After a long day of conferences, meetings and activities, attendees often flock to the hotel bar to grab a drink before retreating to bed for some much needed rest. Whether traveling to exotic locations or hot-spot United States destinations, meeting profs can elevate this experience from simply grabbing a drink, to a unique and special drinking event for their attendees.
1. Alila Napa Valley
Located in the Wine Capital of the United States, the Alila Napa Valley is an adults-only luxury boutique hotel. There are 68 rooms and suites with 5,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event space including a rustic barn and wood-lined boardroom. The hotel offers the option for a full property buyout for executive retreats or incentive trips. Courtesy of being surrounded by historic wineries, it’s no surprise that the hotel offers group activities and extensive wine lists that reflect the surrounding area.
Groups can partake in private tastings with renowned winemakers, a bike and brew tour or a ride above the vineyards in a hot air balloon to grasp the full landscape of Napa. The hotel’s restaurant is the Acacia House by Chef Chris Cosentino, a former top chef masters winner, and features a vast wine list organized by their personal sommelier. Through the Balance & Botanicals experience, guests can tour the Chef’s Garden guided by a mixologist and craft their own cocktail or wine spritzer.
Read More: Chef-driven Wine Tastings Delight in Napa Valley
2. Chatham Bars Inn
Steps away from the Atlantic Ocean the Chatham Bars Inn has everything you need for a classic Cape Cod Summer vacation. There are 217 rooms and suites and 10,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor function space. Highlights include the stand-alone Boathouse with floor-to-ceiling doors that can be opened to the ocean and the technologically advanced 4,500 square-foot Monomoy room. In August 2022, the Inn introduced its own custom Etesia Gin.
It was crafted in Washington D.C. using sea salt from the waters closest to the Inn and is designed to be adjustable for use in a variety of drinks. All of the cocktails that the Inn makes use ingredients sourced from their personal farm and groups can take mixology classes to learn the art of mixology from the Inn’s personal bar team.
3. Rusacks St. Andrews
Visit the birthplace of golf while touring the whiskey distilleries that Scotland is known for. While Rusacks St. Andrews lacks the vast meeting space of other hotels, they offer group activities that would be ideal for an incentive trip or small group retreat. The property was launched in September 2021 but the 123 guest rooms have a classic, rustic feel to them.
Guests can partake in the two-hour Eden Mill Blendworks Sessions where they will learn to blend their own gin with the opportunity to take their own bottle home. Guests who prefer whiskey can choose the Spirit of Fife Package that leads them on a guided tour of Kingsbarn, a local distillery, or the two-hour Wee Walk & A Cocktail tour, which accumulates in a cocktail at 18, a rooftop bar and restaurant.
Read More: A Local’s Guide for Groups: Scotland
4. One Aldwych
Nestled in the Covent Garden district of London, One Aldwych has the resources and the location to create a memorable experience for attendees. The property has 101 suites and bedrooms with four distinctive event spaces named after the building’s past as the former location of the Morning Post newspaper. The Library is the ideal place for a reception to start or end a group trip.
The Lobby bar offers a collection of cocktails called A Sensory Journey of Scent, which were all inspired by fragrances. This summer they introduced a special summer drink modeled after the Sunflower Pop fragrance from Floral Street. With inspiration from flowers and perfumes, their menu includes drinks such as Arizona Bloom, Wonderland Peony, and of course, the London Poppy.
