The members of this distinctive septet two
restaurants, two event facilities, two hotels and a sports museum
have one thing in common: a previous life as a financial
institution.
Fortunately, modern-day developers appreciated the distinctive
architecture and imposing quality of these very special venues and
kept them intact, so planners today can bank on some ornately
impressive settings for their meetings and events.
The Broker Restaurant, Denver. Few would mind
getting locked in the vault of the old Denver National Bank, now a
culinary venue. Diners (up to 120) scan menus at booths once used
by bank patrons. (202) 292-5065; www.thebrokerrestaurant.com
Latrobe’s on Royal, New Orleans. This event
space might have started out in 1822 as the Louisiana State Bank,
but today, the cypress woodwork and vaulted ceilings serve as a
stately backdrop for receptions and dinners for 150. (504)
299-0601; www.latrobesonroyal.com
Threadneedles, London. In this former bank
turned hotel, even the names of the meeting rooms Capital, Sterling
and Traders evoke that financial feeling. The 70-room property, in
the city’s financial district, is part of the Eton Collection of
U.K. boutique hotels. (011) 44-20-7657- 8080; www.theetoncollection.com
Just St. James, London. Well-versed servers,
not tellers, wait on patrons at this former bank in the bustling
British capital, now a hip eatery owned by renowned London chef
Peter Gladwyn. Groups of 30 are accommodated. (011)
44-20-7976-2222; www.juststjames.com
The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia. This property
gets its moneyed air from more than its posh name. The 330-room
hotel, with 10 meeting rooms, once was the Girard Trust Co./Mellon
Bank, built in 1908. The Ritz opened in 2000, following an $88
million renovation. (215) 523-8000; www.ritzcarlton.com
The Old Federal Reserve Building Banking Hall, San
Francisco. This venerable venue in the Embarcadero Center
retains the bronze chandeliers, 25-foot classical columns and
Italian marble floors it flaunted upon opening in 1924. Today it’s
a site for private events for up to 800. (415) 772-0733; www.embarcaderocenter.com
The Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum, Toronto.
Pucks have replaced bucks at BCE Place, which houses this paean to
Canada’s national sport. The facility encompasses the restored Bank
of Montréal building, which accommodates up to 140 for banquets.
(416) 360-7735; www.hhof.com