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The timing of our arrival at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa couldn’t have been more exciting if it were scripted. The property, originally constructed as the Lake Geneva Playboy Club Hotel in the late-1960s, is buzzing with bunny

ears, vintage cars and attire revealing enough to make Cher blush. On this otherwise quiet summer day, a corporate party and wedding are energizing this tucked-away lakeside resort.

In its heyday, the sprawling 355-room property was an entertainer’s haven, luring high-profile celebrities such as Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Liza Minelli and Sonny and Cher from the bright city lights to the quiet rolling hills of Lake Geneva. A present-day engineering office used to function as a recording studio—that, along with 1,300 meandering acres, a private airstrip, two championship golf courses and the promise of exclusivity set the stage for the 4-star Grand Geneva’s rise as a top Midwest resort.

THERE’S GOLD IN THESE HILLSDuring an Amazing Race-style scavenger hunt, we’re swept through grassy, tree-laden knolls to view some of the resort’s perks, including the WELL Spa + Salon & Fitness Center.

Himalayan salt lamps in treatment rooms emit ions that are said to neutralize the negative impact of modern technology—television, computers and other devices—on the body. The Himalayan ‘positivity’ session builds on this concept with a massage and salt scrubs. Though entirely unsure of the lamps’ success, the consensus is that it’s tempting to stay in the immediately calming atmosphere. Our Gran Race Team is soon whisked away, however, and harnessed up to climb a 35-foot-tall wall nearby. Other popular activities carried out here include yoga, cycling, swimming and indoor/outdoor tennis.

“Our Grand Race Team teambuilding is customized to fit your group,” says Courtney Nobilio, director of marketing

communications for the property. “We can add in more physical challenges, or activities to slow things down a little too.” Nobilio is excited to tell us about the new Clean the World teambuilding program, where groups assemble disease-preventing hygiene kits that are donated to the non-profit, Clean the World.

THE THICK OF ITThe 355-room campus-style resort offers 62,000 sf of state-of-the-art event space. Interiors are earthy, warm and airy, much like you’d expect from a Frank Lloyd Wright-infused design. Meeting rooms bring the elements indoors with built-in views of the meandering landscape.

After a quick trolley ride to The Mountain Top, a steep multi-use mountain, we arrive to cheers from the sidelines of the Gladiator Assault Challenge, a Navy SEAL-like mud run course with 36 grueling obstacles spread over six miles. The Mountain Top, anchored by the Mountain Top Ski Chalet, transforms into a ski and snowboarding hill the first week of December through mid-March. After a good Midwest snow, cross-country ski trails and snowshoeing, skiing and snowboarding lessons. An ice skating rink and sledding are offered nearby under an outdoor pavilion.

AND THEN WE EATGrand Geneva’s culinary offerings are locally sourced—and it shows. All five of the resort’s restaurants use fresh herbs and vegetables from an on-site garden. One of our favorites was the Ristorante Brissago, with regionally made pastas, cheeses, olive oils and desserts complement a nice selection of Italian wines. For an authentic dose of Wisconsin’s culinary flair, book a beer and cheese tasting. A glass of Wisconsin Amber from Capital Brewery with a cranberry chipotle cheese pairing really hits the spot on a warm summer evening.

grandgeneva.com

Meetings get inspired among 1,300 acres of Midwest perfection

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa[ON LOCATION] JOHNALEE JOHNSTON

prevuemeetings.com | 67

Guadalajara is the second largest city in Mexico and the capital of Jalisco, which the locals promote as the “real” Mexico. The birthplace of tequila and mariachi, Guadalajara is anchored by the country’s most

spectacular colonial zone filled with museums, historic buildings and long promenades rimmed with colorful shops and restaurants.

We visited to scope out the 423-room Presidente InterContinental Guadalajara, with the most comprehensive meetings facilities in the city and a flawless level of professional and gracious service.

Planners can host dinners and receptions in the expansive lobby, the adjacent Tequila Bar and upscale Frutas y Flores restaurant, which has revolving culinary themes throughout the week. Off of the lobby, the exclusive executive business lounge has another busy bar, workspaces and a chef’s table dining area for private VIP events. Our chef’s table dinner of filet tournedos and fresh lobster was one of the best meals we’ve ever had in Mexico.

The 47 expansive suites are well-suited for VIPs, with a huge desk and work area, and sophisticated modern decor. All of the newly renovated rooms in the building have floor-to-ceiling windows with great views of the city. For meeting space, a total of 18 rooms seat up to 1,500 people theater-style. The largest spaces are the 14,000-sf Astral Ballroom and the 7,700-sf Grand Salon Bellatrix.

UNIQUE VENUESWith 1,285,000 sf of exhibition and meeting space, 11 loading docks and all new WiFi, Expo Guadalajara is the largest convention center in Latin America, located 10 minutes from InterContinental Guadalajara. The first thing you notice at Expo Guadalajara is the enormity of the spaces, the modernity of the facilities, and all of the natural light in the public spaces streaming down from the hybrid open-air/covered roof.

During our tour, we’re told that the seven largest exhibitions in Mexico are hosted at Expo Guadalajara, such as the National

Hardware Expo and the Guadalajara Book Fair, the second largest book fair in the world.

The new Desfilia event space opened at EXPO in May for the many fashion shows taking place in the city. Designed with a modern edgy décor, the space seats up to 400 pax around a runway stage. There are all kinds of opportunities here for cool group functions and receptions, ranging from fashion shoots to product launches and CEO presentations.

In an upscale northern suburb of Guadalajara, the new Palace of Culture & Communication (PALCCO) is a state-of-the-art performing arts center that will be more modern than any space in Latin America when it opens in February 2015.

The shiny steel exterior is aggressively modern, rising dramatically above the surrounding neighborhood. The entrance integrates a long lobby and “Wall of Art” curving around the performance hall. The twisting lobby ends at a covered, open-air, 3,350-seat amphitheater, where Cirque du Soleil has visited to discuss designing a seasonal show. PALCCO will also house five restaurants and seven bars to create a multi-function cultural, dining and entertainment experience for local residents and international groups.

The performance hall has 1,200 seats with folding tray tables in the main seating area, 700 in the balcony and 100 in the VIP balcony suites seating 14 to 16 people. Walking backstage, Carlos Linares-Urcuyo, director of sales/marketing for PALCCO, says, “The stage is 22 meters wide [72 feet], so that is really big. The stage for the Met Opera in New York is only 16 meters wide.”

Educational content about specific performances will be provided via email to attendees before they arrive. Linares-Urcuyo says, “I think understanding the background of any performance always enhances the experience.”

ihg.com; expo-guadalajara.com; palcco.com

Revamps add pizzazz to Mexico’s centrally located meetings hub

Guadalajara

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa

[ON LOCATION] GREG OATES