Putting on a conference or meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada can be a daunting task for any planner or group. The initial issue is first to find the appropriate property to host your meeting among the plethora of options available. Large conventions fit quite nicely into the larger properties near the Los Vegas Convention Center while smaller conferences and training seminars fit well into the smaller properties, or the venues on and off the Las Vegas Strip, or the conference centers which exist in properties without all the bells and whistles of the casinos. The next issue one faces in putting on a conference in Las Vegas is keeping your attendees at the sessions and away from all the Vegas distractions associated with the city such as the shows, casinos and other events. One option is to cut out the evening meals unless working with the large group and letting the attendees dine out in the evening and the experience the Vegas night life. The sheer number of properties in Las Vegas provides a wide variety of options for the planner or group but in order to save costs, one option is to look in the off-season when rates are lower and more deals are likely to be found!

The Days hotel and conference center in Flatwoods West Virginia sits high upon a large hill off of Interstate 79 in the heart of West Virginia. The main feature of this facility is the fact that it is located in what is commonly referred to as the geographic center of the scenic state. Its greatest asset is also its greatest drawback because while it is the geographic center of the state, it is not in the economic center of the state. This facility is a perfect getaway conference center for groups between 50 to 200 people but it is a significant stretch to go much beyond this number. Additionally, there is also not very much to do or see in the surrounding area of the facility as well. The lack of your population in the area also means the conference facility lacks enough staffing the host events much larger than the range noted above. The staff works exceptionally hard to deliver performance during year, perhaps and the facilities are modern and the copper Center is located directly between the two hotel towers. However, the limited staff only permits the delivery of meals by buffets and sit down plated dinners are not an option for any group beyond the very smallest meeting of 20 or less people. This limits food and beverage variety as well as delivery in a meeting or conference which goes beyond a couple days. The hotel provides quality rooms and suites upgrades and the hotel property is directly connected to the conference center and there is ample on-site free parking available for the attendees.

   The area of the northwestern United States offers a wide variety of options for the association, a group or planner looking for a place to hold a meeting in the midst of gorgeous breathtaking scenery. The only caveat to holding a meeting or conference in Portland, Ore. or Seattle Washington or any of the smaller venues nestled in this beautiful region is that it is best to probably avoid the cold, rainy winter months of November through February with the dreary Pacific northwest weather which would put a damper on your conference and the enjoyment of the scenery. Picturesque views of the mountains and the ability to visit Mount Hood, Mt. St. Helens and such interesting sights as the Space Needle, the rose gardens of Portland or to visit to Columbia River Gorge region were hiking and fishing await your participants make this area and exceptional place to host a meeting or Convention.  Washington and Oregon also home to a great wine region which provides some of the best Pinot Noir in the world! The Convention and Visitor Bureaus of the cities in this region take special efforts to assist planners and their needs and the hospitality of the staffs of the various hotels are not to be outdone by anyone in the hospitality industry. I highly recommend the experience of hosting a meeting or conference in the beautiful and scenic Pacific Northwest!

Disney World in Orlando Florida offers a magical treat for any group or association or its planner in putting one a conference or convention. The facilities rival, if not exceed the use of many of the first line hotel properties in the industry. The hotel accommodations are outstanding and are filled with all the latest amenities. However, what makes the Disney meeting planning experience exceptional is the service groups receive throughout their programs. The staff constantly checks on your needs and makes any necessary adjustments for your conference. The food is exceptional and features some of the best chefs in the country. The chefs provide exceptional treats and delicacies for all to enjoy. I would highly recommend the Disney experience for your next meeting or conference-you will not be disappointed. Furthermore, if your membership has children they could bring them along to enjoy all parks and recreation available at Disney or the attendees could enjoy the outstanding facilities themselves!

You know the story. You have a client that is putting on smaller conferences and you know you are not going to be the big player at most properties tryingto find them a place to host them but you still want to find them gem out there that fits your conference size and where you get a good deal and good service without being lost in the crowd. Well if you are looking for such a find in the confines of the Phoenix Arizona region you don't have to look past the Phoenix Plaza Hotel North. The only real disadvantage to this property is the that it is on the north side of town and a good distance from the airport but this can be dealt with easily enough. Once you are there, you will find a nice piece of hotel property with solid hotel rooms which are currently being upgraded and renovated for improvement (the beds are OK but not up to current standards in the industry).

The meetings rooms are excelent for smaller conferences (40-60 people ) and the courtyard area which is next to the meeting rooms and pool can be utilized for a quaint F&B event. The food is incredible and rivals some of the top of the line hotel chains.The chef is fabulous in both quality of food and presentation. The prices are very reasonable for the small confernce budget. You will not find a more attentive staff than this bunch at the Park Plaza. They go out of their way to take care of your special needs and deliver great service and replenshment of foods. They will assist you in making your conference a great sucess. This property is truly the gem in the sands of the Arizona desert for the planner looking for a venue for a small meeting or conference!

I usually don't comment too much on hotel properties unless they are exceptionally good or exceptionally bad, and unfortunately for the Hotel Arizona, the latter may be an understatement.  Those of you familiar with the Eagles song "Hotel California" probably would be scurrying to make reservations there as an escape from having to endure this property located near the Convention Center in Tuscon, AZ.  Convenient location is about all that the place has, however.

The staff of this facility had considerable difficulty understanding spec sheets or following instructions.  Repeatedly they kept trying to charge attendees of a conference for their stay where the instructions repeatedly indicated clearly the rooms were to be charged to the Master Account.  The F&B service was suspect and spotty and the food quality only mediocre at best.  Meals were served cold and untimely.  One meal was served with mold covering most of the rolls.  Room set up was inadequate and one event, despite the fact the BEO clearly specified the room was to be set for 50 persons and 50 meals, they only set it for 25 and provided only 25 meals.  What part of 50 did they not understand - the five or the zero?  Wake up calls went undelivered.  Laundry service had been discontinued as well.  The Radisson pulled its flag from this property months before I came there and for very good reason.  These inadequacies and failure to follow instructions make booking a conference or convention at this place a huge mistake.  Best advice, unless you have to - don't use it.  You and your attendees will be sorry if you must use this woefully inadequate property for a conference or event.

A unique conference venue nestled in the scenic mountains and streams of southern West Virginia. Pipestem is a state operated resort park appoximately 20 miles from I-77 and I-64 on route 20 in southern West Virginia. attendees to any conference or event here will clearly have spectacular views of gorgeous mountains, rivers and streams, vegetation and wildlife. Leisure activities available: an extensive trail system of various lengths and intensities, horseback riding, archery, fishing, boating, camping (cabins also available) as well as two golf courses are all available at Pipestem. Tram rides down the mountain to streams, the Mountain Creek Lodge and additional dining are available as well.

Pipestem recently added a new conference center addition onto the property. This center provides one large room which can be devided into up to four sectioned roms as well as another meeting room which opens out onto a deck which can seat 80 comfortably and offers a stunning view. These two areas combined would make excellent space for a nice reception. There are three meeting rooms in the older section. One is large enough for conference meetings. The other two are smaller and would serve as a small reception area or a conference room for 10-15 people. One of the rooms in the older section is not ADA accessible.

The lodging rooms are adequate but nothing like staying at a very nice hotel. They are clean and well kept but the views offered more than make up the difference. Suites are availiable for your VIPs and these are a definite upgrade over the standard rooms. If your group is quite large some of the attendees will have to stay at the Mountain Creek Lodge, which is only accessible by tram cars which hold 3-4 people. This does require more extreme planning and time constraints. Thirty to fourty extra minutes are needed to get from that lodge to the Main Lodge (McKeever) where the conference facilities are located.

This facility would be a perfect venue for a group between 50 and 250 people. My convention at this facility was larger and did logistically limit our scheduling and exceeded the facilities' on site accommodations, including use of the cabins. However, a conference of up to 250 people would be perfect at this facility including corporate retreats and conference activities outside ofthe meetings.

One of the true gems of this place was the staff. The Convention Manager is experienced and talented and works well with the group or planner. The support staff and waiters and waitresses are incredible. They were able to turn a large meeting room set up for sessions into an evening banquet with decorations within 1 hour and 10 minutes - exceptional! They worked hard the entire time to make everything run as smooth as possible. The staff made adjustments and accommodations well and responded to the demands of the group exceptionally.

The food and beverage at Pipestem is outstanding. The chef is talented and creative and the presentation was excellent. The specialty of Pipestem is fresh trout and it is truly a wonderfully delicitious dish to enjoy as you look out over the setting sun on the valley below the lodge windows! All-in-all, Pipestem is a hidden gem in the wild and wonderful West Virginia mountains!

This blog was created to serve as a reference guide and resource for the meetings industry.  It will discuss various venues and experiences at these facilities and how these venues are best suited for a particular function or event.