Wild Dunes Resort
With the Fourth of July weekend upon us, “it’s getting in hot in here” to borrow lyrics from Nelly. Now that summer is in full swing, it’s a great time to report on beach resorts, with meetings and events space.
When I think of this holiday, I inevitably think of going to the beach. Growing up in Southeastern Virginia, I was in heaven every time I got to go to Virginia Beach. I’m still that way and try to at least take a bike ride on the boardwalk when I return home.
The beauty of beaches is that they come in all sizes and flavors. For example, many of Virginia Beach’s oceanfront hotels share their views and sand. Of course, oceanfront private pools are the perfect antidote if privacy is what you’re looking for. Here are a few top beach resorts sure to help those in your group enjoy summer like it was meant to be enjoyed—at the beach!
Oceanaire Resort Hotel-a Diamond Resort in Virginia Beach is a top choice for luxury and special events. There are four swimming pools, two outdoors and two indoors. But most people will want to enjoy Virginia Beach’s typically mild Atlantic Ocean waters. Oceanaire offers 189 one- and two-bedroom suites. There’s indoor reception space for up to 190 and a 3,275-square-foot sundeck on the 10th floor. The views from the sundeck are expansive and create a party vibe that you’d expect to find in South Beach.
Wild Dunes Resort, A Destinations Hotel on Isle of Palms outside Charleston, South Carolina, completed renovations to its 93-room AAA Four Diamond Boardwalk Inn in May. The resort also features condos, townhomes, a newly renovated golf course, new restaurant and adventure activities. Meeting space includes the elegant 10,000-square-foot Sweetgrass Pavilion and the covered gazebo at the Grand Pavilion, which boasts panoramic ocean views.
Nobu Hotel at Eden Roc Miami Beach is a multimillion-dollar collaboration between Nobu Hotels and Eden Roc Resort Miami Beach that will debut in the fall. It will be the second Nobu hotel to open in the United States. The expanded property will feature a hotel-within-a-hotel concept, including 210 new guest rooms, Nobu Restaurant and bar and an additional beachfront restaurant. Well-established Eden Roc Miami Beach already boasts 631 guest rooms and suites and more than 70,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space on between famous Collins Avenue and the Atlantic Ocean.
Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club on the southwest coast of Florida has undergone $50 million in renovations and enhancements over the last few years. The latest project is $9 million upgrade to its championship golf course by none other than Jack Nicklaus. The total redesign of the golf course began in April and is slated for completion in December. This beach resort offers 319 guest rooms and 34,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including the 6,283-square-foot River of Grass Ballroom. The resort’s access to the white-sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico is pretty awesome, too.
Henderson Beach Resort, a Salamander Hotels & Resorts will be the newest beach resort in Destin, Florida, when it opens in the fall. It will offer 171 guest rooms next to 1.5 miles of white-sand on the Gulf of Mexico. Henderson will feature 10,000 sq. ft. of event space, including a dedicated meeting wing. There will be a 5,221-square-foot ballroom and as well as 20,000 sq. ft. of outdoor spaces for waterfront functions.
Pasea Hotel & Spa, a Meritage Collection property, opened in June in Huntington Beach, California, with 250 guest rooms and suites, almost all with Pacific Ocean views. The beach resort offers 34,600 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a 14,600-square-foot ocean lawn and terrace and 8,400-square-foot Sapphire Ballroom. Tanner’s restaurant features fresh California cuisine, and guests are able to watch the culinary team in action at its wood-fired inferno grill in an exhibition kitchen encased in glass. Groups can also head upstairs to Treehouse Lounge, a rooftop patio.
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe announced plans for creation of a new beach experience earlier this month. The AAA Five Diamond resort in Truckee, California, is building a lakefront project called Lake Club. Resort guests will have exclusive use of the club’s elegant, multilevel dining and bar facility with panoramic views of Lake Tahoe. There will be direct beach access, with an adjacent private boat pier for water sports.
The Ritz features 170 guest rooms, 23 private residences, a spa and an inter-mountain gondola that connects the resort to the nearby Village at Northstar. The 6,600-square-foot Ritz Carlton Ballroom can host 520 with theater-style seating and 478 for receptions.
“Our intention is to create a space that complements the rugged landscape with a clean, modern aesthetic,” said Clare Walton, principal architect of Tahoe City-based Walton Architecture + Engineering. “The transparency of our design allows guests to connect immediately with the setting and flow seamlessly between interior and exterior social gathering spaces.”
