of flexible meeting space, including 40 breakout rooms with audiovisual presentation aids, and a 16,500-square- foot exhibit hall. For team-building activities, groups can partake in a trust- building climb of the Alpine Tower or suit up for whitewater rafting. Indoor fun includes bowling, laser tag, and the new, 103,000-square-foot Casino Club, with plentiful food and entertainment options. Southern hospitality and home cooking abound at The Greenbrier. At any one of the resort’s 14 distinctive restaurants, guests can indulge in fresh- from-the-farm cuisine, including 23 varieties of vegetables harvested from the all-natural Greenbrier Farm nearby. After a busy day of meetings, attendees can take a sulphur-spring soak at the Five-Star mineral spa. Hiking trails, hot stones, organic cuisine — all is within reach at The Greenbrier.

SHEDD AQUARIUM, CHICAGO sheddaquarium.org From the South Pole to the Amazon rainforest, no part of the planet is off limits at the Shedd Aquarium. Conve- niently located in the heart of down- town Chicago, the aquarium houses

Ngala Private Game Reserve, South Africa

more than 32,500 animals, including beluga whales and zebra sharks. “This museum is near and dear to Chicago- ans and visitors alike,” said Danielle Oviatt, senior sales manager at Hyatt Regency Chicago. “Its location is ideal to any of the downtown hotels, making it convenient for attendees. My clients are always so pleased by the service and their specific attention to detail.” Not only are the services and underwater views amazing, “the food rivals any

great Chicago restaurant,” Oviatt said. Terraces with lovely lakefront views, and exhibits like the 90,000-gallon Caribbean Reef habitat give guests plenty to feast their eyes on. “We had a great event at the Shedd,”

said Illinois Association of Park Dis- tricts Education & Conference Director Sue Triphahn, CMP. “Our members loved it!”

Places for Small Meetings

BEST

THE EDGEWATER HOTEL (SEATTLE) edgewaterhotel.com On their first world tour in 1964, The Beatles stayed at The Edgewater Hotel, just two years after it was built for the 1962 World’s Fair. In their honor, the

54 PCMA CONVENE AUGUST 2013

property today has a 750-square-foot Beatles Suite. “To me, it’s a landmark,” said Gary Schirmacher, senior vice president of strategic account services at Experient, who has attended several small meetings at the property. With

breathtaking waterfront views, the Edgewater offers 10,000 square feet of meeting space. “It’s a really unique space,” Schirmacher said. “It has the most beautiful rooms and great meet- ing space. To top it all off, it’s right next door to the Bell Harbor [International] Conference Center.” However, there’s plenty of room at The Edgewater, whose 3,563-square-foot Olympic Ballroom “is just magnificent,” Schirm- acher said. “It’s a one-of-a-kind place with great service.”

THE TREMONT HOUSE, A WYNDHAM GRAND HOTEL (GALVESTON, TEXAS) thetremonthouse.com When Ame Petry, director of meeting planning at Hempstead and Associates,

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