Why here?
Pennsylvania offers many attractions, perhaps none sweeter than a town named for a legendary local chocolate magnate. There, the 276-room Hotel Hershey has debuted a new putting course, fitness center and renovated indoor pool (above) to go with its 25,000 square feet of meeting space.
New and Coming Soon
The 86-room Hampton Inn & Suites Hershey Near the Park opened in July, providing a lodging option between
Harrisburg International Airport and Hershey Park.
The $163 million Camelback Lodge and Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark is slated to open next March in Tannersville, Pa., in the Poconos. The 453-suite resort promises 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space.
Steel City Boutique
Kimpton will bring its eclectic style to downtown Pittsburgh in January with the debut of the upper-upscale 248-room Hotel Monaco in the Beaux Arts-style James H. Reed Building.
Aiming High
PHL Local Gaming, one of five bidders vying for a category 2 casino license in the Philly area, has proposed the Space Needle-like, 615-foot-high Casino Revolution Skyspire as a featured attraction should it be awarded the license.
PHILADELPHIA
Local Update
• The 172-room Courtyard Philadelphia South at the Navy Yard opened earlier this year, the first hotel in the city's former naval shipyard, now a business campus. The property offers Courtyard by Marriott's Refreshing Business lobby, an open flexible space with complimentary Wi-Fi, and a variety of seating that can accommodate impromptu meetings and social gatherings. The hotel has a fitness center, on-site dining at The Bistro and 1,833 square feet of meeting space for up to 100 people.
• The 301-room Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel, which completed its renovation and conversion to the Radisson Blu flag last November, is now upgrading its 17,000 square feet of meeting space with new lighting and technology. All mezzanine-level rooms will be closed for renovation until January 2015, followed by work on the third-floor spaces between January and February. The property will debut a Radisson Brain Box room as well, designed to foster creative brainstorming sessions.
• The Monaco Philadelphia, a 268-room boutique hotel in the historic 1907 Lafayette Building near Independence Hall, has expanded its creative meeting options. The Stratus Rooftop Lounge now features two pavilions, Mist and Vapor, that can accommodate up to 12 and 30 attendees, respectively. In addition, the property's Red Owl Tavern now offers a private chef's table for up to 10 people. In all, the hotel has 13,000 square feet for meetings, accommodating groups of up to 325.
• The Residence Inn by Marriott Conshohocken, in suburban Philadelphia, unveiled a renovation of its public spaces and 137 suites last month. All guest rooms, which come in studios and one- and two-bedroom suites, include kitchens with full-size refrigerators. The lobby offers a new open communal living space for impromptu gatherings, as well as a variety of nooks with personal high-definition flat-screen televisions. The property also debuted a new lounge and an improved full-service fitness facility.
• The 101-room Hampton Inn & Suites Philadelphia Montgomeryville, in North Wales, Pa., opened in August. There is a business center on-site, as well as free Wi-Fi and a 275-square-foot boardroom.
GRANDER STILL
The Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown debuted a major renovation and expansion project this summer. The 712-room hotel has remodeled its 17,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, unveiled a new gym and fitness center with an indoor pool, added a 24-hour business center and refreshed its restaurants.
Meeting Hotels: Meetings-friendly properties in Center City, within a 15-minute walk of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, include the 1,408-room Philadelphia Marriott Downtown; 757-room Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel; 581-room Loews Philadelphia Hotel; 445-room Sonesta Hotel Philadelphia; 432-room DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton Philadelphia; 364-room Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia; 306-room Sofitel Philadelphia; 301-room Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel Philadelphia; 299-room Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia; 294-room Westin Philadelphia; 268-room Hotel Monaco Philadelphia; 246-room Home2 Suites by Hilton; 230-room Hotel Palomar, and 202 room Le Méridien.
To find and compare hotels, and send RFPs, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Center: Pennsylvania Convention Center; exhibit space, 679,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 79; (215) 418-4700 or (800) 428-9000
Taxes: Room tax, 8.5%; sales tax, 8%; total tax on hotel rooms, 16.5%
Group Venue: The sleek and hip Japanese/Asian-fusion Morimoto, the first of the namesake celebrity chef's restaurants to open in the U.S., includes the private Omakase Room, which contains a custom-designed bamboo-topped table for up to 17 guests. The restaurant offers fresh oysters and crab from its raw bar, a full sushi bar and a mouthwatering selection of entrées that includes crispy rainbow trout, slow-cooked salmon, Chilean sea bass and Kobe sirloin, among many other standouts. Alternatively, the Chef's Choice multi-course tasting menu covers all the essential bases. (267) 238-3650
Contact:Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, (215) 636-3300