (415) 441-3400; fortmason.org
Concourse Exhibition Center at the San Francisco Design Center; exhibit space, 125,000 square feet; no meeting rooms. (415) 490-5800; sfvenues.com
Airport Transit: San Francisco International Airport, about 13 miles south of San Francisco's downtown district. Transfer cost by taxi, $45 to downtown
Taxes: Room tax, 14%; Tourism Improvements District Assessment, .75% or 1%; Moscone Expansion District, .3125% or 1.25%; total tax on hotel rooms, 15.0625% or 16.25%
Group Venues: Dogpatch WineWorks, a 15,000-square-foot winery in the city's historic east-side Dogpatch neighborhood, features public wine tastings and gathering space for up to 350 guests. For a fun team-building event, groups can roll up their pant legs, stomp grapes, and blend and bottle their own wines. (415) 525-4440; dogpatchwineworks.com
Restaurant ANZU at the Hotel Nikko features sustainable California cuisine with Asian flavors in dishes such as truffle hamachi and misoyaki black cod. A private dining space can host groups of up to 20. (415) 394-1111; hotelnikkosf.com
Contact: San Francisco Travel Association, (415) 974-6900; sanfrancisco.travel