Cvent Blog

Next week, The Peabody Orlando hotel will host a Topping Out Ceremony at its expansion site to celebrate the safe completion of the concrete structure on the 32-story hotel tower. Undergoing a total makeover, the Orlando hotel is expected to have its grand opening October 2010.

Upon completion, The Peabody Orlando will over 1,641 guest rooms, 250,000 square feet of function/exhibit space, a parking garage for 2,100 cars (completed in July 2009), a Napa Valley Wine-themed restaurant, and the 22,000-square-foot Peabody Spa & Athletic Club.

This impressive facility will feature 12 spa treatment rooms, two couples suites, four massage rooms, four body massage rooms and two skincare rooms, as well as men's and women's locker rooms each with a sauna, whirlpool and lounges. The Athletic Club is set to triple in size, offering a 2,450-square-foot cardio area and two exercise studios.

Already a Mobil Travel Guide Four Star and AAA Four Diamond property, the renovated Peabody Orlando is booking business from meeting planners for the fall of 2010 and beyond.

View more information about The Peabody Orlando on the Cvent Supplier Network

The Millennium Bostonian Hotel in Boston has unveiled the results of its $24 million renovation. Its 201 brand-new rooms feature pillow-top beds, Frette linens and 40-inch, high-definition televisions. Its lobby also welcomes guests with a new, contemporary look.

For Boston meetings and events, the hotel has opened its 3,000-square-foot Seasons Ballroom. A great Boston banquet space, the ballroom features bay windows, a glass ceiling, plenty of natural light and great views of Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The hotel also has several other meeting suites.

This luxury Boston hotel's renovation also included a new dining area, North 26 Restaurant and Bar. Plus, the Millennium Bostonian is just minutes away from top Boston attractions such as the New England Aquarium and Boston Harbor. More than 125 shops and restaurants are also just outside the door.

View more information about the Millennium Bostonian Hotel on the Cvent Supplier Network

New York City is adding a new hotel to its skyline, despite protests from some of the local community. The NYC Council recently approved plans for the construction of an 82-story tower next to the Museum of Modern Art, which will house an NYC hotel, residential apartments and additional exhibition space for the popular New York attraction.

Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, the tower was initially planned to rise 1,250 feet. However, the height was cut down to 1,025 feet by the city's Planning Commission, making it as tall as the Chrysler Building. The height reduction will reduce the space by about 15,000 square feet.

However, some still aren't satisfied with the tower's size and placement.

"The size is what really makes it difficult for my constituents to support. If it was a smaller building with fewer years of construction it might be a different story," Councilman Dan Garodnick, one of the dissenting votes, told the New York Post.

Others insist the building will enhance New York's architecture and economy.

"This is going to be an iconic addition to New York City's skyline, really a one-of-its-kind building," said council Speaker Chris Quinn.

Good news for air travelers: average domestic fares in the second quarter of 2009 fell to their lowest April to June level since 1998, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Fares dropped 13 percent from the second quarter of 2008, the largest year-to-year decline on record.

Second quarter fares were also down 3.8 percent from the first quarter of 2009. This was the largest first quarter to second quarter decline since 2001.

It should be noted, though, that while air fares in Q2 of 2009 fell to the same level as Q2 of 1998, overall prices measured by the inflation rate rose 32.3 percent during that period.

More interesting statistics on air travel from BTS:

• Of the top 100 airports by passenger in 2008, the highest Q2 average fares were in Huntsville, Alabama, followed by Grand Rapids, Michigan; Savannah, Georgia; Washington Dulles; and Houston Bush.

• There were two year-to-year increases in average fare for Q2 among the airports: Savannah, Georgia, and Dallas Love.

• The biggest year-to-year average decrease in fares was 38.7 percent in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Are you in need of a really unique venue to wow guests at your next event? Trying to come up with an out-of-the-ordinary activity to inspire your employees? Or just looking for a new place to go on vacation, but think you've seen and done it all? Enter Galactic Suite Space Resort.

Guests begin their out-of-this-world experience at the SpacePort, located on a tropical island, where they undergo a brief astronaut training process. After a few weeks, guests journey through space on the SpaceShip until their arrive at the SpaceResort. The Resort orbits the earth in just 90 minutes, meaning you'll see sunrises or sunsets every 45 minutes, in addition to experiencing weightlessness, space sports, star gazing and some of the most unforgettable views you'll ever see.

Galactic Suites is currently taking reservations and plans to start its journeys by 2012. The three-night journey will cost about $4.4. million. Single pods are expected to hold four guests and two astronaut pilots.

What do you think: is space truly the final frontier for hospitality and travel?

Now more than ever is a time to save, and the Hilton family of hotels wants to help. Event planners who book and stay at any participating Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels or Waldorf Astoria Collection property between February 16, 2009 and March 31, 2010, can receive extra incentives.

Incentive options are:

• Complimentary room ratio of 1 per 35 per paid group room nights
• 25 percent allowable attrition
• Double Hilton HHonors Base points for the attendees
• Complimentary staff meals for up to four staff members
• 2 percent rebate on room revenue
• 500 Hilton HHonors bonus points per paid group room night

Book 50 to 99 group room nights to receive one incentive of your choice; book 100 to 149 to receive two incentives; or book 150 or more to receive three incentives.

To take advantage of this meeting promotion, mention "Book Now and Save" when you call Hilton Direct USA at 1-877-476-2426 or contact your local Hilton hotel or Sales Worldwide representative. To find a Hilton in your area with enough space for your next event, visit the Cvent Supplier Network.

Sheraton has been in the midst of a multibillion dollar global revitalization effort, renovating almost half of its North American profile. One of the newest on the scene is the Sheraton Dallas.

Following a $90 million transformation, the downtown Dallas hotel boasts 1,840 redesigned guest rooms and over 230,000 square feet of flexible meeting rooms and banquet spaces—some of the largest in the state of Texas. Whether in the 40,800-square-foot Lone Star Ballroom or 750-square-foot Executive Boardroom, Dallas events at the hotel enjoy expert in-house catering, audio-visual, floral and convention service departments.

Outside the boardroom, the Sheraton Dallas' new dining options, The Kitchen Table restaurant and Draft Media Sports Lounge, provide a place to kick back with a drink or dinner. The new lobby, complete with complimentary work stations and flat-screen televisions, is also a chic spot to rest after a day of work.

Located in the Arts and Financial District, the Sheraton Dallas hotel is extremely convenient for out-of-town meeting guests. The hotel itself is a stop on Dallas' light rail system and connected to the shopping complex Plaza of the Americas. Booking these Dallas accommodations also places attendees just minutes from the Dallas Convention Center, American Airlines Center and historic 6th Floor Museum.

View more information about Sheraton Dallas on the Cvent Supplier Network

There's a new green venue on the Toronto meetings scene. Located at the 192-acre Exhibition Place, the Allstream Centre incorporates state-of-the-art technology into its historical, 160,000-square-foot facility.

Following its multimillion dollar makeover, Toronto's former Automotive Building is now the go-to destination for special events and banquets. Its popularity is no surprise, seeing as how the Toronto venue boasts the largest ballroom in the city, seating up to 3,000 guests. It also offers 20 meeting rooms, capable of accommodating 50 to 750 people.

The Allstream Centre is committed to keeping events green, targeting to be the first LEED silver certified conference building in Canada. Eco-friendly initiatives include the use of low VOC paints, carpets and adhesives; an innovative white reflective roof; and food service that includes locally grown food and a perishable food donation program.

The Toronto conference center's functionality has not taken away from its beauty, which is a mix of old and new. The original terrazzo lobby floors, iron stair railings and tulip-shaped Art Deco lighting fixtures have been restored to their original glory. Meanwhile, contemporary elements, such as the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired design in the ballroom ceiling and 40-foot-high tavertine relief wall, keep things modern.

For Toronto meeting planners in need of even more meeting space, the Allstream Centre is adjacent to the popular Direct Energy Centre, which offers over one million square feet of space. Together, both buildings can comfortably house your next Toronto event.

View more information about the Allstream Centre 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!

Philadelphia hotels, like most others in the nation, have been hit hard by the struggling economy. Could the Phillies World Series showdown provide some relief?

Recent year-to-date numbers have shown nothing but decreases for Center City hotels, including a four percent drop in hotel occupancy for the first nine months of 2009, a 12.8 percent drop in average daily rate, and a 16.3 percent drop in revenue per available room, according to Smith Travel Research. In the nine-county metropolitan region, occupancy dropped seven percent; ADR, 10 percent; and RevPAR, 16.3 percent.

However, the East Coast World Series could offer some much-needed assistance, according to industry professionals.

"We've already seen an increase in bookings, and due to the close proximity to New York, as well as Philly being a leisure destination for New Yorkers," said Paul Schwartz, general manager of the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel, told the Philadelphia Inquirer last week.

Larry Needle of the Philadelphia Sports Congress estimated that the extended postseason run by the Phillies will generate over $17 million in direct spending by visiting fans, media, MLB partners, etc. The World Series could generate up to $3 million in direct revenue from taxes.

How much do you want to pay for your next meeting and event? That's what Dolce Hotels and Resorts wants to know, and, more importantly, it's what they're willing to agree to.

Dolce's new "Make Us an Offer...Anything Goes" promotion asks meeting planners to make an offer to host your next meeting at one of its participating properties—no reasonable offer will be refused! Good for any new meeting reserved by December 18, 2009, and used by May 31, 2010, your offer must include the preferred location(s), dates, facilities needed and desired budget. It must also be "reasonable based on industry standards for meetings at properties of similar size and quality as Dolce properties for the dates selected."

To make your offer from the United States and Canada, call 1-800-57-DOLCE. Or visit, Dolce Special Offers to learn more about how to submit your Request for Proposal (RFP) today!

Slow and steady is the motto for business travel next year, according to a recent survey by the National Business Travel Association. According to its 2010 Business Travel Buyers' Cost Forecast of 180 direct corporate travel buyers, 69 percent of respondents expect to see business travel volume "grow slowly" throughout 2010.

For meetings, 58 percent of respondents said that reducing the number of meetings is one of their measures to cut costs in 2010. However, on the bright side, this percentage is much lower than last year, when 85 percent said they would be cutting meetings.

To save money, travel buyers also cited auditing travel and entertainment expenses (84 percent), enforcing travel policies (77 percent), mandating online booking (76 percent), and reducing nonessential travel (71 percent) as their cost-cutting measures. Just over half of respondents—more than twice as many as last year—also said they would start implementing Strategic Meetings Management programs for their meeting in 2010.

Los Angeles International Airport is going to see some major changes! City officials recently voted to award $1.3 billion in contracts to overhaul the airport.

"This is an opportunity to send a message that we are serious about keeping and attracting new business," Janice Hahn, a Los Angeles councilwoman, told The New York Times.

Among the improvements on the horizon are new security checkpoints, ticket counters, immigration and custom space; additional passenger lounges; a large central hall with dining and retail outlets; and an additional one million square feet of terminal space. Two new concourses will also add nine new gates.

In addition to easing passenger travel, these upgrades will allow for larger aircraft at LAX, such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner. These renovations will be the first for the airport since changes made in preparation for the 1984 Olympics.

Two of the gates are expected to open by January 2012. The overall project completion date is mid-2013.

With a rich history in exploration and maritime discovery, Lisbon is no stranger to welcoming guests from near and far. Offering a friendly population, competitive prices, and a unique landscape that combines sandy beaches, green mountains and a modern downtown area, Lisbon continues to attract both leisure and business travelers to its streets.

Host your next international event at the phenomenal International Fair of Lisboa (FIL) Meeting Centre, one of Europe's most well-equipped facilities. Or, get a unique taste of Portugal's capital at event venues such as the Maritime Museum or historic Castelo de Sao Jorge. Discover more Lisbon meeting venues, accommodations and more on the Cvent Destination Guide.

Back in June, we blogged about the $13 million renovation at the Hilton Lexington Downtown hotel. Now, the revamp is complete!

Opened mid-October, the hotel, now the second Hilton property in the city, features upgrades to half of its 367 guest rooms and several interior spaces, including the lobby, atrium and Grand Kentucky Ballroom. Overlooking Triangle Park and downtown Lexington, renovated rooms now feature comfortable furniture and decor designed to reflect the history of the Bluegrass. The hotel has 14,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

The remaining guest rooms are expected to be renovated some time in 2010.

View more information on the Hilton Lexington Downtown on the Cvent Supplier Network

Wondering what airline will give you event guests the most enjoyable experience? According to Smarter Travel, it's very likely Southwest.

The magazine just released the results of its Readers' Choice Awards, and Southwest came out on top of all nine of the favorable categories: Best Airfare Prices, Best Customer Service, Best On-Time Service, Best Baggage Service, Best Economy Class Cabin, Most Child-Friendly Airline, Best Value Frequent Flyer Program, Cleanest Airline Cabins and Favorite Domestic Airline.

JetBlue also fared well, receiving the second place spot for many categories and the top place for Best OnBoard Entertainment. US Airways, on the other hand, "won" for Dirtiest Airline Cabins and Least Favorite Domestic Arline.

What do you think about Smarter Travel's winners? Do airline rankings affect your decisions when it comes to either booking group transportation or recommending travel options to your guests?

Cvent tries to make creating and sending emails for your events as easy as possible. Thanks to an easy-to-use HTML editor, it's easy to craft rich and engaging emails, event if you have no HTML experience.

Now, we've made the process even simpler thanks to the data tag pop-up window. For example, say you are updating the subject line to your email invitation. You want the subject line to say, "An invitation for Cvent's CEO," with the company name and contact's title to be filled in appropriately each time (e.g. other subjects would be "An invitation for ABC Co.'s Vice President" or "An invitation for Company, Inc.'s President").

To make this easy, just click on the data tag symbol.



This will open a pop-up window, through which you can quickly select the appropriate data tags for your text.



Cvent's extensive list of data includes one for just about every need, from registrant's hotel request information to their home address. Thanks to the data tag pop-up window, you can find and insert any data tag quickly and easily.

Though hotels across the country continue to struggle, a few major markets are seeing signs of improvement. The nationwide hotel occupancy rate fell to 59.8 percent during the first week of October, a drop of 5.4 percentage points compared to last year, according to Smith Travel Research. Revenue per available room fell 12 percent to $59.28.

Southern California has been one of the hardest hit markets, with over 300 hotels in the state being in foreclosure or having defaulted on their loans, according to the Los Angeles Times. Now, though, STR has seen a rebound in Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Francisco, the paper reports.

Anaheim saw occupancy rates rise 2.3 percent to 63.4 percent. The number of group bookings rose 27.5 percent for the first two weeks of October compared to last year at this time. In Los Angeles, group bookings increased as well by 18.1 percent.

New York, Boston and New Orleans also saw slight rebounds. In fact, New Orleans was the only city among the top 25 markets in the nation to see increases in three hotel indicators, occupancy rates, average daily room rates and revenue per available room.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts are getting in the holiday spirit by offering great rates, free nights and special packages to its guests at hotels across the United States, Canada and Latin America. For example, find New York hotel deals at The Westin New York at Times Square and the W New York-Union Square, both of which are offering a buy three nights, get the fourth night free offer.

Or, consider the exciting Chicago promotion at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers. Here, for stays between November 6, 2009, and February 21, 2010, guests can enjoy a $100 gift cards for each night you stay; a Macy's VIP coupon book; a complimentary photo with the Macy's Santa on State Street (November 24-December 24); and reduced rates starting at $175 per night for reservations booked before November 6. The Chicago luxury hotel is also offering a complimentary shuttle to and from the Macy's on State Street and Water Tower Place for stays Friday through Sunday from November 27 to December 20. Guests can book online or call 866-716-8103 and ask for hotel promo code MAP to enjoy this Chicago hotel deal.

Visit Starwood Promos to learn more about offers at properties across the globe and learn more about specific terms and conditions.