Yes, meeting content is king. But the time before, in between, and after meetings can also be valuable in the overall attendee experience. By creating interesting shared experiences, planners can help their guests get to know one another and give them a boost of energy to stay productive throughout the day. Here are nine ideas that can leave a lasting impression.
Help guests rejuvenate mentally and physically with a yoga break at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort. A certified yoga instructor from the resort’s spa can lead a short beginner yoga session on one of the property's many lawns. Following yoga, the catering team can serve a healthy snack such as homemade power bars, smoothies, or juices with wheatgrass shots.
The demonstration kitchen at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort provides a unique setting for a meeting break. Chefs can do a brief demonstration of a food or beverage item, and then guests can sample the final product. Menu options include Spanish tapas, Southern food, risotto, desserts, and even German and Turkish food. Planners can also opt for longer hands-on cooking classes.
Attendee-led fitness activities were a popular option at the Hyatt Global Summit in July at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. Organizers identified some attendees who were willing to lead a boot camp at the resort pool, runs around the property, and yoga. “I think it created a different kind of networking opportunity, and it encouraged more attendees to join in the activities since they weren’t as structured as your typical breakout with a hotel leader or other leader from the event in charge,” said Megan Licata, the hotel’s marketing manager.
Take a nature break with a 50-minute guided kayak tour on Lake Arrowhead at the Lake Arrowhead Resort & Spa, located in the San Bernardino National Forest in California. The resort also offers boat rentals and fishing charters.
The JW Marriott Orlando Grand Lakes provides a true “farm-to-table” experience with its “Bee Break.” The resort’s resident bees are part of the food display, with the hive enclosed in a glass case. Guests can choose from a variety of foods prepared with honey from those bees, such as almond croissants drizzled with honey, and honey, orange, and chocolate chip muffins.
Meditation narrated by Dr. Deepak Chopra via video is one of the many Wellness Moment Programming activities offered at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The short mental and physical activities have been developed by Delos in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic Wellness to provide energy, creativity, relaxation, and focus to meeting attendees.
At the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, “local products that provide a sense of place continue to be hot,” said public relations director Jenny Barker. For example, a popular meeting break option is a biscuit station that focuses on the flavors and culture of the South. Chefs prepare the biscuits in front of guests who can then pair them with house-made butters and local jam.
For a recent conference where the theme was built around growth, the Hyatt Regency New Orleans created a break with a garden concept. Guests could choose from snacks hanging from trees and coming out of flower pots. Throughout the day, catering staff added new options to the garden.
Meetings in exotic destinations provide an opportunity to help guests understand the local culture. At the Eden Roc at Cap Cana Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, instructors can teach guests about local music, with hands-on lessons using maracas, tambura, and guira. After the lesson, participants can perform for their fellow attendees.
