Why Here?
With not even a million residents between them, the three cities represented here -- Anchorage, Alaska; Boise, Idaho; and Bellevue, Wash., above -- show that the Wild West is still the wide-open west. But there are plenty of state-of-the-art facilities for events, and acres upon acres of space to play outdoors.
Coastline revamp: Sections were closed for renovations this year, but the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, an 11-mile path in Anchorage, Alaska, reopens for cyclists, runners and others in 2014. anchoragecoastaltrail.com
Anchorage, Alaska
A $5 million renovation is under way at the 248-room Millennium Alaskan Anchorage. Already finished are the restaurant, bar and lobby. Work on the corridors and outdoor deck began in May. Banquet space should be completed this month, and the guest rooms will undergo a revamp beginning in October. The property has a variety of meeting spaces, including a ballroom that can hold up to 275 for a reception.
A number of carriers increased their service into Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport this past summer, including a Virgin America route from San Francisco and nonstop United flights from Newark (N.J.) Liberty International Airport. CVB officials expect the flights, which generally run from May through September, to be available again in 2014.
Meeting Hotels
Properties in Alaska's largest city include the 606-room Hilton Anchorage Hotel, 546-room Hotel Captain Cook, 392-room Anchorage Marriott Downtown, 375-room Sheraton Anchorage Hotel & Spa, 248-room Millennium Alaskan Anchorage and 198-room Westmark Anchorage Hotel. To find and compare hotels, and send RFPs, go to mcvenues.com.
Convention Centers
Dena'ina Center; exhibit space, 97,972 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 15. (907) 263-2850; anchorageconventioncenters.com/denaina-center
The Egan Center; exhibit space, 30,534 square feet; meeting rooms, 21. (907) 263-2800; anchorageconventioncenters.com/egan-center
Airport Transit
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, about five miles from downtown. Transfer cost by taxi, $20
Taxes
Room tax, 12%; sales tax, 0%; total tax on hotel rooms, 12%
Group Venue
Captain James Cook first entered Prince William Sound in 1778 at the helm of the HMS Resolution. These days, outfits such as Phillips Cruises ply the waters at the foot of the glaciers, going out for four- to six-hour trips. For private outings, the Klondike Express welcomes 338 passengers and the Glacier Quest holds 149 people. (907) 276-8023; phillipscruises.com
Contact
Visit Anchorage, (907) 276-4118; www.anchorage.net
Resort Profile
About 30 minutes north of Seattle, the
Tulalip Resort Casino, a Native American property, is run by the Tulalip Tribe. Some facts:
Tulalip offers 30,000 square feet of meeting space, which includes a 15,000-square-foot ballroom and a 4,800-square-foot junior ballroom.
The resort's T Spa features 16 treatment rooms and a menu of services like the rhythmic Jamu Balinese massage.
The 370-room property includes 18 two-bedroom suites and five specialty suites, such as the postmodern Technology Suite, left, with concealed electronics and a 65-inch TV.
Bellevue, Wash.
Currently under construction is the Marriott Bellevue, aiming for LEED Silver certification. Upon opening in 2015, the hotel will have 378 guest rooms, a total of 13,000 square feet of meeting space, a fitness center and an indoor pool.
Meeting Hotels
Properties include the 732-room Hyatt Regency Bellevue, 353-room Hilton Bellevue, 337-room Westin Bellevue and 178-room Sheraton Bellevue Hotel.
Convention Center
Meydenbauer Center; exhibit space, 36,000 square feet; meeting rooms, nine. (425) 450-3777; bit.ly/15MAbsp
Airport Transit
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, 17 miles from downtown. Transfer cost by taxi, $50; by shuttle, $20
Taxes
Room tax, 4.9%; sales tax, 9.5%; total tax on hotel rooms, 14.4%
Group Venue
Art, craft and design by a multitude of Northwest artists are the focus at the Bellevue Museum of Art. Along with all of the beautiful artwork, there are three special event spaces at the facility: the Forum, which hosts receptions of up to 450 guests; the rooftop Court of Light, for up to 150 people, standing; and the 100-seat auditorium. (425) 519-0770; bellevuearts.org
Contact
Visit Bellevue Washington, (425) 450-3777; visitbellevuewashington.com
Spuds Heaven
Burgers play second fiddle to the potato at Boise Fry Co.'s three locations. Order russet, purple (above), gold, sweet, Okinawa or yams in shoestring, regular, homestyle, curl or po-ball style.
boisefrycompany.comWalk here: TripAdvisor's #1 attraction in Boise is the Boise River Greenbelt. bit.ly/1eJqFFJ
Boise, Idaho
Coming to downtown in 2015 is JUMP, which stands for Jack's Urban Meeting Place, a nonprofit, interactive center. The facility will include a variety of studios for cooking, body movement and multimedia. The Pioneer Room, supported by a full catering kitchen, will host up to 600 people.
The 124-room AmeriTel Inn Boise Towne Square has been rebranded as the LaQuinta Inn & Suites Towne Square.
Meeting Hotels
Properties include the 303-room Riverside Hotel, 254-room Grove Hotel, 195-room Boise Hotel & Conference Center, 182-room Red Lion Hotel Boise Downtowner, 124-room La Quinta Inn & Suites Towne Square and 112-room Hotel 43. Find and compare hotels, and send RFPs, at mcvenues.com.
Convention Center
Boise Centre; exhibit space, 25,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 20. (208) 336-8900; boisecentre.com
Airport Transit
Boise Airport, six miles from downtown. Transfer cost by taxi, $15; many area hotels offer complimentary shuttle service
Taxes
Room tax, 7%; sales tax, 6%; total tax on hotel rooms, 13%
Group Venue
In July, the Crooked Fence Brewing Co. opened an accompanying dining establishment, the Barrelhouse. Pub fare is on the menu; Crooked Fence's best brews rotate on tap, including Rusty Nail Pale Ale. Take over the place with 300 people; the banquet room holds 40, and a game lounge hosts 60. (208) 376-4200; crookedfencebrewing.com
Contact
Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau; (208) 344-7777 or (800) 635-5240; boise.org