Boutique Hotel

When most planners think of New York City, the venues that come to mind tend to be the classic larger-scale meetings and conference venues. But where should a planner look when the meeting they're arranging is on the smaller side or warrants a more intimate space? Well, we suggest having a look at Manhattan's Upper West Side, where hotel rooms and meeting spaces abound, as long as you're prepared to think outside the mid-town box.

Bounded by Central Park and the Hudson River, the elegant architecture, tree-lined streets and neighborhood feel of the Upper West Side make it one of the city's most desirable neighborhoods. It's also an excellent location for intimate New York events such as weddings, executive seminars and off-sites. Among our favorites? Our list, from south to north is below.

A word to the wise: if you're planning a meeting for this February, get your bookings in early. These hotels are likely to  fill up with migrating fashionistas when Fashion Week moves from Bryant Park to its new home at Lincoln Center.

The Hudson Hotel
Just across the street from the Shops at Columbus Circle, this New York hotel offers boutique hotel elegance, with a hip, modern look, and NYC meeting rooms that are perfect for small-to-medium sized groups.

The Empire Hotel
Overlooking Lincoln Center, the oh-so-chic Empire Hotel in New York has lovely sleeping rooms as well as several meeting facilities for medium-sized groups. A rooftop lounge with fabulous views can be rented for private functions.

OTA/ On The Avenue Hotel
Just off Broadway on 77th, three blocks from the ever-popular Zabar's and two blocks from the Museum of Natural History, The OTA is a great spot for small groups in search of New York boutique hotel style at a reasonable price. For the foodies in your group, the highly regarded West Branch is right downstairs, and their food is absolutely delicious (trust us, we're regulars!), as are the apple martinis.

Find more meeting hotels in New York on Cvent's New York venue directory.

One of Dallas' trendiest boutique hotels is also one of Dallas' greenest. Hotel Palomar, a member of San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels, has embraced a new trend and made it standard practice through their EarthCare program. This company-wide philosophy is taking giant steps towards ensuring a more sustainable planet by practicing over 70 "eco-practices" on a daily basis, including industry firsts such as in-room recycle bins, environmentally friendly cleaning products, and energy efficient lighting.

This forward thinking mindset parlays over to the meetings side as well. With their EarthCare Meetings Packages, this Dallas boutique hotel infuses full-service functions with small yet crucial facets of eco-conscientiousness like recycled paper products, soy-based ink, and locally grown, organic ingredients. In addition, a portion of all proceeds are donated to Kimpton's EarthCare partner, the Trust for Public Land, which promotes greener urban areas like rooftop gardens and inner city parks.

All this combined with innovative meeting ideas can truly make for memorable meetings. If you're looking to take the bored out of boardroom for your next Dallas meeting, look no further than Hotel Palomar. This Dallas hotel offers a variety of packages that will stir imaginations and challenge expectations with some very creative approaches.

Take, for example, the Fun Worship Package. This package offers a clever assortment of playful distractions that add unexpected fun to your meetings by incorporating games and toys like Rubik's Cube, PlayDoh, and Legos. Another signature package to consider is the Elements of Wellness Package. This takes on a spa-like retreat by introducing aromatherapy, massage breaks, wii fit (yup!), and a healthy menu.

This Dallas event space offers the following:

• 9,000 square feet of usable Dallas meeting space (including pre-function space)
• a 6,500 square-foot Grand Ballroom that is divisible into four separate rooms
• numerous and flexible breakout and boardroom options
• in-house audio-visual professionals (no charge for sound patch or wireless)
• tables and linens
• 24 hour, full-service business center
• on-site secured garage parking

Hotel Palomar is located in the ultra-posh Park Cities area and is a quick trip from Dallas Love Field Airport. It also sits directly across one of the trendiest spots for dining, entertainment, and shopping in Dallas: Mockingbird Station.

View more information about Hotel Palomar Dallas on the Cvent Supplier Network

Suppliers and vendors all around the city of Chicago have been releasing promotions for event planners as an incentive to book their services for this year's holiday gatherings. Take a look at some of the best meeting promotions in the Chicago area for the holiday season:

Fulton Lounge

Fulton lounge is located in the West Loop. This relaxed but intimate Chicago party venue is a perfect place to host a holiday event. With space for up to 300 guests, the lounge serves as an ideal Chicago banquet hall and offers several packaged options to make the event planning process proceed with ease. This year, Fulton Lounge has a new menu crafted by OTOM Restaurant. If you book your event by November 30, you will receive 20 percent off the beverage minimum for parties of 25 or more guests!

theWit

theWit Hotel is located in the Downtown Loop. This relatively new Chicago boutique hotel has many event spaces available for private events. From their three amazing restaurants to their high definition theater, theWit is sure to please any guest. If you book a holiday party in one of this Chicago hotel's unique spaces, you will receive a $150 gift certificate to one of its three in-house Chicago restaurants.

Ditka's Steaks, Seafood & Chops

Located in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago, this traditional steakhouse is one of Chicago's prime restaurants. Named after Mike Ditka, former coach of the NFL Chicago Bears, this Chicago banquet facility is filled with Chicago sports memorabilia to give it a local touch. When booking with Ditka's, you will receive 10 percent off your food or beverage package of your choice, an autographed Mike Ditka football, as well as entry into their holiday raffle, which includes a chance to win prizes ranging a winery trip for two to a dinner for six prepared by the restaurant's executive chef in your home!

Spiaggia

Spiaggia is located at the end of the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago. This highly-rated Italian restaurant offers space overlooking Lake Michigan. The fact that it will be celebrating its 25th anniversary over this holiday season makes it an even more special option for your Chicago events. If you book an event in one of their private dining rooms, Spiaggia will over 25 percent off selected menus.

Recession? What recession? All of a sudden it seems there's a mini gold rush in the New York City hotel business, and everyone -- including a few chains who've never had outposts in the city -- wants to get in on the action. The latest wave of new property openings in the Big Apple started over the last few months and seems to be steaming right on in to the new year.

Though some are more centrally located than others, and the prices vary from cheap and cheerful to sky-high, we're excited that our fair city has even more great places to choose from, in a few unexpected neighborhoods. Among the new names to know:

Uptown East: The Surrey
Nestled in the elegant Upper East Side and steps from Central Park, the newly restored Surrey Hotel has just completed its $60 million dollar face lift and is ready to greet the public. The renovated spread includes a lobby lounge and cafe by the legendary Daniel Bouloud, a Cartier outpost and a rooftop garden -- for the full Upper East Side luxury experience. (Per night prices start in the high $500s)

West Midtown: Ink 48
We love a good Kimpton Hotel stay and have always wished  there were more of them in NYC, particularly on the west side of town. Well, at last Kimpton is adding one more stylish entry to their local roster and they're calling it Ink 48. For the boutique chain's fans there will be all the usual signature Kimpton touches, plus a rooftop lounge and Times Square and Hudson River views. (Per night prices start in the low $400s)

Garment District: The Distrikt Hotel
Location, location, location. For fashionistas who can only hoof it a block or two in their skyscraper stilettos, The Distrikt Hotel, opening in late December, may just be an answer to their prayers. Located in the heart of the garment district and just around the corner from Project Runway's NYC headquarters at Parson's School of Design (not to mention Mood Fabrics), this high-style, chic and sleek hotel will offer all the goodies the fashionable traveler needs, including the classic Simmons Beauty Rest pillow top mattresses, luxurious Frette bed and bath linens, flat-screen televisions and an ergonomically-friendly desk set up for managing those late night emails to the office. (Per night prices start in the mid-$200s)

Long Island City: Country Inn & Suites by Carlson
If you're willing to stay a couple of minutes outside Manhattan, or "off-island" as some might call it, the just-opened Country Inn & Suites by Carlson is a good choice for those who are looking for more value and space over high-design. Opened just three weeks ago, this hotel near New York features the homey Country Inn and Suites design sensibility and rooms with budget friendly in-room refrigerators, microwaves, free Internet and 252 to 384 square feet of space, depending on the room selected. (Prices per night start in the low-to-mid $100s)

 The Walters Art Museum is a hidden gem among private event venues in Baltimore. Imagine holding your small business meeting, banquet or cocktail reception among amazing works of art and paintings. Current exhibitions on display include Mummified and Art of the Ancient Americas.

In 2008, when The Expo Group was looking for a venue in Baltimore to host their Show Manager of The Years Award ceremony, they decided that the Walters fit their needs perfectly and had their dinner among the statues in the original Charles Street building. The Walters can accommodate up to 500 attendees for a reception.

In addition to banquets and meetings, the Walters is one of the most coveted wedding venues in Baltimore. Many a wedding reception has been held within the Walters’ Sculpture Courtyard.  Having handled so many weddings, the staff at the Walters can assist with the many details of organizing the reception and can recommend several caterers in Baltimore. The Peabody Court Hotel is located across the street from the museum and is one of the few boutique hotels in Baltimore.

View more information about the Walters Art Museum and other downtown Baltimore venues on the Cvent Supplier Network

If the space hotel was a little too far out for your tastes, rest assured that you can still find some pretty unique hotels here on Earth. In fact, Cassandra Evans at Divine Caroline has compiled a rather interesting list of Bizarre Hotels Made from Found Objects. Take a look at a few of the most wacky:

• The Jules Underwater Hotel in Key Largo, Florida, wants to know, "Have you slept underwater lately?" To enter the lodge, guests must scuba dive 21 feet beneath the ocean to enter the cottage-sized building. Stocked with cozy beds and 42-inch round windows overlooking the aquatic life, Jules even offers a wedding package that includes fresh flowers, a notary, dinner and small cake, prepared by a "mer-chef."

• Dasparkhotel strives to offer guests "a temporary, comfortable, uncomplicated home." That just about sums up its minimalist rooms made out of enormous sewage pipes, now stationed at the Danube River in Ottensheim, Austria.

• The Sand Hotel opened in 2008 as the first-ever hotel of its type. Offering twin and double bedrooms where guests can enjoy the night skies through the roofless property, the Sand Hotel, resembling a giant sandcastle, came with a warning from creator Mark Anderson: "The beds are made of sand so it can get everywhere, especially between the toes. But the best thing is in the morning, the tide laps through the door, what a great way to wake up."

Orlando event planners have two great advantages on their side: fantastic weather year-round, and a multitude event venues both in the city and in the region's various small towns. The city of Winter Park, for example, just seven miles from downtown Orlando, has one of the most desirable outdoor event venues located right in its central shopping district.

Central Park is directly across the street from some of the area's best boutique shops, wine bars and four-star restaurants, making it the ideal outdoor Orlando venue for a beautiful, memorable and stylized event. With its immaculate rose garden complete, the picturesque 11-acre park has been used as the location for free classic movie showings, Orlando wedding receptions, art shows, fundraising walks and more.

Convenient to not just Orlando locals, Central Park is also easily reached by out-of-towners. It's right next to the quaint Winter Park/Orlando Amtrak train station, which also imparts a nostalgic feel to the area.

Learn more about renting Central Park for your next Orlando meeting or event.

Be among the few to stand in front of the secret bookcase and say the magic words: "Open Sesame." And poof! The Magic Castle, an elusive LA attraction, will reveal itself as one of the most coveted venues in Los Angeles.

It's not an illusion! World-class entertainment in Los Angeles unfolds right in front of your eyes as you enter this four-story Victorian castle smack-dab in the middle of Hollywood. It holds up to 360 people for meetings and special events.

Combined with the most exciting group dining Los Angeles has to offer and the convenience of a hip hotel right on the property, the Magic Castle is a triple threat. Successful Los Angeles corporate event planning includes a creative conference site or diverse banquet hall, and the Magic Castle holds the cards.

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: Put an ace in your pocket! Befriend a magical member to harness your full Los Angeles event planning potential.

To find more unique Los Angeles venues, visit the Cvent Supplier Network.

Los Angeles boutique hotels come out on top! Who needs bustling lobbies full of tourists and tour guides when you can be greeted by name and escorted directly to your room like an A-lister? Stand in line to check in? That's so 2000 and late!

There's a new list of 5 star hotels in Los Angeles, none of which have more than 200 rooms. In order to reach the tip top of every meeting planner's list, these swanky boutique lairs must have a luxurious LA conference room and a rooftop to die for.

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: Aim High! Schedule an exclusive meeting in one of these private conference rooms or pitch the perfect party at the top one of these powerhouses—either way, you are guaranteed to raise the roof!

Here's my 'top-heavy" list of luxury boutique hotels LA has to offer:

1. The Thompson Beverly Hills
2. Le Montrose Suite Hotel
3. The Huntley Hotel
4. Petit Ermitage
5. Chamberlain West Hollywood

Find more Los Angeles luxury hotels on the Cvent Supplier Network.

A boutique Miami hotel on a budget? Look no further than downtown Miami's EPIC Hotel. One of the most recent addition to Kimpton Hotels collection, EPIC lives up to its name, offering a level of style and service of unmatched proportions.

Located right on the waterfront, the hotel offers striking views of the Miami skyline from its 411 guest rooms and suites. Vaulted ceilings, glass walls and shimmering pools surround guests as they enjoy some of the hotel's world-class indulgences, such as the hosted evening wine hour in the lobby, a Kimpton Hotels signature offering.

For Miami meetings and events, EPIC has over 25,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space spread among its meeting rooms, pool deck and EPIC lawn. Events of 300 to 400 guests can enjoy spacious facilities and services that include comprehensive multimedia and audio-visual support, an on-site 24-hour business center, and catering from the hotel's award-winning Area 31 restaurant.

Best of all, EPIC Hotel is offering some great Miami meeting promotions for fall. The Fall Group Sale includes group rates from $139, 10 percent off master account folio charges, and creative meeting concept consultation, all valid from September 3, 2009, through December 25, 2009.

Or, take advantage of its "Power Hour" meetings package. Good for meetings booked and consumed by December 31, 2009, Miami meeting planners can enjoy one hour early check-in, one-hour late check-out, daily hosted wine hour, a Friday happy hour with specialty pricing, a one-hour massage for the meeting planner, and one guest room upgrade for a VIP. Plus, planners can choose from a two-hour cocktail recepection for the price of a one-hour reception, a two-hour boat cruise, or 10 percent off published banquet menu prices.

To learn more about these Miami promotions for your next event, call 1-866-760-3742. And make sure to view more information about EPIC Hotel on the Cvent Supplier Network!

If you're in the midst of planning a Dallas business trip for a large group and the budget is tight, don't fret! We've got some tips and ideas to help save money without skimping on the "umph" your event needs to be a success.

Tip #1: Use Cvent! Cvent is an excellent tool for submitting RFPs to a huge selection of Dallas hotels and allows you an edge when negotiating rates, rentals, and amenities for your upcoming Dallas event. There are plenty of great deals out there, so don't be shy in asking for flexibility with room rental, catering, and/or sleeping room rates—go for as many comp room nights as possible!

Tip #2: Use the hotel! Dallas hotels are great resources for seeking out popular restaurants, shopping and attractions. Some may even have coupons, passes, or connections at certain hotspots.

Tip #3: Use DART! Group passes, available for a minimal price per person, allow for travel all over Dallas via rail or bus. Generally, hotels offer complimentary shuttle service within a certain radius (usually five miles) and many are located near DART rail stations. This not only saves money on Dallas transportation for groups, but is friendlier to the environment as well.

Among the Dallas hotels centrally located near rail stations are: Hyatt Regency Dallas at Reunion, Sheraton Dallas Hotel, Dallas boutique hotel ZaZa, Hotel Palomar Dallas, Renaissance Dallas-Richardson, and Doubletree Hotel Dallas-Campbell Centre.

Tip #4: Be as flexible as possible! If dates aren't set in stone, flexibility in schedule can really help your bottom line. Many hotels have slower months and days where they have a bit more leeway with rates and package deals.

Tip #5: Don't forget about your rewards programs! Many times meeting planners don't consider the perks and benefits of using your preferred loyalty program as a bargaining tool. If the hotel is unable to go lower with price, but the package and hotel are too great to pass up, ask what they can offer in the way of points.

Tip #6: Enjoy Dallas! Be confident in your selection of Dallas as a meeting destination and enjoy the many wonderful venues, attractions and conveniences this city has to offer. Dallas is booming with business and arts and offers some great outlets for team building and relaxation for business travel.

Looking for a boutique hotel in Philadelphia? Hotel Palomar, a Kimpton Hotel, just opened in the posh Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. This LEED-certified Philadelphia hotel offers superior service and warm hospitality for guests and events of all kinds.

The 230-room hotel has 6,000 square feet of meeting space. Its five flexible meeting rooms can accommodate up to 90 seated guests or up to 200 people for receptions. To make sure any event goes smoothly, hotel staff offer multimedia and audio-visual support, an on-site, 24-hour business center, and wireless Internet access. Catering is also provided by the adjacent restaurant.

In addition to meeting space, Hotel Palomar Philadelphia has a host of upscale amenities to pamper its guests, including a 24-hour valet in the on-site garage, complimentary overnight shoeshine, a 24-hour fitness center, and the Mind.Body.Spa in-room wellness and spa program. Hotel guests can also enjoy perks such as complimentary morning coffee and tea bar and the evening wine hour held nightly in the hotel's living room.

View more information about Hotel Palomar Philadelphia on the Cvent Supplier Network

Located on Michigan Avenue in the historic landmark Carbide & Carbon building, the four diamond Hard Rock Hotel Chicago is part of the distinguished Preferred Hotels & Resorts portfolio. Located steps away from the Chicago theater district, museum campus, Millennium Park and the endless array of Chicago restaurants and entertainment hot spots, the Hard Rock Hotel offers unique and upscale accommodations sure to please any guest.

At 40 floors high, the building is a product of Daniel and Hubert Burnham, the sons of famed Chicago architect and city planner Daniel H. Burnham. Popular legend connects the design of the building to a champagne bottle, with its terra cotta exterior corresponding to the green glass bottle and the gold tower alluding to the shiny foil top. It's no surprise that this Chicago hotel is frequently visited by musicians, celebrities and fans wanting to stay in the stylish, contemporary surroundings.

Service at the Hard Rock is top notch. The team of hospitality professionals at this Chicago boutique hotel bled four-star quality and practicality to show guests they appreciate their business. This hotel is great for groups who are interested in architecture as well as music. In fact, the hotel happily offers private hotel tours that highlight the unique architecture of the building. Staff event allows the renting of Gibson guitars to keep their guests inspired.

This month, meeting planners looking for a Chicago hotel promotion can enjoy the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago's Pinktober Package. For the entire month of October, the hotel will be donating 25 percent of room revenue from the package to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

This Chicago hotel deal includes a tower guest room with pink sheets, a collectible 2009 Hard Rock Breast Cancer Awareness pin, two splits of pink POP champagne, pink ribbon temporary tattoo, and a package of pink M&M's.  This Pinktober Package Chicago promotion saves the guest about $35 and goes to a great cause!

View more information about the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago on the Cvent Supplier Network

Dolce Hotels & Resorts has just announced a great new promotion geared towards meeting planners all over the world. The "Make Us an Offer... Anything Goes" promotion invites meeting planners to submit requested dates, F&B and other meeting requirements—and then state the price they would be willing to pay for the entire package at any of its 24 upscale hotels, resorts, and conference centers in North America and Europe.

This unique hotel deal gives meeting planners the opportunity to take advantage of some of great venues at competitive prices. The Dolce staff will take any offer and evaluate each request individually. Even if the offered rates are too low, they will map out exactly what can be done for such rates and present alternative and/or creative suggestions to help seal the deal.

This would be the perfect opportunity to try out Dallas' own Dolce spot, the American Airlines Training & Conference Center (AAT&CC). Located just five minutes from DFW International Airport and 20 minutes from downtown, the Dallas conference center is nestled on 30 wooded acres of pure Texas beauty. Known for its superb service and excellent facilities, the AAT&CC offers 75,000 square feet of high-tech, IACC-certified Dallas meeting space complete with ergonomically designed conference rooms, wi-fi throughout the entire facility, as well as a full spectrum of AV equipment with on-site professional help.

The Dallas Dolce property is smack in the middle of the two major cities that make up the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and offers easy access to several area attractions such as Six Flags Over Texas; the Rangers Ballpark at Arlington, home of Texas Rangers Baseball; the brand new Cowboys Stadium, home to the one and only Dallas Cowboys; and several nationally renowned golf courses! The AAT&CC has complimentary shuttle service to and from DFW Airport (a rare find in Dallas), as well as to any location within five miles of the grounds. AAT&CC is obviously a great choice for business meetings in Dallas!

Don't miss out on the "Day Meeting Sale," good for 30 percent off select meeting packages. This Dallas promotion and the "Make Us an Offer...Anything Goes" hotel deal are good through December 18, 2009.

View more information on the American Airlines Training & Conference Center on the Cvent Supplier Network

The W Atlanta Midtown is one of the city's few hotels where people can enjoy much more than a good night's rest. With popular celebrity filled events almost every weekend, why would you want to sleep? This boutique hotel in Atlanta invites its guests to get pampered, get attention and get away, all without leaving the Atlanta city limits.

The W Hotel was the first location for the ultra-modern, world-class Bliss Spa in the Atlanta area. Here, guests may indulge themselves with decadent treats including the oxygen blast facial, carrot & sesame body buff and the "blissage" head-to-toe massage treatment.

The premier site for celebrity sightings, many of the city's elite can be found at this Atlanta hotel on any given night. The Real Housewives of Atlanta have been spotted here on various occasions, including during their OK Magazine photo shoot. Incorporating LA style with Southern hospitality, the Playboy Pajama Party was also held at this Atlanta luxury hotel.

So why pick the W Hotel for your Atlanta events? Opened in 2008, this hotel paradise in Midtown is complete with 30,000 feet of multipurpose function area, 14 meeting and special event rooms and 466 luxury guest rooms. So whether your event attendees want to have an executive meeting or a glitzy Hollywood-themed party, the W Hotel Midtown has the sophistication to make any function a red carpet event.

View more information about the W Atlanta Midtown on the Cvent Supplier Network

Now that it's October, I'm already thinking about Halloween! If you're hosting an event around the holiday, what better way to get attendees into the spirit than by selecting a haunted hotel as your venue of choice? Check out some of the top hotels across the nation where you may have to account for one or two uninvited guests:

Stanley Hotel

A Colorado tradition since 1909, the Stanley Hotel is tucked away in the gorgeous mountainous terrain of the Estes Valley, located about an hour from Denver and minutes from Rocky Mountain National Park. Its breathtaking setting belies the hotel's ghostly past, which includes serving as the hotel that inspired author Stephen King to write The Shining.

Supposedly, original owner F.O. Stanley and his wife Flora still haunt the hotel, being seen in the Billiard Room or playing the piano in the ballroom. Some guests have also reported hearing children playing in the hallway when none are present.

Today, guests can take one of the historic ghost tours offered by professional hotel guides, who cover the history of the hotel, its connection to King's novel, haunted rooms and more. The Stanley features eight meeting spaces for private events, including Billiard Room where Stanley so likes to make an appearance.


A National Historic Landmark, this San Diego hotel attracts guests with its distinct Victorian charm and modern luxury. An American treasure, it has welcomed greats such as Marilyn Monroe, Charles Lindbergh, eleven U.S. Presidents, and, now, even a ghost.

On November 25, 1892, hotel guest Kate Morgan checked into the Hotel del Coronado, but never checked out. Since then, guests and staff have noticed phantoms, chilly breezes, and strange noises thought to be the ghost of this "Beautiful Stranger," whose story you can read about in the hotel's published book about Kate—talk about a great corporate gift for your next event the hotel!

Hotel del Coronado features 679 recently remodeled rooms (ask for number 3327 to sleep in Kate's room) and 65,000 square feet of San Diego event space. Its function space just underwent a $2 million renovation with new carpeting, drapes, wallpaper, sound system, and audio-visual support provided by San Diego AV supplier Swank Audio Visual.

Carolina Inn

In 1948, Dr. William Jacocks, a physician with the International Health Division of the Rockefeller Foundation, retired to Chapel Hill and lived at the Carolina Inn until his death in 1965. However, legend has it he never really left. He still enjoys playing practical jokes on inn guests, such as locking them out of his former room every now and then. Other ghosts in the hotel have been known to wander the halls and jiggle door knobs.

Visitors can learn all about the inn's ghoulish past this Halloween, as the staff of Haunted North Carolina is hosting an evening of entertainment that includes dinner and a tour of the inn's most haunted areas. Book online using hotel promotion code "BOO" or call 1-800-962-8519.

In addition to a place on the National Register of Historic Places, the Carolina Inn boasts a fine resume including a AAA Four Diamond Award hotel and Mobil Four Star Award-Winning dining at its Carolina Crossroads Restaurant. Located on the campus of the University of Chapel Hill-North Carolina, it boasts 184 rooms and 13,000 square feet of meeting space, making it a popular North Carolina venue for events, weddings, academic conferences and more.

The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte has opened in the heart of Uptown. As I blogged back in June, this is the city's first LEED-designed new hotel, having achieved LEED Gold certification.

At 18 stories, the hotel offers 146 rooms, each of which has been lavishly furnished with rich, warm woods, 400-thread count Frette linens, a 42-inch LCD flat panel television, and a flat screen television built into the bathroom mirror. The Charlotte hotel also boasts the BLT Steak restaurant and a 13,000-square-foot Wellness Center.

Affording panoramic views of the city, eight meeting spaces at The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte provide over 12,000 square feet of space. Planners can take advantage of large spaces such as the 7,000-square-foot ballroom or smaller venues of 464 square feet.

The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte hotel is currently available for booking conferences, weddings and other special Charlotte events. It will begin accepting individual receptions October 1.

View more information about The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte on the Cvent Supplier Network

The new and improved Ellis Hotel, located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, is a piece of Atlanta’s history. From its luxurious modern guest rooms, fully equipped with iPod docking stations, to its elegant crystal chandeliers, there is a "no holds barred" attitude at Ellis.

Following its $28 million hotel renovation, Atlanta's Ellis offers 21st century conveniences and amenities. Among them are:

• On-site Atlanta event planning service
• High-speed Internet access throughout the entire property
• Two stylish Atlanta meeting rooms accommodating up to 50 guests per room

Not enough to sway your client? Why not mention the women’s only floor? It's complete with necessities for the woman on the go (e.g. snuggly slippers and curling irons).

Or, maybe mention the Terrace on Peachtree Restaurant. This Atlanta restaurant offers its patrons recipes from local vendors, giving a simple escape to America’s finest.

These features make The Ellis not just an Atlanta hotel with meeting space, but also a lavish retreat from the usual chain hotels. This truly unique boutique Atlanta hotel offers its clients options where once stood impossibilities.

After an Atlanta Falcons game, desperately trying to find a new way to get to the highway, I made a detour onto MLK Drive. With a few wrong left turns I stumbled upon one of Atlanta's most precious gems. Nestled in downtown Atlanta sits the historic Castleberry Hill neighborhood.

A collage of restaurants, specialty boutiques and spacious lofts, Castleberry Hill is where you can find many of Atlanta's artsy elite. As I glanced at the storefronts and loft windows, I had the feeling as though I was in another city. It's Atlanta's very own Art District.

Various Atlanta events are held in the area periodically to introduce residents to a more cultured way of life. Consider this weekend's Castleberry Hill Art Stroll event, held Friday, September 25. Or, take the Loft Tour, running Saturday and Sunday, September 26-27.

So if your attendees are seeking things to do in Atlanta, Castleberry Hill is a one-stop shop for attractions, restaurants and more. If you want a reminder of NYC pizza, check out Atlanta restaurant Slice. Hosting an LA red carpet makeover? Go to the Glam Bar. Or, just host a classy event in the middle of this artistic paradise at the Loft at Castleberry Hill.

For more information on these Atlanta events in Castleberry Hill, visit castleberryhill.org.

Looking for posh and totally exclusive? Have clients you want to impress? Try The Joule Dallas!

One of the newest, most elegant Dallas boutique hotels, The Joule is the latest addition to the city’s push to reintroduce sophistication into its hospitality scene. Designed by Adam Tihany, the same man who did Le Cirque in NYC, this Neo-Gothic hotel spared no expense when it came to its design and amenities. Case in point: the in-room phone has a one-touch call button to the flagship Neiman Marcus right next door! This upscale hotel also includes a 1,500-square-foot deluxe gym, in-room spa services, a library, and more than 2,300 square feet of Dallas meeting space.

The Joule is also home to Charlie Palmer’s signature restaurant, Charlie Palmer at the Joule, as well as a retail wine shop Next Vintage, which serves the rooftop lounge. What’s so special about the rooftop lounge? That would be the boldly designed, cantilevered rooftop pool that actually juts out over the edge of the building with only a thick layer of glass separating swimmers from the earth below!

Don’t let this bit of luxury scare you, though. For those looking to truly impress important business clients, or for Dallas event planners who need to plan an upscale off-site event without those pesky getaway fees (like, say, airfare), The Joule is the place. It boasts the air of sophistication the best hotels of NYC, all from the heart of Texas!

View more information about The Joule Dallas on the Cvent Supplier Network