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In the past year, we noticed breaks
were getting boring,” says Bob Eyton-Jones, an activity organizer
at the Fairmont Tremblant in Québec. In an attempt to reduce costs,
he says, planners were opting for the bare minimum of coffee pit
stops. But such breaks often tired rather than inspired attendees.
That’s when Eyton-Jones thought of doing something flyee, French
for “off the wall.”
Now, just as meetings begin to get draggy, planners at the
Fairmont Tremblant can arrange for troops of cheerleaders and band
members to burst into the conference room and lead attendees
outside where a tailgate party awaits, complete with gingham
tablecloths and lemonade.
It might sound unusual, but that’s exactly what Eyton-Jones
wants people to think. “With everything going on, life is so
complicated,” he says. “You have to have fun and laugh.”
The Fairmont Tremblant isn’t the only venue offering creative
breaks. To distinguish themselves, hotels in all corners of the
world have been racing to invent their own kinds of pick-me-ups.
Here’s a sampling.
10-minute massage
The Hilton Waikoloa Village is taking a hands-on approach to
creative breaks. Craig Pagaduan, director of catering, meetings and
conventions, says attendees rave about short massage sessions.
Once a meeting is in recess, up to 20 massage therapists arrive
at the break area along with a raft of massage chairs, incense,
fruit smoothies and nutrition bars. Guests are invited to sit for
10 minutes and choose from a selection of styles, including
shiatsu, Thai and the uniquely Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage.
“Massages give the attendees a quiet moment of relaxation
before they have to head back and conduct their business,” says
Pagaduan. One caveat: “Sometimes they don’t want to go back to the
meeting.”
Fixing flats
One of the Hotel Monaco Denver’s most intriguing breaks
actually was invented by a meeting planner having a bad morning at
the property. After discovering her car had a flat tire, the
planner asked Bruce Mangual, the hotel’s catering and conference
services director, to come out to the parking lot and help her. As
they were jacking up the car, they had a sudden brainstorm and a
new tradition was born.
About once a month, Mangual arranges a Pit Stop Break, a
20-minute session during which meeting attendees practice changing
flat tires and jumping dead batteries on a pair of old Subarus at
the hotel.
“The most common mistake is when people forget to loosen the
bolts before jacking up the car,” says Mangual. After the hands-on
demonstration, guests reconvene to the conference room to find a
car-themed snack bar, complete with tire-shaped cookies and tables
decorated with hubcaps and tire tread-stained linens.
Puppy love
To separate itself from the pack, the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
offers a special treat for dog lovers. The hotel’s Pup-sicle Break
allows meeting planners to hire the services of Mavis, a
two-year-old golden retriever who lives on property.
Just as the meeting session is winding down, Mavis meanders
into the boardroom, towing a wagon filled with sweets. Guests can
line up for a buffet of frozen fruit bars, ice cream and chocolate
chip cookies, or simply opt to pet the pup. And you can bet she
enjoys the attention: The pooch was raised to be a seeing-eye dog,
but her trainers deemed her “too playful” for the job.
Vintage California
In the foothills of California wine country, meeting
attendees at the Lodge at Sonoma are rolling up their pants legs,
stepping into barrels of grapes and stomping away.
Though this juice won’t be used to make wine organizers say the
activity is just about having fun and “crushing some grapes”
participants are invigorated by the feel of cold pulp between their
toes and the warm California sun overhead.
The Lodge at Sonoma offers other creative breaks for those who
can appreciate good wines. For example, local vintners are on hand
to introduce guests to what’s under the cork from many of the
area’s small family wineries. The Lodge also organizes a Wine
Roulette break, an interactive competition where guests take turns
sipping from a half-dozen unlabeled bottles and attempt to identify
each one.
Since some tend to participate with great enthusiasm, “it’s
usually done at the end of the meeting,” explains Michael J.
Murphy, director of event management at the property.
Do the hula
Leave it to the folks on Oahu to liven up breaks with a
distinct Polynesian twist. At the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort &
Spa at Ko Olina, professional hula dancer Shanna Scalera teaches
attendees the ancient art of hip-wriggling. The one-hour sessions,
called Hip on Hula, give guests a glimpse into native Hawaiian
culture and music.
An added bonus: Hula dancing is great exercise. Basic movements
involve deep squats and other bending motions that get the muscles
moving and the blood pumping.
Tee time
When the session breaks, it’s time to tee up at the
Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing, N.Y., where golf aficionados can
spend an hourlong meeting break perfecting their swings.
Golf pro Tom Smack arrives at the conference room to teach
attendees about proper grips, pre-shot routines and course
management. Then he sets up putting cups and hands out clubs so
everyone can practice.
Smack also leaves time for a popular question-and-answer
session in which the discussion often centers around golf clubs.
“They like to know about the new equipment because it’s all very
expensive, and no one wants to buy what they don’t need,” he
says.
Pilates primer
When it’s time to get up and stretch, why not try a round
of Pilates? At the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club, aerobics
instructor Jennifer Stock leads groups through 10-minute exercises
that are designed to be even more rejuvenating than a cup of
cappuccino.
In morning sessions, Stock focuses on stretching and breathing.
In the afternoon, she uses low-impact, no-sweat cardio activities
that increase the heart rate. The routines act as great
icebreakers, since attendees pair up and assist each other with the
often unfamiliar exercises.
“It almost always takes a little getting used to,” Stock notes.
“At many meetings, people tend to sit around for long hours with
awful posture, and often they become stiff and sore. We think this
is an excellent way to bring health into the meeting, so attendees
are able to work their bodies as well as their minds.”
Idle thyme
Herb gardens and apple orchards provide lovely backdrops for the
wellness breaks at the Carneros Inn, a 27-acre resort in Napa,
Calif.
During free time, attendees can take hourlong garden walks and
sample a harvest of apples, olives and vegetables. Or, they can
gaze out at the panoramic views of Napa’s Wine Country while a
resident horticulturist discusses the botanical history of the
area.
For those who prefer to spend their time indoors, the inn
offers meditation breaks during which participants sit on floor
cushions and are led through a routine of various mind-energizing
exercises. As an alternative, guests can opt for a gentle Yoga
workshop or take part in a creative visualization exercise a kind
of guided meditation where guests relax, listen to inspiring
messages and tune out the pressures of the everyday world.
Spiritual escape
Got an opened-minded bunch of meeting participants? At the
Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, Mexico, a local shaman leads groups
through a 20-minute re-energizing session.
First, the shaman seats the group on mats overlooking the
ocean, then he begins to chant, burn incense and sprinkle
participants with herbed water. As attendees meditate, they are
given instructions on how to achieve a state of calm through
special breathing and sitting exercises.
Once the group is relaxed, the shaman forms a human chain by
asking everyone to rest their heads on their neighbors’ stomachs.
The practice is thought to enhance relaxation while sharing energy
among participants.