Bellevue's beauty
Known for its spectacular mountains, natural beauty, environmental sustainability, and tech savvy, the Pacific Northwest offers a green escape (not to mention delicious coffee) for meeting groups.
Seattle and Bellevue
Two of Seattle's luxury hotels reopened after extensive
renovations in 2012. First, the W Seattle unveiled a
$2.5-million rehab of its main floor lobby, bar, and
restaurant. The company said the project aimed to, "create an
open, yet continuous space consisting of unique areas that
encourage an interactive guest experience." The W Seattle
features 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
Meanwhile, the Hotel Monaco Seattle underwent a $3-million,
top-to-bottom renovation of its 189 guest rooms, lobby, and
6,000 square feet of meeting space.
The Museum of History & Industry reopened in a new location
in December. Now housed in the restored Naval Reserve Armory,
the museum features nearly 50,000 square feet of exhibition and
meeting space. The museum's $10-million Center for Innovation
is scheduled to open in the fall and will showcase Seattle's
abundance of entrepreneurship.
Seattle's culinary scene is also white-hot these days. The
James Beard Foundation bestowed its national Outstanding
Restaurateur award on Tom Douglas, owner of 11 restaurants in
Seattle, including Dahlia Lounge and Palace Kitchen. The
foundation also named Matt Dillon, chef and owner of Sitka
& Spruce and The Corson Building, Best Chef Northwest.
Meanwhile, Bellevue, WA, saw the addition of a new event space
with the opening of Cast Iron Studios, a private-event and
food-and-beverage-related workshop space from popular Seattle
husband-and-wife restaurant management team Larry and Tabitha
Kurofsky. Cast Iron Studios can hold up to 250 guests for a
reception.
Portland, OR
In fall 2011, the Oregon Convention Center (OCC) unveiled a
30,000-square-foot, multi-use outdoor space directly across the
street from the center's main lobby. The OCC Plaza features an
11,000-square-foot paved area as well as tree-lined streets and
a grassy area. When not in use for an event, the space is open
to the public.
Portland also saw the opening of a new event space: the
5,000-square-foot Southeast Wine Collective. The working winery
has a chic urban vibe, and it's open for tastings or can be
rented out for cocktail receptions of up to 150.
On the hotel front, the four-star Hotel Monaco renovated all
221 of its guest rooms in 2012.
Portland also just got a whole lot more accessible. Two
airlines recently launched direct flights into Portland
International Airport: Virgin America began two daily nonstop
flights from both Los Angeles and San Francisco, while Spirit
Airlines started daily nonstop service from Dallas/Fort Worth
and San Diego. It's also easier to get around, thanks to the
completion of the long-awaited extension of the popular
Portland Streetcar, which began operating on the city's east
side in September 2012. The extension travels across the
Willamette River before continuing south to the Oregon Museum
of Science and Industry, where it loops back downtown.