From luxury lodges to metropolitan meeting centers, venues across North America excel at helping businesses host productive and memorable corporate retreats.
The secluded 21-room Echo Valley Ranch & Spa sits on 160 acres in British Columbia, surrounded by untouched wilderness. Groups can reserve part or all of the resort, which features 3,000 square feet of meeting space, two spas, and a private, paved landing strip. Farm-to-fork cuisine is served family-style, which helps create a community-oriented atmosphere. Open seasonally from April to October and between December 15 and January 6, Echo Valley staff work with meeting planners to tailor each group's itinerary. Activities can include out-of-the-box adventures like gold panning, scavenger hunts, and guided expeditions on horseback, or more low-key options like western-style cookouts and stargazing.
Set on a private 250-acre gated estate in California's wine country, Meadowood Napa Valley offers a secluded, peaceful environment with the amenities of a luxury resort. The property's 85 guest rooms and suites vary from cozy cottages to spacious lodges, and the grounds include a Michelin three-star restaurant, a nine-hole golf course, seven tennis courts, two swimming pools, and a spa. Twelve separate meeting rooms are available for group gatherings, but the staff can arrange memorable out-of-the-boardroom experiences such as cooking classes, golf outings, and, of course, wine tastings.
The LEED-certified hotel Forty 1 North opened in 2011 in historic Newport, Rhode Island. The property is outfitted with state-of-the-art technology; 28 guest rooms, cottages, suites, and lofts; and spectacular views of Newport Harbor. Hotel staff can assist in coordinating group activities such as voyages on America's Cup racing yachts, private tours of the famed Newport mansions, cooking competitions, and wine tastings. For audiovisual needs, the hotel works with an outside company to provide equipment including a simple projector and screen as well as international teleconferencing devices.
Located about two hours from both New York and Philadelphia, the Lodge at Woodloch offers an accessible location in the Pocono Mountains for small groups or full buyouts. The all-inclusive property includes 57 guest rooms for as many as 114 guests, a 40,000-square-foot spa, and three meeting rooms, all with complimentary Wi-Fi access. The spa cuisine incorporates ingredients from the property's own garden, and groups can choose to use the main dining room or eat privately. Fitness and wellness classes, outdoor activities, and enrichment experiences such as art instruction and cooking demos can be arranged. While the lodge's largest meeting room holds 88 people, additional space is available at its nearby sister property, Woodloch Resort.
A destination resort near Los Angeles, Terranea Resort includes 582 guest rooms, bungalows, casitas, and villas on 102 acres of oceanfront land. It has 60,000 square feet of indoor meeting space and 75,000 square feet of outdoor event space for groups of as many as 2,400. The property's meeting and event staff can arrange teambuilding activities such as scavenger hunts, lawn games, painting, hermit crab races, and fitness boot camps. The resort's salon and spa includes 25 treatment rooms, an expansive terrace, relaxation areas, plunge pools, and a 5,000-square-foot fitness and wellness center.
Located in Toronto's financial district, Ivey Tangerine Leadership Centre offers 6,000 square feet of function space, boardrooms, breakout rooms, and tiered amphitheater classrooms. Because the venue was built with meetings in mind, it offers state-of-the-art technology, on-site catering, and ergonomic furniture. Ivey partners with the nearby Intercontinental Toronto Centre to accommodate overnight stays.
For an unusual corporate retreat venue, the Roxbury Hotel and Spa in the Catskill Mountains in New York offers a unique setting. Each of the 28 guest rooms, kitchenettes, and suites features theme decor inspired by a TV show or movie from the 1960s and '70s—from The Flintstones to Saturday Night Fever. The hotel holds 50 guests, and a stylishly appointed boardroom seats 10. Larger groups can meet nearby at the Historic Masonic Hall or the Roxbury Arts Group, which seats 120. The hotel serves an elaborate continental breakfast, and groups can hire local caterers and gourmet food trucks for lunch and dinner. Since cell phone reception in the Catskills is notoriously spotty, the Roxbury installed cell boosters throughout the 26,000-square-foot property to help guests stay connected.
While Canyon Ranch is best known for its destination spa properties in Arizona and Massachusetts, the chain's Miami location offers a different approach to the company's traditional wellness-based experience. Set on a six oceanfront acres in North Miami Beach, the property combines the holistic philosophy of the Canyon Ranch brand with the chic and lively atmosphere of Miami, enabling groups to experience the city's attractions. The hotel features 150 one- and two-bedroom suites, as well as a 70,000-square-foot spa. Canyon Ranch Miami welcomes groups of as many as 40 people, and staff can design a schedule to accommodate each group's needs, whether that means fitness activities, nutrition classes, teambuilding activities such as rock climbing or cooking classes, or in-depth health consultations with medical and wellness experts. The hotel serves local, seasonal spa cuisine, and unlike other Canyon Ranch properties, it also serves alcohol.
Adding to its roster of four venues in New York, Convene opened a fifth location in suburban Washington, D.C., in April called Convene at Tysons Corner. The 15,000-square-foot dedicated meeting facility features six conference rooms that hold as many as 250 guests. Convene operates under a "human-centered design" philosophy, wherein every aspect of the retreat experience is tailored to meet each client's specific needs. Packages include full production support, freshly prepared catering, expert technology, and full-service staffing. The venue also offers an open community area and private work spaces.
Located in Primm, Nevada, Primm Valley Casino Resorts offer a less flashy alternative to an off-site meeting on the Las Vegas Strip. The lodging-entertainment-dining complex includes three distinctly styled hotels: the elegant Primm Valley, the western-theme Buffalo Bill's, and the limited-service Whiskey Pete's. The resort also boasts a 20,000-square-foot conference center with a 6,000-seat special events center and a 700-seat showroom. An in-house audiovisual department can assist with client needs. Additional amenities include a full-service spa, a casino, two golf courses designed by Tom Fazio, designer stores, a comedy club, a movie theater, and even a roller coaster.
