DESTINATION BY PAUL REVEL
Rodeo Drive
Greystone Mansion
Beverly Hills attracts “high-end incentives and business meetings, as well as entertain- ment industry events of all shapes and sizes”. He adds:“Companies that want to stay within the US seek out this venue to showcase an award-type of event for their internal stake- holders, sales producers, and key contributors to the company’s bottom line.”
BLEISURE CENTRE At the moment the overall trend for meet- ings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) is “slow and steady growth”, says Paola. Roche, at the Peninsula, sees an overall corporate ratio of 60 per cent, with business clients from the Fortune 500 companies. He says meetings tend to be at senior partner and board level, requiring the exclusivity of a smaller hotel. Group bookings are becom- ing more last-minute, and he sees a rise in ‘bleisure’ travel – business travellers extending their stays and being joined by families. Hannah Fletcher, at Chambers Travel
Beverly Hills openings tend to attract drama and excitement in the hospitality industry
receiving a lot of exposure locally, nationally and globally. Each hotel has gone all out to make this programme the best it can be.”
HIGH-END INCENTIVES So who holds events in Beverly Hills, and why? Anthony Paola is director of meetings operations, sales and strategy for Meetings IQ, a division of US travel management giant Travel Leaders Corporate. He says that
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
Group, cites the Wintergarden at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire for events – it can seat up to 150 for dinner. “Beverly Hills is a great destination for the IT and finance sectors, who require an exclusive location,” she says. “It is very popular for US board- level meetings – particularly considering the excellent connections into LAX.” American Airlines was also alluding to its
relationship with the film industry when it launched its premium-focused transconti- nental A321 flights on the LAX-JFK route this year (see review, p115): the service was strategically launched during the film industry awards season, with an advertising campaign featuring images of vintage stars, such as Grace Kelly and Gregory Peck, along- side those of modern-day actors, such as Julianna Margulies and Neil Patrick Harris. The Wallis Annenberg Centre for the
Performing Arts, which opened in October last year with a star-studded gala, is a com- munity project designed by Zoltan Pali that incorporates the 1934 Italianate-style Post Office building. It has a range of events spaces for up to 500 participants. For a memorable MICE venue with a dash of Hollywood drama, Greystone Mansion was built in 1928 and has featured in dozens of movies over the years. It has spectacular settings, both inside and outside in the acres
KEY VENUES
PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA Spaces include a theatre (seats 150) and roof garden for 200.
paleycenter.org
GREYSTONE MANSION
Spectacular Hollywood gothic setting for up to 400 delegates.
greystonemansion.org
PENINSULA BEVERLY HILLS Exclusive and intimate luxury hotel, a short walk from Rodeo Drive (see review, p115).
peninsula.com
BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL The pink palace immortalised by 100 years of celebrity guests – and the Eagles’ iconic album cover and song, Hotel California.
dorchestercollection.com/bhh
BEVERLY HILTON Extensive MICE space – including the city’s largest ballroom, which is home to the annual Golden Globes awards.
beverlyhilton.com
BEVERLY HILLS CONFERENCE AND VISITORS BUREAU Assists MICE bookers to facilitate events, and collaborates with the Los Angeles convention board (
discoverlosangeles.com) when events require.
lovebeverlyhills.com
of formal gardens. Another popular option for high-end events is the wide choice of desirable restaurants that offer private events spaces, including Bouchon, Spago and Mas- tro’s Steakhouse. An unusual and distinctive venue is the Galerie Michael on Rodeo Drive, featuring exquisite works by artists including Picasso, Chagall and Miró. As the world’s entertainment capital,
Beverly Hills openings tend to attract drama and excitement in the hospitality industry. When Waldorf Astoria recently announced a new 170-room property in the city, the Hilton brand’s global head, John Vanderslice, said it was “one of the most highly anticipated de- velopments in our portfolio”, and continued by succinctly summing up the destination: “Beverly Hills is synonymous with luxury.”
BBT MAY/JUNE 2014 111
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