Why here?
Southeast Florida offers all the elements that make meetings and incentives outstanding: elegant resorts, vibrant cities, top dining, gorgeous beaches, premium golf, sizzling nightlife, a teeming arts scene and superb shopping at venues like CityPlace in West Palm Beach,
pictured.
NEWS FLASH
The 178-room Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa has debuted in Jensen Beach. The Opal Collection resort includes an oceanfront restaurant, two bars, two pools, a fitness center, a signature spa and more than 8,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
The Palm Beach County Convention Center is launching an expansion study to weigh plans to double its exhibit space to 200,000 square feet.
COOL COLORS
Rainbow-hued birds are the star attractions at the new Lorikeet Loft at the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society in West Palm Beach. In the bright aviary, guests can feed and interact with the playful lorikeets.
THE RAIL THING
Brightline, the express intercity rail service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, launched last month. Phase Two of the line will run from West Palm to Orlando International Airport in two hours. Train features include wide-body leather seats, complimentary WiFi, and both in-station and onboard F&B service.
THE PALM BEACHES
Local Update
• The Mandarin Oriental Boca Raton will debut in 2020 in the city's downtown. Part of a mixed-used development, the 118-room property will comprise two adjacent towers and will feature several meeting and event spaces, including a 4,500-square-foot ballroom.
• A new 141-room hotel, The Ray, is set to open next year in Delray Beach's Pineapple Grove District. Offerings include a rooftop pool and lounge, a fitness center and an event space for up to 300 guests.
• The 150-room Banyan Cay Resort & Golf, a Noble House resort, will open in late 2019 in West Palm Beach. The property will have a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, a clubhouse, a spa and a restaurant, as well as conference facilities.
• The 219-room Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach is undergoing a head-to-toe refurbishment beginning this month. Among planned improvements are the addition of a second pool and a signature restaurant that will be a partnership with an acclaimed Michelin-starred chef. The resort is slated to reopen in November.
• A 151-room Canopy by Hilton hotel will open in West Palm Beach in 2019; stay tuned to M&C for more details.
Meeting Hotels: Properties include the 1,049-room Boca Raton Resort & Club, a Waldorf Astoria Resort; 538-room The Breakers Palm Beach; 353-room West Palm Beach Marriott, and 339-room PGA National Resort & Spa.
To find and compare properties, and to send RFPs, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Center: Palm Beach County Convention Center; exhibit space, 100,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 19. (561) 366-3000
Airport Transit: Palm Beach International Airport, about four miles west of West Palm Beach. Transfer cost by taxi to West Palm beach, about $15
Taxes: Room tax, 6%; sales tax, 7%; total tax on hotel rooms, 13%
Contact: Discover The Palm Beaches, (800) 554-7256