Luxurious Venues for Very Special Gatherings
By Morgan Saltz
Incentives and executive retreats in the summer can not be more exotic and enticing than Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. With Puerto Rico, St. John, St. Tropez and St. Thomas as your destinations, meeting professionals can program an unforgettable and culturally rich destination-focused event.
Fun Fact
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are not only islands, but archipelagos with many desirable destinations with many different influences! From indigenous history to colonial influences to modern cultural fusion, the islands continuously offer exciting and evolving experiences.
5 Reasons Why Meeting Profs Love It
Take a rum-tasting tour at Casa Barcadí in Puerto Rico to enjoy the experience of one of the most popular rums in the world. From vintage rums to one-of-a-kind rums of the Bacardí family, your group can go on a tour and sample rums you can’t find anywhere else in the world.
The ease of travel between the islands allows visitors to hop between amazing island destinations via plane or boat in less than an hour. Meeting professionals can plan scenic day trips for groups and attendees can extend their stay to explore the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with access to easy travel.
The water sports available around all of the Puerto Rico/ USVI islands are an experience that most would be thrilled with the opportunity to enjoy and reiterate excitement and enjoyment to their colleagues. Puerto Rico and US/VI is full of these opportunities!
The national parks in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are some of the most stunning worldwide. Two-thirds of St. John is national parkland and tourist attractions such as Trunk Bay Beach are destinations visitors can enjoy the natural beauty of the Caribbean. For a historical experience, San Juan National Park is the only national park in Puerto Rico and provides insight to both indigenous cultural experiences as well as colonial influence.
The shopping in the Caribbean could surprise you—the hidden gems are very upscale. Main Street of Charlotte Amelie in St. Thomas, also known as Dronningens Gade from Danish colonization, offers very high-end options for shopping enthusiasts, such as globally recognized brands in the fashion and jewelry industries.
5 Places to Stay and Meet
The Westin Beach Resort & Spa at Frenchman’s Reef infuses the thriving and abundant natural life of the Virgin Islands into every element of its space, bringing lively coral reefs and a refreshing coastal feel into a luxurious atmosphere as indulgent as it is refreshing.
85,000 sq. ft. meeting and event space; 392 guest rooms.
Condado Vanderbilt Hotel is a historic oceanfront retreat, originally opened in 1919 by Frederick William Vanderbilt. From “flavor-forward” fine dining to suites offering views of the sparkling Caribbean or spectacular San Juan, guests are never left wanting.
25,000 sq. ft. meeting and event space; 317 guest rooms.
Puerto Rico Convention Center in the heart of San Juan is a sleek, modern and flexible space for meetings small or large. It anchors the fast-growing Convention Center District and is across from the exciting new entertainment magnet, Distrito T-Mobile.
Three exhibit halls totaling 152,700 sq. ft.; 37,587 sq. ft. of meeting rooms; 39, 551 sq. ft. ballroom.
The rebuilding of the Wharfside shopping center in St. John and the Wharfside Village Hotel offers a new and renovated boutique resort with four beachfront properties, casual dining, and top-notch amenities just steps away from the sand.
34 guest-rooms; 4 beach bars; future expansion in 2025.
El Conquistador Resort is Puerto Rico’s largest event resort, and its oceanfront location offers visitors the perfect harmony between getting real, inventive business done and indulging in the stunning natural scenery and sunshine fun.
100,000 sq. ft. meeting and event space; 750 guest rooms.
This article appears in the September 2024 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
