22 | prevue magazine

ExperienceLuxury

BY JOHNALEE JOHNSTON

prevuemeetings.com | 23

ExperienceLuxury

Local immersion is on the agenda as hotels and destinations—from Missouri to Maui —discover new ways to define “the best of the best.”

24 | prevue magazine

HHeritage, tradition and craft. A decade ago, categorizing these as luxury attributes would raise more than an eyebrow. Today, many hoteliers consider them cornerstones. They represent the heart of things, providing tangible touch points that outsiders can easily wrap their arms around. Because we all know the kind of sweat and tears that goes into creating something meaningful from the resources around us. Luxury is this experience. As Cindy Hoddeson, director of meeting and incentive sales for the Monaco Government Tourist Office, eloquently explains:

“The definition of luxury has radically changed. It is no longer about the acquisition of things, but about being in the know and appreciating the best of the best; about the experience, and the story of the experience.”

Whether planning a meeting for 10 or 1,000, the following hotels and destinations offer enormous opportunities to experience luxury at its best.

BRANSON, MISSOURILocal history, traditions and the timeless landscapes of the Ozark Mountains are forefront at Top of the Rock, Big Cedar Lodge’s new clifftop outpost. Overlooking 43,000-acre Table Rock Lake at the highest point in Taney, Missouri, Top of the Rock integrates longstanding connections between the Ozarks and its early inhabitants through historic meeting spaces, original art, cultural artifacts and other relics of bygone eras—just 10 miles from Branson.

A winding, two-and-a-half mile ride along the Lost Canyon Cave & Nature Trail, with its waterfalls, natural rock formations, covered Amish bridge and cave bar, gently ascends to the summit, where an

array of meeting spaces, dining options and activities await groups. The End of the Trail All-American Wine Cellar splinters off into a wine tasting bar, whiskey, cognac and cigar rooms and an elegantly rustic banquet space with its rounded ceiling and hand-hewn beams reminiscent of the inside of a wine barrel. Towering stone fire places and an infinity pool overlooking Table Rock Lake create a cozy atmosphere just outside. Courtney Munday, conference service manager, says traces of local history and culture can be found just about everywhere including banquet menus, “which feature recipes passed down generation to generation by our founder’s family.”

A natural history museum, the latest addition to Top of the Rock, reveals life in the Ozarks as it was from 12,000 years ago to the Civil War era, housing distinct Native American and ancient animal exhibits. A world-class golf experience features a Jack Nicklaus signature course, Tom Watson’s 70,000-sf putting complex and an Arnold Palmer-designed practice facility.

Palmer’s influence also takes shape in Arnie’s Barn, a 150-year-old barn-turned-restaurant with 46’ timbers—including the now extinct American chestnut. Groups can also meet in a Civil War era cabin repurposed by local Ozarks Amish craftsmen; at Worman House, the refurbished retreat of a 1920s railroad mogul, or on Buffalo Bar’s outdoor patio, with views of Table Rock Lake.

Down below, Big Cedar Lodge offers 246 rooms spread over lodges, cottages and cabins. One of its “wow” venues occurs during a private dinner or sunset cruise aboard Lady Liberty, the resort’s 65’ luxury yacht, which can be arranged for groups of up to 45 people. If teambuilding is on the agenda, true-to-locale activities such as horseback cattle drives followed by chuckwagon dinners,

Previous: Buffalo Bar patio at Top of the Rock. Above (l-r): Hotel Wailea, Maui; Cave of the Winds, Niagara Falls

prevuemeetings.com | 25

“Our connection to nature anchors our group activities—whether bass fishing on Table Rock Lake or golfing alongside North American bison.”

fishing tournaments, painting and wine experiences, wakeboarding and scenic carriage rides fit the bill. Groups can also meet in one of 10,000-acre Dogwood Canyon Nature Park’s outdoor venues, like the Creekside Pavilion, an open-air facility with a double stone fireplace and a 22’ vaulted ceiling, or The Glory Hole, with its emerald pool fed by a natural waterfall; both complement more than 20,000 sf of meeting space spread over 20 meeting venues.

“Our connection to nature anchors our group activities,” Munday adds, “whether bass fishing on Table Rock Lake, golfing alongside North American bison that roam the Buffalo Ridge Spring golf course or hikes on the Lost Canyon Cave & Nature Trail.”

The latest addition to Big Cedar Lodge is Cedar Creek Spa, an 18,000-sf destination spa with 11 treatment rooms. Stone walls and floors are accented by hand-hewn timber ceilings, handcrafted stained glass accents and antique-style chandeliers. Here, groups can soak in an indoor grotto pool by candlelight, experience fireside massages or the Ozarks Rain Experience Vichy shower treatment.

Coming to the resort later this year is Bass Pro Shops’ 1,200-acre Outdoor Academy, which will offer hands-on sport shooting instruction, archery and other outdoorsman activities.

MAUI, HAWAIIHawaii gained its first Relais & Chateaux this year with Hotel Wailea in Maui, following a $15 million renovation and re-launch into island luxury. Perched high above the Pacific Ocean, the former Japanese members-only club exudes a “relaxed beach house” vibe throughout all 72 suites—a modern take on Hawaiian culture includes coral fossil stone and limestone walls, bleached white oak floors and sustainably-farmed Ohia wood from Hawaii’s Big Island. It’s all about authenticity, privacy and relaxation, says GM Marcus Schale, something that is harder to obtain with a 300-room hotel or resort.

“With only 72 suites on 15 acres, Hotel Wailea is strategically designed for privacy—a buyout of the hotel is entirely within reason for many groups.”

New spoils include a poolside lounge with private cabanas and an orchard-to-glass apothecary bar, whose organic ingredients are “borderline magical,” Schale says. The culinary focus on organic, local and artisan dishes take the farm-to-table concept one step further, with a working organic farm and tropical orchards on-site. Groups can forage through the orchards during a guided tour, hand-picking the exotic fruits of their choosing, or get in on the action at the apothecary bar with a tropical mixology class.

As a boutique property, Schale believes the hotel’s small staff opens the door for relevant experiences based on a group’s needs—from kiteboarding lessons to guided rainforest tours.

26 | prevue magazine

Last Modified

Art Director

Copy Writer

Proj Mgr

Acct Svc

Prod Mgr

Art Buyer

Copy Edit

Studio

1” = 1”

63.22%

None

300

Trim

Live

Viewing

Finishing

Colors Spec’d

Moon Placae Meeting Ad Spread

8.25” x 11.125”

Preview Magazine

Project Description

Bleed

Special Instr.

Notes None

Project # Document Name 15-PAL-0680_8.125x10.875_Spread_M1.indd15-PAL-0680 Version #M1

AG

MK

MG

SF

MG

None

MK

SF

Colors In-UseFonts and Linked GraphicsMinion Pro (Regular), Miso (Regular)ISM19804_Beach.tif CMYK 272 ppi Moon Palace_AWE_Golf&SpaResort_Hor_KO.ai Moon-Palace-Crest-Meetings.psd CMYK 327 ppi

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

CONT

ENT

8.125” x 10.875”

7.2813” x 10”

6.875” x 9.5”

None

4C

BY SIGNING YOUR INITIALS ABOVE, YOU ARE STATING THAT YOU HAVE READ AND APPROVED THIS WORK.

8-18

-201

4 5:

58 PM

ACCT SERVICE PROD COPY EDIT

COPYWRITER ADCD/ACD

User Printer Output Date

3-26-2015 12:51 PM

Scott Ferguson Jelly-Time 3-26-2015 12:50 PMMech Scale

Print Scale

Stock

Mech DPI

Mechd By: SF RTVd By: SF

1

RELE

ASED

TO VE

NDOR

Date:

3-2

6-20

15Ve

ndor:

Willi

ams

THE MOON PALACE ARENA. NOW OPEN IN PARADISE. You bring your people to the Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort in Cancun. Give them 140,000 square feet of smart-tech equipped meeting space and capacity for up to 10,000 attendees. Then, you add a dedicated meeting planner, awe-inclusive value and a great excuse to hit the beach. It’s almost like you’re showing off.

1.877.521.0142 PalaceDifference.com

CP21088_15-PAL-0680_8.125x10.875_Spread_M1.indd All Pages 3/27/15 10:30 AM

The Quail Lodge & Golf Club

Last Modified

Art Director

Copy Writer

Proj Mgr

Acct Svc

Prod Mgr

Art Buyer

Copy Edit

Studio

1” = 1”

63.22%

None

300

Trim

Live

Viewing

Finishing

Colors Spec’d

Moon Placae Meeting Ad Spread

8.25” x 11.125”

Preview Magazine

Project Description

Bleed

Special Instr.

Notes None

Project # Document Name 15-PAL-0680_8.125x10.875_Spread_M1.indd15-PAL-0680 Version #M1

AG

MK

MG

SF

MG

None

MK

SF

Colors In-UseFonts and Linked GraphicsMinion Pro (Regular), Miso (Regular)ISM19804_Beach.tif CMYK 272 ppi Moon Palace_AWE_Golf&SpaResort_Hor_KO.ai Moon-Palace-Crest-Meetings.psd CMYK 327 ppi

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

CONT

ENT

8.125” x 10.875”

7.2813” x 10”

6.875” x 9.5”

None

4C

BY SIGNING YOUR INITIALS ABOVE, YOU ARE STATING THAT YOU HAVE READ AND APPROVED THIS WORK.

8-18

-201

4 5:

58 PM

ACCT SERVICE PROD COPY EDIT

COPYWRITER ADCD/ACD

User Printer Output Date

3-26-2015 12:51 PM

Scott Ferguson Jelly-Time 3-26-2015 12:50 PMMech Scale

Print Scale

Stock

Mech DPI

Mechd By: SF RTVd By: SF

1

RELE

ASED

TO VE

NDOR

Date:

3-2

6-20

15Ve

ndor:

Willi

ams

THE MOON PALACE ARENA. NOW OPEN IN PARADISE. You bring your people to the Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort in Cancun. Give them 140,000 square feet of smart-tech equipped meeting space and capacity for up to 10,000 attendees. Then, you add a dedicated meeting planner, awe-inclusive value and a great excuse to hit the beach. It’s almost like you’re showing off.

1.877.521.0142 PalaceDifference.com

CP21088_15-PAL-0680_8.125x10.875_Spread_M1.indd All Pages 3/27/15 10:30 AM

28 | prevue magazine

Unconventional meeting spaces that flaunt the natural beauty of Maui serve as inspiring backdrops to smaller corporate groups or incentives. “From a waterfall function room overlooking the Pacific Ocean to a treehouse meeting space in the canopy of a mango orchard,” Schale adds.

A new treehouse spa will soon be added to the mix, offering authentic Hawaiian treatments and wellness experiences. During winter months, active groups will want to hop into a traditional Hawaiian outrigger canoe to witness the Humpback whale migration in the Maui Basin, or check out the Kiteboarding School of Maui, the hotel’s accredited academy, which Schale mentions is quickly becoming “the new golf for the corporate world.”

LA ROMANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLICIt has its own private island and 50 villas, but this isn’t Casa de Campo’s only reason for being a luxury go-to in La Romana. The Hamptons-style resort’s seaside village atmosphere has a sporty side that plays out across 7,000 acres—whether taking groups on horseback past fields of wild buffalo, kayaking between 300’ mountain cliffs on the Chavon River, or skeet shooting at a 245-acre shooting center—Casa de Campo challenges groups to “discover the sporting life.”

With La Romana’s steady year-round temps, most of the 185-room property’s activities take place outdoors. At the Equestrian Center, group instruction on English- or Western-style riding is available to beginners; seasoned riders can enjoy jumping and rodeo stunt lessons. Horse and donkey polo take place on three on-site polo fields and one practice field for groups of all skillsets, with polo matches throughout the week.

Excursions to Hacienda Higueral, a historic working ranch just 20 minutes from the resort, will immerse groups in La Romana’s cowboy culture via a horseback ride deep into the Dominican

“outback.” Meandering through cane fields, open pastures and beside lagoons, groups can experience a day in the life of local herdsmen, ending the tour with an open-air picnic. Other popular tours thrust groups into the capital city of Santo Domingo, cave explorations, behind-the-scenes tours of celebrity mansions or to private Catalina Island via catamaran.

Many groups come to Casa de Campo just for Teeth of the Dog, the Pete Dye-designed golf course ranked one of the best in the Caribbean by Golf Digest. Golf aficionados can gain insights at the on-site Jim McLean Golf School before facing off with unpredictable and signature Dye obstacles on two additional courses that challenge even the best golfers in the world.

Despite such a robust experiential offering, Director of Sales Leandro Cruz says luxury at Casa de Campo “is defined as anticipating and delivering all of your clients’ desires before, during and after their stay.” During meetings—whether in two state-of-the-art conference centers, boardrooms, a courtyard or any of the other meeting spaces—this may play out as a deeply relaxing Indian head massage, “which relaxes and renews without an attendee having to leave his chair.” Perched on picturesque cliffs high above Chavon River, the 5,000-seat Altos de Chavon amphitheater marks the perfect spot to deliver the proverbial “wow.”

Inaugurated by a Frank Sinatra performance in the 1980s, the Grecian-style theatre is part of a re-created medieval European village, with handcrafted cobbled pathways, decorative ironwork, furniture and buildings by Dominican artisans. Groups shouldn’t miss the Regional Museum of Archaeology, featuring over 3,000 pre-Columbian Indian artifacts unearthed in the surrounding area.

BUFFALO, NEW YORKOn the heels of a $300 million upgrade that revitalized much of Buffalo’s Erie Canal Harbor, called “Canalside” locally, Buffalo’s

Above: Altos de Chavon ampitheater, La Romana

M e e t i n g s o f t h e m i n d ,

i n a p l a c e t h a t s o o t h e s t h e s o u l .

I t ’ s D i f f e r e n t H e r e

40,000 square feet of flexible meeting space

indoor and outdoor unique event space | two 18-hole golf courses | marina

Michael mina’s bourbon steak | cañas tennis | corsair by scott conant

Tu r n b e r r y I s l e M i a m i . c o mTo book your meeting call 800-661-8101

midway between miami international and fort lauderdale hollywood international airports

TIM-5207-A01F AD1 MAY MEETINGS ADS.indd 3 4/7/15 10:19 AM

30 | prevue magazine

waterfront is back in the news. The recent addition of the 200-acre Buffalo Harbor State Park—Buffalo’s first state park and New York State’s largest marina—and HarborCenter, a mixed-use hockey and entertainment center, are continuing to pique curiosity about Buffalo’s potential as a top East Coast waterfront destination.

Development is currently underway that will add new dining options, a nautically themed destination playground, picnic pavilions, walking and biking paths and landscaping to the park. HarborCenter will debut the 205-room Buffalo Marriott HarborCenter hotel and its roughly 6,000 sf of meeting/event space this year.

“The area’s historic canals are also being reworked to provide a centerpiece for growing public and private projects,” says Robert Gioia, chairman of the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation. “When winter comes, you’ll skaters gliding along the newly built canals, much as they do in similar historic locations in Canada and Europe.”

Canalside, meanwhile, is already living up to its hype with over 800 events and attractions—from Shakespearean performances and weekly artisan markets to the UB Archaeological Dig, revealing how 19th century Buffalonians lived and worked—scheduled for 2015. Cycling, kayaking and walking tours, featuring presidential pasts and some of Buffalo’s more historically telling neighborhoods and bygone era buildings, like the refurbished Commercial Slip, Central Wharf and Whipple Truss footbridge, can also be arranged for groups. A museum crawl, exploring everything from Buffalo’s Indian connections to its evolving role in the Civil Rights Movement, can be combined with selections from local wineries or craft breweries for a hyperlocal experience.

As a former industrial hub, architectural tours are also quite popular; highlights include seven Frank Lloyd Wright buildings and

Hotel @ The Lafayette, a mixed-use building featuring a hotel, banquet rooms, restaurants and brewery, designed by the first professional female architect in the U.S. City Hall’s Observation Deck, located at the top of an Art Deco skyscraper, can be used for receptions that require a “wow” factor, with panoramic views of Lake Erie and Downtown Buffalo.

Of course, along with the excitement over Buffalo’s burgeoning waterfront scene, much of the area’s allure can be attributed to nearby Niagara Falls. After exploring 18th century Old Fort Niagara, groups can pop on over to Niagara Falls State Park, for whitewater adventures on a Maid of the Mist cruise or 175 feet into the Niagara Gorge, for a close encounter with Bridal Veil Falls.

GUACALITO DE LA ISLA, NICARAGUA A recent “law and order” assessment by Gallup on Latin America and the Caribbean has placed Nicaragua at the top of the list with regard to resident perceptions of public safety. Federico Spada, GM of Mukul Beach, Golf & Spa isn’t at all surprised. “Nicaragua is a hot destination with tons of activities—volcano ash-boarding, snorkeling, fishing, hiking in pristine tropical forests, surf classes at uncrowded Pacific beaches, coffee picking…the list goes on.” All these experiences are offered to groups at Mukul Beach, Golf & Spa.

Located on Nicaragua’s Emerald Coast, Mukul, a Mayan word meaning “secret,” is surrounded by explorable emerald jungles, sandstone cliffs and outstretched ocean. Smaller groups can make use of 12 beach villas with vibrant local touch points such as chandeliers made from custom-designed mussel shells and Mokul’s 23 Bohios “treehouses,” nestled in the lush rainforest canopy. The on-site restaurant, La Cocina NiKul, offers a new take on traditional Nicaraguan ingredients sourced from farmers and fisherman in the neighboring village of Gigante. Dishes like lobster and sweet corn soup with corn gnocchi, basil and vanilla bean custard, and steamed black mussels with coconut water, cilantro and Rum Flor de Caña Gran Reserva are the result.

Wellness is also an underlying theme of the resort. Aura Architects prepare attendees’ rooms pre-arrival and while they are in meetings, according to their mood. The “mood” could be anything from aromatherapy, relaxing music, healthy treats or chocolates and champagne,” Spada says. Spa Mukul’s wellness practitioners conduct five-minute breakout meditation sessions, shoulder and hand massages—referred to as “wellness tapas”—and a brain food

5 Ways to Celebrate Westchester’s African American Heritage

● Pinkster, a cross-cultural festival with food,

drumming, dance, African folktales and traditional

instruments from the colonial period held every May.

● Enslaved Africans’ Rain Garden, a public art project

at Philipse Manor Hall in Yonkers.

● The Neuberger Museum of Art, the African Art

Collection, featuring artistic insights into more than

30 cultures—from Mali to Mozambique.

● African Cemetery, includes carved and dressed grave

stones—35 being war veterans.

● Phillipsburg Manor, a 17th century plantation now

features costumed interpreters who demonstrate

various aspects of colonial life.

Westchester County

“When winter comes, you’ll see skaters gliding along the newly built canals, much as they do in similar historic locations in Canada or Europe.”

prevuemeetings.com | 31

snack cart with fresh fruit and energizing juices to rebalance and refocus attendees’ energy. Hiking or forest bathing in the jungle, excursions to a local rum distillery or to the historic 16th century city of Grenada offer local immersion at its best. A helicopter ride to Cerro Negro for ash-boarding on a wooden board down a 1,600’ volcano is another invigorating option.

Six distinct spa venues address various treatment needs—from a “watsu” spa treatment, featuring shiatsu and pressure-point massage in a heated pool, in the Secret Garden to light and vibration therapy in the Crystal Temple room. Spada recommends a “Nicaraguan Volcanic Clay Mask using the local volcanic clay and ‘Florecidas,’ a scented spiritual bathing experience in a bathtub filled with flower-infused water that has been heated by the sun in Flor de Caña rum barrels,” to those seeking an authentic Nicaraguan spa experience.

Mukul’s meetings venues extend beyond the traditional conference rooms—from a private yacht, lounges and bars to Casona Don Carlos’ private 20,000-sf oceanfront beach house.

bigcedar.com; hotelwailea.com; casadecampo.com.do; visitbuffaloniagara.com; mukulresort.com; visitwestchesterny.com

Right: Ash-boarding down Cerro Negro