We stopped by the Beverly Hilton on Tuesday night to check out the showcase of services the hotel and its new partner AVT Event Technologies will be offering for events. While some of the available features—such as modular stage set design, custom furniture, and custom music mastering—are not necessarily new, the Hilton has distinguished itself from similar venues by providing these services in-house.
Guests at the showcase sipped AVTinis (a mix of Hangar One Kaffir Lime vodka, Midori, blue curaçao, soda, and a twist of pineapple) before being led through a serpentine series of seven modules set in the hotel’s newly renovated International Collections meeting rooms. The second module presented virtual menu tablets—handheld digital menus that let planners access menu options, as well as additional information like chef’s picks, ingredients, and recommended wine pairings through touch screen capabilities. The menus, which are currently in use at the Grand Hyatt in Dallas-Fort Worth, will soon be featured in the hotel’s Lobby Bar and will also be developed into virtual design portfolios that will show planners sample images of past events, and potential design options (for instance, how different table layouts might appear in the hotel’s ballroom). The hotel will also incorporate digital signage, which will be available to provide guests with directional information (V.I.P.s can receive radio-frequency ID tags that they can swipe to receive personalized messages) or as ad space for sponsors.
Other modules—such as one in which attendees took center stage on a carpeted platform complete with a podium and a Los Angeles cityscape backdrop created for the showcase—demonstrated the new in-house design capabilities. The end of the modular road was marked by a reception station where guests were treated to passed hors d’oeuvres, including miniature beef Wellington and smoked salmon with cream cheese canapés, as well as sushi and pasta buffet stations.
Posted 03.16.07
Guests at the showcase sipped AVTinis (a mix of Hangar One Kaffir Lime vodka, Midori, blue curaçao, soda, and a twist of pineapple) before being led through a serpentine series of seven modules set in the hotel’s newly renovated International Collections meeting rooms. The second module presented virtual menu tablets—handheld digital menus that let planners access menu options, as well as additional information like chef’s picks, ingredients, and recommended wine pairings through touch screen capabilities. The menus, which are currently in use at the Grand Hyatt in Dallas-Fort Worth, will soon be featured in the hotel’s Lobby Bar and will also be developed into virtual design portfolios that will show planners sample images of past events, and potential design options (for instance, how different table layouts might appear in the hotel’s ballroom). The hotel will also incorporate digital signage, which will be available to provide guests with directional information (V.I.P.s can receive radio-frequency ID tags that they can swipe to receive personalized messages) or as ad space for sponsors.
Other modules—such as one in which attendees took center stage on a carpeted platform complete with a podium and a Los Angeles cityscape backdrop created for the showcase—demonstrated the new in-house design capabilities. The end of the modular road was marked by a reception station where guests were treated to passed hors d’oeuvres, including miniature beef Wellington and smoked salmon with cream cheese canapés, as well as sushi and pasta buffet stations.
Posted 03.16.07
