Discover endless summer from the East to the West
What do NOLA, San Antonio and San Diego all have in common? Not much—they’re all massively distinct cities—but besides big character, they share lots of sunshine. As summer begins to wind down, your attendees are looking for last-chance opportunities to soak up the sun. Besides, with these new and renovated hotels, all signs point towards yes (please!).
A Slice of NOLA Music History
The newly opened Kimpton Hotel Fontenot stands in the sought-after New Orleans’ Central Business District, only moments from the French Quarter and the New Orleans Ernest M. Morial Convention Center.
Guests enter the boutique 235-room hotel through an elegantly understated lobby with white oak floors and dark accents; the ornate Peacock Room offers a vibrant alternative atmosphere, with punch bowl cocktails. The hotel’s new restaurant, King Brasserie and Bar, offers Mediterranean-French fusion crafted with fresh, local ingredients.
By following a custom-built, handmade staircase above the restaurant, visitors will find a second floor of over 10,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space. Spaces include the 5,506-square-foot Canray Ballroom—named for the musician Canray Fontenot, a legendary Louisiana fiddle player, who serves as the hotel’s overall inspiration. Additional second floor spaces include the 1,920-square-foot King Terrace and the 554-square-foot Evangeline boardroom. Event spaces continue into the third floor, with the 1,017-square-foot Lala room and 779-square-foot Lala Prefunction space. Meetings and events onsite enjoy in-house catering overseen by executive chef Samuel Peery.
Read More: New Orleans: Meet, Eat and Feel the Music
Unwind with Sunsets by the Fire Pit
Hilton San Antonio Hill Country wraps up an extensive renovation project, with debuts and redesigns all across the property. The redesign captures the atmosphere of the surrounding Texas Hill Country. Muted, natural backdrops of Austin stone frame eye-catching accents inspired by the Texas sky, local cacti and sun-warmed peaches. Upholstery inspired by traditional weaves infuse texture into the palette. 227 guest rooms, alongside all the amenities a modern guest hopes for—from 55” HDTVs to Cuisinart coffee stations and spacious work desks with multiple outlets and USB connections—all include Hill Country-inspired artwork, elegant drapery and refreshed plush carpeting.
The property now offers over 12,500 sq. ft. of flexible meeting and event space. The classic boardrooms, ballrooms and pre-function space are topped off with a garden rotunda. In the expansive garden courtyard, visitors can gather under the stars and unwind from the busy day around individual fire pits. Three onsite dining outlets include seasonal outdoor pool bar The Tortuga Pool Bar, grab-and-go coffee bar DoubleShot and The Spur Texas Kitchen & Bar, which offers New American cuisine with a Texan twist for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
As a property committed to sustainability, the renovation also saw the incorporation of energy-efficient lighting across the property.
SoCal Sunshine by the Bay
San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter sees a refreshed Omni San Diego Hotel following a property-wide renovation. The hotel stands only moments away from Petco Park, Little Italy, Seaport Village and the San Diego Convention Center. Paying homage to its connection with Petco Park and the San Diego Padres, the hotel features a welcoming and dynamic baseball-inspired design. A backdrop of green and brown set the stage for thoughtful details—including stitched leather panels, stadium-style lighting fixtures and curated artworks that emulate the motion of baseball. Ash and maple-toned woods for furniture bases nod to the materials of baseball bats and wool-like fabrics and metal nod to the fabric of uniform and gloves.
The hotel’s sixth floor features a reimagined Tortuga pool bar and terrace, with an expansive pool deck that overlooks the San Diego Bay, multiple indoor lounges and poolside dining featuring Baja California-inspired bites and drinks. The new street-level restaurant and bar Ace Porter offers elevated local cuisine, and the hotel’s lobby-side restaurant Fres.co Market + Café serves house-made grab-and-go options, fresh baked goods, coffee, wine and beer.
511 guest rooms offer expansive views of the city’s skyline, bay and Petco Park plus elegant upgrades such as cross-hatched credenzas, chic curved couches and accents of brown leather and rich velvet; characteristic green tiles outline the walk-in showers.
Already an ideal location for meetings and events due to its proximity to the convention center, the hotel itself offers 32,000 sq. ft. of flexible event space, with 24 indoor and outdoor meeting areas.
Read More: San Diego: A Saint in SoCal
