REGIONAL NEWS

Grand Hyatt at SFO JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort

HOTEL NEWS » New Meeting Venues at Hyatt Regency John Wayne Airport

Hyatt Regency John Wayne Airport Newport Beach has completed an extensive multimillion-dollar renovation of its 343-room property. “This top-to-bottom transformation establishes Hyatt Regency John Wayne Airport Newport Beach as an ideal destination for travelers seeking sophistication and a seamless experience in one of Southern California’s most coveted cities,” says General Manager Tom Clearwater. “With the completion of our massive redesign and remodel, guests can enjoy a next-level, stress-free travel experience.” The final phase of what’s being called a “reimagination” is marked by a collection of new venues for meetings and events. Highlights include the contemporary 1,944-square-foot Newport Bay Ballroom, which is fully equipped for theater, classroom, banquet or reception-style gatherings; a sleek executive Catalina Boardroom; multiple small- to mid-sized spaces designed for more intimate meeting experiences; and breezy outdoor function space. Offering 30,603 square feet of refined function space—the largest contiguous event space in the city—Hyatt Regency John Wayne Airport Newport Beach accommodates weddings, meetings, conferences, holiday celebrations and other social gatherings. Additional settings range from fully customizable boardrooms to flexible indoor and outdoor space such as the Pacific Ballroom, which flows seamlessly into the striking glass-encased Monarch Pavilion and Lido Event Lawn. hyatt.com

JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort, Accepting Bookings

The long-awaited luxury property, the JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort, is accepting reservations for stays beginning May 17, 2020. Orange County’s first-ever JW Marriott hotel, the 466-room property is a joint venture between Prospera Hotels, Inc., and O’Connell Hotel Group. Located at the Anaheim GardenWalk, steps from Disneyland Resort and the Anaheim Convention Center, the property has 43,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space, including 15 meeting rooms and a grand ballroom with a capacity of 1,400 guests. Other features include the Secret Butterfly Garden, where art installations come to life through augmented reality technology and a rooftop bar/lounge with stellar views of nightly fireworks, as well as an expansive fitness center with Peloton bikes and a yoga and zen room with an oversized video screen for digital classes and meditation. The property’s executive team includes Matt Harrison, most recently with the Anaheim Marriott, as resident manager; Rita Joshi, moving from Renaissance Long Beach, as director of finance; Scott Kimmel as director of food and beverage, who also joins from the Anaheim Marriott; and Amol Agarwal, executive chef, who held a similar position at Hotel Nic in Menlo Park. marriott.com

Now Boarding: Grand Hyatt at SFO

Grand Hyatt at SFO is now open for reservations. The only on-airport hotel at San Francisco International Airport, the $237 million, 351-room luxury property sits on 4.2 acres and offers over 14,000 square feet of meeting and event space as well as two culinary concepts: Quail & Crane, the 108seat signature breakfast restaurant, and Twin Crafts Market & Bar, a multifunctional lounge with “on-the-go” provisions and a cocktail bar that’s open from 10 a.m. to midnight. “We are thrilled to open the doors to Grand Hyatt at SFO and welcome our international guests, SFO visitors and local friends,” says General Manager Henning Nopper. “The completion of this hotel, an iconic addition to our Grand Hyatt brand, is a culmination of many years of hard work and planning by Hyatt, San Francisco International Airport, the great City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco Arts Commission and many more supporters.” hyatt.com

MPI NEWS » New Management Team at MPISCC

Association and Conference Group (ACG) has taken over chapter management of MPI Southern California Chapter. ACG is a woman-owned firm, incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia with staff based in Southern California, that manages 10 chapters of global associations. The chapters are located in Southern California, the Carolinas, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York. As Joe Martin, MPISCC chapter president, noted in his announcement, “Chapters require a unique skill set and attention to volunteers and committee activity. ACG thoroughly enjoys chapter work as it allows us to build very strong relationships with the leadership, membership and sponsors. ACG also understands professionals volunteer for three reasons: education, networking and philanthropy. ACG works with their clients to ensure members are able to achieve their goals in these areas.”

NAMM Hits all the Right Notes for Anaheim

NAMM, Anaheim Convention Center’s largest convention of the year, took place Jan. 16-20, drawing some 110,000 people. It’s an important part of the local economy. “This year’s show is projected to have a $178.6 million economic impact to both parts of Orange County and Los Angeles County, and that includes stays at 51 hotels for attendees, transportation, spending at the convention center and other factors,” notes Junior Tauvaa, Visit Anaheim’s chief sales officer. To further support the local community, NAMM kicks off its activities with a “day of service,” which includes providing music lessons to students in the Anaheim Elementary School District (AESD). The event includes the presentation of a $10,000 check from the NAMM Foundation to support music education for AESD’s 17,700 students.

F&B »

A New Culinary Partnership for Descanso Gardens

Descanso Gardens, the urban retreat and gardens in La Cañada Flintridge, has rebranded its food offerings in a new partnership with The Kitchen for Exploring Foods. “The Kitchen is known for celebrating and appreciating the seasons, much like Descanso,” says Juliann Rooke, executive director. “I think this partnership will be great for our members and visitors when they come to enjoy the Gardens.” The Pasadena-based Kitchen for Exploring Foods was founded by Peggy Dark in 1984 and has become one of Southern California’s leading boutique catering firms, with an emphasis on seasonal, local produce. It will provide the catering for private events at Descanso Gardens, including business meetings, retreats, corporate cocktail parties and charity galas. descansogardens.org

CVB NEWS »

Oxnard Unveils New Branding

Visit Oxnard has introduced a new brand and logo across all digital and social platforms, developed through a collaboration between Visit Oxnard and its agency of record, Verdin Marketing, with input from community stakeholders. The bold new look pays homage to the city’s diverse attractions and laid-back, approachable culture, using fluid letters, warm sun and cool water tones, mixed with vintage pastels and a strong horizontal line, to emulate the sun sinking into the ocean and elicit a feeling of nostalgia and belonging. “Oxnard’s classic car culture is also visible in the presentation of the lettering, which brings to mind California legacy plates, and perhaps a classic analog odometer,” says Brittney Hendricks, director of marketing and communications for Visit Oxnard. “We hope residents and visitors will connect with this authentically Oxnard imagery, which will serve as the face of our organization and the unique beach community we represent.” visitoxnard.com

AMENITY »

The St. Regis San Francisco Offers CBD as a Meetings Amenity

Less than two years after California legalized recreational marijuana, cannabidiol, or CBD, a non-psychoactive compound derived from the cannabis plant, is gaining widespread acceptance as a therapeutic substance used to promote relaxation, relieve pain and reduce tension. Where else but San Francisco to take it mainstream?

Randy Pierce, director of the Remède Spa at the St. Regis San Francisco, a 269room luxury hotel in a South of Market (SoMa) skyscraper, introduced CBD products, co-branded with Denver-based Mary’s Nutritionals, in January 2019. He has found a ready audience with curious first-timers, spa-savvy regulars and, now, trend-watching meeting planners. “This has been a great success as an amenity option for the hotel’s meeting planners to offer in the bags attendees receive upon registration,” Pierce says. “Additionally, when offering it in the honor bar, the tincture and bath balls have been quite popular with St. Regis business travelers.” People are also more willing to try new things while traveling or away from home and outside their everyday routine, notes Pierce, who says the CBD element was introduced to him by colleagues in Colorado, where cannabis products have been legal for years longer than in California. “And I thought … Colorado? San Francisco? Very similar markets. I sourced some CBD massage oil from their distributor and the therapists gave me feedback that their guests were walking out feeling like they are were on cloud nine.” Pierce was skeptical at first. “I’ve been around the block and seen every kind of snake oil there is,” he says. But when the spa began offering a “Love and Haight” CBD massage it soon became one of the most popular items on the treatment menu. Now the spa’s retail offerings include transdermal patches, gel pens and extracts in addition to tinctures, bath balls and massage oils. While these products won’t get you high, they might contribute to an elevated mood, as will the meeting venues at the St. Regis, which have floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic city views. The total meeting space is 15,000 square feet. marriott.com PEOPLE NEWS »

Raymond Vermolen has joined the InterContinental San Francisco as its new general manager. A veteran of InterContinental hotels around the globe, he has served as general manager of InterContinental properties in Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago, and held various roles at InterContinental hotels in Amsterdam, Paris, Athens, Lebanon and Egypt. Most recently, Vermolen was general manager of Hotel Indigo in Los Angeles, which he successfully opened in May 2017. The InterContinental San Francisco has 556 guest rooms and 43,000 square feet of meeting and function space.

San Diego’s new luxury 246room Carté Hotel, a Curio Collection by Hilton, has named Michelle Lhota its catering sales manager and David Presslauer group sales manager. Lhota, who previously served as the executive meetings manager at The Gwen in Chicago, oversees and manages all custom catering. Presslauer, who held sales positions at Wrike and SurveyMonkey, heads up group reservations, including for business meetings and social gatherings.

Michael Levine has been named chef de cuisine at 20/Twenty, located in the recently opened Westin Carlsbad Resort and Spa. The restaurant celebrates farm-to-coast cuisine with a global perspective and locally sourced ingredients. In his role, Levine will assist executive chef Julian Quiñones in keeping the menu elevated and regionally focused.

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