Reimagining Luxury Venues for Meetings and Events

This content was created collaboratively by the Grand America Hotel and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.

There isn’t a single definition of “luxury” for hotels and meeting venues, but attendees recognize it when they experience it. Despite challenges like rising costs and staff shortages, planners must create a unique experience that makes attendees feel like VIPs, fostering long-term loyalty and enhancing their performance after the event.

Achieving these goals is still possible, but it may require rethinking current definitions. For starters, first-tier service can be found at more affordable rates in secondary markets. With a wide majority of attendees — 82 percent, according to Freeman Trends Reports — preferring in-person experiences over digital programming, the opportunity exists to make a lasting impression. Moreover, 80 percent of Freeman’s respondents say first-hand accounts from attendees are their most trustworthy source for event information. Success begets success, particularly when it comes to providing luxury experiences.

Skift Meetings partnered with the Grand America Hotel, a top-tier property in Salt Lake City, to produce this report, highlighting strategies for achieving a truly luxurious experience.

1. Create a One-of-a-Kind Feeling

When the Financial Times asked research participants to choose from a list of words they most associated with luxury, “distinctive” emerged as the most common choice. With that in mind, reframing a luxury experience as something that cannot be replicated anywhere else is critical. This goes beyond the amenities a hotel offers to how its staff takes care of the property and its guests. For instance, the Grand America Hotel invests significant resources annually for its spring Grand Tulip display, which includes over 40,000 bulbs in bloom across nearly 10 acres, and holiday festivities that feature a life-size gingerbread house. Such effort does not go unnoticed and becomes a way of life at the Grand America Hotel, which shines when transforming a meeting space into an unforgettable environment.

2. Have Screens Take a Back Seat

Amid the rise of contactless check-ins and robots handling guest service duties, there is a craving for full-service operations in which hotel staff remain engaged with attendees, delivering white-glove service from the moment they arrive. The Grand America Hotel achieves this by setting high standards, beginning with a dedication to filling open positions and keeping team members on board long-term. Employee satisfaction directly enhances the on-site experience for guests.

3. Make it an Immersive Experience

While the importance of in-person meetings and personal touches can’t be overstated, the ability to connect with attendees unable to travel is also essential. The Grand America prides itself on having an in-house audiovisual team with decades of experience that can address planners’ needs. Having experts on-site makes all the difference in providing immersive experiences to hotel attendees and remote audiences.

4. Put a Fine Point on Dining

Few aspects of a meeting are as personal as the food and beverage experience. Each attendee has their preferences, and many have special diets that must be considered. At the Grand America Hotel, meals are served in Instagram-worthy ways, but the beauty extends beyond the surface. Local produce and reduced waste are key ingredients to a sustainable kitchen, but the most important aspect is the ability to cater to everyone’s needs.

5. Celebrate the Arts

It should be evident to attendees that they are walking into a luxury environment. In this regard, art is more than decorative. The right pieces create a tone that permeates throughout the entire experience, from paintings on the wall to memorable floor selections. The Grand America Hotel offers museum-quality art and tours for guests to immerse themselves in the environment, featuring remarkable tapestries, oil paintings, and more.

In this guide, you’ll find:

• The importance of partnering with a property committed to helping attendees immerse themselves in the moment and in the destination.
• The personal touches that can customize and humanize the hospitality experience, particularly in light of the industry’s continuing shift to a tech-driven operations model.
• The difference that a tenured staff member can make in every piece of experience, from
• housekeeping to audio-visual services.
• Shifting attendee attitudes about culinary sustainability and a need to focus on a fine dining culture that rewards and respects the people who make it possible.
• The role that art, history, and culture play in luxury experiences and how art can inspire the exchange of ideas at meetings and events.

This content was created collaboratively by the Grand America Hotel and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.

Photo Credit: Salt City Event Co. and Laura-Kinser