Smart Meetings

What most people don’t realize, however, is that L.A. is actually much more than slick convertibles and sunny skies (although we doubt your attendees will be complaining about the nearly year-round sunshine). As with most cities, there are hidden treasures in L.A. that are surprisingly not crowded with visitors or bustling with paparazzi. And as it turns out, a lot of these local spots can be found in L.A.’s South Bay and beach cities (Santa Monica, Marina del Rey, and Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo Beaches). These locales also happen to come complete with major meeting spaces and an easily accessible location for both your drive market and national, or even international, attendees via the Los Angeles International Airport.

A huge benefit for L.A. as a whole, and an even larger draw for meetings in the South Bay, is LAX, which averages a total of more than 5 million passengers either arriving or departing the city each month. But aside from its busy flight schedule (and rather in tune with the L.A. image), LAX just so happens to be less than a mile from the nearest surfable wave. “The beach is on either side of the airport,” says Michael Krouse, senior vice president of sales and client services for L.A. Inc., The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau. “If you were facing the airport on Century Boulevard, you would be five minutes to Manhattan Beach, 10 minutes maximum to Marina del Rey, 10 minutes to Redondo Beach and 20 minutes to Santa Monica. It’s the best-selling feature,” he says.

With convenience and the reality of sand in between your toes just minutes away, planners also have a variety of meetings hotels to choose from, both near the airport and at the neighboring beach cities. If you choose an airport location, most of the properties offer a complimentary shuttle to and from Manhattan Beach. “In [the South Bay] you can go down to the beach on the shuttle, and yet you are staying at the airport,” he says. “No other city can do that.”

And if you’re not staying at the airport, L.A. (surprisingly) also has a subway, which is very group-friendly and easy to navigate, Krouse says. Although it’s more ideal for conventions held inland at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the subway does have a stop in Redondo Beach and can connect travelers to LAX, Hollywood and other famous spots (think day trip without the rush-hour traffic).

Another insider tip for groups on their way to L.A. is that, although a majority of people have heard of or seen the upscale beaches of Malibu in movies or on TV, most travelers don’t know that L.A. is home to miles upon miles of beaches (more specifically, the city has 33 public beaches in total and 75 miles of coastline). “People don’t think of L.A. as having beach cities and communities. Plus, a lot of the South Bay beaches are kind of a secret,” Krouse says. “It’s the kind of things that the locals know about, and the places the locals go.”

In addition, all of these beach cities are linked via The Strand, a concrete path that runs the length of the coastline between them (22 miles) and offers a place for recreational activities, including bike rides or walks—plus impressive views of the Pacific Ocean.

So, for the time being, put away your movie-screen ideas of what L.A. is made up of, and take a closer look at the lesser-known sandy beaches of the South Bay, with a beach boardwalk that screams California, meeting venues showcasing the nearby waves, sunny skies and the unparalleled level of convenience of having your flight just minutes away. All of which make up the region’s “it” factor, according to Krouse. With the airport and airline service, “It’s very easy to get to L.A., no matter where you are coming from. I challenge you to find a city that can offer you what L.A. can,” he says.

SANTA MONICA

The eight-square-mile city of Santa Monica is also just eight miles from LAX. As it has been for years, the city is a magnet for celebrities (and a great place for your attendees to catch a glimpse of a Hollywood star without all of the fuss of the more tourist-friendly places farther inland).

This year was a milestone for Santa Monica, as the iconic Santa Monica Pier, celebrated its 100th birthday in September, with a 100-foot-long cake to go with it, of course. Still offering a fun place to entertain groups with rides, street performers, food stands and a great waterfront view, the pier also spent $1.5 million on a new Ferris wheel, which puts on a light show at night. The wheel now features 160,000 LED lights and is solar powered—the only solar-powered Ferris wheel in the world, by the way. “You can’t dispute Santa Monica’s world-renowned pier and the new Ferris wheel,” Krouse says. “Santa Monica is a great spot for star spotting, and [meeting planners] can even do events there and shut down the whole pier,” he says.

Aside from the pier, which totals more than 400,000 sq. ft., providing ample opportunity for all group sizes, the city has 14 hotels that offer meeting space. One major property showcasing a great view of the new Ferris wheel light show is Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. The 342-room property also features 17,000 sq. ft. of meeting space for up to 900 guests, as well as the eco-friendly Ocean Spa and Fitness Center.

Located on Santa Monica’s Ocean Avenue, the boutique, historic Georgian Hotel offers panoramic beach views and more than 2,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space. The property is a short 5-minute walk from the pier and has often been a hot spot for the rich and famous, who particularly frequent the property’s well-known ocean-view veranda.

Sitting above the shoreline, the 310-room Sheraton Delfina has 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space. Another option is Le Merigot – A JW Marriott Hotel & Spa, which is also a quick stroll from the ocean. For groups, the property offers more than 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. A bit farther from the sea is The Ambrose, with 77 guest rooms and a small meeting room for up to 15 attendees. The sustainable hotel was the first property in the U.S. to be LEED-EB certified, and it also offers organic catering for small groups, including vegan and vegetarian options.

On the bluffs of Santa Monica Beach, the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows has 300 guest rooms, including a 10-story Ocean Tower where all guest rooms look out over the Pacific. For your VIPs, the property also features 32 secluded bungalows with private patios amid tropical gardens. In addition, the hotel can accommodate a group of up to 900 in its more than 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting and conference space.

Where Events Soar

Upscale and contemporary, The Huntley Hotel has 209 guest rooms, including 20 suites. With more than 5,000 sq. ft. of total meeting space, the property’s place to be is the rooftop, which is officially dubbed The Penthouse. At 18 stories high, the venue has panoramic views that include the nearby Malibu Mountains and the Los Angeles city skyline. In total, The Penthouse includes three function spaces: the Twilight, the Skyline and the Sunset Room; however, all three are available for buyouts for a total of up to 300 guests.

If your group isn’t large enough to rent out the entire Santa Monica pier, take them down to the Trapeze School, which offers team-building workshops or, for the less adventurous, entertainment options include an aerial show with the flying trapeze. Group sizes and activities vary, but up to 25 trainers can facilitate a program (a note: they recommend that each chosen activity has a maximum of 10 people).

MARINA DEL REY

Heading south from Santa Monica and not too far down the coast, you’ll find Marina del Rey, which offers nearly 50,000 sq. ft. of total event space and more than 1,000 hotel rooms. “Marina del Rey is often forgotten,” Krouse says. “But you can’t forget it [as a meeting planner]. There are a lot of good hotels there, and lots of new dining options. It offers high-end products and competitive prices.”

Marina del Rey’s atmosphere is largely due to its marina and waterfront locale. Built around the largest manmade small-boat harbor in the United States (with 19 marinas and a capacity for 5,300 boats), the city lends itself to numerous outdoor group activities, including kayaking and onboard events.

One of the main meeting venues in the area is the Marina del Rey Marriott. The property has 395 guest rooms and suites, and completed a major redesign of its public areas and 18,000 sq. ft. of meeting space just two years ago. Also recently refreshed, The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey offers 30,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting space, and 304 guest rooms and suites. Another recent addition is the property’s spa, which features eight treatment rooms.

Have Water, Will Meet

As the harbor is so easily accessible, your group can rent several boats in the marina, either to hold your meeting on, or for an evening reception for as many as 500 guests (see visitmarinadelrey.com for major charter rental information). Group team-building activities are also available with Marina Boat Rentals, which recently added jet skis to their inventory. The company can also organize custom-tailored water scavenger hunts for smaller groups.

Also, due to the hundreds of small, privately owned boats nearby, groups can take advantage of the yacht clubs in the area, most of which allow public meeting and event rental, although their membership is private. One such venue is Marina del Rey’s two-story waterfront California Yacht Club. Decorated in a nautical theme throughout, the facility offers banquet space, a patio and an outdoor lawn; the entire club can hold a maximum of 300 attendees.  

Just a few shore breaks from Marina del Rey is Venice Beach, a great option for a group day trip and a don’t-miss, according to Krouse. “The Venice Beach boardwalk is kind of like a circus,” he says with affection. “It’s trendy and hip. A younger crowd [of attendees] would go crazy seeing it, and the older group needs to go experience it.”

Among street entertainers and swimsuit-wearing residents weaving around on skateboards and rollerblades, the beach boardwalk is full of tattoo parlors and piercing shops. (Tattoos are actually so prominent here that the Hotel Erwin, a Joie de Vivre property on Venice Beach, recently offered a deal to guests that promised $500 to anyone who got the property’s name tattooed on their body!)

LAX VICINITY

“Meeting planners are surprised by the variety of hotels [around LAX],” Krouse says. Aside from a great selection, groups staying near the airport have the added bonus of properties that don’t skimp on upscale amenities or accommodations. “What makes LAX unique is that the hotels are very large meetings hotels, and they are not like typical meeting properties.” Krouse also says that, other than the short ride from baggage claim to their guest room, attendees wouldn’t know they are staying at an airport property (which, as you know, have had to overcome the stigma that all airport properties are sterile and somewhat boring). “The airport hotels have resort-style pool areas and have transformed themselves into a meeting facility that just happens to be near an airport,” he says.

One major property near Los Angeles’ main transportation hub is the 985-room Los Angeles Airport Marriott. For groups, the upscale property features 29 meeting rooms and a total of 55,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. If your group doesn’t have time to make it to the beach, there’s a heated, tropical-style pool on-site, and group dining can be arranged at the property’s Latitude 33 restaurant.

Just a quarter mile from the airport is the Hilton Los Angeles Airport, which offers a complimentary shuttle to/from the terminals every 15 minutes. The large 1,234-room property also offers more than 55,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including two boardrooms, 30 meeting rooms and a ballroom, accommodating up to 1,300 attendees.

Another group option is the Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles International Airport, which recently completed a renovation to 150 of its 573 total guest rooms, as well as the pool area, meeting space and lobby.

The Westin Los Angeles Airport also recently wrapped up a renovation to its 45,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, and is planning to renovate its 740 guest rooms and suites at the end of this year. The Sheraton Gateway Hotel Los Angeles also joins the renovation pack with a $20-million upgrade under its belt. The 802-room property has 50,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a redesigned 11,400-square-foot ballroom.

Fly In, Fly Out

If your group doesn’t have time to leave the airport, or you need to squeeze in a quick meeting before your team flies back home, you can use the airport’s fairly new addition, the ReLAX lounge, located in the Tom Bradley International Terminal. This first pay-to-use public access lounge offers laptop stations, wireless Internet, faxing, photocopying and printing services, coffee, tea and snacks—all for an all-inclusive hourly price (you can also pay to use their services for the whole day if needed). Although the lounge is first-come, first-serve, there is plenty of space for your smaller group to convene and get some last-minute or pre-meeting business done.  

MANHATTAN BEACH

One of the largest beach communities in the area, and just three miles from LAX, Manhattan Beach sprawls across more than two miles of beachfront and takes up 40 acres of recreational beach area in total. Along with 150-plus volleyball courts on the sand, the town is filled with shops and restaurants, and gives off a causal, flip-flop wearing vibe. A major attraction is the 928-foot-long Manhattan Beach Pier, which shoots out among the waves at the end of Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Also popular for the city and its visitors are street fairs, including a weekly farmer’s market, summer concerts in the park and fireworks festivals, among others.

When meeting in Manhattan Beach, groups can choose from a number of properties, including the Manhattan Beach Marriott, which sits on 26 acres just a couple of miles from the ocean. The 385-room property also features 21 meeting rooms and 25,000 sq. ft. of total space. Another option is The Belamar, which recently unveiled a $2.2-million renovation to its lobby, restaurant and meeting space. Adding five brand-new meeting rooms to the 127-room property, the hotel now offers a total of more than 7,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

HERMOSA BEACH

Hermosa Beach is located between Manhattan and Redondo Beach, and is often described as the center of L.A.’s South Bay coastline (as the South Bay is usually defined as the three main beaches south of the airport). At 1.5 square miles, Hermosa Beach offers shopping, dining and nightlife in its very walkable and pedestrian-friendly city. Popular for recreation is The Strand, which connects Hermosa to its beachy neighbors, and is always open for skating, biking, walking, jogging or sightseeing.

Situated on The Strand and showcasing stunning views of the Pacific Ocean from 80% of its loft suites, the Beach House Hotel Hermosa Beach is a 96-suite property with more than 2,600 sq. ft. of meeting space. Great for groups, the property is close to all Hermosa Beach has to offer, including Pier Avenue, which is always hopping with activity and entertainment pre- or post-meeting.

REDONDO BEACH

Along with its sandy shores, harbor and pier, Redondo Beach comes packed with a lot of history. Back in the late 1800s, the city was quite the “place to be,” as it was the first port in Los Angeles County. Steamers from the Pacific Steamship Company stopped at Redondo four times a week as part of regular runs between San Francisco and San Diego, which made the city a major hub of activity.

Today, Redondo’s history is part of what makes it so special for groups, and although you won’t see too many steamships, Redondo still maintains the same welcoming presence it did more than 100 years ago. “Redondo Beach has a mix of history, art and architecture, and there’s always something going on,” says Deborah Shepard, CMP, CHSP, chair of the visitors bureau, which is part of the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau. (She is also director of sales and marketing for the Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach & Marina Hotel.)

Another plus for groups, Redondo has a small-town feel with the same convenience to LAX (just 7 miles away). “Your group is special in our city and to our shop owners because we are a smaller community,” she says. This, among other reasons, is also why Ann Riley, administrative director for Nemours Center for Medical Leadership, based in Delaware, has taken her group to Redondo annually for the past 10 years. “Our group has been returning to the Crowne Plaza Redondo due to their hospitality for our group and the ease in working with meeting staff,” Riley says. In addition, Redondo Beach doesn’t require a car, she says. “Walking distance to Redondo Pier, area restaurants and bars, and the beach are major attractions.”

As the largest meetings property in the area, the Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach & Marina Hotel is located just across the street from the water, and is within easy walking distance to restaurants and beachfront activity. For groups, the hotel has 339 guest rooms and 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting space in 15 rooms.

On the waterfront, and showcasing views of King Harbor, The Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club recently completed an $11-million renovation. The luxurious property has more than 8,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a freestanding meeting pavilion.

Sand & Sea

For inspiration and education that is sure to make waves (in the best possible way), take your group for a tour of the city’s SEA Lab, a hands-on coastal science center. Facility rentals are available in a classroom setting for up to 60 people, or at the tidepool (with use of the Tidepool Amphitheater) for up to 100 guests.

Unique not only to Redondo, but also to the entire South Bay, Seaside Ice, is exactly what its name implies—an ice skating rink on the sand. Located in King Harbor, the ice installation will allow your groups to put on ice skates as they hear the sound of waves crashing just steps away. The seasonal rink is open November 11–January 18, 2010, and is available for private group rental for a maximum of 200 guests.

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For more information on properties, venues and attractions in LAX/Beach Cities, visit smartmeetings.com/showcases/lax-beach-cities. Back to Top

Getting There

Los Angeles’ South Bay is home to the Los Angeles International Airport, which offers flights from more than 60 domestic and international carriers. Other nearby airports include Long Beach Airport and Santa Monica Airport. Back to Top

Not To Be Missed

• The new solar-powered 160,000 LED-light Ferris wheel at the Santa Monica Pier
• The trendy, vibrant Venice Beach boardwalk
• The Strand, which spans 22 miles along the Los Angeles coast
• Santa Monica’s pedestrian-only Third Street Promenade with three blocks of restaurants and shops
• The historic Redondo Beach Pier for dining, shopping and entertainment

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