Why here?
Golden sunshine, world-class beaches and resorts like the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa (above) make Northern Florida an attractive destination year-round. And in Orlando, the country's most popular city (59 million visitors in 2013 alone), nearly 3,000 new hotels rooms are in the pipeline.
SPOTLIGHT: JACKSONVILLE
Last December, the Four Points by Sheraton Jacksonville opened with 72 oceanfront suites, complimentary Wi-Fi, a fitness center and 1,800 square feet of meeting space.
The Omni Jacksonville Hotel recently finished an $8 million renovation of its 354 guest rooms, bar and restaurants. The property offers a heated rooftop swimming pool, Juliette's Bistro, the late-night J Bar and 15,000 square feet of meeting space.
Posh Portal
The 404-room Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort has completed an $85 million renovation that added a new grand entrance with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking an infinity-edge pool.
What's Cooking?
The Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin hotel recently treated media guests to a reception showcasing its creative F&B offerings to groups. See a slide show featuring highlights at mcmag.com/slideshows.
NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Local Update
• The 602-room Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa completed a four-month, $12.5 million renovation in March. The project included upgrades to the hotel's lobby, public space, Spa Tower guest rooms, spa and more. Features at the resort include six dining venues and more than 32,000 square feet of meeting space.
• In June, the Emerald Coast Convention Center unveiled a new 30,000-square-foot outdoor event space called Bayview Plaza, which can be tented in case of rain.
Meeting Hotels: For a full list of Northern Florida properties, and to find and compare hotels and send RFPs, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Centers: Baytowne Conference Center (Sandestin); exhibit space, approximately 23,350 square feet; number of meeting rooms, eight; (800) 277-0803
Emerald Coast Convention Center (Fort Walton Beach); exhibit space, 35,000 square feet indoors and 30,000 square feet outdoors; number of meeting rooms, 12; (850) 609-3800
Airport Transit: Northwest Florida Regional Airport, 19 miles from Destin, 10 miles from Fort Walton Beach. Transfer cost by taxi to Destin, about $45, and about $30 to Fort Walton Beach
Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport, 33 miles from South Walton. Transfer cost by taxi, about $80
Taxes: South Walton and Sandestin: county bed tax, 4.5%; sales tax, 7.5%; total tax on hotel rooms, 12%
Okaloosa County: bed tax, 5%; sales tax, 6%; total tax on hotel rooms, 11%
Group Venue: Henderson State Park offers a 6,000-foot-long stretch of white sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Four beachside pavilions are available for rental and can accommodate up to 150 guests each. (850) 269-1062
Contact: Visit South Walton, (800) 822-6877
Emerald Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau, (850) 651-7131
Historic Hotels
In St. Augustine, founded by the Spanish in 1565 and the oldest European settlement in the U.S., the 138-room Casa Monica Hotel has upgraded its restaurant and lounge. Just to the north, the 250-room Ponte Vedra Inn and Club (above), which dates from 1928, has reopened following a four-month renovation.
ORLANDO
Local Update
• This month, the 444-room Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort will open with a Tom Fazio-designed golf course, a full-service spa, a fitness studio, several dining options and 37,750 square feet of function space.
• The 800-room Rosen Plaza Hotel recently debuted a skybridge connecting to the Orange County Convention Center's West Building. The $2.5 million project was dedicated to Gary Sain, the Visit Orlando president and CEO who passed away in 2012.
• Last month, Universal Studios Florida opened a new Harry Potter-themed area called Diagon Alley, which brings to life some of the experiences and shops found in and around London, as portrayed in the books and films.
• In February, the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando completed a $22 million renovation of its 750 guest rooms, which now feature Italian-inspired furnishings. The resort has more than 42,000 square feet of meeting space, three pools and a spa.
• The 1,800-room Cabana Bay Beach Resort at Universal Orlando opened earlier this year, channeling the retro-feel of iconic beach resorts from the 1950s and '60s. The resort has two pools and a 6,000-square-foot sand beach.
• The 315-room Westin Orlando Universal Boulevard opened a new 5,576-square-foot conference center and event space, and now offers a total of 13,685 square feet of function space.
• The 582-room Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, is renovating its 60,000 square feet of meeting space and should finish up by early next year. Meanwhile, the 1,000-room JW Marriott Orlando, also part of the Grande Lakes Orlando complex, recently completed an upgrade to its own 100,000 square feet of meeting space.
Meeting Hotels: To find and compare Orlando area hotels, and to send RFPs, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Center: Orange County Convention Center; exhibit space, 2.1 million square feet; number of meeting rooms, 74; (407) 685-9800 or (800) 345-9845
Airport Transit: Orlando International Airport, about 13 miles southeast of downtown Orlando, 14 miles east of the Orange County Convention Center/International Drive and about 20 miles northeast of Walt Disney World. Transfer cost by taxi, $35 to downtown, $33-$39 to the convention center/International Drive and about $50 to Walt Disney World; by shuttle, $19 to downtown, $20 to convention center/International Drive
Disney's Magical Express provides Walt Disney World Resort guests with free airport shuttles in addition to advance check-in for those flying with participating airlines.
Taxes: Orlando/Orange County: room tax, 6%; sales tax, 6.50%; total taxes on hotel rooms, 12.5%
Walt Disney World Resort hotels in Orange County: room tax, 6%; sales tax, 6.5%; total tax on hotel rooms, 12.5%
Disney properties in Osceola County: room tax, 6%; sales tax, 7%; total tax on hotel rooms, 13%
Group Venue: The Mission Inn Resort & Club, just northwest of downtown Orlando, celebrated its 50th anniversary in June with a revamp of all 176 guest rooms. The property has 30,000 square feet of meeting space, including Spanish-style verandas for groups of up to 300. Also available is an air-conditioned lakeside pavilion for up to 200 guests. For team building, the resort offers ropes courses and other experiential learning options. (800) 874-9053
Contact: Visit Orlando, (800) 972-3304
Walt Disney World Resort, (321) 939-7129