Those looking to take holiday parties to new heights may be interested in the Linq Hotel & Casino's High Roller, which is billed as the tallest observation wheel in the world at 550 feet. The wheel features 28 pods, which are available for private events and come equipped with two small benches, eight monitor screens, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Individual cabins hold 40 guests, and hosts can request the addition of a bar and personal bartender.
Part retail space, part fine art photo gallery, the 8,000-square-foot Leica Store in Los Angeles offers a modern, camera-ready venue with its sleek floor-to-ceiling glass storefront, minimalist decor, and such perks as an outdoor terrace and a V.I.P. lounge featuring a custom Miele coffee bar. Leica’s Washington, D.C., Miami, New York, and San Francisco locations also function as event spaces, and a Bellevue Washington space is slated to open by Thanksgiving.
For companies celebrating a particularly good year, El Conquistador, a Waldorf Astoria Resort located in always-warm Puerto Rico offers a private 100-acre island for 2,000 guests. Known as Palomino Island, the destination can be reached via the resort’s Catamaran and is available for private events outside of the period from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m, when it is open to El Conquistador guests. The resort’s on-site audovisual company and catering team can help with everything from setting up live music to creating a traditional Puerto Rican buffet.
Originally erected in 1875 as the Williamsburgh Savings Bank, the property reopened as Weylin B. Seymour’s in January after a team fastidiously restored the historic space. (It went on to win a Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award from the New York Landmarks Conservancy.) Charming original features, such as the Peter B. Wright murals, two domes that stand more than 110 feet high, and a restored birdcage-style elevator, pervade the venue, which holds as many as 500.
Guests can walk through a veritable winter wonderland at Chill Ice House, where the 1,200-square-foot frozen bar and lounge features such, ahem, cool design elements as a DJ booth, curtains, and cups made of ice. For private events, the venue can create customized ice sculptures and signature drinks, as well as display company logos on televisions. The lounge, which is set to minus five degrees Celsius, holds 55 guests, while an additional bar area offers warmer temps and a lounge that seats 60.
