From cryotherapy treatments and float therapy to Temazcal sweat lodges and the healing properties of wine, hotels and resorts are upping the ante for wellness.
“We offer clients the opportunity to reserve a section or do a complete buyout of our 20,000-sf indoor and outdoor facility, The Peak, which has an outdoor stage perfect for bringing in top entertainment for guests to enjoy while they dance the night away on the pool deck,” says Shannon Moore, Director of Sales, Nemacolin. “Guests can swim in our two outdoor, year-round heated pools; play shuffleboard, pool, and giant games; enjoy bowling, axe throwing, and roasting marshmallows on the firepits; or they can lounge in the plush, poolside VIP cabanas with full bar and food service.”
The Woodlands Spa and Salon at Nemacolin, located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, offers 40 treatment rooms, a fireside lounge, an indoor lap pool, whirlpools and saunas, and an extensive menu of services. The resort’s Holistic Healing Center, meanwhile, offers curated wellness care, an outdoor Zen garden, an apothecary with holistic teas and enhancement suite options such as float therapy, cryotherapy and acupuncture. Additional wellness options include group sound baths, yoga, meditation, tai chi classes and well-being workshops. The resort also boasts two 18-hole Pete Dye golf courses, Mystic Rock and Shepherd’s Rock; as well as the Nemacolin Golf Academy, a training facility that can accommodate up to 60.
“Once you get here, you don’t have to leave. We offer over 100 activities such as jeep off-roading, paintball, rope courses, dogsledding and pasta-making classes, to name a few, as well as wildlife adventures, fly fishing, sporting clays, art tours and classes, amazing golf, seven pools and more than 18 restaurants, lounges and eateries. We also have a casino, a state-of-the-art spa and wellness center, unique teambuilding activities and our own private airstrip. We truly have it all. There’s something for everyone, which makes us the perfect place for groups.”
Nemacolin is renovating the meeting and event spaces within its conference center, with an anticipated completion date of early summer 2024. It is also refreshing the 124 guest rooms, suites and club lounge of The Chateau with expected completion in June 2024, and altering Falling Rock’s 42 rooms and suites to be exclusively for those 16-and-over by September 2024. Early summer 2024 will also see the opening of Nightcap, a new late-night lounge and cabaret, as well as a rebrand of the resort’s Italian restaurant as Gusto following a ground-up renovation.
The property can accommodate groups from 10-300 or even do a full buyout of all 270 rooms, suites, homes and estates, but its sweet spot is groups of 35-65 attendees. Groups of this size can make use of venues and experiences such as Reflections, a curated art gallery offering indoor and outdoor spaces with views of the Laurel Highlands, or the Golf Academy where a group can have exclusive use of the entire facility for a reception.
“In December 2023, the long-awaited Grand Palladium Kantenah Resort & Spa located in Riviera Maya debuted its grand opening,” says Pilar Arizmendi-Stewart, VP of Sales and Marketing for the Americas, Palladium Hotel Group. “This significant milestone was made possible by a substantial investment of $40 million, dedicated to refurbishing the properties in Riviera Maya.”
Situated on the sands of Mexico’s Caribbean Coast, the Grand Palladium Kantenah Resort & Spa features 5,437 sf of event space including a new convention center that can host groups up to 500. The property boasts nine a la carte restaurants, five show-cooking restaurants, 21 bars and six freshwater pools, and groups can also take advantage of updated areas and new experiences such as Bravo Dinner & Dancing, which can be booked for private events.
Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa has also undergone refurbishment and has added 48 new luxury Oceanfront Private Plunge Pool Suites. The resort’s lobby as well as the Mobay Show Cooking Restaurant and Infinity Bar, shared by Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa and Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton Resort & Spa, are also set to receive a refresh as part of Palladium’s investment.
“Palladium Hotel Group ensures that every guest receives a memorable and tailored stay, whether in a beachfront resort, urban hotel, or boutique property,” says Arizmendi-Stewart. “With a global presence spanning coveted destinations worldwide, the brand offers planners the flexibility to host events and accommodate guests in sought-after locations, backed by a strong emphasis on sustainability and cutting-edge technology integration.”
The Zentropia Palladium Spa & Wellness Center available at each property offers state-of-the-art spas that combine ancient techniques with the latest technology, such as extensive hydrotherapy circuits and luminous pools to soothe tired muscles. Additionally, at the Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre in Costa Mujeres, groups can participate in tennis programs developed by Rafa Nadal and his technical team. Recognized as one of the top-rated tennis facilities in Mexico, the center offers eight clay tennis courts, a soccer field for a team of up to seven players, a paddle tennis court and a museum.
“POP Entertainment [available at all Palladium Hotel Group properties] is a delightful and engaging experience designed to provide groups with an unforgettable vacation filled with fun and excitement,” says Arizmendi-Stewart. “The POP Entertainment team offers a unique program curated daily. This itinerary covers all the bases and has something for all types of travelers from the active, to the foodie to the experiential. Some of the activities include dance classes, Spanish lessons, mixology and local dishes workshops, art show and guided classes and fitness classes from aqua aerobics to beach yoga.”
“When guests arrive at Pechanga Resort Casino for the first time, they often exclaim their surprise that such a large, modern and inviting resort/casino is tucked away so close to most everything in Southern California,” says Sutisa Spellman, Director of Sales and Catering, Pechanga Resort Casino. “Whether attendees want to relax and order room service after a full day of meetings, or challenge colleagues to some time on the links, they have the full array of possibilities that many of our competitors don’t have or offer.”
Pechanga offers 1,100 guest rooms as well as 275,000 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting space, including 15 breakout rooms and the 40,000 sf Summit event center with a 20,000-sf foyer. The property also features 11 different dining options and more than 20,000 sf of gaming space, a 2-story luxury spa, a championship level golf course and a 4.5-acre pool complex. Outside the property, Pechanga Resort Casino is located near Temecula’s wine country, and attendees can take shuttles to explore over 50 wineries located a few minutes away from the resort.
The recently expanded Spa Pechanga offers massage treatments, facials and body wraps, as well as a steam sauna and a full-service salon. The championship, par 72 Journey at Pechanga golf course winds through canyons and ravines, rising and falling 300 ft. Designed by golf course architects Arthur Hills and Steve Forest, the course is one of the most ecologically and culturally sensitive in the country.
“Five-hundred to 1,000 attendee events are a great size for events for our property,” says Spellman. “We have so much variety that is available to meeting attendees to make large events like this still feel special and personalized. That being said, whether you are looking to plan a meeting with 10 attendees or 500, our dedicated team is excited to serve you and bring your next meeting, event, convention or tradeshow to another level.”
“Fiesta Americana Travelty Meetings & Events, the MICE umbrella for Posadas, continues to redefine the all-inclusive experience by ensuring each and every group is a customized experience,” says David Manzella, SVP, Sales & Marketing, Fiesta Americana Travelty Meetings & Events. “From the physical buildings themselves and the ability to choose from a multitude of unique resorts and destinations to the overall experience at the resort itself, our team will ensure that you and your attendees will enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of each particular destination and get truly immersed into the local culture.”
Recent openings include new restaurants and experiences at Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun, a new re-envisioned SOMMA WineSpa at Grand Fiesta Americana Los Cabos All Inclusive Golf & Spa and freshly renovated event spaces at Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun. Summer 2025 will see the opening of the new Fiesta Americana Funeeq Punta Cana, located adjacent to the Live Aqua Beach Resort Punta Cana, and offering 404 guest rooms and suites, a range of culinary experiences, curated entertainment, indoor and outdoor event areas and more.
“Meetings and events can be inspiring and invigorating, but they can also be physically exhausting,” says Manzella. “People recognize, more than ever, that finding time to relax and recharge are critical to creating work/life balance. Today, the decision to attend a meeting or event is highly influenced by the destination’s health and wellness services and amenities. Our resorts in Mexico and Punta Cana deeply value the desire to de-stress, re-energize and re-connect, and our spas offer exceptional services and experiences that provide the perfect balance for your meeting or event.”
Spa experiences at Fiesta Americana properties include the unique SOMMA WineSpa at Grand Fiesta Americana Los Cabos All Inclusive Golf & Spa, which incorporates the healing benefits of wine into its treatment. Attendees can indulge in a relaxing Swedish Sauvignon or Lambrusco Sporting Massage, a detoxifying Champagne Wrap, Hydro Wine Facials or a Chardonnay Exfoliation. The spa complex also includes a fitness center, wet and dry saunas, a juice bar and a wine bar.
Feel Urban Spa at Live Aqua Urban Resort San Miguel de Allende offers eight massage rooms, sauna, steam bath, showers and hydrotherapy, as well as a Temazcal on the property that allows groups to participate in the ancient Mayan ritual sweat lodge experience. Meanwhile, the Gem Spa at Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun is a 40,000-sf space offering innovative treatments inspired by gemstone therapy, as well as a 90-minute, 10-step hydrotherapy ritual.
“Simply put, we offer uniqueness and unsurpassed experiences,” says Manzella. “We continue to challenge ourselves to find new culinary, technology, sustainability and event advances and offerings, from specialized theme parties, to teambuilding activities, such as CSR activities that integrate with the local culture, environment and destination.”
nemacolin.com/gatherings/groups-retreats; palladiumhotelgroup.com/en/meetings-and-events; fiestamericanatraveltymeetings.com; pechanga.com/meet